RF covering for Andrew?

[flippantlydone]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/28/dubious-use-of-the-freedom-of-information-act-stopping-access-to-files-on-prince-andrew-researchers-say

But all that's true? AFAIC he should be working flat out from first thing in the morning until close of play. Surely he can fit in numerous engagements in a day...
So yes I do dismiss his work ethic. It's not even part time. He really hasn't got much to blow off until he's on the throne, because he's not doing it now as far as I can see.
I looked at the CC, since beginning of the year. To give Charles his due, he does anything up to 4 engagements a day, sometimes every day for two or three days, then a day or two off, then repeat.
William not even a quarter of that. Why not? Kate can be there for the children. He can work.

Yes they get to have all their mansions and staff running around after them, even if they hardly do anything.

it may trigger a review but as the SG can never be reduced then they will continue to receive the same money ( or probably more!)

So lots of us think he's lazy and does very little for the life of unparalelled privelige which we directly pay towards.
And you are surprised that if he became even lazier we would also be annoyed?

btw, love that you appear to think he would magically "work" once he has top parasite job

The article in the times was interesting re Andrew's finances - also very interesting that the writer was v much suggesting Eugenie and Beatrice were very involved in his rather dubious dealings.

Re Kate and William and their holidays - they are just living like so many other wealthy people with kids at prep/boarding school.

I think people are beginning to realise how much things are going to change when William becomes King.

Also - how much time did the late Queen take as holidays - I mean she seemed to be at Balmoral and Sandringham for large chunks of the year.

I am sure a lot of what they do is unseen but no one can really think the Royals work that hard.

I don't have a problem with that and to be fair to Kate and William - I think they make it very clear family comes first. I also am aware that we don't know how serious Kate's diagnosis is and maybe there will be even more time off in the future because of that. By that I mean if it is a very serious cancer with not a great prognosis - I certainly wouldn't blame them for very much prioritising holidays etc especially as they can clearly afford them.

Personally, I don't care how many hours they put in, as long as they do what is necessary as Head of State to keep the country ticking over.
In fact, the less they do the better I like it. I'm a constitutional monarchist. I don't need to see royal bodies bowling up to the local garden fete, attending premiers, parading around Windsor looking like pantomime extras at random times of the year.
Just turn up to open Parliament, hand out a few gongs, give Macron ( or whomever) a tour of BP and a good dinner once in awhile.
In my view, William is going the right way.
I would like to see the Duchy incomes revised and restructured so that the "spare" problem is mitigated some.

@Rhaidimiddim

I agree with you on most of that but let's not pretend the amount they do is hard work. Although I will qualify that by saying at the moment I am taken aback with how much Charles is doing (given his age and cancer) compared to his son. I don't know why William isn't supporting his father more, I'm surprised he's not with him on engagements sometimes... showing a united front - king and heir.

I think we have to blame the media for all the premieres, dressing up, garden party, Ascot stuff... it's incessant and hard to escape. I don't want to see the wider family at all.

I think the whole Institution needs a big rethink.

Queen Elizabeth took lots of holidays, but she was transparent about it. I suspect William takes even more as he tries to hide them.

I'm beginning to like you.....
Anne can to the village I grew up in once, and the forelock-tugging council flattened the common to make it look like it was a lawn. Ruined it. It was a lifeless bog after that visit.

It absolutely can be reduced. I keep refuting this and providing the online documentation. If the reserve account meets its upper limit then the government can adjust the SG total and lower it.

@wordler what is the upper limit for the reserve account?

Yes please link this and if not contained in the link please could you tell me what the upper limit is as everything I have read says the sg can not go down

Charles does seem to work hard and certainly his PR is all about what a workaholic he is. But I do wonder - well what does he do?

I mean I have worked with people who were always in the office - first in, last to leave but not necessarily the most productive.

I think personally they should just stay as figure heads and dress nicely and wear tiaras and do some soft diplomacy.

They are incredibly rich and personally I wish they like so many celebs would stop trying to act like they are normal - the Queen did it also with her Tupperware etc.

Come on - I want to see real life Downton Abbey ;).

I do know Charles has set up some worthwhile stuff but again - was it him or the grey suits who came up with it all and he was the figure head??

I’m not sure offhand and I can’t be bothered to slog through all the website and PDF docs again.

You have no argument from me if you think there needs to be more transparency over the accounts - or more detail to understand what the block amounts re building and staffing are going towards.

I just like to correct hyperbolic or misleading statements. And the ‘it can never be reduced’ one is something that was misinterpreted by the press one year but gets thrown out here a lot.

OMG that's awful !

This reminds me of a previous thread that talked of QE2 and toilets. 🤣

Charles came here. Locals nearly fainted off with excitement!

I had a gander at the Court Circular and it was a lot! Receiving whoever, going places, attending functions... it's worth having a look.

I lived in a very poor estate as a teenager. Queen Elizabeth visited and went into a neighbours house. The Palace painted the neighbours house beforehand, and bought her a tea set so she could offer Elizabeth a suitable cup of tea during her visit.

I’m fairly sure both you and @JoyousGreyOrca have been on the billion other threads where I have shared all the up locally available info about this.

It’s a complicated set up for establishing the budget each year - it seems to be set based on the year before the previous year’s spending.

The ‘it doesn’t reduce’ is because the amount that gets given back to the monarch to manage the royal household is based on a percentage of profits which could lead to a shortfall in the budget if the profits are suddenly down one year for some reason.

It there’s a continuous shortfall in profits or extra is needed for a specific project like the current BP building work then it’s up to the government to decide on increasing the percentage. If there’s a continuous excess then as mentioned the reserve fills up and the percentage can be adjusted downwards.

The PM and the Chancellor have the main oversight of all of this.

@wordler You have never said what is the maximum amount in reserves before it the grant gets reduced? Any link I have read you posted does not say this. It simply says the money goes into a reserve account, so is still theirs to spend.

You're quite right that under certain conditions it would reduce.
I'd forgotten about the reduction as a result of the mahoooosive increase in crown estate profits due to them nicking the off shore rights whenever it was and basically they knew the optics would be beyond the pale ( if i remember rightly; possibly not!)
In essence though, their income will never go down in that case.

The Royal Trustees may reduce the grant if the adjusted value of the Reserve Fund exceeds 50% of the audited net relevant resources used for the year

As you say though; that money is stil sitting there as reserve funds.

Also note the use of the words "may reduce"

Again - not arguing that the system could do with an overhaul, update or more detailed accounting.

I prefer a constitutional monarchy over the other current available systems - doesn’t mean I don’t want comprehensive oversight and improvements where necessary.

But I am happy to pay for the system we have.

It's beyond me that for instance during Covid the SG couldn't be reduced. It was exceptional circs, the RF weren't working, and I know their revenue was reduced because of no BP or crown jewel revenue but still... the country was in dire straits after all

I believe it's John Major we have to thank for that. Just because they didn't want a yearly debate in parliament. Now they are under no scrutiny with no debate.