Why is Sarah Ferguson at the Easter service?

[Lazycatsitsonthemat]

I am really perplexed about why SF attends all Royal events since the death of the Queen when Andrew
is present. She behaves like his wife but she isn’t his wife. What on earth is going on? I cannot think of another situation like this where an ex wife lives with her ex husband and attends all public events with him as though they are still married. It’s bizarre.

Yes it's awful that he wasn't at the Abbey when the King was at Windsor.

There's been discussion over speculation here - the speculation that William is suddenly an atheist is off the scale! All stemming from the fact that he chose to attend church on Easter Sunday near his Norfolk home!!

IT WASN'T THE ABBEY!!!

W has other family on Catherine's side. He is allowed to spend time with them too. The Queen didn't mind Charles going to church in Scotland or wherever he was on Easter Sunday so I don't know why you are comparing her.

The "optics" were absolutely fine. What a load of rubbish. Total non-event.

Sorry but that made me laugh 😃
Have they not promoted someone else?

This is it, isn't it. The press would have copy lined up about easter joy compared to last year's easter sorrow for the Wales family, just waiting for the fashion angle on what the children could be wearing (could probably then stir the pot a bit speculating whether the easter outfits would be finding their way to Meghan's shop)

Have they not promoted someone else?

Not yet.
The Archbishop of York is currently doing the job.

Nooo.... not yet! No Pope. No Archbishop of Canterbury. Don't think we go for the black or white smoke signals though!

Oh so you are reading and not just looking at the pictures now!!

It does not give those vibes, and the press prints a load of crap.

Had a similar conversation with my 7 year old today, trying to explain how they elect a new Pope. Said it can take days, weeks or months to elect a new one. He asked “well what happens if Jesus returns? Who will be there to greet him” 🤣

He also wonders if anyone sneaks McDonalds in to the cardinals when the Cardinals get locked into conclave 🤭

I don't wish to derail but I did read an interesting article on the procedure. My goodness me, it's very convoluted and complicated.

I sort of remember it last time, but shall be observing from afar this time too. And I'm not religious but it's such a big event.

Takes AGES. There's a lot of listening to decide what God wants by committee.

Unlike a secular recruitment process, no one applies to be the Archbishop of Canterbury. Following a full and open public consultation, candidates are invited into a months-long process of prayerful discernment. This spiritual approach ensures the nomination is about discernment under God, anticipating His provision and recognising His anointing of a particular person to give leadership.

I think we are in the consultation phase.

www.churchofengland.org/about/governance/archbishops/canterbury-crown-nominations-commission/appointing-new-archbishop-canterbury#na

@ThisFluentBiscuit

Just in case you don't understand (as opposed to are winding people up) I posted this upthread:

There is a public Royal event at Easter in the giving of the Maundy money on Thursday.
Attendance at the Sunday service is a private family affair, and family members attend at Windsor or elsewhere. The Prince of Wales and his family were at Sandringham.

While the late Queen was alive, King Charles did not attend the Easter service at Windsor but went to church locally in Scotland.

Was there ever a Nostradamus prediction about two church systems both without their heads - are we to be on the look out for a earthbound meteor??

Trigger warning: Massive, overarching froth incoming.....Those of a delicate nature look away now....

William not attending the RF's Easter service and everyone here being OK with it is indicative of our general ever-lowering standards in society. Nothing means anything anymore. No one is obliged to do anything and upholding standards is seen as positively old-fashioned. The next head of the church can opt out of being regular church-goer, can let his atheism become common knowledge, yet still accept all the cakes and balloons, and that's OK. Similarly, according to other recent threads on MN, teenage children showing their naked bums in public is A-OK, ("It's just a bum") and the C word is also absolutely fine and means nothing offensive because it's just a body part. And lots of people wear tracksuits and trainers everywhere, all the time, because it's all part of our declining societal standards. We are becoming a nation who can't be bovvered, and it shows,

We should NOT have public nakedness, we should NOT be OK with bad language, and people who make an effort with their appearance SHOULD be more respected than those who don't, all things being equal. (That is, no illness, ND issues or poverty, all of which would be acceptable reasons to dress down.)

I'd like to live in a society where people are nicely dressed and nicely spoken and where its leaders accept the good with the bad. Instead we have this aggressive let-it-all-hang-out society where we go round with our naked bums on display yelling swear words and being fine with our leaders acting like hypocrites.

I think the entire country needs to pull its socks up, including Mr. Defender of the Disbelief.

Smelling salts, anyone? 🤭

For all Andrew's perceived or actual faults, he is the King's brother. The King and his family are Christians - of course they should support Andrew. That is the whole point of Christianity..... "hate the sin, love the sinner".
That's why, in the same vein, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of convicted criminals.

Can you not go decaf? Or does it not taste the same. I’m more of an espresso girl myself!

Enjoy with a lovely piece of cake (no pie needed 😜)

Well, it didn't seem very private, with lots of press, lots of photographs, and the RF dressed up for the cameras. Love the idea behind Maundy Thursday.

Is that a self directed rule @Extiainoiapeial about no caffeine after midday - I don't normally have much tea/coffee in the afternoon but sometimes I just must!

You have absolutely no evidence for your insistence in describing the Prince of Wales as an atheist!!! That's a load of nonsense.

WILLIAM ATTENDED AN EASTER SERVICE, just not the one you think he should have!! Are you really not reading any of the posts at all? What "cakes and balloons"? I think you need smelling salts!

None of the Royal Family went to "the Abbey" on Easter Sunday.
Arguments tend to be more persuasive if they are based on accurate facts......

And no more naked jacuzzi-ness!

My sleep is absolutely awful at times, and it's self imposed no caffeine. Although I do drink one cup of tea in the afternoon and that seems to be fine! But it's what goes on in my head probably 🤣

Hahaha 😆 the Cardinals with their Big Macs

Church of Scotland vote a new moderator every year. No big fuss.

I honestly do need smelling salts when I read about some of the on-the-floor standards on here that some people have!!!!!

PW is not a regular church-goer and the smoke of his disbelief has curled under the Palace doors and been released into the ether. He absolutely cannot come out and say it, so people like Hardman - whose sources are impeccable - say it for him. Of course the man's an atheist! If he had any decency, he'd hand back the cakes and balloons! (All his houses, wealth and privilege!)

We don't currently have an Archbishop of Canterbury but, if we did, they would be at....Canterbury.
The Dean of St George's Chapel Windsor leads the service at...... Windsor.
😉

QUITE!