Anyone watching / watched “A very British scandal”?

Started watching last night on catch up. Very good so far!

I have enjoyed A very British Scandal, first series about Jeremy Thorpe and second series about The Duchess of Argyle. Both excellent, great acting and an insight into these prominent peoples private lies. The incredible front they have to put on for the public. I wonder what is being hidden in the present times. I'm afraid I wont be around in the distant future to find out,

That always annoyed me M0nica

You do not see the V sign used very much these days, but it was the classic insult sign before, I think, the 1990s. Certainly the standard insult gesture in the 1960s and 70s and the meaning was obvious.

it seems to have been replaced by the raised finger gesture and the constant use of the word f*ck, which means the same thing.

It raises an interesting question, why are all common insults and gestures like this are related to men having their way with women, or wanting to?

Doodledog

Boz

I was amused by the V sign for sexual conquest - open legs. These days for me it would have to be an X.

I thought X meant a snog ?

You have described the Marxian view of class, M0nica - whereby class is determined by relationship to the means of production, and the consequent power that the bourgeoisie have over the proletariat.

Boz

I was amused by the V sign for sexual conquest - open legs. These days for me it would have to be an X.

hollysteers that applies in any country whether they have a 'class' system or not.

My grandfather was a docker. They were day labourers and justled to be chosen. if not chosen they went unpaid.

This has nothing to do with class, it has to do with the power - the power of the employer over the employee at a time when there was no such thing as the welfare state.

Why in this country we feel we need to talk up the same power structure that exists in almost all countries by talking about a class sytem I do not know. The only thing that matters is money, generally the more you have the more power you have over those with less, whether that is earning £30,000 when others only have £20,000. Even if you have £20 million you are in the power of the person with £200 million.

I was amused by the V sign for sexual conquest - open legs. These days for me it would have to be an X.

Why so much of ‘class’, what of Ironwork masters, Coal Mine
owners, I can remember farm labourers who lived in tied houses, if they didn’t jump when told to they were homeless,
farm labourers would stand in a chosen place in a town twice a year and farmers would look them over as they would cattle.

We may like to regard ourselves as classless, but in this country, aided by our system, it is virtually impossible even as times change. Other people will decide what you are, whatever you think yourself.
“It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him”
George Bernard Shaw

Beswitched

I'm not talking about you though Monica. I'm talking about the whole system where some were born to live in luxury and comfort, and others were born to sleep in basements and get up at 5 in the morning to clean out grates etc in order to ensure the comfort of the upper classes.

There were those who did very responsible jobs too, nannies (no cleaning or household duties for them!), farm and estate managers, gamekeepers etc. Often there was mutual respect between employee and employer.

Aveline

We were shown round a local stately home by a nice friendly rather homely little lady. It turn out that she was the Countess. Couldn't have been more down to earth. Not nice having to show strangers round your home for the money to maintain it.

We were shown round somewhere by the owner too, she was very friendly. I think it had also been used in filming as well which paid for the much-needed new roof.

But it's not that long ago since an upstairs downstairs system was a reality in the UK, with both classes assuming the aristocracy were a superior form of life and there to be served merely by virtue of the family they were born into.

That was generally the case, Beswitched but probably longer ago than that, I'm thinking pre 1939.

I'm not talking about you though Monica. I'm talking about the whole system where some were born to live in luxury and comfort, and others were born to sleep in basements and get up at 5 in the morning to clean out grates etc in order to ensure the comfort of the upper classes.

I cannot remember anyone in my family ever assuming the aristocracy were a superior form of life.. They were judged by same standards as anyone else.

I remain, what I have always been, determinedly classless.

We were shown round a local stately home by a nice friendly rather homely little lady. It turn out that she was the Countess. Couldn't have been more down to earth. Not nice having to show strangers round your home for the money to maintain it.

We're talking about the aristocracy as it was though. Nowadays they don't get all the forelock tugging and respect that they got a couple of generations ago. And, as you said, most of the large manors and castles have either been handed over to the national Trust or are run as businesses that have to pay their way.

But it's not that long ago since an upstairs downstairs system was a reality in the UK, with both classes assuming the aristocracy were a superior form of life and there to be served merely by virtue of the family they were born into.

The picture of the'aristocracy' as described on this thread reads more like the product of reading too many Mills & Boone books.

I discovered a few years ago that someone I know was the Earl of somewhere or another. He is known as John Smith and has earned his own living as an accountant all his life. The family home and what was quite a small estate, have long gone. Yes, some people with titles have large estates, but they have to pay their way, and you have only to visit any big stately home, like Woburn or Chatsworth to see that these are major business enterprises and running them is a full time job.

Of course there are those who run estates badlyand some that do have enough money from other sources to live as has been portrayed on this thread. But one of the biggest landowner in this country is James Dyson, of floor cleaner fame.

Giles Coren is indeed a nasty piece of work. He recently mocked the death of an Irish journalist who upset him.

Jane43 thank you, yes just a coincidence it started on Twitter
when Catherine was applauded for her concert in Westminster Abby.

It's a pretty vicious thing to do. Giles Coren must be a nasty piece of work.

Anniebach

The only proof ! of an affair was it was learned of by something
written in America , William leaked lies to the media about Harry to take attention away from this alleged affair.

Add to this the posts saying Kate was very thin at the time of the alleged affair and William took out a court injunction.

Considering what the press did to his parents can he be blamed
from taking out the injunction.

It has been reported the claims of the alleged affair came from
Megan supporters.

Seems loss of weight after having a baby is proof for some

The rumour of an affair between Prince William and Rose Hanbury was started soon after Harry and Meghan’s wedding. It was discussed on Twitter and Giles Coren, who had recently spent a weekend socialising with Harry and Meghan at the opening of Soho House in Amsterdam, made the comment that everybody knew it was true. Recently Coren said on Twitter that he lied and that it wasn't true, he probably did this because it was stated in a book about the Princes, I think it was called Battle Of The Brothers. So the rumour is quite old but it surfaced again on Twitter soon after the popularity of the video of Catherine’s piano accompaniment to Tom Walker’s song, quite a coincidence.

Maureen's speech was very interesting. The aristocracy needed the plebs more than the plebs needed them. Without their admiration, awe and envy they would be revealed as pointless people with no achievements who were contributing absolutely nothing to society.

It wasn't just the aristocracy who hushed up scandals. it was common throughout society.

Many of those women who were forced to give their babies up for adoption in the years after WW2 (and before) were pressurised into it by their families because they didn't want anyone to know that a daughter of theirs had got pregnant out of marriage. The fathers in these families could be manual workers or professional workers, it didn't matter, families hid scandals of every kind.

I have just finished watching it .I thought it was rather boring.I watched all 3 episodes hoping it would improve but for me it didn't.