William denounced as "workshy" due to lack of royal engagements he performs

[SpaEnjoyer]

I read this article in the DM which was originally brought to my attention by my MIL, who has a very keen interest in goings-on involving the RF.

'His absences have not gone unnoticed': Norman Baker asks when 'workshy William' is going to step up https://mol.im/a/15908021

I must admit I was surprised to learn that William has attended fewer events than KC and Anne over the last 3 years. I agree with the sentiment that he needs to step up to ease the burden on his father.

that is so funny. so a person who likes football is now working when they go to a football match.

When I go to football match (vv rarely) , I only go with dh (season ticket holder) if dc can’t go and no one to go with him. And only if food and copious amounts of wine involved. Otherwise no thanks. I’d rather watch paint dry, than watch a tennis match. 🤣 So it depends on the person.

Last time I was so disparaging about Arsenal that I was told I wouldn’t be invited for quite a long time. Sorry not sorry.

Does that matter? Surely they chose to be patrons of those sports.

I like tennis. If I go to Wimbledon and it’s a work corporate event I am in work mode, if I go with a group of friends then we are drinking champagne, eating strawberries, taking photos and generally letting our hair down. One of these is considerably more enjoyable than the other.

Can you read?

DH has had to go to sport events as part of work, he isn’t that keen on watching sport so definitely sees that as work. He will also attend sport if DC wants to watch a match, that is family time not work and will feign interest for DC’s sake.

I’m assuming some of the patronages they get come as standard, so there needs to be a Royal that does it, so when a Royal has to step down from that patronage for health or other reasons someone has to step up.

Kate took on Rugby after Harry stepped down. She attends matches in her patronage role but I haven’t seen pictures of her going in a personal capacity in the same way we do William at Aston Villa. Queen Elizabeth was patron of FA before William, again don’t remember seeing pictures of her in the stands watching her favourite team

If they’re working at that football match, as the patron of an organisation would be, yes they are working when they go to a football match. If William goes to watch Villa with his friends as a fan, he is not working. A bit like sometimes when they go to a hospital, it’s because they’re ill, other times it’s because they’re working. They are working at the royal variety performance, even though they might enjoy some of the acts and laugh at some of the jokes. They were not working at Taylor Swift. It’s tricky, I know.

@BillericayDickie I guess it’s lucky he likes football and is patron of FA. But many people will only go to matches when their team is playing. They don’t tend to go to random football matches, and if there is particular rivalry with another team they probably wouldn’t want to go to a match with that team playing. Also when he goes to Aston Villa matches he can go with mates and just be a football fan. When he goes as a patron, there will be dress code and having to sit with other dignitaries of the sport and it just won’t be the same

I believe (and I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong) that the late QE was patron of the Jockey Club, she would attend Ascot most days in an official capacity, however, she always made sure she had one day where she attended in a personal capacity, as a race horse owner. There is that great clip of her when one of her horses came home first.

This link provides an interesting insight into royal patronages :

www.everydayexceptional.royal.uk/charities-and-patronages?mrf=All&organisation_type=All&region=All&name=

1000 between the lot would suggest W & K as a pair might hold close to 300 in a team of seven.

It transpires W has 44 and K 31 which between them totals around half the 140 Cam holds and around 16% of the 491 held by C3.

E2 used to say she had to be seen to be believed.

I think W would be wise to take note.

Having read lots of books about the RF, including Valentine Low's book about the machinations of their personal secretaries and, recently, Prince Harry's tome, my best advice is that what you are reading in the papers is largely inaccurate and often because the source is deliberately misleading.

Do you mean like when the Palace staff and the Royal solicitor threatened any newspaper with defamation? Specifically, 15 years ago when they shut down evidenced enquiries about Andrew?

I am wondering if anyone else believes William quite often appears disheveled or unkempt. That was my view based on the image of him from the linked article in the OP. I rarely see Harry looking scruffy, however. William is a scruffy-looking grifter, while Harry is just a grifter to me.

Really? Seriously? , come on you must be joking or have mixed up which brother is which!

No, it's people like you who should take note. William has repeatedly said they don't want to continue the old model of hundreds of patronages that receive only brief visits—or no visits at all. They want fewer patronages but much greater involvement, which also makes sense with a smaller working Royal Family.

And when the late Queen said she had to "be seen to be believed," it was a very different era. There was no social media, and people rarely saw members of the Royal Family unless they appeared in person or on television. Every generation adapts to the times, and William and Catherine are doing things differently.

Can you post an example? The article is behind a paywall.

I think you have tagged the wrong poster @NotTalkinBoutTheLinen, you want @MinnieMounjaro 😁

The Queen was also the queen when she said that. William is the heir, it’s Charles who might have to be seen to be believed, if anyone.

Was just quoting the whole thing but I did mean @MinnieMounjaro

Righto @MinnieMounjaro
Could you give us a couple of examples.

🥰

I have a bad feeling that this thread is going to end up filled with hundreds of pictures of Harry looking scruffy and unkempt! 😱

Some of the worst photos I’ve seen lately of Harry have been on his wife’s instagram, awks 😬

Exactly what I was thinking 😱

My contribution to the debate: