Prince Louis the photographer

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

Kensington Palace have released a photo of the Princess of Wales photographed by her youngest son, Prince Louis. It is to mark World Cancer Day, which is tomorrow.

How cute!

I think it's unfair to expect @Jacquette to be able to set out how a republic would work in a country that has had a monarchy for centuries. We all know it would take possibly decades to unravel by experts and scholars, and to expect a person on a forum to be able to set this out in a post, in a nutshell, for royalists or those in favour of a constitutional monarchy, to pick over and criticise is too much.
I won't say anymore but will comment on the thread missmarpel linked when I have time, rather than derail the thread

As for the photo which is the subject of the thread, well done Kate for feeling so positive in your cancer journey. I did find the photo a bit dark figuratively speaking.

Surely if you want to overturn the monarchy in favour of a republic you should have at least some practical idea of how you would like it to work though. Just wanting something else because you don't agree with the status quo, fine, but you should probably have a clear idea of what the something else looks like otherwise you enter shitshow territory brexit, cough.

@TulipTiptoer ive posted on it again as I think it’s an interesting debate to be had. So hopefully it’s bumped it up a bit.

What I like about that photo is Catherine being bundled up in what look like dog walking clothes. She is unequivocally dressed for comfort and practicality and doesn’t give stuff how she looks. The photo is a bit dark and gloomy but there’s still exuberance there.

I think someone who mentioned it has a bit of a WW11 vibe is spot on. it is a really interesting composition and quite the unique photo. Lovely that Prince Louis took it, if it was an unplanned photo by PL which came out looking so interesting I can see why she would want to use it.

We have a magnificent sunset photo, which my then 10 year old took by pure chance, it was just one of those impromptu 'let me take a photo, let me take a photo' moments and everything just hit the right spot.

I'm glad you too can see the WW1 vibe- definitely like a War vibe, deep in the forest - it's a little eerie {I have seen lots of WW1 photos so perhaps this is what triggered the memory}

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205024548

What the 😂

First off, at no point did I ‘extoll virtues of a republic.’ ( your words. )

I gave an example of another type of republic and then I I made the observation that posters here seem to be focusing on the American form of republic. and that there are other models. That was all what my post said.

I don’t owe you an apology for calling your post a shitty one. It was a shitty post.

If anyone owes anybody an apology it’s you for incorrectly stating I came onto this forum ‘extolling the virtues of a republic’ because I didn’t. Have another look.

I thought you were leaving the conversation @Jacquette . No, I won't be apologising to you.

I didn’t. Another photo said something along the lines of it not being photoshopped.

Same old, same old ...

Right.

Your next door neighbours to the west have a parliamentary system of government with a popularly elected president.

There's no need to reinvent the wheel or for constitutional scholars to turn themselves inside out trying to understand how it could be done.

There is also the example of the Glorious Revolution, when William and Mary were in effect invited and then elected by Parliament to be constitutional monarchs.

In Ireland the popularly elected president has an appointed council of state to advise him or her and examines bills before signing them into law. The president (usually acting with the agreement of the council of state) and on behalf of the people can refer a bill to the Supreme Court if he or she feels there's a constitutional issue that needs examination. Money bills cannot be referred, nor can bills changing the constitution once passed by the Dail. The president can refuse to dissolve the Dail (parliament) when the Taoiseach (PM) has lost a majority/ vote of no confidence.

The president represents Ireland abroad for official visits and welcomes other heads of state. The essence of the role is that the president acts on behalf of the people vis a vis the government at home, and represents them internationally as a figurehead.

The current incumbent, Michael D. Higgins, was a political fixture for decades (Labour Party). He is a poet and booster of Irish literature and the arts and the Irish language, currently in the last year of his second and final seven year term. A presidential election will be held no later than October of this year.

People who put themselves forward for election as president usually have some party political background, but it's not necessarily always the case. To secure a nomination as candidate, an individual must be nominated by at least 20 members of Dail Eireann (the parliament) or four administrative counties or county boroughs. A sitting president can nominate him or herself to run again. Previous presidents include academic /constitutional lawyer from NI Mary McAleese, human rights campaigner Mary Robinson, and various pols.

Presidents tend to be exceptionally judicious in the exercise of their powers.

@mathanxiety
"Presidents tend to be exceptionally judicious in the exercise of their powers"

Except our neighbours to the west have a currently elected President who has done nothing but insert himself into politically injudicious situations, as well as being blatantly antisemitic.

But the white haired, dog owning grandpa seems to fool a fair number of people.