Relationships between Members of the British Royal Family


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The Queen watching Borat! Now that conjures up an image! Saying that, I read in one of the British papers after the Queen Mother died that William had said she did an Ali G impression a few times at various family dinners, and that really boggles the mind!
I can't imagine that anyone in the royal family DIDN'T see "The Queen". Wouldn't the temptation be too great to see just how close (or not) to reality the movie actually got? Michael Sheen played Tony Blair in a British TV drama about the relationship between Blair and Brown and said in an interview that various Westminster insiders asked him at the time who had leaked information to the writers?!!
I bet it's a case of nobody will admit to watching the movie, but all of them saw it!
 
It was actually the second Sacha Baron-Cohen film, Bruno, if you believe The Sun: Royal Family request private screening of Bruno
:flowers: You know me and my squashing rumours but this could quite easily have been a request made by any senior member of staff, they are just presuming because it came on a BP email that it is for HM.
The first time I saw it it really cracked me up . . . . . still does, actually!
I have every sympathy for Charles, it probably equates to my face when a nanny let a sticky fingered grandchild cuddle my silk trousered legs!:eek::eek::eek::D
 
I hope, its ok to post my question about a late member of the BRF in this thread. I often heard different rumours and so I'd like to know, if somebody knows or has read about how the relationships between Princess Margaret and Princess Diana, Princess Margaret and Sarah Duchess of York have been? And had Margaret a good relationship to Prince Philip (I know of course that she has been very close to her sister HM)? Thanks :flowers:
 
I have a question and I am not sure where I should place it, but here seemed just as good a place as any. I know the Queen (and I'm guessing Prince Philip) are close to Sarah Chatto and Viscount Linley but what about their other nieces and nephews, the children of Prince Philip's sisters. I've seen photos of Philip's sister Sophie at the Windsor Horse Show, but what about the children? Anybody have any idea or pictures about the relationship. Also, was the Queen close to any of his sisters or his mother (I know she lived at Buckingham Palace before she died).
 
I have a question and I am not sure where I should place it, but here seemed just as good a place as any. I know the Queen (and I'm guessing Prince Philip) are close to Sarah Chatto and Viscount Linley but what about their other nieces and nephews, the children of Prince Philip's sisters. I've seen photos of Philip's sister Sophie at the Windsor Horse Show, but what about the children? Anybody have any idea or pictures about the relationship. Also, was the Queen close to any of his sisters or his mother (I know she lived at Buckingham Palace before she died).


I suspect that they aren't as close simply due to the distance involved.

Sarah and Linley grew up round the corner at Kensington Palace and shared school rooms etc with Andrew and Edward.

Philip's sisters mostly had their children before Elizabeth and Philip married (although a couple were born in the late 40s) and grew up in Germany before, during and after WWII so the closeness simply wouldn't have been there.

I am guessing to a large extent.
 
I have a question and I am not sure where I should place it, but here seemed just as good a place as any. I know the Queen (and I'm guessing Prince Philip) are close to Sarah Chatto and Viscount Linley but what about their other nieces and nephews, the children of Prince Philip's sisters. I've seen photos of Philip's sister Sophie at the Windsor Horse Show, but what about the children? Anybody have any idea or pictures about the relationship. Also, was the Queen close to any of his sisters or his mother (I know she lived at Buckingham Palace before she died).

I've read in a book about Lord Louis Mountbatten that the Queen had a good relationship to her mother in law, Princess Alice.

"But twenty years later at Buckingham Palace she had more influence on the Queen than anyone. The Queen adored her and she adored the Queen. She is very fond of her mother, but got on infinitely better with my sister.", Lord Mountbatten about his sister Alice and her relationship with the Queen.
 
"But twenty years later at Buckingham Palace she had more influence on the Queen than anyone. The Queen adored her and she adored the Queen. She is very fond of her mother, but got on infinitely better with my sister.", Lord Mountbatten about his sister Alice and her relationship with the Queen.

Why am I not the least bit surprised that Dickie would say this? :lol::lol::lol:
 
:previous:

:lol: I had the same impression, Roslyn. He was always humble. :D
 
Off topic a bit but I am really feeling for PC and Camilla right now.
Unfortunate timing for the engagement. The Dateline interview was overshadowed by the engagement and the answer to one small question has opened up an entire can of worms.

I also feel Prince William should have a family photocall with Camilla to show unity, unless PW really doesn't care about the public turmoil or his father (which I sincerely doubt).
 
Off topic a bit but I am really feeling for PC and Camilla right now.
Unfortunate timing for the engagement. The Dateline interview was overshadowed by the engagement and the answer to one small question has opened up an entire can of worms.

I also feel Prince William should have a family photocall with Camilla to show unity, unless PW really doesn't care about the public turmoil or his father (which I sincerely doubt).


I am actually coming to the opinion that he doesn't care about his father at all. He expects his father to pay for things but really doesn't care about his father's feelings at all. I used to think they were close and loving but now I don't. I can't say what has changed my opinion but I simply don't think William has any feelings for his father or his father's family, with the possible exception of the Queen but even she doesn't seem to be respected by him any more. Just feelings I know but the very fact that he only spoke to them hours before the announcement speaks volumes about his attitude.
 
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I simply don't think William has any feelings for his father or his father's family, with the possible exception of the Queen but even she doesn't seem to be respected by him any more. Just feelings I know but the very fact that he only spoke to them hours before the announcement speaks volumes about his attitude.

I know it's off-topic, but I would just like to make a point here. Prince William will have had to have asked the Queen's permission to marry, so the engagement won't have come out of the blue to her. I suspect that they may have intended to announce the engagement a week or so earlier, but the death of Catherine's grandfather prevented it.
 
I know it's off-topic, but I would just like to make a point here. Prince William will have had to have asked the Queen's permission to marry, so the engagement won't have come out of the blue to her. I suspect that they may have intended to announce the engagement a week or so earlier, but the death of Catherine's grandfather prevented it.


The reports are that he contacted her that morning and asked her then. That is totally disrespectful He should have asked her before asking Kate.
 
Who is to say that he didn't mention it before or asked her prior? For all we know, he could he have asked the Queen but hadn't asked Kate yet. Thus him asking the Monday/Tuesday might have been asking again because he now had Kate's answer.

I doubt that we or the press are privy to ALL of the facts on how permission was asked from the Queen.
 
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The reports are just that he contacted her. We don't know what he contacted her for. I haven't seen any evidence to indicate that William has ill-feelings or holds any level of disrespect for his father's side of the family. So with that going forward, it makes total sense to say that the Queen knew he had proposed and he was merely informing her that he wished to make the engagement public that afternoon.

I cannot under any foreseeable circumstances see William flouting protocol in the face like that and getting engaged prior to the Queen's consent.
 
I am actually coming to the opinion that he doesn't care about his father at all. He expects his father to pay for things but really doesn't care about his father's feelings at all. I used to think they were close and loving but now I don't. I can't say what has changed my opinion but I simply don't think William has any feelings for his father or his father's family, with the possible exception of the Queen but even she doesn't seem to be respected by him any more. Just feelings I know but the very fact that he only spoke to them hours before the announcement speaks volumes about his attitude.


I agree. I would have been nice if he told them ahead of time and I sincerely hope he told them that he would be giving her Diana's ring. If not, it must have been a shock.

I really hope he told them they were engaged but just gave them little notice about the photocall and interview. That would make it a little better.

I'm also suspicious because William is working Christmas and Kate is spending one last Christmas with her family. It would have been nice to show the family together at Sandringam for the church walk. Hopefully Boxing Day is spent with the BRF.

I very much hope we are wrong about the thoughtlessness.
 
The reports are just that he contacted her. We don't know what he contacted her for. I haven't seen any evidence to indicate that William has ill-feelings or holds any level of disrespect for his father's side of the family. So with that going forward, it makes total sense to say that the Queen knew he had proposed and he was merely informing her that he wished to make the engagement public that afternoon.

I cannot under any foreseeable circumstances see William flouting protocol in the face like that and getting engaged prior to the Queen's consent.

I really don't either.

What I do imagine happened is that when the report came out that the Queen and Prince Charles were informed only hours before the engagement announcement was just that.. hours before the ANNOUNCEMENT of the engagement to the public was to take place. I would well imagine that William would have consulted the Queen prior to even proposing to Kate in Kenya and getting her consent first. Also, I would think he would have talked to both Charles and Camilla and feel them out about how they felt about him using his mother's ring for proposing. And the ring... He stated that he was carrying it around with him for 3 weeks in Africa. Do we really believe that until then he kept it in his underwear drawer somewhere? This was well planned out I think before he even proposed.

I honestly think William is quite close with both his grandmother and Charles, Camilla and closest of all to Harry. I would be willing to bet anything that all of them knew of William's intentions before he even popped the question. :D
 
And don't forget that Catherine's grandfather died recently and that they had his funeral to attend in the week prior to the announcement. It wouldn't surprise me if they had intended to make the announcement earlier, but had to put it off because of this.
 
And don't forget that Catherine's grandfather died recently and that they had his funeral to attend in the week prior to the announcement. It wouldn't surprise me if they had intended to make the announcement earlier, but had to put it off because of this.


Oh yes, that was suggested in some reports!
 
I really don't either.

What I do imagine happened is that when the report came out that the Queen and Prince Charles were informed only hours before the engagement announcement was just that.. hours before the ANNOUNCEMENT of the engagement to the public was to take place. I would well imagine that William would have consulted the Queen prior to even proposing to Kate in Kenya and getting her consent first. Also, I would think he would have talked to both Charles and Camilla and feel them out about how they felt about him using his mother's ring for proposing. And the ring... He stated that he was carrying it around with him for 3 weeks in Africa. Do we really believe that until then he kept it in his underwear drawer somewhere? This was well planned out I think before he even proposed.

I honestly think William is quite close with both his grandmother and Charles, Camilla and closest of all to Harry. I would be willing to bet anything that all of them knew of William's intentions before he even popped the question. :D

I agree with you. I suspect this had all been discussed and agreed in detail, just the timing of the announcement had not been specifically agreed in advance.
 
I am actually coming to the opinion that he doesn't care about his father at all. He expects his father to pay for things but really doesn't care about his father's feelings at all. I used to think they were close and loving but now I don't. I can't say what has changed my opinion but I simply don't think William has any feelings for his father or his father's family, with the possible exception of the Queen but even she doesn't seem to be respected by him any more. Just feelings I know but the very fact that he only spoke to them hours before the announcement speaks volumes about his attitude.

I love this post, i'm glad someone shares my thoughts.
 
I am actually questioning the veracity of that claim that William phoned his father and grandmother the day of the announcement to ask permission.

So I ask this question for those who are familiar with the role of the Privy Council.

According to Hello magazine (yes, I am considering the source) which has an article with lists the events that would unfold if Prince William makes a Christmas proposal. The article states that weeks before the announcement is made public, the Queen will convene a meeting of the Privy Council to give her formal approval to the marriage under the 1772 Royal Marriages Act, which requires the soveriegn's consent. According to the article, that when Charles was preparing to marry Diana, he asked the Queen's permission three weeks earlier, and than the Earl Spencer was asked his permission.

So, my question is...is this the case? So the possiblity exists that members of the Privy Council already knew that it was going to happen, and possiblity William called to tell them about it that day or so.

Is anyone familiar with the merits of the Council. So the Queen, DoE, Phillip, Anne and Edward (I think that is everyone) might have already knew before the announcement was made.
 
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When the Queen gives the formal permission via the Privy Council isn't important so long as it is done before the wedding. At Peter's wedding it was a couple of weeks before the wedding and not before the engagement.

With William keeping things close to his chest and knowing that decisions of the Privy Council are made public immediately there is no way the members of the Privy Council were informed before the engagement announcement.

The Queen hasn't yet actually given her formal consent.
 
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When Charles & Diana were engaged, the Privy Counsel did not give their consent until after the announcement of the engagement. (They released picture of Charles & Diana posing with the Queen)

Same for Charles & Camilia - approval came after the engagement.

I can`t imagine that the Privy Counsil would not approve of a marriage that the Queen approved of.
 
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I am actually coming to the opinion that he doesn't care about his father at all. He expects his father to pay for things but really doesn't care about his father's feelings at all. I used to think they were close and loving but now I don't. I can't say what has changed my opinion but I simply don't think William has any feelings for his father or his father's family, with the possible exception of the Queen but even she doesn't seem to be respected by him any more. Just feelings I know but the very fact that he only spoke to them hours before the announcement speaks volumes about his attitude.
Are you intimating that William has been "faking it" with his father in public? You know, Dad presenting him his wings, shared joy of fellow pilots, etc. All the time despising his father and all of his father's family, and now he is taking the opportunity to "stick it to them", so to speak? :bang:
 
Are you intimating that William has been "faking it" with his father in public? You know, Dad presenting him his wings, shared joy of fellow pilots, etc. All the time despising his father and all of his father's family, and now he is taking the opportunity to "stick it to them", so to speak? :bang:


I am saying that they aren't that close anymore. I do think that deep down he does despise his father and his father's family for the way they treated Diana. Except on official duties these days he doesn't seem to spend any time with them but holidays with the Middletons. When was the last time he spent any time with his father's family, other than on those official photo occasions like Trooping the Colour.

I think they tried to be close after Diana died but since he meet the Middletons he has distanced himself from his father's side of his family.

He reminds me of a rhyme my mother taught me as a girl:

A son is a son until he takes a wife
A daughter is a daugher, a daughter for life.


I used to think he was close to his father but now I don't get that feeling anymore. I do think that Charles would like to be closer to his sons but they don't want to be with him - maybe it is Camilla, maybe it is they are growing older, maybe it is Diana's influence, maybe they have just nothing in common, but it is a feeling. As I said in my original post I can't say why I feel this way I just do. Six months ago I didn't but now I do.
 
When was the last time he spent any time with his father's family, other than on those official photo occasions like Trooping the Colour.


As you say, a feeling is a feeling.

However, we do not have details of the private schedules of senior members of the royal family, so will not know who spends how much time with whom.
 
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