The average age of the seven minor working royals is 76 - should younger members take on more

[Solent123]

Excluding the King, Queen and the Wales family there are seven other working members of the Royal family with a combined average age of 76, carrying out hundreds of engagements every year - for example the Duke of Kent is 89 and still carries out regular engagements - should younger members take on more or will all these engagements become unnecessary in the future as Charles streamlines things.

They are,
Duke Of Edinburgh - 68
Duchess Of Edinburgh 59
Duke Of Gloucester 80
Duchess Of Gloucester 78
Princess Royal 74
Duke Of Kent 89
Princess Alexandra 87

Whilst I agree with slimming down the working royals, I think it needs to be acknowledged that a lot of the political world and society in general is relational and transactional more than it is purely functional. We wouldn't still be holding State visits and State dinners, diplomatic receptions etc if they weren't a net gain for the country politically and economically speaking.

World leaders from all accounts like coming here and being driven in carriages, inspecting the troops, walking with a member of the family who's wearing a lovely tiara. It gives them status and it greases the wheels of international discourse. Andrew lost his trade envoy role because he wasn't benefiting trade with his attitude.

Of course the same events could be carried out in a Republic but there seems to be a certain cache for foreign leaders to be wined and dined and visited by members of a royal family with such historic roots. Maybe it's part of human nature but I'm not sure Chequers has the same attraction.

It's the same for all those visits to open village halls, the mayor could do them, the MP could do them but for some reason they get more attention if Princess Anne arrives, at least in my local papers.

I don't think it's explainable with logic but I do think it benefits what is now a rather small and unimportant country to offer tea with the King whilst you are trying to make a trade deal.

Maybe it shouldn't be like that, but I believe that in political circles it is.

Yes but who else is going to do it?
Harry and Meghan leaving (and Prince Andrew's disgrace) has left a massive gap because the Wales children are too young and will be too young for at least another decade.
The others (Princess Beatrice etc) aren't working royals, they never have been and it was never the plan for them. They have their own lives and jobs and don't take money from the sovereign grant - to take on royal duties would mean giving up their current lives and being way more in the public eye, that's a big ask and I certainly wouldn't want to do it.
I think the whole thing needs scaling down tbh, I don't want to get rid of the monarchy completely but I don't think it's sustainable to carry on like it has been

One of her children has just started at medical school, the other has just started A levels. I think - just an assumption on my part - is that she is glad her children are benefiting from her having a well paid job (and private school paid for by the government due to having jobs overseas) but have the freedom to make their own choices.

But in any case, I was responding to posters saying turning up to represent the government/ community etc doesn't count as real 'work'.

You are then conflating that with a whole lot of other issues you have with the current constitutional set up - some of which I agree with, others where I would say that it would be the same under an elected Head of State

Access to a toilet @Baital?
A few hints and tips to help a visit go smoothly make perfect sense, but is it really possible they imagine folk won't have thought of that??

At least Charles requested something rather than taking his own at your friend's event I suppose, so that's something

Yes. I assume that that was from bitter experience! Access to a toilet.

I think the drinks request was for a choice of still or sparkling water - but this was 15-20 years ago and gossiping over a glass of wine. So maybe he specified something else. My memory was the requests were fairly straightforward.

Unlike rumours of Beyonce wanting only blue M&Ms (or M&Ms without the blue ones?) etc

I think it was Prince Philip who said something like "When you're on an engagement, never turn down the opportunity to sit down or empty your bladder".

I suspect he means exclusive access to a toilet, not one open to other people.

My limited experience of running events was the more famous the person (not Beyonce famous! people like Harold Pinter/Antonia Fraser) the more modest their requests. They would turn up, follow the brief, be pleasant and polite to everyone.

It was the C-listers who were a bit of a nightmare, making the most of their 15 minutes of semi fame.

Yes, one that could be swept by the security services to make sure no one had left a bomb there, bearing in mind he was (is) constantly at risk of attack.

It was open to his security etc staff as well. So not 'exclusive' in that only Charles could use it, but exclusive in that random people couldn't place a bomb.

I assume the Prime Minister and other senior government figures would require the same

@Baital how the hell does Edward afford to pay that much money inn rent?

it does make me lol when people talk about Zara for instance working. she would not have the opportunities she has if she wasn't related to the King. same for her husband. he would just be on things like pointless and strictly.

Presumably an inherited trust fund. Inherited wealth on that scale isn't something I think is ethical, but that isn't limited to the RF.

As ever, I would support action against inherited wealth, but don't see the point in railing against the RF while ignoring the many others who it applies to. They are a symptom, not a cause

It probably means that they need private
access to a toilet. It may well be just to make a host think that it’s not the best idea to have the King going to the toilet where there may be other people. It would be rather awkward if he needed a big steamy poo or a long fart and there were members of the public who could post about it on social media 😂

X post with a few people. Of course the bomb threat thing is a reason too 😂

Of course the bomb threat thing is a reason too

A bomb in the bog? That's a new one, @smilesy

We had that (a separate loo, not a bomb!!) when Margaret visited the Peak 90 Scout Jamboree at Chatsworth - a separate brand new tent with flowers and god knows what - and the securitty people crawled all over that too

Not that she used it mind you; maybe, as was said about her sister, she also had the bladder capacity of a camel?

Actually- the one thing I don't begrudge them is a private loo.....

Eeek sorry. Too late to edit! Just seen my own typo there.

I meant to say that our ambassadors do NOT get the same level of support as the royals for even though they are doing a much more demanding job.

Yes-pretty sure Musto would be remotely interested in Zara if it wasn't for the connections....

Here's the page with the Musto brand ambassadors:

Ambassadors

She's just as 'qualified' as the rest of them, as she was World Champion in her discipline (as were many but not all the others)

Money certainly makes a difference to the way children/young people can develop their skills, in sport, the arts and academics. That isn't limited to the RF. And while it creates the environment and opportunities to excel, it still needs the innate ability as well.

And the sheer guts, have you seen the cross country fences in Olympic 3 day eventing? I rode horses as a child and teen. Even the smallest fences terrified me!

Zara certainly had some advantages - both parents Olympic eventers and I think the Queen gave her one of her top eventing horses. But then Peter had the same background and became a bank manager for the Bank of Scotland which isn't quite so glamourous - he could have at least become a racing car driver or something.

Peter moved on from RBS after 2012 (he was head of sponsorship in Hong Kong with them). He is now MD of a sports event Co. and has always been in event management even when with the Bank. More glamorous than arranging mortgages with the general public, he wasn't a bank manager 😂

We should retire the older ones on a modest pension and let the rest get real jobs.

I'm amused by the wide eyed innocence of those who insist Zara's connections have nothing to do with her significant "brand ambassador" portfolio.🤣. Or Peter's events management client base for that matter...

I think you missed out a word ?

Zara is indeed well qualified in that world. Eg Meghan would not be because she has no talent in that area.

What talents do you need to endorse a hair product ? Hair