Prince William Current Events 20: May-January 2010

[Opal]

There are pictures of him doing a few walkabouts with his mother - that's all. And it doesn't matter people can still make mistakes.
Anyway, the story may not even be true. Quite frankly the more I think about it, I find it hard to believe that someone would actually go to the press over it.

 

[Wisteria]

I have been reading a few things in the British papers and the man who made those remarks is a grief stricken father. I understand perfectly, he wants to blame someone and it really doesn´t matter who. Just recently the ex Prime Minister was approached and told he had the blood of someone´s son on his hands and many other incidents like this. It is only natural, but all these men are volunteers and it would be very naive indeed to think that a soldier goes to war and will not be in danger.
Poor boys, and parents.
If William did make this mistake, and it was a mistake, and easily made for someone who has not been in the military long enough to learn everything, he must have felt terrible but my sympathy goes out to the poor man who will never get over this and will forget how very proud he probably felt when he first saw his son in uniform.

 

[Skydragon]

This shows lack of preparation for the event.

He was at an event specifically to honour those who had made the ultimate sacrifice so a bit of preparation and thought wouldn't haven't gone astray.

He is a serving officer. I would expect him to know how to do a quick check of a medal (especially those presented for such men as this) before opening his mouth.

He is in his late 20s.

Sorry - this isn't a mistake but a general lack of concern and care for his duties.

If he had been 18, had never served in the military, had had no idea of what he was attending maybe - but not at an event like this - in the street it could be excused but not on this occasion.

I agree with you 100%. These men and women died or were injured for Queen and country, that's why we were all there, to honour them, to show we cared. As a serving officer he should have had the mental ability to do an instant visual check on badges/medals, as a representative of HM, doubly so.

Anyway, the story's probably not even true. Quite frankly the more I think about it, I find it hard to believe that someone would actually go to the press over it.

On what do you base your assumption that a bereaved father would bother to lie about something like this? I imagine he has more things to concern him than making up stories!

 

[Iluvbertie]

On what do you base your assumption that a bereaved father would bother to lie about something like this? I imagine he has more things to concern him than making up stories!

Couldn't agree more - the very fact that he is a grieving father is what lends a great deal of credibility to the story for me.

 

[Opal]

On what do you base your assumption that a bereaved father would bother to lie about something like this? I imagine he has more things to concern him than making up stories!

I'm not suggesting that Skydragon. I'm saying there could be a staunch Republican or anti-war person who works for the Telegraph who made the story up. It wouldn't be the first time the press made up a story to make the royals look bad. So this could be much ado about nothing. I guess we'll never know.

 

[Amelia]

I'm not suggesting that Skydragon. I'm saying there could be a staunch Republican or anti-war person who works for the Telegraph who made the story up. It wouldn't be the first time the press made up a story to make the royals look bad. So this could be much ado about nothing. I guess we'll never know.

It is very easy to know. Do you really think that the army or Clarence House would allow the Telegraph to invent a deceased soldier called Kevin Thompson and have quotes from his fictional father about the effect his death has had on his family just to make William look bad. It is a clear case of William making a stupid mistake. Hopefully he will learn from this and there will be no more like it. There are times when you can excuse things due to human error but this was not one of them.

 

[Warren]

There are times when you can excuse things due to human error but this was not one of them.

If it wasn't human error on William's part, what was it? Deliberate?

 

[Marsel]

I think we are blowing this unfortunate incident out of proportions.
Whatever one may think of Prince William, I don’t believe for a second he would intentionally do anything that would hurt the feelings of the soldiers’ families.

If you read how Mr. Thompson described his meeting with the Prince, you will notice that it all happened rather accidentally and too quickly for William to realize what badge Mr. Thompson was wearing. After all, when you greet someone, you look into their face.

Now, I do wish William had been more careful, or thought before talking but it was just an ill-timed incident.

 

[Skydragon]

I'm not suggesting that Skydragon. I'm saying there could be a staunch Republican or anti-war person who works for the Telegraph who made the story up. It wouldn't be the first time the press made up a story to make the royals look bad. So this could be much ado about nothing. I guess we'll never know.

The article is by Andrew Pierce, a staunch defender of the monarchy and as far as I am aware (from actuslly listening to the man), does not have a republican bone in his body! He is also the Royal Editor for The Telegraph having previously been the Assistant Editor at the Times!

IMO, making excuses for a stupid comment, just makes it worse!

If you read how Mr. Thompson described his meeting with the Prince, you will notice that it all happened rather accidentally and too quickly for William to realize what badge Mr. Thompson was wearing. After all, when you greet someone, you look into their face.

Except William approached Kevin Thompsons father, therefore I would have expected him to look at all and any badges he might have been wearing as a clue to whom he was going to talk to! If in any of the arms of the forces, you automatically 'rank' anyone you approach!

 

[Amelia]

If it wasn't human error on William's part, what was it? Deliberate?

The badge Mr Thompson was wearing was for people who had lost a family member. It would have taking William just a few seconds to check what badge he was wearing before he spoke. He chose not to do this, causing even more pain to an already hurting man. Not a case of simple human error on his part but, imo, an example of not really being interest in who he is speaking to.

 

[Patra]

Who are WE to judge Prince William? I'm personally giving him the benifit of the doubt in this delicate issue. Just my humble opinion....

 

[Skydragon]

Who are WE to judge Prince William? I'm personally giving him the benifit of the doubt in this delicate issue. Just my humble opinion....

Many of us will be represented by this young man, if he attends anything on behalf of his grandmother, The Queen, so yes some of us do have the right to question a lack of consideration. I don't see what doubt there is to give him. He failed to look at the name tag which showed that this was a close relative of someone killed in the conflict, was this because William considered himself above bothering? I do hope not!

 

[ghost_night554]

I didn't ever suggest that he did it on purpose - just that he didn't prepare properly, think before he opened his mouth or do any basic thing that a prepared person would have done on this occasion.

I agree on that part. Hopefully it won't happen again cause obviously it doesn't look good on his part

 

[Roslyn]

While I do think this was a significant error on William's part, of the sort we don't expect someone in his shoes to make, I'm sure he regrets it and has learnt a lesson.

It seems to have been an informal sort of gathering where people were mixing and relating spontaneously rather than a formal receiving line, and William had to assess and respond instantaneously. This can be difficult for some people, especially when a lot is expected for them as is the case with William. I have a feeling this sort of thing does not come as easily to him as it does to Harry.

William will have to work on learning how to handle this sort of situation. He will improve with practice. It's all part of his training for his main job. His stint with the military is part of it too.

 

[Sereta]

Okay he did a flub. But to try to imply what his 'intentions' are or what his 'attitude' is or what his 'feelings' are based on this incident is taking it too far imo. None of us knows these things. I agree that he will improve with practice.

 

[rmay286]

The story doesn't sound good...but I'm sure William was embarrassed enough when he realized his mistake. I do think that not thinking to check the badge looks like a sign of inexperience.

Sometimes I've wondered about how mature or experienced William is for his age. He doesn't really do royal duties, and I do understand that he has the military training to finish and all that, but recently I was reading about Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. She's done some military training, but she's also attended Yale, completed several different programs of study, had work experience with the UN, learned several languages, traveled to many different countries and gained experience in international affairs and diplomacy...She's only a few years older than William, but she puts most members of the British Royal Family to shame.

Not everyone is academic or could accomplish what Victoria has, but I can't help wondering how useful William's years of military training are going to be. Maybe the royal family should have balanced out his training more...maybe a shorter stint in the military, and more public relations experience?

I would never write William or anyone off in their late twenties, and William is still young. But he's not that young--he'll be thirty in about 2 1/2 years--and he's probably going to be king someday. There is a difference between 18 and 28, for example. When people were saying Eugenie would never amount to anything because of the way she behaved on her gap year, I thought it was ridiculous; but I would probably have agreed more if she'd been ten years older. I think it's better to do as much learning as possible when one is young, so I hope William is gaining the experience he's going to need for his future role.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I think that one problem with William is that he's not yet the heir to the throne. He's the heir's heir. He's in a position that hasn't occurred in Britain since Edward VII's day. Princess Victoria, on the other hand, is the direct heir to the throne of Sweden.

When Prince Charles becomes King, then we'll see both William and Harry take on a much more visible Royal role.

 

[Iluvbertie]

I agree that many people unfairly compare William to the Crown Princes/Crown Princess Victoria when he isn't in that position.

The fact that the British Royal Family have one way of preparing their heirs and other countries have others is immaterial.

The important thing is that in 30 or so years when he becomes King, if he becomes King, he has been prepared for the British system of government.

He will probably spend another 10 or 20 years behind the heir - by which time children like Christian of Denmark will be in the position he is now - the heir to the heir.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, there's a feeling out there that William should be as visible and front-and-centre as Prince Charles or William's mother were at the same age. But they were both in an entirely different position, as Prince and Princess of Wales, respectively. And of course, at the age of 27, Prince Charles was in a very different position than his mother was at that age.

I agree that many people unfairly compare William to the Crown Princes/Crown Princess Victoria when he isn't in that position.

 

[muriel]

Am I sensing the general mood amongst some posters in relation to William is that this "crime" is probably big enough to demand that he be removed from the lines of succession?

 

[Iluvbertie]

Am I sensing the general mood amongst some posters in relation to William is that this "crime" is probably big enough to demand that he be removed from the lines of succession?

Definitely not.

He is not all that good a representative but he hasn't yet committed treason or murder or raped anyone and that is the only reasons I think he should lose his place.

He might turn out all right if given another 30 or so years to develop so I hope and pray that Charles lives as long as his grandmother and then William will be in his late 60s and might even be ready.

 

[rmay286]

I agree that many people unfairly compare William to the Crown Princes/Crown Princess Victoria when he isn't in that position.

The fact that the British Royal Family have one way of preparing their heirs and other countries have others is immaterial.

The important thing is that in 30 or so years when he becomes King, if he becomes King, he has been prepared for the British system of government.

He will probably spend another 10 or 20 years behind the heir - by which time children like Christian of Denmark will be in the position he is now - the heir to the heir.

That's a good point. I didn't think of that--that Crown Princess Victoria is the direct heir. But to be the "heir's heir" like William must be a frustrating position to be in. It's not "time" yet for you to be front and centre in royal duties, but you can't also go off and get an ordinary job or lead a private life. It doesn't seem like a very productive life and I wonder if it ever frustrates William.

 

[Sereta]

I think that's why he's pursuing an RAF career because it gives him something constructive to do while he waits. But he also has to do some royal functions so that he's not criticized and also to start helping because the Queen and Duke aren't getting any younger. It's a balancing act. But I think William will be a fine King when his time comes.

 

[Mermaid1962]

It's certainly not my feeling. I'm content to see William in the background until it's his turn to come forward. It was difficult for Prince Charles to come up with definable role--what does one do while waiting for one's mother to do die (although I'm sure that the Prince of Wales doesn't think in such crass terms)? It must be much more difficult when the next generation down is even further away from the job for which he was born. So what does he do? He can't go into business. He can't fight like a real soldier and risk his life. He can't do public duties all the time, or else he'd get the media attention that should go to his grandmother and father. All I want, really, is for William to establish a strong personal foundation and learn about his future role so that he'll have caring support and the knowledge he'll need in days to come--hopefully days that are far in the future.

Am I sensing the general mood amongst some posters in relation to William is that this "crime" is probably big enough to demand that he be removed from the lines of succession?

 

[Iluvbertie]

I think he should be able to serve properly in the military as his great-grandfather did when he was second in line (in WWI) and his uncle in the Falklands.

It isn't as if there are no other heirs.

 

[Lumutqueen]

Am I sensing the general mood amongst some posters in relation to William is that this "crime" is probably big enough to demand that he be removed from the lines of succession?

Certainly not.
Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Prince Phillip and even The Queen have made mistakes like this at one point. It just doesn't look good for William to be honest.

But yes I do keep forgetting that he is the heirs heir like Prince Christian, Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Ingrid-Alexandra, Princess Elisabeth.
(this has just made me realise there is only two male heir to heirs)


I do think he should be able to serve like his gret-grandfather and his uncle.

 

[Skydragon]

Am I sensing the general mood amongst some posters in relation to William is that this "crime" is probably big enough to demand that he be removed from the lines of succession?

Have I missed something, I don't read that into any of the posts? Whilst it was not a 'crime' to miss the fact that he was talking to a grieving father and not a war veteran, it was a stupid mistake to have made, by anyone, least of all a member of the royal family and a serving officer.

Things such as this do matter, especially to the bereaved parent.

 

[Patra]

Insensitive and uninformed? YES

Criminal and Malicious? NO

 

[Zonk]

Time to move on.

Any additional posts regarding William's offense at the Memorial Service will be deleted without notice.

 

[Sereta]

I do think he should be able to serve like his gret-grandfather and his uncle.

But they weren't heirs to the throne at the time. I don't think the govt. (or the Queen) would allow William to go to war for obvious reasons. But there's nothing wrong with doing Search and Rescue. I think it's very honorable to do a job saving people's lives.