Queen Consort and 6 companions...

Katie59

Callistemon21

Bea65

Heard on TV news that Camilla isn't to have Ladies in Waiting but she is to be allowed 6 companions and her she will have a Secretary and under Deputy Private Secretary/Equerry..how is this supposed to be streamlining the family we pay for...

Well, the post of Head of State is run like a business.

A business needs staff.

If as Queen Camilla has engagements to accompany Charles or on her own she needs a PA, the PA has time off so a deputy is needed. It would be impossible to do the job without backup. Ladies in Waiting were companions on official engagements by any other name.

The Head of State is run like a business not for the people. Monarchy is for the royals and politicians who they give all power to.

Charles and William get to vet legislation that affect their own personal interests. Handy.

William and Charles get over £20 million a year each. from two duchies Handy.

Plus £100 million going up SGrant which is a state owned property portfolio. Not counting the £100 million security.

Nothing is said of the public money they spend every day going about their own interests and pastimes they do the majority of times you can see from their engagements they don’t work hard charities do not benefit from royal patronage.

Pay their taxes

As a public body should not be exempt from FOI what do they want to hide.

Callistemon21

Bea65

Heard on TV news that Camilla isn't to have Ladies in Waiting but she is to be allowed 6 companions and her she will have a Secretary and under Deputy Private Secretary/Equerry..how is this supposed to be streamlining the family we pay for...

Well, the post of Head of State is run like a business.

A business needs staff.

If as Queen Camilla has engagements to accompany Charles or on her own she needs a PA, the PA has time off so a deputy is needed. It would be impossible to do the job without backup. Ladies in Waiting were companions on official engagements by any other name.

Casdon

The Queen’s companions are honorary positions, they won’t be paid.

And they won't be on call 24/7/365!

Bea65

Heard on TV news that Camilla isn't to have Ladies in Waiting but she is to be allowed 6 companions and her she will have a Secretary and under Deputy Private Secretary/Equerry..how is this supposed to be streamlining the family we pay for...

Well, the post of Head of State is run like a business.

A business needs staff.

Mogsmaw

“The four Marys” is also a style of pendant, very pretty.

I have a brooch similar to that; I thought it was a Celtic symbol

Getting your mates publicity funded modernising?

And colonialism

Typical Windsor-Mountbatten bull in a china shop diplomacy.

Princess Anne's visit to the Falkland Islands has sparked fury in Argentina, with the country accusing the monarchy of violating international law. The Princess Royal, alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, visited the islands, known in Argentina as Islas Malvinas, last week. The trip caused a backlash from the South American country which claims sovereignty of the area in a longstanding dispute with the UK.

I don't think anyone working for the RF are called servants any more, they are all known as staff as in any other workplace. Along with bowing and curtsying , the expression 'servants' is well in the past.

In the 1930s ladies' companions were employed by unmarried women , mainly widows , as companions on the same social level as themselves, i.e. not servants. There were two widows two doors away on each side of our house where there was a lady's companion. We children held them in as much respect as we did their lady employers.

NIce to ‘modernise’ the RF. well done Camilla.
Now we just need to ditch the term ‘servants’.
Ouch.
Please call them ‘staff’.

That is similar to the luckenbooth brooches.

Sorry that’s a brooch, you can get pendants!

“The four Marys” is also a style of pendant, very pretty.

You do know that Mary Hamilton never existed?

I also used to sing "Mary Hamilton", such a lovely folk song but so many verses that I always used to miss out a few!

Mary Livingston crops up in my DH's ancestry - her father was DH's umpteen times great-grandfather!

Oh little did my Mither ken
The day she cradled me
The lands I was to travel in
The death I was tae dee
Oh Often hae I dressed my Queen
an twined goud in her hair
Noo aw ave gotten for my reward
The Gallows tae be my share
Repeat Chorus (as posted by Varian above)

I sang this often when I was part of a Folk singing trio.

"Yestreen the Queen had four Marys
The nicht she'll hae but three
There was Mary Seaton and Mary Beaton
And Mary Carmichael and me."

It was not always easy to be a Lady in Waiting

Oh heck, a little googling
These four ladies, who would accompany the young Queen Mary (Queen of Scots) to France were to become the Queen's closest companions and friends, as well as herladies-in-waiting. They are known to history as 'The Four Marys';Mary Seton, Mary Fleming, Mary Beaton and Mary Livingston.

And Bunty's were Mary Field, Mary Radleigh and Mary Cotter, Mary Simpson.
Mabel Lentham and Veronica Laverley were the baddies.

her six 'companions will work on rota of course so not all the time.

When I heard this on the radio, all I could think of was The Four Marys

The Queen’s companions are honorary positions, they won’t be paid.

Charles has always been used to a life of luxury, however much he spouts about ‘green issues’, and he won’t be able to cut back on his servants.

Apparently the late Queens ladies in waiting, are to be kept on and known as ladies of the household to assist King Charles!