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 prefer to think of it as an established acronym.

Exactly! Nobody complains when i shorten William and Catherine to wac for ease…but apparently shortening Harry and Meghan to ham is the worse thing in the universe……why is that??!!

....but that would mean no HAMlets either 😕
and -
As the old saying goes, don’t feed the trolls. They’ll eventually go away. Wise counsel, I’d have thought

Excellent advice....

I've never been in Nottingham but from inline posters, it appears to have some crime issues. All that police could be better spent on stopping actual crime,and HAM's security can do some work.

As for Birmingham, I cannot believe the city government is spending money on Invictus rather than the rat situation. Do these people even live in Birmingham? I am appalled.

It's shocking on both counts.

If two celebrities who are a couple went walking around a town the same thing would happen. I wouldn’t mind seeing them! They haven’t put a ‘in royal mode’ sign up, it’s just the people who for some reason hate them who are saying that so they can carry out their favourite hobby of slagging off people they don’t know

Err two words Commonwealth Games from a dead empire that nobody wants any more because QE2 thought it mattered. Calling Graham Smith ....

Just looked this up - crikey O'Reilly .

The bottom line: the net public-sector cost was approximately £666 million, or £707 million in 2023 prices. That covers the Games-related operating and capital costs, net of commercial income; wider legacy spending and accelerated investment are additional considerations.

Invictus, by comparison, cost around £35 million and gave hope and purpose to those who served their countries and suffered life-changing injuries, rather than funding what is, arguably, a drug-fuelled pursuit of human perfection.

Why on earth are you talking about the Commonwealth Games?
You've got the wrong poster. I never mentioned them!

Somebody was commenting on on Birmingham paying for Invcitus and throwing shade obviously on Harry (it's about much more than Harry though so basically an irrelevant snark) so I brought up the bigger elephant in the room the CW Games. If it wasn't you making it apologies but the point still stands.

Well it wasn't me, so find the right poster.

Seriously, you do not know Birmingham and what you call a 'rat situation'. It's rude to talk about this in such a derogatory way when you have no idea about Birmingham, its Councils, the bin strikes, which caused a problem. Yes, there are problems but Birmingham City Council is addressing it. There are council managed assessments out there trying to solve this situation, as an aftermath of the bin strikes.

I would not dream of coming on a US forum and talking about problems in your hometown NewYork city. That would just be very rude.

It has nothing to do with Invictus. Criticise the couple all you wish but please stop trying to score cheap points.

You did say "It's shocking on both counts." so did by inference but you're right the substantive point was made by @BemusedAmerican

The videos you see on inner city drugs and degradation are utterly shocking and something I am pleased to say, in most part we never see here nor would I ever want to .

I know what I said.
I also know that I did not post about the Commonwealth Games, so kindly stop there.

We are not allowed to say fish knives here.

They weren’t just walking around a town though, were they - they planned it all. I’m trying to imagine a scenario in which “two celebrities who are a couple” go “walking around a town”, having advertised their schedule in advance, so that they can receive hugs and gifts from their fans. Who would do this - Zendaya and Tom Holland? Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton? Richard and Judy? Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch? Why would anyone do this - it just doesn’t happen. People appear in public as part of their work, presenting, performing, appearing at events or playing sports, but they don’t do what H+M did. On the contrary, famous people tend to guard their privacy fiercely.

Celeb couples do wander about of course, and every now and then they’ll get papped going about their business walking down the street or having coffee or whatever. But they’re completely unbothered by everyone. It’s just not a thing.

When you think about it, it’s not surprising there were so few people in Nottingham and the team had to try to rustle up more, it’s such a weird scenario.

Can we talk about the Charlotte Griffiths allegations again now?

A comment isn't a ban - you can say and should anything you want within reason !

You are being quite rude here, so I think less of the telling off is in order.

@BemusedAmerican is quite right , Birmingham has a rat problem and it doesn’t have the money to deal with it. Dealing with the rat issue is a necessity, Invictus isn’t.

https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/birmingham/news/birmingham-council-axes-pest-control-services

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-council-confirms-pest-control-34184713

PS. I don’t live in Birmingham either but like @BemusedAmerican I have access to Google.

Harry was trained to do this work. The Royal Family is extraordinarily wealthy, and if Harry is expected to earn his keep, then surely the late Queen and/or Charles could have ensured that he and his family were comfortably provided for, without all the fuss.

But Harry chose to earn his own living, while Uncle Andrew continues to be looked after on the royal estate pretty much ion his purse and mummy’s money and the loot he earned by selling state secrets to convicted felons. If you want to criticise someone over money and responsibility, perhaps direct that criticism at the monarch and his tight purse strings, rather than at Harry and Meghan, who are actually working for a living. Inasmuch as people need to earn a living where someone has to pay them for their labour, or they starve.

I know Birmingham very well and rats have been an issue for years, well before the bin strikes even started. The bin strikes have just exacerbated the problem.

@valeriy2
Well said

@IAmATorturedPoet
I have a lot of family in Birmingham and know about the situation. Google all you like
Yes there has been a rat problem ongoing but since the bin strikes it is being prioritised
I wasn't the slightest bit rude by the way

So@BemusedAmerican is right then?

No

It true that it has a rat problem as the council is having serious issues with refuse collections. That is fact.