Opal
Heir Presumptive
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She does look like she enjoys visits with children.
These figures for Camilla seemed a bit low to me and guess what - they were.Royal records show Camilla carried out only 153 official engagements this year – a handful more than the year before.
The present consort of the spouse managed 350 engagements at his advanced age. If Camilla's going to be whatever-consort she's going to need to extend herself a bit more than 240 (at 61).
DofE managed 50% more at..is it 88? And Camilla is now into her 4th year as wife of the heir. The first wife at that point in the marriage was working tirelessly at what ever it was 'suggested' by the crown and whomever the PM was at that point. And had 2 children under 3, at the same time.
Your math is wrong, 50% more of the 257 official engagements that Camilla carried out in 2009 ( see official total in The Times, the Daily Mail one was unofficial and incorrect for all members except for the Queen, DoE and Countess of Wessex) is 514. The DoE DID NOT carry out that many official engagements in 2009! The first wife in her first years of marriage carried out around 100 official engagements a year, in her first year of marriage she carried out very few official engagements and none at all for the first 3 months she was married! Unlike Camilla who did official engagements after a month!
Math still wrong, Camilla is now into her 5th year as a royal.
Camilla each year she had been a member of the royal family has increased the number of engagements she had carried out, she is doing very well for a woman marrying into the royal family in her 60s. In 2009 she carried out more official engagements than Princess Alexandra, The Dukes of Kent and Gloucester, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Countess of Wessex (nearly double to Sophie's).
The first wife in her first years of marriage carried out around 100 official engagements a year, in her first year of marriage she carried out very few official engagements and none at all for the first 3 months she was married!
As the wife of the Heir, Camilla SHOULD, of course, be carrying out many more engagements than Pss Alexandra, The Kents and Gloucesters, and the Countess of Wessex...AS A GIVEN. Of course, the Countess of Wessex has two small children at home, as did Charles' first wife.
Wasn't it Marc Bolland who famously described Camilla as the laziest woman in Britain?
You all go on about Sophie Wessex having 2 small kids and Diana having children and setting up a home. Are you kidding, neither of them have any idea about setting up a home or looking after their own kids, they both have servants who do all that for them. They don't feed the kids, change the kids, wash the kids, change the beds, vac up, dust, tidy away the toys, cook or do any of the things most mums have to do, without any paid help, so they both should have done a lot more work if your rule book is anything to go by.
As the wife of the Heir, Camilla SHOULD, of course, be carrying out many more engagements than Pss Alexandra, The Kents and Gloucesters, and the Countess of Wessex...AS A GIVEN. Of course, the Countess of Wessex has two small children at home, as did Charles' first wife.
The Duke of E has been maintaining this pace year after year for decades right up into his late 80's. Is it too much to ask for Camilla to do as much? She is, after all, nearly thirty years younger.
Wasn't it Marc Bolland who famously described Camilla as the laziest woman in Britain?
To be fair, Diana was on honeymoon until the tour of Wales in the fall of 1981; and unknown to us, she was pregnant even then. Once her morning sickness kicked in, she looked unwell when on official engagements and some had to be cancelled. She was newly married, had a difficult pregnancy, and was setting up the new marital homes. In spite of all that personal activity, I seem to be able to remember more than "very few official engagements" in that first year
As for Camilla's lack of engagements, thats just not on. With Prince Phillip doing more than her is disgraceful. Camilla should have more organizations and more engagements, wife of a future monarch. Just because she's only been a royal for 5 years is no excuse.
The DoE hasn't been keeping this pace year after year and if one bothers to check the official totals from the Court Circular the past few years he has been reducing his workload. Including 2009, he did fewer engagements than 2008. (In the past 7 years he has dramatically cut down on the amount of official engagements he carried out)
What lack of engagements!? Have you bothered to see how many she's done? Each year she has been married Camilla has increased her yearly total, those same years Philip has decreased his, at this rate in 2 years, Camilla will be doing more engagements than Philip. This year Camilla did 237 engagements, Philip 347. The minor royals all carried out fewer engagements than Camilla. So looking at the numbers there is nothing to castigate Camilla for, she's doing well, at her age and length of time in the royal family.
Looks like none of us know the facts, all any of us knows is what the papers tell us and that doesn't give anyone the right to judge. What people write on here does allow others to judge them and their characters though. How do you know she was being groomed for the job, she didn't even appear on the Princes' arm in public, least of all get a chance to be groomed, she was even banned from sitting with him at that wedding for gods sake.The DoE is 88, with declining health and age he has the right to reduce his engagements.
Yes I have bothered to look how many engagements she has done, If i didn't know the facts I wouldn't make a judgement.
Yes I can see that Camilla is increased her engagements over the years, not saying she hasn't.
I'm saying that she should be doing more than the present DofE. She may have only been an official member of the royal family for 5 years, but she was being groomed for the job of the PoW wife long before that.
You may think that there is nothing to castigate Camilla for, I however do.
But i'm not solely saying this is Camilla's fault, she should be given more oppurtunitys to take on new engagements, by whoever arranges what the DofC does.
Looks like none of us know the facts, all any of us knows is what the papers tell us and that doesn't give anyone the right to judge. How do you know she was being groomed for the job, she didn't even appear on the Princes' arm in public, least of all get a chance to be groomed, she was even banned from sitting with him at that wedding for gods sake.
Sophie Wessex should have more, she's been the wife of a royal for quite a while.
Out of curiousity, how many engagments do the other consorts-to-be do, ie Mary, MM, Mathilde, Maxima, Letizia....ha, I just realized how many Queen M's there is going to be.
I think that's great to hear the Duchess of Cornwall has increased her number of engagements, but sometimes I think it's easy to get caught up on quantity and not quality. She is doing a good job at what she does. Most importantly, one sees a much happier Prince of Wales who appears more confident and happy, in my opinion. She may not perform as many engagements, but I think we shouldn't lose sight that 1) she was not born into royalty; 2) she hasn't been royal as long as the others; 3) most people at her age would not be ramping up their workload, but rather slowing down, and she is indeed adopting a much busier and demanding lifestyle; and 4) most people similar to the Duke of Edinburgh's age wouldn't be able to keep up his lifestyle, nor would many people close to her age be trying to secure as busy a schedule as the Duke. She is indeed becoming more productive each year. She has overcome a more difficult transition than others marrying into the royal family and she has dealt with some medical issues. She is effective in her supporting role and you can see an increased confidence in her as well. Kudos to the Duchess.
Here! Here! Wonderfully said!I think that's great to hear the Duchess of Cornwall has increased her number of engagements, but sometimes I think it's easy to get caught up on quantity and not quality. She is doing a good job at what she does. Most importantly, one sees a much happier Prince of Wales who appears more confident and happy, in my opinion. She may not perform as many engagements, but I think we shouldn't lose sight that 1) she was not born into royalty; 2) she hasn't been royal as long as the others; 3) most people at her age would not be ramping up their workload, but rather slowing down, and she is indeed adopting a much busier and demanding lifestyle; and 4) most people similar to the Duke of Edinburgh's age wouldn't be able to keep up his lifestyle, nor would many people close to her age be trying to secure as busy a schedule as the Duke. She is indeed becoming more productive each year. She has overcome a more difficult transition than others marrying into the royal family and she has dealt with some medical issues. She is effective in her supporting role and you can see an increased confidence in her as well. Kudos to the Duchess.
I'm having trouble buying into the logic of how someone who married into the family in their 50's should be carrying less workload than some one in their late 80s. Also, if she's not willing/able/inclined to do it now at 61, do you seriously think Camilla will be more willing/able/inclined to pull her weight at 70 or 80 or more when the Queen dies and Camilla will be whatever-consort?
I'm having trouble buying into the logic of how someone who married into the family in their 50's should be carrying less workload than some one in their late 80s. Also, if she's not willing/able/inclined to do it now at 61, do you seriously think Camilla will be more willing/able/inclined to pull her weight at 70 or 80 or more when the Queen dies and Camilla will be whatever -consort?