Royalty the queen and her family.

Callistemon Really not- it's not the sort of expression my FIL would have used.

After reading Ellianne's explanation I think I know what your FIL meant now, trisher. It was his polite way of saying it, I suppose.
(Not very fair on women who work in ordinary shops though.)

I did see Miss Saigon, Ellianne and should have realised.

Oh come on this was the late 1960s my FIL's been dead nearly 40 years. He used shop girl to cover all women who worked in shops. He was an old fashioned gentleman from very humble beginnings who had worked his way to the top. We had hugely differing views politically but he was one of the most considerate people I have ever met. And he had the ability to socialise at any level with many people, although he could and did put people in their place when he thought they had overstepped the mark.Some people really over think things.

I think a shop girl can mean as sex shop girl Callistemon. I think it comes from Asia because in Miss. Saigon the American marine falls in love with the bar girl who is a sex shop girl.
That might tie in with PP's adventures in his early days at sea.
Now this is true. An older relative of mine was ship's doctor on a navy ship at the time, and said PP had some very fruity language after a few drinks!

I am left pondering is what is the definition of a shop girl.

Does this mean a woman who works in a shop ie any shop, eg Poundland or Harrods? My MIL was a department head in a large shop - was she a shop girl? I can hear her saying "Most certainly not, Callistemon!"
I can't see why anyone would use that expression in such a demeaning way. Or does it have a meaning I don't know about?

Agree maddyone and not only her waffling but acting as if she is hoping for an Oscar, she has adopted Diana’s doe eyed look now, will it tilted head next.

Anniebach

I will pass on Tony Benn, I was disappointed he didn’t sell his country estate.

britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw050578

Why were you disappointed he didn't sell his country estate Annie ? Did you want to buy it?

I don’t think I’ll be watching it either. No doubt the salient points will be all over the media and we won’t be able to avoid them. But sit for two hours listening to Meghan waffle, no thanks.

Greeneyedgirl

Sounds good to me Grany but it would spoil all the fun (or most of it) on GN

HaHa yes agree Greeneyedgirl

It appears that ITV are going ahead regardless. Mr. S. will be watching it alone as I don't think my blood pressure or the tv would survive if I watched it with him.

Actually Mollygo it was said in passing, we were actually having a funny discussion about wine and what you could tell about it. And the shenannigans that went on at the dinners sometimes around it. PP was very much a passing remark neither of us cared about.In fact I had very much forgotten it until recently.
He was actually a Freemason for a bit as well. Got drummed out I believe. (My FIL not PP)

And an apron, can’t imagine Phillip in The Brickies

Are we going down the route of what constitutes a funny handshake?

Perhaps Phillip was in the Freemasons

Rosie51

trisher My FIL wasn't one for gossip. He would occasionally tell a few of the things he knew, but very rarely. It was a closed world one where things were kept under wraps. He didn't particularly like it. It wasn't his sort of thing but he was expected to attend because of the job he did. The PP remark was just a passing comment when he was talking about the events he went to and how ridiculous he thought they were.

So he actually witnessed PP trawling for girls, shop girls being his preference? Your FIL then reported it as a rare passing comment. Sounds an awful lot like salacious gossip to me.

Of course no one really wanted to attend parties like that (except to talk about later). I’d be quite concerned who else would be ‘trawling for shop girls’. There are activities I wouldn’t recognise that someone was doing unless it was the sort of thing I was doing myself.
When (only once), my DH was attending a function and Prince Philip was there too, it was all men! I wonder what we might conclude from that.

I will pass on Tony Benn, I was disappointed he didn’t sell his country estate.

britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw050578

30 years ago I'd have agreed with him Grany. In fact I think I did as I recall. Then I learned to live in the real world where tokenism doesn't bear much weight.

Allegations that she bullied staff were made at the time so that's 'old news'.

tickingbird Trying to pick the threads of truth out of the narrative put out by H&M, a biased press, a greedy media etc is truly hard, but I think many of us are having a similar visceral reaction to it all and had made our own minds up over time. You and I don't differ greatly on our thoughts regarding this tbh.

Sounds good to me Grany but it would spoil all the fun (or most of it) on GN

30 years ago Tony Benns Plan to Democratise Britain – and Abolish the Monarchy

The Bill proposed that Britain would become a republic – the monarchy would be abolished, the Royal Family pensioned off, the honours system disbanded, and the crown estates nationalised. It would be truly democratic, with supremacy resting in a Parliament consisting of two democratically elected chambers.

26.02.2021
Tony Benn’s Plan to Democratise Britain – and Abolish the Monarchy
By
Martyn Rush
Thirty years ago, Tony Benn's Commonwealth of Britain Bill proposed to transform our democracy by devolving power, guaranteeing social rights and abolishing the monarchy – it's time for today's Left to take up its mantle.

tribunemag.co.uk/2021/02/tony-benns-plan-to-democratise-britain-and-abolish-the-monarchy?fbclid=IwAR1JUdxYdQ_GbUA1fokT9b9ezikNSeiJIuvIll5lMyNXR9WkpODCVc1CgPw

At the end of the day we don’t know what they’re going to say in the interview and they are powerless to stop it being broadcast anyway.

NellG I take your point and should just like to add that I have never been a Meghan hater and when they originally announced they were leaving I was of the opinion that they had a right to decide on their own life. Since then my opinion has changed. I’m not a fan of Piers Morgan and he definitely has an agenda where M is concerned. However, there have been reports of bullying and reducing staff and even Katherine to tears in the past. When Kevin Maguire (of the Mirror) was asked about the rumours this morning, he grudgingly admitted that at the time he was receiving information regarding M’s treatment of staff and her overbearing attitude. I believe that she thought that as a duchess she’d be protected from any negative press and it turns out she was wrong.

eazybee My gut literally reacted to reading that quote. This woman seems dangerously self obsessed.

I have a feeling those who have experienced pain and trauma would appreciate her keeping a very large distance!

I just hope that this interview allows them to get everything off their chests once and for all. Then they can get on with their lives and look to the future, with the added bonus that we won’t have to keep hearing about it.

I heard that the Oprah interview can't be stopped in America because so much advertising space has been sold the network would lose millions if they pulled out. Nice.

MM is deeply saddened by the accusations of bullying, "this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma."
But not her close family, obviously.
"She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good."

This is so funny you wonder who made it up.