Prince Philip has died

Better and more honest than "He was wonderful and I'll miss him forever."

Does every speech about the DoE have to mention the DoE Award now? I missed that order. Anyway, the other leaders included it.

Speaks of ‘question whether it can it should retain its place’

Followed by ‘that debate is not for today’

No mention of the Duke of Edinburghs Award.

Actually, I think it is very mealie-mouthed. A classic example of damning with faint praise.

A masterclass today in how a Republican can show respect but not deference, from Patrick Harvie in the Scottish Parliament session about Prince Phillip. Sorry its so long, but I thought it was good:

I join the other party leaders in offering my sincere condolences to Prince Philip’s family, his friends and all those who will miss him.

In this chamber, as in this country, we do not all share the same views of the monarchy, or the same feelings today. It would be wrong to pretend that we did. As a party that wishes for an elected head of state, we reflected carefully on whether and how we should take part in today’s proceedings. However, just as it would be wrong to give a performance of feelings not sincerely felt, it would equally be wrong to imply by our absence any kind of personal disrespect to those who have lost someone important to them, whether personally or otherwise.

This has been a year of terrible loss for the world, including up to 150,000 Covid deaths across the UK—most of them announced without ceremony as daily statistics. The toll has been heaviest on those with the least, but although there is no great leveller in how we live our lives, we are reminded today that no extreme of wealth, privilege or status can protect us from mortality. “Jock Tamson’s bairns” may be something of a cliché, but in that respect every human being is, indeed, equal. Death comes to us all, and every family faces the pain of loss. Regardless of our different views, respect and compassion are due in equal measure to every one of us at such times.

Such moments bring pain to family and friends, and, with a public figure like Prince Philip, others will share that pain to a greater or lesser degree. For an individual, a family or a society, death is also part of life’s cycle, which brings a change of the generations. Those who come after will build on the legacy that they have been left, but they will also rethink, reinvent and alter course. They still owe much to those who went before, who may have lived by different values.

Many have spoken about Prince Philip’s environmentalism. Today’s environmental movement overwhelmingly places responsibility for the global crisis on the powerful and would not seek to reconcile conservation with the blood sports of the wealthy. Yet it is still the case that a debt is owed to those whose environmentalism did achieve global awareness, even if it was shaped by values that were different from today’s.

It is said that Prince Philip wished to modernise the monarchy. No doubt, in time, it will consider whether it can do so and how a royal family can keep pace with the modern, democratic society that it is supposed to serve, and how it must show respect for the diversity of that society in its words and its deeds. Others will question whether it can and should retain its place. That debate is not for today.

Today is a moment to extend our thoughts to Prince Philip’s family and to all those who are grieving for their loved ones, in a spirit of respect for the equal value of every human life.

Ohh dear me, why do such little hairs need to be split.

The thing, for me, is that when someone dies, no matter how long or varied life they have had, or how sad it is, there's only so much you can say, especially in the media. It's getting a tad repetitive now.

Thanks for the clarification vegansrock.

This is bizarre.

Anyway, interesting interview on Radio Scotland this morning where a speaker was complaining abut the BBC coverage, not because of its all-pervasiveness but because of how maudlin it has become (my words, not hers). Apparently they reported about Charles's moving tribute to his father, and her point was that we can decide for ourselves what's moving and what's not. And I suppose, whether we feel like he's our grandfather.

Lucca you quoted the Times , Andrew said ‘he was the nation’s grandfather’ I just quoted Andrews opinion on his father, ‘in my opinion’ and ‘almost’.

British airways flew Harry home yesterday as he was at Heathrow at 1.15pm. He'll be staying at Nottingham cottage because Eugenie is at Frogmore with her family.

The children and immediate family of a person who has died should be able to say whatever they feel in tribute to their relative, no matter who it is and who they are.

And no, not even “almost” in my view and that of my children.

Oh dear.

No, ‘the way i would put it ,ALMOST the nation’s grandfather’

Anniebach

Lucca
Andrew said - ‘the way I would put it ‘we’ve lost almost the
Grandfather of the nation ‘

Exactly ?
The grandfather of the nation/ the nation’s grandfather.

Bankhurst

For him, a man who enjoyed a privileged lifestyle at the expense of the nation, to ask a group of women in Brixton who they were sponging off, is unforgivable

Where was that written?

For him, a man who enjoyed a privileged lifestyle at the expense of the nation, to ask a group of women in Brixton who they were sponging off, is unforgivable

Lucca
Andrew said - ‘the way I would put it ‘we’ve lost almost the
Grandfather of the nation ‘

Ellianne

Harry is coming, that's what matters.

I'm happy to join a separate thread discussing points arising from the outfall of what has gone on recently, but not on this one.

Anniebach I would just refer you to Ellianne ‘s very sensible post.

Whilst I sympathise with the royal family losing a relative and the queen losing a husband and it’s perfectly valid to hear about Philips interests and achievements I think some comments (not on here) go too far. In the Times this morning I read that Prince Andrew said Philip was “the nation’s grandfather “. No, sorry I don’t get that. I am quite certain my children don’t feel like that about him.
I do feel that excessive coverage, eulogising etc actually has a negative effect.

Harry is attending the funeral of his grandfather after causing
their family much hurt, end of.

Apologies when I rattled off that the DoE scheme had been privatised, what I meant to say was that the overall organisation is regionally controlled by other organisations who can charge for things like assessor training. In my local area several boroughs ran the organisation which accredited assessors and ran training courses etc, a friend who is a retired police officer was employed by them to oversee the scheme - with local authority cuts this was dropped by the local councils and given to some sort of franchise who offered training courses which schools etc had to pay for and were allowing activities which my friend would not have allowed. I am not sure how it is organised in other areas but my guess is it would be something similar. The scheme is a good one for children, and relies on the goodwill of teachers, youth leaders etc to give up their free time voluntarily, but the organisation has suffered because of cuts to funding.

Of course they could, via Zoom. Anyway the important thing is that he is here for his grandfathers funeral, end of.

If in isolation for five days the media can’t interview him !