Charles did well today in Germany

[Ndd135632]

I never post on this forum. I am not a massive royalist and have been dismayed recently with all the shenanigans. But with all the division going on I so loved listening to Charles speak in Germany today.

Respect that he did so much in German. That is such a warm gesture. He is in Germany so he speaks German. Shame more Brits can’t do the same when abroad. And also lovely to listen to the peace and warmth in his voice.

I am being an optimist and think solidarity and togetherness is the way forwards.

Good for him!

I very much doubt that either would have spoken any language other than English with Charles.

Why? They knew he was going to be king and speaking foreign languages is important for diplomats so it seems natural to pass that skill on. Of course, I could be wrong because I don't know for certain.

Think about the period when Charles was a child. Do you really think a knowledge of German would have been considered a priority?

Also, I don't think royals of that generation saw themselves as teachers passing on useful skills to their children, like modern parents would. Not to mention that Philip had gone out of his way to become British and distance himself from his partial German roots.

I agree. It seems highly unlikely that his father would have been speaking to him in German during that post-war period.

Whether his father or grandma conversed with Charles in German or not, the level of language he used at the Bundestag was far higher than just schoolboy German. There were loads of those compound words and long sentences with extra clauses (??) where the verb gets shoved miles along to the end.

But his grandmother didn't die til 1964. I was quite young then but I don't remember growing up with the war being mentioned much. At all really. Was it frowned on to speak German in the 50s? Didn't he have a few German speaking relatives on Prince Philips side that he'd speak to?
I'm probably wrong. Maybe he just practised with his father when he decided to learn later on.

His father didn't die til Charles was 72. A long time to practise. And his Lord Mountbatten will have spoken fluent German, even though he was brought up in Britain. Plenty of people to practise with.
I won't carry on because I really don't know. But I'm going to see if I can find out.

His grand parents were cousins/closely connected to the German, Danish, Russian and Greek RFs. French was traditionally the language of European 'good' society. On the whole German was more widely spoken than Danish, Russian or Greek.

When I was at secondary school in the 1980s the 'standard' foreign languages were French and German. When friends went on to study a foreign language at university any other languages were taught from scratch, but you were expected to have French and German A-level to study French or German.

It's not surprising that being able to speak French would have been considered important for a future monarch born in the 1940s, and given the family connections German as well.

At DD's school it seems to be French and Spanish - probably reflecting the reach of the French and Spanish empires and the consequent international 'reach' of those languages, but Mandarin and Russian getting more and more traction.

I have a book of etiquette from the 1920s that advises you that it is best not to try to enter 'society' while abroad unless fluent in either the language of the country or French - French being the standard second language of 'society' and any educated person being fluent!

I remember learning in history at school that French was the language of diplomacy. If I remember that fact correctly then it makes sense that learning French would be a priority

Yes, he did well speaking German in that speech. I always applaud anyone who makes this sort of effort.

However, I wish he would stick with what he promises, I thought he wanted everything slimmed down? I actually checked the date because I thought it was an April fools joke... sadly not.

https://news.sky.com/story/king-charles-portraits-schools-councils-and-police-stations-to-receive-pictures-at-cost-of-8m-to-taxpayer-12847546

Like MarshaMelrose, I assume that his father probably spoke German with him, but you make some good points IcedPurple.

We’ll probably never know. Although Charles may have mentioned it in his memoir, perhaps?

Get out of here. The f is xenophobic about a German family speaking German.

OMG, what on earth is that?

Even my dc sycophantic schools did not have a pic of HMQE. Maybe a pic at embassies and palaces. Talk about narcism.

It is xenophobic to refer to a family that has lived in the UK for over a century as a 'German' family.

How many generations does a family have to live here to be 'British'?

My uncle ended up in the UK as a refugee as a teenager. He has lived here ever since, his children and grandchildren were born here and have only had British citizenship. Do they count as 'British', given they have a father/grandfather born in another country with another citizenship?

That's dreadful, but is that his decision or the government's? As far as I'm aware, Charles has no say on how taxpayer funding is used, other than what he gets from the sovereign grant?

Isn't that a Government initiative though?

How exactly are they German though? They don't live in Germany or identify as German.

Their last direct descendent who was German was Prince Albert. His wife was British, born in England.

Are we now all to identify as the nationality of a descendent born in 1819?
This is a well worn, very unfunny xenophobic joke leftover from the 70s. There is plenty to criticise the BRF for - let's not descend into xenophobia to do it.

It's a government initiative, nothing to do with Charles, the schools/council offices etc can request a copy of the picture if they want it, it's not being forced on anyone. If the republicans are to be believed no-one will want a picture anyway, so zero cost to anyone.

Even one picture is too much. We are not North Korea!

I am sure if Charles did not want this to happen his view would hold some sway.

I must check and see if there is a petition somewhere I can sign...

🙄

Yes it is.

I’m Greek ethnicity but I was born here as was one of my parents. My dcs were born here. We count ourselves as British.

Take your xenophobia elsewhere.

Oh & my dcs don’t even speak Greek. We’ve all grown up speaking English. As it’s the language of the country we were born in & live in.

'I must check and see if there is a petition somewhere I can sign...'

Oh, please do. In fact, why not start one. How will you word it?

'We need to remove the choice of whether public authorities put up a portrait of UK head of state....'

The comparison to N Korea, right there.

You seem to think spending £8million on this nonsense is OK.

I don't.

That's it really.

I applaud anyone who can learn another language well, I sadly lack this skill.