H&M are currently doing a ‘Royal’ walkabout thing in Nottingham.

[SpottyAlpaca]

A crowd has turned out to see them. It’s currently being covered live on Sky News. Why on earth would anyone do this?

They aren’t working royals. They are just a pair of chancers who have scuttled back to Britain with their tails between their legs because they have died on their arses in the US. And now people are tugging their forelocks to them here.

People really are absolute fucking morons.

I was only pointing out that the royal garden parties she attends are not private family events but it is an official royal event

Correct, but as I said above, the invitation list for Garden Paries is wider than “Royals representing the King” and “people invited purely as members of the public”. Royal family members can be invited not because they are representing the King, but because they are family members.

Harry and Meghan absolutely could be invited to a garden party in their current position. Except for the fact that they have blown up any relationships with their immediate family, of course.

Glad we agree!

In other words, just like the rules surrounding our constitution if you want to take it that far, and the rules governing legal and financial exemptions for the royal family, there is a deliberate blurring of rules governing what is a family occasion v what constitutes official business, so that, essentially, the RF can twist the rules according to which individual circumstance is most beneficial to them in each particular instance.

No one is scrutinising them very closely after all so why not?

And because of that, we all just have to trust that everything is above board.

And in the case of AMW, and in some instances relating to Charles before he took the throne that involved Fawcett taking the fall (three times was it?) the separation between private and personal finances and the rules governing financial propriety were very much blurred.

If the rules are all so flexible Serenster, I wonder why the RF make such a big deal of HIHO in the first place? After all, it was them that made it up, so the least we can expect is that they stick to it themselves?

Are Edward and Sophie still renting out their converted stable block for £130,000 per year btw, in the grounds of a property for which they already pay a peppercorn rent?

And if you compare Zara Tindall’s level of business sponsorship compared with other British event riders competing at the same level, eg Izzy Taylor or Sarah Bullimore, who also compete at 4 or 5 star events, Zara enjoys a significantly higher level of mainstream brand engagement , lucrative commercial partnerships (such as Musto, Fairfax & Favor, and Rolex), and cross-industry media visibility, and it is naive to suggest that her royal connections do not directly amplify and elevate her marketability.

Zara is also gorgeous and charismatic. I would imagine that would give her an advantage in getting contracts. Looks and personality do matter.

Sorry, I don’t recall bringing any of that up, Fairweathersorties9? Perhaps you are thinking of another poster?

My only points were that (a) the Ascot carriage procession is very much the King's personal invitation (the guests in the carriage have lunch with the King and Queen at Windsor castle before the carriages take them to the race course, they then join them in the Royal box) and so the fact that members of his extended family are from time to time included in this guest list says nothing at all about whether they are working Royals, or formally representing the King; and (b) Royals formally representing the King attend/host the garden parties, and members of their extended family also attend, along with many other dignataries. Again, this guest list says nothing at all about whether they are working Royals, or formally representing the King.

So they are working royals when it suits them, and not when it doesn't.

It's crazy harry and Meghan doing charity visits is criticised as them behaving like working royals. Actual titled royals attending public events with the king and queen and being featured in the news are just private individuals.

The rules are just made up as they go along.

so are the 2 other women. are you saying that Zara is somehow prettier ?

It is a bit odd - Harry and Meghan doing these ‘engagements’. It’s hard to think of any other private citizens / celebs publicising their charity work to the point where they release a schedule, especially when a few months ago H+M considered the UK too dangerous for them. And then arranging their visit to include a walkabout where they can accept hugs and gifts from members of the public. That is pretty weird and surely foolish for a couple who consider themselves at risk.

It’s not like there aren’t celebs who would draw a much bigger crowd if they did do this kind of thing, but nobody else seems interested. So I wonder why H+M are. The crowds in Nottingham were so small, it’s hardly by public demand. And clearly not just one of those things, people figuring out where they’re going to be and turning up on the off chance of a glimpse, like the Obama fans in Glasgow. They publicised it. Odd. What was the point?

No, they are working royals if they are representing the King. Zara and Mike Tindall are not. They don’t get greeted by the Lord Lieutenant when they visit somewhere. They don’t get asked by the Foreign Office to support the UK’s overseas policy interests. They don’t get covered in the Court Circular. They don’t have their expenses covered by the Sovereign Grant.

Those are the rules. Joining in with thee family from time to time does not make the working royals. It just makes them family members.

Do you find this confusing in other contexts too? Marie-France van Heel will attend the State Dinner for Oman next week alongside her husband Andy Burnham. Are you also confused about whether she is co-Prime Minister?

Anyone notice the vent tack was still in place on her coat? No one thought to tell her it should be removed? 😳

It’s odd people think the royal following public would care whether they are “working” or not. People who like to see celebrities wouldn’t care at all, I think.

To be fair, if the charity were after publicity and this was Harry and Meghan’s goal, they’ve certainly achieved that.

Just looked at photos of the other two. From my American perspective, yes, Zara is prettier. The other two look like nice average people. Zara's looks are a step up.

Without looking, what is the name of the charity? I certainly can't tell you. 😁

Have they though? I think if you actually asked people to name it they would struggle.

Maybe she was sending it back. Remember on their first tour? She was wearing a red dress with the the tags very visibly hanging below the hem.

Yes I saw that . Was thinking maybe it's borrowed .

Himmah one of the charities that H&M visited in Nottingham has put out a video of that day - they really made a difference to a lot of people and at the end of the day that's what we are here for whatever the title of your birth.

A day filled with warmth and memories we’ll treasure forever.
Thank you to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for cooking, sharing a meal and packing parcels with our community at Himmah Hub and Himmah Foodbank.
Our Founder & Executive Director, Sajid Mohammed, reflected that the visit highlighted “the extraordinary strength, solidarity and leadership that exists within our communities.”
A heartfelt thank you to CRS, Epic Partners, The Hubb Community Kitchen, Tipu Sultan and our dedicated staff and volunteers for making it so special.
Together, we are the heart of Nottingham.
Today, on World Food Day, help that care reach another neighbour. Donate to help feed people across Nottingham, a meal on the table can mean one less worry.

www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dh58MH9DX/

What a nice comment.

I wonder if they had to sign the disclaimer used by Harry and Meghan in the US, where they had to agree to only say positive things, and have their statement vetted by the couple in advance?

I also noted that The Fold (a clothing brand I buy from, and follow on instagram) normally do a post on their stories where someone notable is seen in their clothing. They haven’t done so for Meghan, who wore one of their skirts on the visit….yet. I wonder if they will?

Really? How controlling.

Could you not just say 'what a nice comment' without having to undermine what the very worthy Charity actually said?

Especially when the Charity is encouraging people on World Food Day to think of others.

As much as your craw no doubt sticketh, I'm afraid there are plenty of people around the world who see Harry and Meghan, in their own imperfect way, as a force for good. And that, my friend, is a problem for the Palace, because it throws shade on the remaining Royal Family.

The late Queen's decision to let them step back from royal duties didn't make them disappear. Quite the opposite. Here we are.
In the age of social media, perception can become reality, regardless of what Letters Patent or constitutional technicalities might say. You can argue about their formal status until the cows come home, but you can't legislate away public perception.

Royalists, as such, have a set of rules: first, hope they spectacularly fail. Failing that, resort to complex constitutional formulae about what they are entitled to do and when. And when that fails, resort to snark.
Those are the rules.

There is nuance to Serenster’s answer and I wonder if you do agree?

I remember someone pretending you and I agreed with them about premise we didn’t agree about. It was upsetting!