Prince William selling the Big Issue

I have always bought the Big Issue if I’ve seen a seller. Haven’t we all, royalist or republican?

Contrary to what was being said about Royal Patronage HRH the Princess Royal is Patron of my local Hospice she visits EVERY year at least once as well as a lot of behind the scenes work

They don’t shout about everything they do from the rooftops. Charity is something that should be performed quietly and privately in my book.

Wait, what?

They bring publicity to charities and hence income.

But they don't shout about what they do?

So how are they bringing publicity then?

In some cases they give a charity publicity, in others they work quietly behind the scenes - as in the example of Princess Anne above.

William and Kate are moving to Windsor after he turns 40 this month.
This is despite £12m being spent on renovating Kensington Palace for their family.
Harry and Meghan paid back the £2.4m of public funds spent on Frogmore House when they moved abroad

They are not giving up Kensington, this will be their 4th property announced same week he came out as an advocate for homelessness.
Couldn’t make it up !

How many “homes” do they need? They have the house in Norfolk, Kensington Palace and now Windsor Castle. And he is not even King yet!

s he moving to allow the homeless he was using for cheap PR to use one of his many homes as a shelter? Oh not possible cause the public’s palaces don’t really belong to the public but to a family who does nothing but smile and wave in return for palaces and tiaras??.

Windsor's a beautiful part of the country so I'm sure they'll be happy there.

I'm intrigued by all the house moves and change of premises. It's a bit like places on the Monopoly board, (though I don't think anyone has gone to jail yet).
So William and Catherine look like becoming the new residents of Windsor Castle, (grandma Middleton will be pleased she doesn't have far to travel to see them). Good choice. Charles and Camilla will no doubt move into Buckingham Palace. I guess their other places in Norfolk, Scotland, Wales will be like "holiday" homes or boltholes. Maybe they will turn up on Airbnb Grany when the owners need more cash?

Prince William was drawing attention to homelessness. Good on him.

Are the Cambridges moving into Windsor Castle? I thought they were moving into a house on the Windsor estate.

Correct maddyone, but maybe the castle is next on their list in the fullness of time!

They have to move from Norfolk now that they must carry on extra royal duties. Charles may want to live in Windsor Castle when he becomes king, rather than Buckingham Palace which it seems needs a lot of work done. The Cambridges may then move to Kensington Palace. Who knows? Who cares?

The Cambridges have to consider schools for the next 10 years or so. I don't think they want the children to board. Berkshire has good choices, but not necessarily Eton!

Windsor Castle is for the Queen/king as is Buck house.

Does one have to be homeless to help the homeless

It’s not the Queen’s estate. It’s Crown Estate (public) property. The Queen hands out Crown Estate homes as gifts to her family despite not owning them. Perhaps
@TheCrownEstate
could explain.

It's easy Grany they observe the old saying "what's yours is ours but what's mine is my own". It is ludicrous PW out supposedly campaigning for the homeless whilst he and his family spend public money doing up places they then move out of. How can anyone justify that?

I’m a republican but given that we have a monarchy I would say I think it’s beneficial to the charity for Prince William to draw attention to it. However, I think that whilst the royals can have as many homes as they like, they should absolutely not be using public money to do them up, maintain, and furnish them. That should apply in my opinion whether the home is privately owned or owned by the state and loaned to the royals. I understand why William and Catherine would wish to have a residence out of London when they are bringing up young children and Windsor is a nice little town ideal to raise a family. I assume they need to retain their apartment in Kensington Palace as all the working royals need a London base. Their Norfolk home is presumably their country home.
As for myself, I count myself as lucky to have one home, and to own it.

Should I pay for works to my council owned bungalow.

Please tell me you're not comparing Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to a council owned bungalow?

Annie no, you shouldn’t pay for essential works to your council bungalow, but you’re not comparing like with like. The royals are multi millionaires and do not require a council bungalow to house them. They are very privileged in that they can take their pick of grace and favour homes to live in. It is reasonable that they maintain and furnish those homes out of their vast wealth themselves.

I believe it is right that the biggest residences such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are maintained in essential works by the public purse. That is as it should be. But the decorations and furnishings for private apartments should not be financed by the public purse.

The Queen is merely a tenant for life as regards Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. They are occupied by whoever is monarch for the time being.

Yes indeed GSM. That’s why it’s right that the public purse pays for all essential maintenance, but the royals pay for their own furnishings and decorations in their personal apartments. However the grace and favour houses on the estates are more tricky. Surely they should pay for their own renovations and decor themselves?

I think grace and favour homes are in the same league. Occupiers should pay for decorations but as they are effectively tenants at will, i.e. for so long as the ‘favour’ is extended to them, renovations should be paid for by the owner. No different from any other landlord and tenant relationship really.

All 18 of these royals live in state owned homes, mainly in St James's Palace, Kensington Palace or Windsor. They pay little or no rent at a huge cost to the taxpayer. Most of them do very little in return. They also have second, third and fourth homes.