Andrew returning to public life

Ah well, at least he is contributing to a move towards republicanism and he is very good for the anti monarchist cause.

The mention earlier of the lack of royals to carry out duties could be overcome by asking others who have made a positive contribution to society to cut ribbons at openings. A long serving lollipop lady or well loved teacher to open schools. A nurse or doctor to open one of the 40 new hospitals to be opened soon. I'm sure others can think of some more examples.

Lucca

Anniebach

There was no coming back for him the day he abdicated , she turned poor .Bertie down several times, she was set for the future king but he wasn’t interested

Who is “she?

The Queen Mother.

Ladyleftfieldlover

A was second in line for a long time. As soon as Charles started producing children and then grandchildren, A knew he was lost. I have read that Margaret (also second in line for a while) was quite a dreadful woman. Her lady in waiting, Lady Glenconner, has written a very entertaining book. Margaret couldn’t even use a kettle.

I’ve also read and heard the stories about Margaret. How nobody could leave a party or go to bed until she did. How she put out her cigarettes in the pudding. How she insisted on the curtsies, the deference. Her bad temper, affairs, love of holidays on Mustique. It was she who objected to the deb season saying every ‘tart in the country’ would be attending!
She had many of the same faults as Andrew, thinking her position in the RF excused everything.

This. Imagine if over the past decade we’d had a head of state whose purpose was protecting & defending the constitution and the rule of law, and enforcing standards in public life & the ministerial code…

Such a saint doesn't exist.

henetha

Such a saint doesn't exist.

In some minds it does . . .
as long as it’s not RF . . .

henetha

Such a saint doesn't exist.

An independent head of state would be able to defend the rule of law and our constitution. Our current head of state does and says nothing.

Grany

This. Imagine if over the past decade we’d had a head of state whose purpose was protecting & defending the constitution and the rule of law, and enforcing standards in public life & the ministerial code…

Imagine, it could easily have been Boris.

Our current head of state does and says nothing
and if she did, think of all the comments about ‘keeping out of politics’ that would arrive on here! ???

henetha

Such a saint doesn't exist.

That's exactly what Heads of State do!

DH and I were talking about this last night. Its like people can't imagine anything other than the status quo. They can't even imagine anything that might be better.

It might be Johnson, yes. But it probably wouldn't be, would it?

We certainly know how to vote for the very best,

Harold Wilson and Marcia’s lavender list

Thatcher

Cameron

Macmillan you’ve never had it so good

Johnson

Thomas Paine talked a lot of sense.
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.”

I have a serious question.

When people say that we don't vote for the very best, are they seriously suggesting that democracy isn't appropriate for this country? That we shouldn't really be trusted?

volver

I have a serious question.

When people say that we don't vote for the very best, are they seriously suggesting that democracy isn't appropriate for this country? That we shouldn't really be trusted?

I have a friend (Oxford DPhil and a Socialist) who believes that those of voting age should sit a small examination first to ensure they know what they’re doing when they vote. This is the same friend who creates mayhem in restaurants.

"They should send him to join his nephew in the US. He could mouth off and swagger around and he would fit right in."
What exactly do you mean by that comment, nanna8?

Urmstongran

From the Telegraph:

“Exclusive:
Prince Andrew wants royal status ‘reinstated, recognised and respected’
The Duke of York is also believed to have asked the Queen for his most coveted title back, the colonelcy of the Grenadier Guards”

He doesn’t read the room well does he?
Or he does but it doesn’t bother him.
?

I think he just doesn’t read the room well! Entitled!

Whitewavemark2

What is it these men that the U.K. keeps producing.

An immoral PM who doesn’t give a fig, or only to the extent it affects what he wants and expects to do in life, and an immoral member of the RF also having no care either for public opinion or the hurt he causes, who also doesn’t give a fig.

We need some sort of school they need to be sent to to be taught how to behave.

Borstal?

National service for all those who graduate from Eton and not at officer level!

Joseanne

^We need some sort of school they need to be sent to to be taught how to behave.^
I agree Whitewavemark2, but before we have the usual comments on here that it was the schools they attended that made them this way, I would say they must have been born inherently corrupt, arrogant and pretty evil.

Children aren’t born corrupt and evil

I don’t think children are born arrogant and entitled, it is learned behaviour, probably arising in this case from a lifetime of people, including courtiers and the general public, not to mention family, who have treated him with unearned deference. Thankfully not all the members of the family have turned out this way, although I think there are other examples of it in the royal family, who may not be quite so bad, but are nonetheless very entitled in their behaviour.

Pedwards

Joseanne

We need some sort of school they need to be sent to to be taught how to behave.
I agree Whitewavemark2, but before we have the usual comments on here that it was the schools they attended that made them this way, I would say they must have been born inherently corrupt, arrogant and pretty evil.

Children aren’t born corrupt and evil

OK I'll rewind that. Of course, children aren't born evil but some have a propensity for being bad, naughty, wicked and immoral.
What I meant with is that a school can only work with the material it is given.
As someone said earlier, Edward and Anne are very normal, upstanding people.

Anne like Charles had an affair , yet Charles still gets flack,

I'm guessing Charles gets it all in the neck because he is the heir?

I doubt it