Fred and Gladys

Camilla is not a Roman Catholic, although her first husband is and her children were raised as catholics.
Oh merlotgran has already said that!

A lot of things that happened were 'of their time'. If we look back at ordinary families and attitudes to divorce and mothers who left their children we may well find some of those attitudes prevailing.

Didn't someone have to vouch for the fact that Diana was a virgin before she and Charles got engaged? That certainly was bizarrely old-fashioned for 1981!

Yes, Ana. I believe Diana declared she had kept herself 'tidy'.

Probably humming, 'Someday my Prince will come'

Or - what did she say when she left the photo shop?
'Some day my prints will come'
(groan)

I remember reading Louis Mountbatten had a lot to do with influencing Charles's choice of a bride. It all seems rather distasteful now.

The old meddler was hoping Charles would marry his grandaughter, Amanda Knatchbull.

Of course everything we know about "the firm" is gossip Lilygran that is the price they pay for being funded. Infact (living in the North East) we don't get anything in return for our portion of funding, so I feel cheated when Katy Middleton/Windsor is wearing an expensive posh frock. I feel cheated when the queen gifts them a multi million pound estate (I mean crikey they need 11 bedrooms don't they) I feel cheated when the " princesses" Eugenie and Beatrix are jetting around the world "playing" at doing sod all. I feel cheated that my two children work their bl**dy socks off to help fund their vile, greedy lifestyle.

Rant over.

Well, I don't begrudge the 56p per annum I pay for HM and her immediate family and those who work hard such as the Princess Royal.
However, I might appreciate saving about 5p per year by not funding the Yorks.

I think a Presidential system could cost me more.

HM is entitled to spend her private money on a house for her DGS if she wishes.
I would do the same for mine if I could afford it.
Most people would I think.

Well I begrudge every flipping penny to very single one of them.

Phew Gillybob , your 'red' roots are showing. Have a lie down before you self-combust.

That the queen chooses to give William a house on her private estate is her business. That she moves him into a very large apartment in KP at a cost of over three million for renovations is our business .

Andrew and his ex live in York house at Windsor, his daughters both have apartments at St James Palace

Are buck house, Clarence House and Windsor castle so over crowded that her grandchildren can't have apartments in these properties . This country has a serious housing problem but not the windsors , just open up another apartment. This is so wrong

The "Royals" are the ultimate soap opera. Their lives and comings and goings are meat and drink to the media. Why? Because for whatever reasons , a large majority of the population of the UK is interested in them. Their pictures make people buy newspapers and media interviews make people watch TV to find out more about them. They live in a old fashioned fish tank.
I think for some elderly/lonely people they are a sort of surrogate family. They've been around for all of their lives. You only had to read of the tea towels and other such homely presents showered on William and Kate when they were married. I confess I absolutely loved the Royal Wedding. I know its stupid but I sort of felt I knew William. I felt sure his Mum would have been proud of him. I do know that's completely daft and based on God only knows what but I reckon lots of others felt the same way.

So agree with Absentgrandma, Couldn't stand St. Diana of the Doe Eyes. Here's hoping the new royal baby is another boy or we have the danger of a princess being given one name of Diana.

I agree Jane10, and they are, one way or another, an enormous tourist attraction drawing people here from all over the world.
Watching the ceremony at St Paul's yesterday I couldn't help thinking how lucky we are and how nowhere else can 'do' pomp and ceremony so spectacularly. I thought it was such a moving ceremony.
I'm not, by the way, a rampant monarchist, just feel the same way as Jane10.

jo1book, I too hope the child will be a boy, if a girl we will have wall to wall coverage of how like Diana she is and if she was to glance up through eyelashes - groan at the thought. And the child would have a life of hell

jane10 I remember when Charles and Anne were two very sweet little children. I expect you can too.

Only vaguely jings!

'St Diana of the Doe Eyes'.... love it Jo1book. Hadn't thought of the consequences if it's a little girl Cambridge. It'll certainly be wall to wall and the ceiling as well ..... argh.... pass the sick bag someone!

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2994534/Wanted-discreet-loyal-housekeeper-deal-children-dogs-William-Kate-place-classified-advert-servant-Lady.html

Not sure I'd want to work for Granny Middleton who will surely be calling all the shots

Is it not quite usual for a mother to support her daughter during pregnancy, and for a grandmother to see her grandchild as often as she can , why is this grandmother portrayed as pushy

It's usual for a mother to want to support her daughter during pregnancy, Anniebach but I get the feeling CM has now made a career move.

I hope her business in in safe hands.

But what career move merlotgran, they are wealthy , can afford staff , why not spend time with her grandson and employ someone to help run the business . I really cannot understand why the Middletons are criticised so much , they seem to do what many grandparents do .

Camila has her own home and doesn't live with Charles full time, it's been in the Daily Mail so it must be true!

It is true that when they married there were extensive building works carried out in her family home - I saw the application plans- a new building to house a protection team because she was still going to live there for some of the time , also conifers to screen the drive and house, permission given and the country paid the bill