How much work goes on behind the scenes?

[auberginefortea]

I guess this has been done before, but I couldn't find it.

How busy do we think the Royals are beyond the list of engagements we see?

My BIL is a diplomat and I know a lot of his job is hosting people, having receptions, giving an opening talk at some event. But he's also busy managing people, writing reports, doing project management of some sort. I'd guess that the actual physical attendance at events is say 20% of his time.

How do we think that compares for the Royals?

Or do we think their staff carry much of the burden (writing the speech) and the work is reading a one pager in the car on the way to the event?

@Roussette may I ask you a question out of interest - putting aside the RF what do you think about other really wealthy people, the top 0.01%? For example Duke of Westminster, Denise Coates (Bet365), JK Rowling?

Note: I am aware that the median salary in the UK is c£35k which means 50% of the working population earn that or in many cases much less.

I'm not @Roussette but I have no problem with wealthy people as long as they pay proper tax and comply with the laws that the rest of us have to comply with. JkR pays loads of tax. The other two, I'm not sure, although Denise Coates has made her money through exploitation of the vulnerable to a certain extent. The Royals have huge power to change laws to suit themselves and are afforded privileges like hiding wills, etc that are jit afforded to anyone, not even thecsuper rich. Fine, if they are going to ask for special treatment to suit themselves they need to be fully scrutinised. The fact is that they aren't. Because they do deals with the press, Parliament and the courts, all bodies who are meant to be working for us to hold the powerful to account. We have a ridiculous culture of deference toward them, where they are praised for doing the bare minimum, and people pretend they are so hard done by, but ' do it for us'. It allows them to get away with huge amounts because people tie themselves in knots trying to excuse them.

Thank you @Angrycat2768 I appreciate the explanation of why you and others put the RF in a different category from anyone else.

@Angrycat2768 has answered perfectly for me and echoes all that I think.

It's an odd question (how long is a piece of string) because in life there are such inequalities and the particular people you mention are at the top of the tree. I think their tax affairs should be squeaky clean and the DoW gets away with far too much with his trusts. Maybe with a change of government he might not be so comfortable.

At the very top of the tree are the RF and I have continually spoken on here about their lack of transparency with all their affairs...from Wills to Duchies and everything in between. There is a brilliant set of articles that have been years in research from the guardian talking about very many aspects of this if you were interested, I don't want to derail by linking here but they are really worth reading and quite the eye opener. I want more scrutiny but as has been said, the culture of deference doesn't allow it as can be seen from previous posts on this thread.

@Roussette thank you. In part I was wondering if it was inherited wealth or just wealth. After all it only takes one generation for wealth to become inherited rather than earned.

Wealth, particularly inherited, does create privilege. It’s about accessing education and opportunities etc. not open to others.

I don’t think this is the right thread for this but if it was decided to move to a republic I would be interested in what you think the RF should walk away with (not the Duchy’s I know 😂) but also what would we need to concede. I think a bar on any media intrusion - you or I go about our lives without having to think we are going to end up on the front page or at the start of the news and so would the exRF.

Agree with posters questioning the definition of work on this thread - and also we need to remember these people do literally nothing else. Their every need is taken care of by others. The idea that the spaniel “works” harder than most of us is such utter nonsense. But that’s what they want you to believe and their PR machine is insanely good at pulling the wool over the eyes of their fans.

Thanks. Yes, as far as what the RF should walk away with were things to change, their privacy would be paramount.

The thing is ..it's so unbelievably unlikely for anything to change, it's hard to contemplate. A PP mentions a revolution, haha just not happening, we all know that. Maybe there will be changes of some sort in 10 20 50 years time, but I just can't see it. So all I really want is more transparency and more scrutiny and I think bit by bit that will have to happen because there is so much wrong with huge rises in the SG due to happen, with changes to laws to benefit just the RF, with dodging the laws they don't fancy, and literally no accountability whatsoever to speak of, that slowly but surely more of the public will question it all.

The RF only exist in the present form because the public like it, they lap up the frocks, tiaras and all that stuff but the relationship between the monarchy and the media is truly awful, and getting worse and I think it just cannot continue like this.

Excuse the ramble!

It’s not a ramble, it’s very pertinent! What continues to astonish me is the mental gymnastics some monarchists will put themselves through to apparently convince themselves the RF is a glorious institution, with a few bad apples but chiefly composed of dutiful, hard-working people who would much rather be Joe Bloggs the call centre worker from Romford than be a ‘working royal’. And that the inevitable result of abolishing the monarchy would be ‘President Blair/Johnson/Trump’, so it should definitely be retained, because at least there’s the rumoured soap opera antics, the bouncy blowdries and coat dresses, the pageantry, The Crown etc.

I know my views are different because I like having a monarchy but I don’t think they should be above the law.

I like the jewels and clothes but I am not blind to how the media manipulate us, not just about the RF but much more widely.

However, I will pull people up when I think they are being unfair or inaccurate.

The point that made me laugh most was the suggestion that Zara Phillips makes her living from riding.....

Haha yes I know! She and her husband have so many endorsements that pay out....fine, they need to earn a living ...but don't criticise H&M for attending a film premiere in Jamaica by personal invitation when they may (or may not) have been paid to attend

This is interesting.

I’ve said Zara must have worked hard to be a top sports woman, no amount of money can buy you an Olympic medal. I never mentioned she made a living from riding, other posters may have.

However, like many current and past sports people e.g. David Beckham, Gary Lineker etc. using sporting achievements to gain sponsorship is a legitimate way to earn a living. As is doing reality shows etc.

Zara doesn’t have a title but is known in her own right. Similarly her husband was a top sportsman and is following a well trodden route. A key thing is picking the right opportunities, and sadly this is where H & M may have been poorly advised. I could say more but do not want them dragged onto another thread.

One of the reasons I asked the question is that I find it interesting how the children of those who earned their wealth by their skill, talent, business acumen etc. go about earning a living (or not).

Yes like when the Late Queen said at the Edinburgh Cop conference 'that some people say but don't do' on the environment and she was seen as some wise old woman, when her children and grandchildren were doing just that! Not to mention that she herself had lobbied to get an exemotion from Scottsh environmental legislation. The media knew full well she had done that but clapped along like performing seals instead of holding her and the Monarchy up to any kind of challenge.

The issue is that Zara and Mike aren’t hypocritical and damning about the RF.

@Propertylover "
I’ve said Zara must have worked hard to be a top sports woman, no amount of money can buy you an Olympic medal. I never mentioned she made a living from riding, other posters may have."

She must have worked hard, yes, but equestrianism is probably the sport where the most money is required to be successful.

Like Ros Canter, you mean? Her family had a farm, but were hardly rich Rosalind Canter - Wikipedia

I grew up in a rural area, and as the child of middle class professionals was disadvantaged by not having a pony of my own - many of my contemporaries whose families were less 'privileged' had ponies because they had access to land.

@CurlewKate Formula 1 needs huge amounts of money each year:
“Every championship is different and every team is different. A season in Formula 4 costs 200 000 euros, Formula 3 costs 700 000 - 800 000 euros and Formula 2, on average, costs 2 million euros. “

Even when you get to F1, the lower paid drivers salaries are not enough to cover their costs.

Not that I was ever in the running 😂I loved pottering around on horses, but the tiniest jump was terrifying. Have you seen what they have to jump over for the top ranks? Very, very scary!

I did think Charles had a horrendously full diary for at least two months after his mother died. He didn't seem to stop. However I don't buy into William juggling children with a poorly wife. It's been reported that he has around 60 staff.And a CEO to manage them. I'm also taken aback by the size of Bagshot Hall where Edward and Sophie live. It's out of all proportion massive!

@wildernesssw there is a big difference between having a pony and competing at the Olympics!

@Angrycat2768 the environment thing really blows my mind - Chuck is help up as some world leading environmentalist whereas that couldn’t be further from the truth. He wants his peasants to stop travelling and live in smaller houses and consume less but there’s no fucking way he’ll be doing that! That’s for poor people 🤬

Of course, but without the starting point you don't get the chance to progress further. See the link to Ros Canter - her parents had a farm, so she could have ponies and that was the basis of her career.

Yes, it is very unlikely that a child on a housing estate will get the opportunity to discover their talent for riding - but that applies to all sorts of sports.

DD is a talented dancer, but has not had the opportunity to develop her talent as fully as she could because dance classes are expensive. The same for a friend's daughter who is a talented swimmer at county level - if you don't have the money for the coaching, travel etc then there is a limit to how far they can go.

And DD and my friend's daughter have been very privileged to have the support we have been able to give - not many people can spend £250-300 per month on their child's hobby. To train competitively would cost far more, for many years.

I'm also taken aback by the size of Bagshot Hall where Edward and Sophie live. It's out of all proportion massive!

Yep.

They rattle around in it on a similarly sweet lease deal to that enjoyed by Prince Charmless but it very rarely gets remarked on.

They've also been trying to rent out very average looking office space on the estate for an eye-watering £11k a month. That's still there from the last time I looked which was a while back.

Can't imagine why it hasn't been snapped up...

Office to lease in East Wing, The Old Stables, Bagshot Park, Bagshot, GU19 5PJ, GU19 (rightmove.co.uk)

I think the monarchy is a pretty good thing all without any of the mental gymnastics, without being into the pomp and pageantry and without buying into the lifelong service to the plebs shtick. It's possible. I do not quite think that working royal is an oxymoron.

I mean I like to think it's Shang dynasty levels of orgies and ponds of wine and forests of meat every single day but Charles looks too scrawny for that.