Lady Louise 21st birthday - end of privacy?

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

So first of happy 21st birthday to Lady Louise!

I wouldn’t have even realised save for seeing a few articles online showing her celebrating with her boyfriend. The photos have been credited to Facebook and shows her posing for a photo and looking into the camera, but also a photo of her posing for a selfie and not seeming to be aware someone is photographing her. It looks like the media have been trawling through her/friends Facebook accounts or else someone has sold her out. Is this is now that she is 21? Is she not entitled to privacy any more? Is she going to get stalked and papped from now on?

I get that impression as well, I believe Sophie isnt from a particularly wealthy background and had to make her own way in the world, and for a long time Edward hated the constraints of being a member of 'firm'. If things had been different I doubt E & S would have given up their careers to become FT working royals but they didnt have much choice (although together they seemed to have made it work). So, I imagine they want their children to live their own lives without being tied to 'duty'.

That sounds interesting. I hope it's on their main podcast and not their spin off one. Richard and Marina are very fair in their judgements.

I watched the Royal Knockout and thought it was quite fun, but then I was about 5 years old.

The garden centre Lady Louise worked in is quite a posh one.

Compared to her sister, Elizabeth was the rather dreary child .
Did quite well for herself though.
😉😁😁.

If the surplus account (which is designed to be a top up for years where something unexpected comes up - like a major emergency building repair etc) goes over a certain amount indicating that the current grant is regularly in excess of what is needed then the government committee can decide to reduce the Sovereign grant amount.

SG has already been increased to titivate BP.

Hands up all those who think a 'regular excess' (how regular?) will ever be deemed to have happened? 😎

RTFT

The method of calculation was giving too high a rate, and was reduced wef April 2024

It was reduced to reflect the anticipated obscene profits made on the sale of windfarm licences. Windfarms situated on seabeds appropriated on behalf of the monarchy by Charles' canny mother some sixty years ago.

Charles initially stated he wanted the windfall used for the wider public good but it now appears he'll be trousering some £45m in the deal.

The name of the pot they dip into doesn't really matter. It all comes out of the public purse one way or another and they never shortchange themselves in the process.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c880mg120jjo

@JADS "That sounds interesting. I hope it's on their main podcast and not their spin off one. Richard and Marina are very fair in their judgements."

It is on the subscribers pod, sadly. But I've listened to the first part and I reckon it's worth 8 quid! I can't wait for the second part.

I know a young person in the same year as Lady L at St A. She says she’s good fun, and at least before she met Felix she was was bit of a flirt. She also said that she’s likely to become a working royal, but of course I have no way of verifying this.

Interesting, she's mentioned that she's interested in a career in diplomacy or the military after University so that might tie in with becoming a working royal eventually.

It seems a bit strange that Louise would become a working royal without a title when the York sisters aren't.

Louise has the same Princess title as the York sisters but her parents decided for her not to use it until she was old enough to decide for herself if she wanted to, at least until age 18 - so far she hasn't decided to use it. The York sisters might become part-time working Royals eventually but it will be charity events etc. With a career in the military or diplomacy Louise could take over the Duke of Kent / Prince Andrew International trade ambassador role eventually.

That said - whilst technically and currently Princess Beatrice is at the bottom of the list of the counsellors of state I suspect in a years time she will be the fourth counsellor of state and not far off from the third.

Personally I'd like to see more of the younger generation of Royals in a working capacity - it seems flipping unfair that Anne works three times as hard as anyone else.

That said - whilst technically and currently Princess Beatrice is at the bottom of the list of the counsellors of state I suspect in a years time she will be the fourth counsellor of state and not far off from the third

Which "she" do you mean?

Princess Beatrice would only become the 3rd if she moved up a place in the (adults only) line of succession ie monarch or one of the adult heirs higher placed (William/Harry/Andrew/Beatrice) Plus of course there are two supernumeraries at present (Anne/Edward) because Harry is resident overseas and no-one would ever ask Andrew to act in that capacity. If you meant Lady Louise becoming a CoS, it would mean the monarch requesting Parliament another supernumerary.

Princess Beatrice will cease being a CoS when Prince George turns 18, Andrew when Charlotte turns 21 and Harry when Louis does (different age for direct line heir - assuming the younger age does apply to 2nd in line in direct line, not solely 1st in line). Anne (74) and Edward (60) presumably relinquish their ad hominem positions when they retire from royal duties

I meant Beatrice not Louise, in a few years when William is on the throne and Camilla is no longer a CoS.

Unless Louise suddenly starts behaving in a wild or controversial way, I think she will be left alone - the Wessexes are peripheral now.

I would be very surprised to see Louise taking on royal duties.

Firstly, the public mostly doesn't know who she is and she has no royal titles.

Secondly, I don't think she'd want it. Maybe the occasional charity or family appearance, but she seems very private and I can't see her wanting the level of public scrutiny and obligation that goes with being a 'working royal'.

Thirdly, Charles seems to want to keep working royals only in his own direct line. I know Kate's illness and the departure of the Sussexes have messed a bit with that plan, but I can't see him diverging from it. I think the aim is for working royals to only be the monarch, spouse and direct heir and their partner. The days of minor royals taking on public duties are a thing of the past.

In which case who will cover the hundreds of engagements that Anne and the two elder Dukes do currently?

Some may be taken over by younger royals, but many of the existing patronages will likely be phased out. There just isn't going to be so much royal 'work' in the future.

Like i say, the days when there was great interest in someone just because they are the niece of the King are gone. Louise really is not known to the public. The only reason her parents do so many engagements is because of the Sussexes' departure. Otherwise, the plan probably was for their role to be reduced too. And I really don't think Louise would want to be a working royal anyway. I certainly wouldn't if I were her. She has the best of both worlds already. All the benefits of royal connections, with little public intrusion. Why give that up to shake hands at a community centre in Harrowgate?

Just as a point of fact, Louise has the right to call herself HRH Princess Louise of Edinburgh, just as Beatrice and Eugenie call themselves Princess X of York.

I think she (and her parents) are sensible not to, and to.look to having a career that matched her skills and interests.

But she could.

I wasn't talking about shaking hands at community centres and cutting ribbons, a career in diplomacy or the military could lead to the same kind of trade ambassador role that the Duke of Kent / PA used to do. I've just realised that Princess Alexandra is also a working Royal. In fact I might start a new thread about current / future working royals.

The in person engagements were more useful pre the internet age to be able to connect and talk to people across the country to hear their views and needs and highlight their work.

Modern technology can do a lot of that job now so they don’t need as many minor royals turning up to cut ribbons. Supporting the charities goals and highlighting their work can be done very effectively online.

This would leave the slimmed down working royal group to concentrate on the main constitutional tasks and the big historical and cultural events.

I think in person events are still very important. I don't think online 'appearances' can replicate the connection you make with people face to face.

I think there is still a place for the 'visiting community centres in Swansea' type of thing. Royals still need to be seen engaging with 'ordinary' people in the community. However, I don't think there's any need for assorted nieces and cousins to be involved. People will get excited about Charles or Kate turning up to their charity, and it will definitely result in publicity. Louise or Eugenie? Not so much.

I see what you mean now!

Camilla as consort doesn't count in the 4 by adults in LoS (consort is, I think optional anyhow) and she could be replaced by Catherine.

So if KC dies before 2031, Beatrice moves up to 3rd (and Eugenie becomes 4th); she stays 4th if its between 2031 and 2036 (George at 18); and after 2036 she would cease to be one (Charlotte at 21).

And in 2039 (Louis at 21), Andrew would also cease to be one.

Yes and sadly with no updates on the Kings health and his age - it has to be a possibility that he won't be here in 2031, but with the added complication that technically Beatrice and Eugenie if she were to become a CoS wouldn't count - in the sense that only working Royal family members can act as Counsellors of State in a practical sense, presumably that's why Charles placed Anne and Edward as CoS, which is sensible - but it could look a bit different in 5 years time, I suspect if William was on the Throne and either Anne or Edward was no longer able to work - Anne will be almost 80 at that point, then either Harry comes back or Beatrice becomes a working member - because otherwise its Andrew. They can't have CoS who can't actually act as CoS because they aren't working members of the Royal family - so who else do they call upon?

I don't think the "being a working royal" bit is a legal requirement - it's the fig leaf for "not Andrew"

You only need 2 CoS to cover each monarchical act, so it would in practice be William plus either Anne or Edward. And if they both became unavailable, then it would be William plus a York princess, because despite not being a working royal in the fuller sense, they are legally able to act in that way.

Also monarchical acts would have their timings juggled as far as possible to minimise the need for stand-ins. If KC regularly needed stand-ins (ie it was more than a one-off brief illness) then I think planning might turn to asking Parliament to install William as Regent, so he can act alone
(If it were a case that KC were well, but overseas, then the relevant business would be flown out to him. As Royal trips are planned so far in advance, then business would be planned around the absence)