The Queen is in hospital

Saetana

The Queen will NEVER abdicate - she saw how it damaged her father George, when his older brother Edward abdicated and he had to step in - it would be like Andrew inheriting instead of Charles (!) through abdication. She considers it her life's work and Charles will inherit when she dies - although I'd prefer he didn't, I actually like Camilla but cannot stand Charles. William and Catherine are the heirs to the throne that the public will embrace - Charles will be just a placeholder King at his age. Some really nasty ageist comments on here - this is Gransnet you know! The Netherlands monarchy is not and never will be a comparison to the UK. Our constitutional monarchy is unique in the world and should be celebrated - before Charles totally messes it up.

The abdication of Edward was completely different !!

You like Camilla but cannot stand Charles …gosh have you met them both ?

She should have retired years ago and taken a back step. I think she is back in the old Kings/Queens are divinely appointed frame of mind. Charles is now at the age when he should retire, too and let some of the younger members have a go. Ridiculous.

The Dutch constitutional monarchy works in almost exactly the same way as ours, ours isn't unique at all.

I would have thought a monarchist would have known that ?

My concern is that I’d miss the queen’s bright, cheery outfits. Charles’s dull suits will be very boring, although maybe when he’s king he could take some sartorial advice from Michael Portillo’s tailor

SueDonim perhaps he'll employ Angela Kelly to design and make his suits.
I think she decided bright colours would be best for HM so that the Queen wouldn't disappear in a crowd of sombre greys.

He could start by jazzing up his ties first.

I feel so sorry for Charles

So do I, Anniebach.

Oh dear, not sure if I can face either the 70th jubilee celebs next year or a Coronation.
Actually would prefer neither!!!

Me too Anniebach a life he didn’t really want but unfulfilled anyway

Gosh, if only there was a way for them all not to have to take up lives they didn't want, and for us to choose somebody who really wanted the job....

Alegrias1

Gosh, if only there was a way for them all not to have to take up lives they didn't want, and for us to choose somebody who really wanted the job....

?

Annie I feel sorry for Charles too. He’s waited all his life for a job he didn’t a
appear to want. At least he’s now married to a woman he loves, although Diana’s death was awful for all concerned. Camilla will support him I think, whatever the future brings.

Me too Annie, I'm afraid he can't do right for doing wrong. I think he is basically a good man, and dedicated to things he believes in which include the well being of this country. The shadow of that disastrous marriage has undoubtedly haunted him and been detrimental to his popularity over the years, which I believe, after all this time, to be very unfair. Those who have actually met him always seem to find him very affable and interested in whatever is being discussed. People who can't stand him often give for a reason is, that he is stuffy, old fashioned, not up to date, cruel to the long dead Diana. Well, sometimes being modern and trendy isn't all it's cracked up to be. In this country there has only been one voluntary abdication, George 111 was blind and mad poor soul, but remained king till he died, and the Queen will be the same, as will Charles, William and George (if he gets there) The Dutch however, nearly always abdicate in favour of a younger monarch, and in that respect they are different to us.

Yes; the Dutch don't expect blind, mad people to hold positions of authority.

Sorry - obviously being blind isn't a reason not to hold a position of authority and "mad" isn't a very nice word.

But you know what I mean.

Why are people sorry for Charles - that his mother has lived a long life?

I haven't red the whole thread but she is 95 fgs if she wants to spend every day watching This morning followed by loose women, have a afternoon nap and follow it with four in a bed, I don't really give a shit tbh.

I don't feel sorry for Charles, he owns a whole village.

No Riverwalk. It’s because he’s waited a long time to do what he’s been trained for. At the risk of going round in circles, if his mother had stepped back, he could have had a decent shot at doing what he was trained for.

I don't feel sorry for Charles, he owns a whole village.

That made me laugh.

Why is it that whatever is discussed on GN these days is always full of snipey comments? It makes differences of opinion impossible to discuss in a thoughtful way. No wonder people don't bother to join in any more.

Some think wealth buys happiness, I don’t.

Seems for one here mental illness means mad

I agree Annie, wealth does not buy happiness. However, insufficient money certainly causes stress and therefore unhappiness. Having enough without being wealthy is the ideal in my opinion.

Jabberwok and no wonder some lovely people have left

Sorry, are you suggesting people have left because of me?

what the actual hell?

I actually think Poundbury is a nice little experiment, a bit like Ebeneezer Howard's philosophy.