On borrowed time - the royals

Anniebach

Has it been reported who holds a handkerchief for him to blow his nose !

Apparently there has been a job vacancy since Covid19 arrived, Anniebach.

Anniebach

Has it been reported who holds a handkerchief for him to blow his nose !

Rumour has it he does have a loo roll valet, who folds the paper for him and delivers it on a silver salver...

Elegran what is the point of her discussing all of the laws with the PM of the day if she can only have an effect on it in extremis? Is there anything more extreme than a PM trying to prorogue Parliament to get his way without having to get parliamentary agreement? And yet that happened.

So either she is exerting influence on the content of the legislation, which is not acceptable, or she is making no difference at all. Why then do we expect her to spend so much time in her final years doing completely useless tasks?

jacqrose There were three other words that preceded the ones you quoted that gave balance to the possible views that people might hold. It's not the BBC's job to hold the RF to account, neither is the the press's - they are not the RF Ombudsman. They do however frequently ask questions and print stories regarding the RFs dealings, otherwise 'we' wouldn't know we needed to be concerned, or not. as the case might be. Like you, I don't know them personally so have zero proof of whether they feel trapped, and feel it's the worst job in the world, they might well love it so I have no personal investment in doing anything with them, either way tbh. True democracy is a human impossibility and a political ideal, I do what I can to maintain and improve the rights we have, fight the battles I believe can be won and invest my efforts in the issues that stand to make the most tangible positive difference. Deposing the monarchy isn't one of them - it's akin to tilting at windmills.

Has it been reported who holds a handkerchief for him to blow his nose !

vegansrock All that is reported Much of that reporting has been denunked. Sorry, I can't give you chapter and verse off the top of my head for the debunking, but I daresay you can't give chapter and verse for the (original and proven) source of the information?

Lucca

“ She has been doing this since 1952 and knows more than any of them.” ?? About what? Everything ?

About all those laws described in detail in the ipiles of bumff in the red boxes she reads. successive Prime Ministers have been impressed by the detail of her knowledge of the background reports on proposed legislation and the depth of her comments on them.

So she "secretly" vetted 1,000 laws before they were passed? Untrue - she openly vets ALL laws and discusses them with the PM. That is her job. That and being polite and welcoming to hordes of foreign heads of state and diplomats and charming them, even when she is feeling 94 and worried sick about her husband's health and the wellbeing (and antics) of her children and grandchildren.

Some thoughts ShelaghALLEN

1) If the UK's hegemonic power is dependent on our image as a feudal state that is not power that we should be relying on for the future. Our power has been much more affected by other political moves than replacing the monarchy ever could.

2) I could write you a book . In summary, a modern one.

3) I guess that would be up to you in Canada. You could keep the Monarch as HoS if you wanted, they just wouldn't be HoS in the UK. Or, if the Commonwealth still wanted a "union" (my word) with the UK then the Governor General could become the Commonwealth's representative, instead of the Queen's.

Just my thoughts....

GranyRose15 We the people would get the person we vote for, just as we do in a general election. PC and William could put themselves up for it if they wanted to.

Prince Charles stopped tenants on his estates buying their homes. He is reported to have his shoelaces ironed, his toothpaste squeezed by his valet, takes his own toilet seat on trips, and is a stickler for protocol. Not exactly going to modernise the monarchy is he?

NellG Your comments will be so far off the mark for many many people. “Envy, dislike and fabrication”: we have the BBC and the press all working hard as PRs for the RF to present them in the best possible way without ever questioning any of their business dealings or behind the scenes meddling. I don’t dislike any of them. How could I, I don’t know them personally. I do believe in democracy though and if you can’t imagine a worse life why do you want to keep them trapped in it?

As a Canadian, I think getting rid of the monarchy might spell disaster for all those countries that are attached to Britain based on the colonial history.

Some questions that come to my mind are:
1) Will the end of the monarchy mean the end of Britian's hegemonic power.
2) What relationship does Britain want to have with the world once it no longer has the monarchy.
3) Will Canada get rid of its Governor General and anything else that we have because of our ties to Britain.

Of course we'd all want President Blair or President Cameron in the place of the queen wouldn't we.

Anyone want President Johnson?

Long live the King!

As it's such an easy, glamorous life, how come Megs and Harry couldn't hack it? Especially as Megs is so concerned about Archie having his birthright title of 'Prince' someday.

Yes I'd love not having to do housework, but having to do the 'visits' and such like, while living in a goldfish bowl......nah, you can keep it.

jacqrose Most people think they know it - they imagine that it's an easy life because they see big houses and money and assume it makes life a doddle. It may well be easy materially, but I can't imagine a worse life personally and to me it would be the hardest work ever and I've had some doozy jobs! You're right, their lives are a million miles from most people's experience but I'd argue if it were flipped 'we' would fold first. And that's the thing - most of what we think we know isn't fact, it's speculation, conjecture, imagination, envy, dislike and fabrication. Consequently none of us are in greater possession of facts than another regarding how they really live and what they do that constitutes work. We just imagine it differently.

This thread keeps mentioning the royals and work in the same sentence. Royal engagements are not work as most people know it. Being driven to an event, staying an hour or two and then being driven back to their residence where someone will cook for them is a million miles from most people’s experience. NellG this could be a good starting point for people who are looking for facts.

nanna8 In all honesty I don't care too much either way. If they go I shan't lose sleep - though I'd like to see the Queen have a last few decent years tbh. If they stay I wont be too worried - unless the younger ones carry on playing it like it's reality TV, in which case they'll undo it for themselves. People's opinions on it are interesting, and I do try and stick up for fairness and fact where possible, but other than that these threads are greatly entertaining.

“ She has been doing this since 1952 and knows more than any of them.” ?? About what? Everything ?

Pretty much Nell except that a toga just wouldn’t cut it. It has to be jewel encrusted and substitute the peeled grapes for having your prepared toothbrush handed to you. People don’t like change but sometimes change is long overdue. I’m guessing nothing will change, though,because there is a hell of a lot of vested interest and the vested interest has a lot of dosh.

Grany Oh of course they don't - that link I posted is fake...they pretty much just lounge around wearing togas, lying on velvet draped day beds and having grapes peeled for them by their minions. Occasionally they have the odd peasant whipped, just for entertainment...

Thank you Grany what did they gain by vetting the fire law ?

The royal family do not work hard they hardly work at all.

Here you are Annie More than 1,000 laws have been vetted by the Queen or Prince Charles through a secretive procedure before they were approved by the UK’s elected members of parliament, the Guardian has established.

The huge number of laws subject to royal vetting cover matters ranging from justice, social security, pensions, race relations and food policy through to obscure rules on car parking charges and hovercraft.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/08/royals-vetted-more-than-1000-laws-via-queens-consent

jacqrose

Elegran it has recently been reported that the queen and PC used their position to get legislation changed to favour them financially, so maybe that’s why she reads it all. And by the way, the queen and the rest of them are always on holiday, that is the very fortunate life they lead.

No they aren't, and no they didn't. It's her job to read it.

writeroyalty.com/2019-by-the-numbers-royal-work-round-up-part-1/

Will you name ten Grany ? from a reliable source not a republican site