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The royal family
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Queen Elizabeth

353 replies

Nono22972 · 31/07/2023 17:06

No disrespect to her but people and the media often talk about her sense of duty, her stability and professionalism but what would would say are some of the things in her last 15-20 years on the throne that you would criticise her for?

My obvious response is how she handled the Prince Andrew situation and staying on the throne as long as she did. She should've abdicated 10 or 20 years before her death, in my opinion

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6
CathyorClaire · 01/08/2023 21:38

Neither, as far as I know, were any of the queen's children

Charles was sent to board at Cheam at eight:

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/03/the-isolating-boarding-school-days-of-prince-charles

WatchOutMissMarpleIsAbout · 01/08/2023 21:54

Both my dcs flexi boarded from 11. My dad (scholarship boy) & my brother went to boarding school. I can’t remember how old they were. 12/13 I think.

Lots of my friends & their husbands boarded. I’m almost 60. It was seen as the norm among my circle (MC) so I imagine it was just accepted by the RF.

Im still 45 years later miffed that my brother was allowed to board & I had to go to a naice girl’s day school. I wanted Mallory Towers 😁

cyclamenqueen · 01/08/2023 22:03

Neither, as far as I know, were any of the queen's children

Andrew and Edward both boarded from 8 at Heatherdown. William and Harry boarded from 8 at Ludgrove , Anne’s children went to Port Regis At about 10 I think . Edwards children went daily and so did Eugenie and Beatrice until age 13 .

Treesinmygarden · 01/08/2023 22:08

Eyesapple · 01/08/2023 18:36

I wish she had spent more time giving her children a secure base

This. There is absolutely no excuse ever to send children to boarding school at 8. She was a very bad parent.

Don't be silly - back when the Queen's children were young, this was the 'done' thing amongst the RF and the upper classes. By the standard of the time, she'd have been considered a bad parent if she hadn't!!

There are some horrible, churlish remarks on this thread. Must be strange to nurse that level of hatred for someone you didn't know.

She was not responsible for Andrew's behaviour but he was her son and she loved him. She didn't support him in public. She stripped him of honours and positions. The only time she was seen with him was when she wanted her son for support at the DofE's memorial, which was completely understandable.

You do realise that it's not only the RF who have vast estates and tonnes of money at their disposal?

Roussette · 01/08/2023 22:44

She didn't support him in public

Oh yes she did. Days after the Epstein scandal broke, she made sure he was sat next to her in the car on the way to church. Grinning
nypost.com/2019/08/11/queen-elizabeth-goes-to-church-with-prince-andrew-amid-epstein-sex-scandal/

Roussette · 01/08/2023 22:45

The only time she was seen with him was when she wanted her son for support at the DofE's memorial

See above
There were other times too

Treesinmygarden · 01/08/2023 22:50

Roussette · 01/08/2023 22:45

The only time she was seen with him was when she wanted her son for support at the DofE's memorial

See above
There were other times too

When he was present as a son, not Prince Andrew! Presumably the elderly, infirm lady just wanted the comfort of her family around her, and presumably she believed the allegations against him were not true.

Considering how spectacularly he let her down, it says a lot about how much she loved him, whether he deserved it or not.

gettingoldisshit · 01/08/2023 23:10

@Treesinmygarden i agree completely! The remarks by some posters are awful but those same posters fall over themselves on other threads to defend Harry and Megan...it's laughable!

Viviennemary · 01/08/2023 23:21

Lets face it she was very well rewarded for doing what dhe perceived was her duty.

Roussette · 02/08/2023 05:49

Treesinmygarden · 01/08/2023 22:50

When he was present as a son, not Prince Andrew! Presumably the elderly, infirm lady just wanted the comfort of her family around her, and presumably she believed the allegations against him were not true.

Considering how spectacularly he let her down, it says a lot about how much she loved him, whether he deserved it or not.

Show quote history

Now that I agree with. He let her and the RF down spectacularly. He was present as Prince Andrew and her as the Queen and captured by the world's media with her giving out a message. Not sure why he wasn't PA when he was there and travelling in a car and it would've been obvious they would be photographed given he was front and centre of a sex trafficking case.

And let's not forget she presented him with the highest honour of Knight of the Order as birthday pressie whilst all this was going on and the FBI were looking to question him. It was not private support. It was public support.

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 08:24

When you think about the queen, she had an enormous amount to contend with from her children. Charles and Diana infidelity scandal, Diana's death, Andrew and Fergie divorcing after more scandal, Anne divorcing, Andrew/Epstein and so on. Even her own sister had to tow the line. All this under intense public scrutiny and splashed over the papers daily. Plenty of families have problems, but they do so in private and even then the volume of disasters rarely compares to the above. No amount of luxurious living would compensate me for all that drama.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 02/08/2023 10:01

And let's not forget she presented him with the highest honour of Knight of the Order as birthday pressie whilst all this was going on and the FBI were looking to question him. It was not private support. It was public support.

This deserves repeating. Her response and actions regarding Andrew are reprehensible and completely inexcusable. As long as he stayed near her, he was protected too, both on her estates and in her presence, he cannot be arrested. She protected him from being held accountable for his involvement with Epstein and alleged abuse. Nobody should be excusing or minimising the family's response to any of it. I think this is the worst thing she ever did, and there is a list.

I think she handled most of the family's dramas poorly, her children's behaviour and relationship dramas, the press, all handled badly.

I think the way she exempted herself from 160 laws is an abuse of power. I have an issue with the amount of money they've been given, which increased dramatically towards the end of her reign and making that grab for the seabed, stolen from the public as far as I am concerned. Living a life of obscene wealth while so many struggle, its just gross. The late Queen represents greed and elitism, as do the entire family.

Keykaty · 02/08/2023 10:05

@Iwantcakeeveryday Bravo, and very well said, far better than I could articulate for sure.

JaukiVexnoydi · 02/08/2023 10:14

The dereliction of duty that she failed to scrutinise, challenge and stand up for the people she is supposed to serve on the various occasions when the cretins in charge were doing something against the best interests of the people. I am generally supportive of the idea of the titular Head of State having limited actual power and being outside of any political election process, but the power of veto that she holds is an important one and there have been many occasions over the past decades when she should have used that power, refused to give royal assent to the government's plans and if necessary dissolved Parliament and triggered a snap general election to stop it.

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:21

The queen (like every adult in this planet) has made mistakes, but overall she has been a force for good with major charity work over 70 years, hugely influential on the world stage, comforting at times of national crisis, and a stabilising influence on the country through years of political turmoil.

People can choose to nit pick small mistakes but overall the evidence is there in the world coverage of her funeral. World leaders attending her funeral shows the esteem she was held in and their genuine affection puts into perspective the small errors. Her handling of the M&H fiasco has proven the correct one as the pair have (by their own efforts) descended into a popularity lower than Andrew's. That's some going considering his heinous association with a convicted people trafficker.

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:23

The head of state has very little real power, which is at it should be. They keep out of politics (mostly) because that's the deal.

Samcro · 02/08/2023 10:24

i think like me a lot of people were sort of fond of the queen as she was all we had known. she was not always popular, I remember as a child/teen my parents not being impressed by her. I think when she got old it was all ahh bless.
she did wrong supporting Andrew publicly. what she did in private as his mum was her business. but in public as the queen!! paying off the victim, going to church with him. and don't get me started at him being allowed to play dress up at her funeral, whilst Harry who has done nothing in comparison to Andrew , was shoved to the back in civvies.
awful way for the head of state to act.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 02/08/2023 10:25

small mistakes harbouring and protecting a son connected to sex trafficking of young people isn't a small mistake and it is gross to minimise it that way. On a parenting forum.

Samcro · 02/08/2023 10:25

nit pick small mistakes really small mistakes??

ElephantLove · 02/08/2023 10:27

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:21

The queen (like every adult in this planet) has made mistakes, but overall she has been a force for good with major charity work over 70 years, hugely influential on the world stage, comforting at times of national crisis, and a stabilising influence on the country through years of political turmoil.

People can choose to nit pick small mistakes but overall the evidence is there in the world coverage of her funeral. World leaders attending her funeral shows the esteem she was held in and their genuine affection puts into perspective the small errors. Her handling of the M&H fiasco has proven the correct one as the pair have (by their own efforts) descended into a popularity lower than Andrew's. That's some going considering his heinous association with a convicted people trafficker.

This first paragraph is so odd - there’s no evidence for any of that. In what way was she a “stabilising influence” through political turmoil? How did she materially affect anything? These platitudes are trotted out time and again but don’t stand up to scrutiny at all.

LadyKenya · 02/08/2023 10:37

Well said@Iwantcakeeveryday .

LivelyBlake · 02/08/2023 10:42

in my extended family we have cases of extremely bitter divorces, people gone NC with parents/siblings, and alcoholism. I would never blame my grandmother for this.

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:44

I'm happy to agree to disagree. My opinion, backed up by the millions watching the funeral and having that respect for her, show my view is held by millions.

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:45

LivelyBlake · 02/08/2023 10:42

in my extended family we have cases of extremely bitter divorces, people gone NC with parents/siblings, and alcoholism. I would never blame my grandmother for this.

No but this was set up as a Queen Elizabeth bashing thread, I'm afraid.

Samcro · 02/08/2023 10:47

polkadotdalmation · 02/08/2023 10:44

I'm happy to agree to disagree. My opinion, backed up by the millions watching the funeral and having that respect for her, show my view is held by millions.

a lot of people watched the funeral as it was historic.
people watch a lot of things, doesn't mean they respect the subject.