Duties, Roles and Royal Training of the Princes

[Duke of Marmalade]

Diana wasn't drunk but she was hounded to her death by the same sort of people who are now hounding William, Harry, Catherine and Chelsy.

Please you can't be serious. Nobody hounded Diana to her death, she died because her driver was drunk and she did not wear a seat belt. No paparazzi was around when the crash happened. Besides, the paps followed Diana all the time, sometimes she was pleased to see them, sometimes she wasn't, she used them for her own purposes and was used for theirs. Give and take.

They are not begging to have their picture taken.
Diana wasn't drunk when she had to fight her way through a media scrum before she became engaged. The media are out of control and it is time they were regulated by other people.

Regulated by who? It's a close step to censorship, isn't it
Princes' William and Harry's (and not to forget Clarence House) dealing with the media is simply poor and unprofessional.

 

[Al_bina]

The artcile "William’s displaying an heir of stupidity" posted by Skydragon

Skydragon does an excellent job in selecting and posting articles.
It is not surprising that Kate Middleton has started getting the negative and sarcastic remarks from the press. She probably knows what she does and what impact such unfavourable press may have on her relationship with Prince William in the future. Hopefully, she has taken a useful piece of advice from Prince William’s stepmother. I have to confess that Miss Middleton and her mother do convey an image of foxes on the hunt for a royal engagement ring to me. I can not tell anything about the other Miss Middleton since I have not seen her pictures.
The fact that she is his long-term girlfriend, who has been introduced to Her Majesty, does not necessarily ensure that she will become a royal bride. As far as I have understood, there is a consensus of opinions in this respect.

 

[Duchess]

I dont really care whether they're social climbers or not actually, I just think the name is fabulous. I'm one of those people who gets goose pimply when they about the Mitford Sisters - I just love the name. So whether it fits or not, I think the Wisteria Sisters is a very glam thing indeed. Faaaabulous.

good point...i do like the name too.

 

[zhontella]

Please you can't be serious. Nobody hounded Diana to her death, she died because her driver was drunk and she did not wear a seat belt.
No paparazzi was around when the crash happened.

Alleged by some.

Besides, the paps followed Diana all the time, sometimes she was pleased to see them, sometimes she wasn't, she used them for her own purposes and was used for theirs. Give and take.

It didn't start out give and take. They followed Diana all the time no matter what. She made the best out of the bad situation given to her and tried to turn it into something positive. Who can blame her? I hope William and Kate will follow her good example.

.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Well, Diana did encourage the press by arranging for journalists to be in the right place at the right time. William must be following her example to go to somewhere where he knows the press are waiting for celebs to pap. Inheritance of stupidity and self-pity are of no use to man or beast.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

It didn't start out give and take. They followed Diana all the time no matter what. She made the best out of the bad situation given to her and tried to turn it into something positive. Who can blame her? I hope William and Kate will follow her good example.

I hope her sons do not follow her example in regards to the paparazzi. I don't say this because I completely agree with Skydragon or BF. I don't 100% agree. I think both Henri Paul (the drunk, reckless driver) and the paparazzi (egging him on) were responsible for the crash. And I think that the paparazzi in London, especially that Marc forgot-his-surname-and-glad-to-forget-it, because he is a disgusting pig of a man who would have chased Diana to the dogs.... well, let's just say, that for all of Diana's manipulations, she didn't deserve to be hounded by the paps like she was. No one deserves that.
It may have been give and take like Skydragon said, but it was definitely more take on the part of the paparazzi.
Having said that, I do not wish to see William or Harry follow Diana's example there. It is a dangerous way to go. Dangerous and foolish. I love Diana, God rest her soul, but she was foolish about the media. Let her sons follow her example in ways where she truly was a champion, but not in this way. They will do better to follow the royal example in regards to the media. The royals are alive!

 

[cde]

Alleged by some.


It didn't start out give and take. They followed Diana all the time no matter what. She made the best out of the bad situation given to her and tried to turn it into something positive. Who can blame her? I hope William and Kate will follow her good example.

.

You want William and Kate to follow Diana's "good example"? So your saying if W+Kate get married and the marriage doesn't take, Kate should talk to the press in great detail about why it didn't work?
IMO I don't see how Diana talking to the press was really something positive. Her talking to the press pushed her divorce which she said she didn't really want, her talking to the press just made them pursue her even more which indirectly led to her death.Yes she should have been wearing the seatbelt and yes, the driver shouldn't have been drunk but he probably wouldn't have been speeding like he did if he wasn't trying to outrun the photographers. The press are vultures who can't be satisfied. If William and Kate follow anyone's press examples, I would hope they would pick BP.

 

[Duchess]

imo, i don't think diana's relationship with the media was necessarily a good thing. sometimes it worked for her - but mostly it worked against her. it worked when she wanted to downplay anything charles was doing but it ultimately failed her. in the beginning she chose to cooperate with the photographers and that in turn led them to expect it from her thus becoming overly comfortable - paps felt it was their god given right to photograph her in any and all circumstances whether public or private. she was naive enough to think that she could make it stop whenever she wanted but now we know that didn't happen. i think william and catherine need to take a long hard look at how they live their "public" moments. they probably won't like what the end up having to do - plan entrances and exits so as not to draw attention, even limit their outtings. the bar has been set very high as to what the public wants from it's media sources so celebrities are going to have to learn new ways of protecting themselves.

 

[Russophile]

Is Harry still active in the military? I was surprised when he was denied to go to Afghanistan that he ended up back in England and I haven't seen stories of him of late doing any military activity.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

He is still active in the army but I think all of his squadron is in Iraq, so maybe that leaves him without much to do (for the army). I mean, I do remember from my own time in the navy, when any part of the squadron is deployed, the home team doesn't have much to do, because the deployed take almost all the equipment, planes (in his squadron's case, tanks not planes), and especially in a warzone, that would be the priority mission. They would have a skeleton crew back home. Of course they can do support stuff, but I imagine that's not very time consuming. I don't know though.

 

[Chelsy]

Political Views of William & Harry?

Why are Prince William & Prince Harry prohibited from having a political views?

 

[wbenson]

They aren't prohibited from having political views, they just have to be extremely cautious about expressing them. This goes for William especially, as one day he will more than likely be the King of more than one nation. The official website of the monarchy says:

As Head of State, The Queen must remain politically neutral, since her Government will be formed from whichever party can command a majority in the House of Commons.

It goes on to state that other members of the royal family don't even vote so as not to compromise the sovereign's official neutrality. If voting, which is something done in private, is too much, outward political statements would obviously be treated the same way.

Other members of the Royal Family do not act on ministerial advice, but they also are required to preserve their political neutrality so as not to embarrass The Queen.

 

[Myself1995]

Well, no one can stop anyone from having their own political views - I don't think that they are supposed to say them because the monarchy is supposed to be above politics. Prince Charles seems to give his political opinion, though, whether criticized or not, so I don't know how hard and fast of a rule it is. I'll let someone whose British answer that.

The Biography Channel in the UK says this about the queen;

Elizabeth does not express her personal political opinions publicly. ... She is believed to hold centre, even slightly left of centre views

I've never read anywhere where it says what William and Harry think, though I get the impression they might hold the same views.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The thing with Charles is that he does express opinions on political matters, e.g. the environment, but it isn't done in support or criticism of one side or other of politics.

William and Harry are the same.

They can vote but probably never will and they won't express views that could ever been seen as supporting one or other side of politics.

 

[MARG]

I love the way Prince Charles manages to get his point accross and, in so doing, p.....s of both sides of the political spectrum without fear or favour. I think it must be like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. . . . .

That man really knows how to "make like a duck"! It's a wonder the stress hasn't killed him.

Note: - "Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of some jerk who desperately deserves it"

 

[ada]

I love the way Prince Charles manages to get his point accross and, in so doing, p.....s of both sides of the political spectrum without fear or favour. I think it must be like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. . . . .

That man really knows how to "make like a duck"! It's a wonder the stress hasn't killed him.

Note: - "Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of some jerk who desperately deserves it"

Yes, I imagine PC meets many people who require choking, the're everywhere

 

[Ella Kay]

They can vote but probably never will and they won't express views that could ever been seen as supporting one or other side of politics.

I totally agree, Iluvbertie. William's sort of tentatively stepped into the "issues" arena with his editorial on street gangs for the Telegraph, but he's not made his discussion on that topic political, and I can't see him ever doing so.

 

[Skydragon]

I agree, Mermaid. I'd be happy to see him start working as a full-time royal sooner, but it would be terrible if he'd trained -- and the country had spent money -- for nothing in the end.

Doing what as a full time royal? He has yet to find more charities here to represent. I am of the opinion that the Express article is not 100% correct, we know that Eng and IT are/have been given to civilians but it is unlikely that all SAR UK operations could be handled by them.

 

[Ella Kay]

I'd like to see him taking on more charities, but I'd also like to see him going on official engagements with his grandmother and with his father. Surely it would be valuable for him to work with some of his more experienced relatives as he learns the ropes of full-time royal-hood.

 

[Skydragon]

I'd like to see him taking on more charities, but I'd also like to see him going on official engagements with his grandmother and with his father. Surely it would be valuable for him to work with some of his more experienced relatives as he learns the ropes of full-time royal-hood.

The trouble is, normally only one is invited to do the presentation/speak. William stood on the sidelines would look a little odd, IMO. It shouldn't be beyond William at his age, to do solo appearances. If and I do mean a big if, William was unable to continue his hope of helicopter flying in the RAF, there is always the Army or Navy. Hopefully we will get some service from him, in exchange for the tuition he has received at taxpayers expense.

 

[Sereta]

I'd like to see him taking on more charities, but I'd also like to see him going on official engagements with his grandmother and with his father. Surely it would be valuable for him to work with some of his more experienced relatives as he learns the ropes of full-time royal-hood.

Why should he need to shadow his grandmother or father? He's done some engagements on his own and seems to do just fine. He just needs to gain more experience.

 

[DuedePhiladelphia]

I never understood the fact that PANN is regarded as the hardest working royal- shouldnt that be the Prince of Wales?????/ working hard to cover the his kingdom?

I dont get it?

 

[Iluvbertie]

I never understood the fact that PANN is regarded as the hardest working royal- shouldnt that be the Prince of Wales?????/ working hard to cover the his kingdom?

I dont get it?

Princess Anne has been regarded as the hardest working royal as she has, until last year, done more engagements than her siblings and from the late 90s onwards did more than her parents as well.

Last year, for the first time, Charles did more than Anne.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Why should he need to shadow his grandmother or father? He's done some engagements on his own and seems to do just fine. He just needs to gain more experience.

In their teens Anne and Charles accompanied thier parents and learnt on the job.

Unfortunately William and Harry haven't really had that experience, which I think was a mistake considering their future.

I remember in 1970 both Anne and Charles visited Australia with their parents and watched and learnt and did what their parents did.

 

[Skydragon]

In their teens Anne and Charles accompanied thier parents and learnt on the job.

Both William and Harry have already accompanied Charles at events. There isn't a great deal to learn is there. Walk about, shake hands, look interested and don't divulge any personal likes/dislikes/information. As a speaker, that is not something they could not learn any better from being there, as opposed to watching videos or taking lessons, as their mother did.

 

[Royal Fan]

Id like to see them become CinCs of a few Regiments meet Foreign Royals and make more speeches

 

[Sereta]

What are CinCs? I'd like it if they would meet with other royals too.

 

[Russophile]

What are CinCs? I'd like it if they would meet with other royals too.

Commander In Chiefs

 

[COUNTESS]

It is kind of like being ushers at movies. None of them have an intrinisic value. They make no decisions, have no "real" responsibility and have a Commander in Chielf title. I like the boys, don't get me wrong, but the other stuff is just smoke and mirrors and always has been.

 

[Sereta]

Commander In Chiefs

Thanks. I think most heads of state acquire this title. For certain monarchies I guess it's just a ceremonial title but I think William is too young and not in the position to receive it yet.