Why wasn’t any member of the RF present at the women’s rugby World Cup final yesterday?

[Dustyhem952]

Honestly, I think it was a disgrace!

And an insult to our female players! And the entire team who worked so hard to get to be champions!

If the England’s men’s team had reached the final of the the World Cup, against a Commonwealth country no less, I bet someone would have turned up!

No doubt the team members will be invited to Windsor at some point but I think it’s a huge mid-step that no member of the RF could actually be bothered to travel to the stadium, sit in the stands, and actually cheer the Red Roses on!

Princess Anne often attends Scottish rugby matches. It would have meant so much to the women there if someone in the RF could have turned out for them. People clocked Mark Carney for Canada and could be seen literally looking around to see who was there for us!

Princess Catherine sent a message of support in advance and I have every sympathy with her if she is not well enough to attend a match, But if that was the case, someone in one of the offices at St James’s palace, to which we all collectively contribute a lot of money, should have clocked this situation and made other suitable plans!

Sorry Catherine and William, you can’t just pick and choose the events you want to attend like Wimbledon and Aston Villa matches!

Do you think the Royal family "choose" their engagement

They can to some degree. At one point about 90+% of William’s engagements were sports he was a fan of.

I think the official explanation is that the extra funds are going to renovate Buckingham Palace.

This with knobs on

What's the point in being a patron if you don't go and watch them play! Imagine Anne missing a Scottish rugby international. Never ever ever

Yes I agree it’s a bit feeble!

And I agree with your second point too!

Rugby must be one of the most prevalent sports played in Commonwealth countries!

Because they pick and choose what they want to do. They’re a disgrace.

Not totally no. It was increased years back for the renovation reason. The extra 52% comes from massive profits from the Crown Estate and wind farm revenues

Roll on 2027 when the Buckingham Palace renovations are completed and the SG should drop drastically

To be fair, she may be ill, but if that’s the case she needs to appoint a stand-in. She did say she was finding the year post-recovery difficult, and as I know someone who went through something similar, I believe her.

This is not meant to be a Catherine-bashing thread at all, she may have been tired from the Trump visit, but I was also very disappointed for the England women yesterday that no one from the Royals had turned out for them.

I agree she may have been too tired to go but an apology and explanation would not have gone amiss. I think the women’s team deserved at least that. Tbh I think Kate still looks very pale and tired beneath all that makeup.

So she’s too ill to sit at the rugby, but not to rub noses with Trump? Pull the other one

Our son can’t stand football.

It's beyond ridiculous that the sovereign grant is increasing by 52% to £132M from £86M 2025/26

The Sovereign Grant is increasing because the profits from the Crown Estate are increasing.
The profits from the Crown Estate are paid into the government bank account. The government retains 88% of those profits for other purposes, and allocates 12% to the Monarch for official duties. (It was previously more than 12%).
For 25/26, £60million is set aside for the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace.

This is a useful link for anyone who is interested in how it works.

Parliament Research briefing: Finances of Monarchy

Well until they can be bothered to show up for work it should reduce.

@MrsSkylerWhite
George has attended many Aston Villa football matches with his dad.
I think it's safe to say he's a football fan.
Probably wouldn't have been seen dead at a woman's football match though.

The Royals job is basically to show up to things and show support. Kates job as patron of English rugby is to turn up to a world cup final 15 minutes down the road.

As an American, I can see that you might think this was their job. Unfortunately those are the only bits that get publicity so it’s not surprising people are uninformed.

Is it? Or doing what he’s told/looks good in the papers?

Don't accept sports patronages if you can't be arsed to turn up for a couple of hours on world cup final day and give the girls their winning medals.

Harry and Meghan would only be there if they for money, new clothes, a private jet and lots of PR opportunities with their personal photographers - personally I don’t want people like that anywhere near anything that the RF represent on behalf of the UK

@MrsSkylerWhite
If you look at photos he certainly looks as if he is hugely enjoying himself, cheering and shouting. This is him last April
people.com/prince-george-prince-william-paris-soccer-game-aston-villa-11712046

Hilarious really when Will and Kate only turn up to the things they like

Im not American. @BemusedAmerican is American. Their job is essentially as baubles. They may do things behind the scenes but really, what, and why are they doing it? Only Charles is Head of State and he does what he's told . The rest of them, frankly are not qualified to do anything but add a bit of glamour to events. Their value is in what they do publicly to bring attention to charity/ causes, be 'diplomats' by glad handing dignitaries ( again, public) . Not what they do behind the scenes, whatever that is that apparently they do but no one knows about. Andrew did a lot ' behind the scenes' that we didn't know about. Almost all of it shady and designed to enrich himself.

Because women's sport is boring to most. It's great for those involved but it isn't fun to watch. When people watch sport they want to watch it performed at its best, which is at men's level. I agree it must be hard but it's just a sad fact that it isn't entertaining to most. I do think people should play a sport because they enjoy the sport, not for how much they get noticed or by who.

Sorry @LidlAmaretto, my mistake!

I’m not trying to make a case for them. Personally I think a presence there was warranted, but I’m trying to be open minded about why there wasn’t.

I get a bit tired of hearing that all they do is show up and look decorative. I believe there’s a lot more to it, and it’s not a job I’d want for any money.

The Sovereign Grant is increasing because the profits from the Crown Estate are increasing.

I literally said that!!!!
I know how the SG works and explained that the sea bed wind farms boosted the SG to 52% increase this year

I feel that if we are to have an unelected family providing the Head of State then all they should be doing is turning up and being decorative. They are not accountable in any way, so they shouldn't be doing things 'behind the scenes' that no one knows about unless it is able to be scrutinised by someone. At present we have the RF doing something no one knows about, loads of their staff doing things no one knows about, Parliament and the courts deciding they dont want to talk about it, courts sealing records relating to them and the press picking and choosing which members of the RF they are going to make angels or villains this week, depending on how many pictures of the kids they put out. All the above people have a Constitutional role to play in order for us to be regarded as a democracy. When it comes to the Royals, they dont do it.

I realize that I'm an American and not from the UK, but turning up for Trump is much more important than a sporting event.