William and Harry - I'm puzzled.

There was a 'servant problem' for everyone- those who were traditionally servants had better options.

A lot of those were built by wealthy industrialists who had "had a good war". Nouveau riche, dahling, not the aristocranocracy.

After WW1 cheap labour was not so easily available for the stately homes , workers were no longer lining up to work as kitchen maids, gardeners etc, but there was an increase in grand homes built in industrial areas

durhamjen I wasn't talking about the charities.

One can theoretically disapprove of The Monarchy without wishing to criticise individual members of the royal family who, as others have already said, can't help who they are.

I am imagining that if they fitted in with OP's views then another thread could be started by someone saying ' why is William wasting tax payers money doing royal duties when he isn't even next in line?- I think he ought to have a 'proper job'' and 'why are the army signing up Harry for another term when they are cutting back and my son is being made redundant? And Harry costs them a lot more than my son.'

When they are 'damned if they do and damned if they don't' then I think we should cut them a bit of slack. They are in an impossible situation.

And we lost a lot, Tegan, after WW1 when so many families couldn't afford the upkeep and they were demolished.

It is a completely different picture than the one that I see!
I am not going over it all again, but I do think it sad that working for a charity isn't seen as a proper job, just a few photo opportunities and gala dinners.it must be very upsetting for those involved.
I also can't think of a better preparation than the Air Ambulance where they meet all sorts in a completely random way.
I don't think any of you would swap lives! I certainly wouldn't.
I can't think of anything worse than the entire country commenting on your every move and the knowledge that whatever you do will be wrong to a large proportion of them and if you changed and suited them then you are wrong to another large proportion!

I understand the arguement about them owning so many homes but, when I visit National Trust properties I often think how sad it would be now if our ideas about extravagent house building/ownership went back centuries ie what a loss it would be to the country as a whole. It still hurts me to think of the damage done to churches and cathedrals during Henry VIII/Civil War times.

Will he just be attending premiers and dinners or will there be other duties in the weeks between said extravaganzas? Has the job description been published?

I feel a depressing hint of the Sue Townsend's creeping in here! .

Leticia, I have given my views on the two men. They are pampered and do what they choose regardless of costs to the country, left Anglesey to live in KP, costs of renovations over four million, now he wants out of London to fly helicopters part time. KP is now a town house for use when the next baby is born, why they need over 22 rooms yet have rooms in St James Palace for their offices is for me, wrong because it costs the tax payer . Harry wanted to do a tour of duty in the Middle East regardless of costs. They should realise they should not want it all, there are restrictions and privileges being a Windsor, these two seem to want the privileges but not the restrictions, for you thst's fine, for me it is not . I accept they cannot take any job and so working for charities is fine, but working full time not just attending premiers and dinners . And , do not lecture others on killing animals whilst they both do the very same , one difference is killing animals for poachers in Africa means feeding their families, for William and Harry it's sport

I think that the Prince of Wales's properties are a completely different issue to what his son's do with their lives.

I thought you were complaining that it wasn't used but costing money.

Leticia, not am empty property, it is used as a fishing lodge for family and friends. I said why not Wales? in response to a comment on not Wales . If Cambridge because William is duke of Cambridge I suppose we must be thankful Andrew doesn't choose yet another home in York,

Durhamjen, they keep a lot of police and army busy , when Charles bought wormwood he shipped in staff, even hired his sister in law as interior designer and his river bailiff was brought in too . They like to visit Tiggys family and the security is something to see. Why not stay at wormwood which has security and have the Legg Burkes visit there . This is what is so annoying, they do not give thought to costs . Harry must accept he cannot live the life he wants, he wanted to do a tour of duty in the Middle East , no matter the costs , he did it and we then read how brave he is, noooo, he was doing what he wants regardless of financial costs or possibly human life

There's one thing, Annie, they seem to keep a lot of people in employment in Wales. Hope they pay more than the minimum wage.

Eloethan I hope you meant that the Royals were a waste of time, not charities, as I first read it.
I agree about the royals.

You said that there was an empty property there Anniebach and an Air ambulance in Wales. I am not going to look back but apologies if it wasn't you who said 'why not Wales?'

I can't see why he needs more than one house in London and one proper home outside- but that is beside the point.
I think they do a lot that it is not seen and they really can't help it if a film crew give prominence to one thing.
No one seems to think that people who work for charities do much- not sure why they get such bad press.

Leticia, I certainly do not want William working in Wales, the P of Wales spends a whole week every year in Wales . William in Wales would mean paying for security for yet another property

I am sure the Queen has thought about it without our input!
Personally I think he will have a very different monarchy and it is all to the good that he will be working and working with people from all walks of life.
If he were to twiddle his thumbs waiting for the next duty then he would be called a waste of space by some people and asked why he couldn't have a job!
You can't please all of the people all of the time, so you might as well what you want to do! He must have had discussions with the Queen and the establishment.

Why, if one voices any criticism of the windsors is it assumed one is a republican . I think they have a great PR team and no family has reinvented themselves more than the windsors . Harry was not as risk fighting along side fellows troops , he was guarded around the clock by Ghurkas , an escape flight on standby the whole time too. I have no problem with this, I do have a problem with being expected to believe what the palace wants us to believe . My biggest gripe with this family is they have no problem with living as they wish regardless of the cost to the country. Why do we have to pay 365 days a year to protect all their homes, Charles has Highgrove, an estate in Wales , herefordshire , and Camilla has kept her family home to escape to! We paid for the building to house a security team for her bolt hole. We pay for Wormwood security too, and Highgrove , then they have their royal residences , Clarence House and Birkhall, how many homes do one couple need ? I do not like or dislike the windsors, I don't know them , I am not proud of them , my pride is for my family. We need a head of state , the queen carries out these duties without all the publicity the Wales family crave . So not a republican , but no way proud of people who live such decadent lifestyles and expect us to purr with pride if they are filmed lifting a few boxes off a lorry

Personally, I think that the royals as a whole are out and about enough, meeting and greeting etc.
So am quite happy for Princes William and Harry to be doing other things for the time being.

I guess all their roles will gradually change as the queen relinquishes more of her duties - at the moment she is still fit enough to do a lot and I would guess wishes to do so. They cannot all twiddle their thumbs whilst waiting for her to drop various duties; so why not find something useful to do?