Prince Andrew, Duke of York Current Events 4: September 2008-October 2009

[Bella]

Great photos, Ice! P Andrew looks fabulous. Pss E looks more relaxed than in earlier photos. Maybe the wine helps.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Thanks so much for linking us up with these pictures, iceflower. I'm pleased to see that Eugenie got to meet a provincial governor. Looks like some of the pre-trip speculation wasn't accurate, because these daytime events certainly aren't "tourist sites."

 

[Menarue]

She looks her best when simply dressed doesn´t she? She seems to be carrying off the trip very well, perhaps after all it will be a good learning trip for her.

 

[Mermaid1962]

That's what I'm hoping. I think that she looks very well put-together and gracious. She looks like a working princess.

She seems to be carrying off the trip very well, perhaps after all it will be a good learning trip for her.

 

[iceflower]

You are all most welcome

Me too, I feel it's a good experience for Eugenie, she looks interested,
charming, communicative and ready to learn a lot more from her father.
And I like the fact that Andrew seems to treat her like a serious and
equal companion.

 

[iceflower]

Pics 6.11.2008

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets with Britain's Prince Andrew,
the Duke of York, who is also the country's special representative for
international trade and investment, in Beijing Nov. 6, 2008.

** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

 

[Bella]

Great photos, Ice. Esp. the 1st one!!

 

[Rebafan81]

Great Photos, thanks for all the posting. Just kind of proves that PSS Eugenie knows when to dress appropriately. She dresses trendy for clubbing but I thought she looked marvelous for the diplomatic visits. I think it is a very good learning tool for her.

 

[rmay286]

ITA! Eugenie looks like a working princess and she and Andrew have very nice body language around each other...they look like they make a great team.

 

[kbear]

That she receives from the state.

It is my understanding that she receives an amount to spend and does so at her discretion. Someone please correct me if I am wrong but I thought she paid her staff/retainers/family out of the funds paid to her

 

[misselle]

Great pictures! Eugenie really resembles her father.

 

[Emeralds and Opals]

Duke of York spent £130,000 during taxpayer-funded trips abroad - Telegraph

 

[Russophile]

Duke of York spent £130,000 during taxpayer-funded trips abroad - Telegraph

I am sure there will be a muddle over this information!

 

[Bella]

I am sure there will be a muddle over this information!

Don't you know it.

Let me just say I don't agree with frivilous spending, royal or not. Like the hiring of a private helicopter to fly 50 miles for lunch. But business people do it, esp. VIPs. I understand taxpayers aren't footing the bill for CEOs and such, before anyone happily points it out. But it's not such an unusual thing. And they don't mention the circumstances behind it and the importance of his job to attend this lunch. They need to let go of the golf thing; it's totally accepted - and often even expected, at least here in the US - that a business conference/retreat/whatever will often include some sort of recreation for participants and often that recreation is golf. And as for enjoying himself on some private yacht, so what? The guy can't have a few hours of down time? How many conventioners or biz travelers are "working" the Entire time they're on a biz trip? Not many.

Once again, I don't see that big of a deal with all this, but then I'm not a British taxpayer (thank God - no offense). He is working for his country, after all, and I think it is important. And meeting w a royal is always going to surpass your average celeb or CEO or whatnot. So just the fact the he is who he is will generate interest, and that's part of what it's all about.

 

[Russophile]

Which makes me wonder why HM doesn't buy him a plane and a helicopter for his specific use. Try and get self-sufficient more and off the tax payers dole. I think that would go a long way to changing the "AirMiles Andy" image people have of him.

 

[evnovoros]

Prince Andrew takes a holiday with gun smuggler in Libya - Times Online

Prince Andrew in hospitality row after holiday - Telegraph

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Saturday 22/11/2008 Prince Andrew
Today.Az - President of Azerbaijan receives Prince Andrew

 

[Bella]

Very interesting links, evnovoros. Thanks. I wonder if his office will really reimburse the "convicted drug smuggler" or what. Something about this whole thing seems kinda shady.

 

[Mermaid1962]

When I read the headline, I thought that the "smuggler" had unloaded crates and crates of weapons by use by terrorists. Turned out that it was one machine gun to give the guy some kind of strange "street cred." In any case, this doesn't look like a good person to have in the circle of a British HRH.

Very interesting links, evnovoros. Thanks. I wonder if his office will really reimburse the "convicted drug smuggler" or what. Something about this whole thing seems kinda shady.

 

[Russophile]

Okay my jaw dropped on this one, but I'll wait to spew my opinion until more info.is released. . . .

 

[Bella]

Okay my jaw dropped on this one, but I'll wait to spew my opinion until more info.is released. . . .

And we truly appreciate your sacrifice. I agree, tho. I'd like to hear more info. before coming to any conclusions.

 

[Skydragon]

Let me just say I don't agree with frivilous spending, royal or not. Like the hiring of a private helicopter to fly 50 miles for lunch. But business people do it, esp. VIPs. I understand taxpayers aren't footing the bill for CEOs and such, before anyone happily points it out. But it's not such an unusual thing. And they don't mention the circumstances behind it and the importance of his job to attend this lunch.

It's important I get to my daughters for lunch would that be OK if I use taxpayers money then? There is no valid excuse for Andrews constant, IMO, abuse of his position!

They need to let go of the golf thing; it's totally accepted - and often even expected, at least here in the US - that a business conference/retreat/whatever will often include some sort of recreation for participants and often that recreation is golf. And as for enjoying himself on some private yacht, so what? The guy can't have a few hours of down time? How many conventioners or biz travelers are "working" the Entire time they're on a biz trip? Not many.

This is not the US and Andrew Airmiles Windsor needs to remember that. It is not acceptable here, especially when it is other peoples money he is spending!

snipped-- And meeting w a royal is always going to surpass your average celeb or CEO or whatnot. So just the fact the he is who he is will generate interest, and that's part of what it's all about.

My goodness, I wonder how common or garden US CEO's manage to get any lucrative contracts, with no Royal working for them!

 

[Bella]

Sky, I'm sure there are plenty of employees of the British taxpayer who abuse their paid-by-the-taxpayer payroll. If you're an employee of the British people and go pick up your daughters for lunch while still on the clock then you are abusing your position. Are you someone who pays their taxes on time and correctly? If not, you're taking advantage of the British taxpayers. There are all sorts of ways "ordinary" people abuse their positions while working in the govt. or whatnot at the expense of the British taxpayer. I still don't think P Andrew is doing that when he's visiting foreign dignataries on behalf of his country. If they were to investigate all govt. officials who tour foreign countries for their country you will undoubtedly find they take some time for recreation, dine in the best restaurants, and get all sorts of little perks. This happens in every country on every govt. level.

They don't play golf in Britain? Come on . . . I personally know several Brits who live for the golf course and one of the first things they ask when coming here is when is Tee Off? And these are Brit execs.

I'm not saying business can't be done w/out a royal title, obviously. I'm just saying it has alot of pull.

Maybe you should move to a country where your tax $$$ won't be paying for the support of a royal family if it grates on your nerves so much 'cuz I don't see things changing too much in the near future.

 

[rmay286]

They sure do play golf in Britain. There's this event in the summer each year called the British Open...

I have a question, though. How exactly are Andrew and other royals besides the queen funded by the taxpayer? I tried to read up on this and it seems that lesser royals are paid out of the Privy Purse, which is reimbursed by income from the Duchy of Lancaster. I'm just trying to figure out what's taxpayer-funded and what's funded by the monarch's traditional landholdings. I don't live in Britain, so I'm clueless about this kind of stuff.

 

[kimebear]

Some of your questions may be answered in this thread:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f23/the-royal-finances-9826.html

 

[Menarue]

Hiring a helicopter to take your daughters to lunch is not reasonable. If your US business men do it all the time and go and play golf during their breaks and you find it reasonable and so do their bosses then that is fine.
In this case the so called work that the Royal Family is being paid for doing is not exactly the same. The royal family are being paid for being born.
The border between what is private income and what has come from the British tax-payer has always been a very cloudy area and your suggestion of moving somewhere else to Sky is IMO very rude. She lives in Britain and members of her family serve in the armed forces and if they are called on to do so they will die for their country so I think she has more than a right to criticize what she, and many others, thinks is the waste of public money in her country.

 

[Skydragon]

Sky, I'm sure there are plenty of employees of the British taxpayer who abuse their paid-by-the-taxpayer payroll. If you're an employee of the British people and go pick up your daughters for lunch while still on the clock then you are abusing your position. Are you someone who pays their taxes on time and correctly? If not, you're taking advantage of the British taxpayers.

I am one of millions who pay my taxes on time, I never take more than the 30 days allowed on any accounts (normally I pay then when they are received), sad but true. I know a chap who is high up on the Benefits Investigation Squad, who regularly arrives for work at 8, reads his paper and drinks his tea until 9, chats until 10, takes a 90 minute lunch etc. I told him that he is ideally suited to the job he has, he preened and said 'praise indeed ???? ????????, until I said, yes, you are the biggest fraudster going. For some reason or another, he was not in the position long after that, early retirement perhaps a route for Andrew to consider?

There are all sorts of ways "ordinary" people abuse their positions while working in the govt. or whatnot at the expense of the British taxpayer. I still don't think P Andrew is doing that when he's visiting foreign dignataries on behalf of his country. If they were to investigate all govt. officials who tour foreign countries for their country you will undoubtedly find they take some time for recreation, dine in the best restaurants, and get all sorts of little perks. This happens in every country on every govt. level.

The major difference is that many of these other officials get the job through hard work or qualifications, even the old boy network, but they are accountable at some stage. Andrew has his job, not through experience, study, qualifications but because they couldn't find any other 'job' for him.

They don't play golf in Britain? Come on . . . I personally know several Brits who live for the golf course and one of the first things they ask when coming here is when is Tee Off? And these are Brit execs.

Of course we play golf, we invented the game! An executive earns his keep, Andrew does not. If Andrew brings in a contract for X amount of mobile phones, made in Britain by a German company, then let the German company pay for him. If he brings in a contract for a British company making toilet seats, let them pay for him, in other words if he can't live on the pocket money he receives from his mother, in his subsidised housing, get a real job.

I'm not saying business can't be done w/out a royal title, obviously. I'm just saying it has alot of pull.

And yet the most successful companies are rarely based in the UK anymore, if you have THE product at a competitive price, that will sway any investments.

Maybe you should move to a country where your tax $$$ won't be paying for the support of a royal family if it grates on your nerves so much 'cuz I don't see things changing too much in the near future.

I think many things are likely to change and I counter your suggestion of a move with 'as you have no objection to your tax £'s paying for Andrews' extravagant expenses you should move to the UK'!

I have no problem with my taxes paying for the upkeep of the monarch (although I do think she could make a larger contribution to the upkeep of the houses she has use of), I also think that HM's accounts should be fully transparent. I have no objection to the use the heir makes of our minor contribution, although again, I think savings could be made there. Anne does so much with so little and is another major asset. So you see I don't object to my taxes paying for the support of the Royal Family, just the arrogant misuse of them, by some members.

 

[Bella]

Hiring a helicopter to take your daughters to lunch is not reasonable. If your US business men do it all the time and go and play golf during their breaks and you find it reasonable and so do their bosses then that is fine.
In this case the so called work that the Royal Family is being paid for doing is not exactly the same. The royal family are being paid for being born.
The border between what is private income and what has come from the British tax-payer has always been a very cloudy area and your suggestion of moving somewhere else to Sky is IMO very rude. She lives in Britain and members of her family serve in the armed forces and if they are called on to do so they will die for their country so I think she has more than a right to criticize what she, and many others, thinks is the waste of public money in her country.

Excuse me, but I don't know anything about Sky's personal life or her family and therefore was not being disrespectful to those who serve in the armed forces or anyone else for that matter. I was responding to what she posted in response to something I posted. She certainly has the right to criticize, esp. where it's her country and as I've said many times in many posts I am not a British taxpayer. But on the subject of British taxes what else can be said. There seem to be enough watchdog groups in Britain keeping close tabs on how the Royals spend the taxpayers $$$. Yet nothing really seems to really change. If so many people complain so much about the RF and that they're a waste of taxpayers money, why do you still put up with having a RF?

 

[Menarue]

Good question Bella. The reason is, I believe, that besides the tax payer money wasters there are some of them that really deserve our respect.
I am sorry if I sounded abrupt to you but Army wives and mothers get a bit touchy when it comes to young privileged men playing with guns and flying machines.

 

[Bella]

I am one of millions who pay my taxes on time, I never take more than the 30 days allowed on any accounts (normally I pay then when they are received), sad but true. I know a chap who is high up on the Benefits Investigation Squad, who regularly arrives for work at 8, reads his paper and drinks his tea until 9, chats until 10, takes a 90 minute lunch etc. .

I can feel your pain on this one as I totally know people like this.

The major difference is that many of these other officials get the job through hard work or qualifications, even the old boy network, but they are accountable at some stage. Andrew has his job, not through experience, study, qualifications but because they couldn't find any other 'job' for him. .

Well . . .

I think many things are likely to change and I counter your suggestion of a move with 'as you have no objection to your tax £'s paying for Andrews' extravagant expenses you should move to the UK'!.

Seriously, I'd love to!!! Why not swap lives for awhile, like on those cheesy reality shows? I know the grass is always greener, but if I could afford to move there, I would (tho I suppose a visit first would be more likely).

I have no problem with my taxes paying for the upkeep of the monarch (although I do think she could make a larger contribution to the upkeep of the houses she has use of), I also think that HM's accounts should be fully transparent. I have no objection to the use the heir makes of our minor contribution, although again, I think savings could be made there. Anne does so much with so little and is another major asset. So you see I don't object to my taxes paying for the support of the Royal Family, just the arrogant misuse of them, by some members.

This makes total sense. Trying to put myself in the position of the British taxpayer I def. believe I'd feel the same way.

 

[Bella]

Good question Bella. The reason is, I believe, that besides the tax payer money wasters there are some of them that really deserve our respect.
I am sorry if I sounded abrupt to you but Army wives and mothers get a bit touchy when it comes to young privileged men playing with guns and flying machines.

I understand. I totally support those who have served in the military. Seriously. I don't think enough is done for veterans, esp. as they get older. Besides, when it comes right down to it, as fun as these sites are, the BRF is more entertainment to those of us who don't live in Britain (tho I am of British descent if that gives me a few extra points). It's reality to you over there and you are the ones effected by taxation and such. Ini the US we're fed this post-card picture of England and the Royals. Where really there is alot more to it and sometimes we (I) just need to be reminded of it.