The Monarchy under Charles

[MARG]

Originally Posted by Roslyn

I think it's wonderful that people are talking about Charles and what he thinks and what he's doing.

I don't think he's ever looked more relaxed or happier than he has in the last 12 months.

Well said Roslyn. The Prince of Wales does indeed look happier this last year. It is noted in all sorts of small and subtle ways that 'Oh! He has got a sense of humour!' or, as in Egypt earlier this year, that 'he is a credit to his country'.

About time too. :) :) :)

[BeatrixFan]

I think Charles has done something that he never gets praise for but is possibly the greatest achievement of his life. He has made a role for the Prince of Wales. Before, it was just a title but now, it's a job and we know what to expect from the Prince of Wales. I think he'll take that onto his role as King.

[Panther2000]

Originally Posted by Idriel

I am French but I live in England.
Yet that’s not really the point as I don’t take my British friends' opinions on the Monarchy to be that of the ‘British Public’ in general. Because if I did I would be convinced the Monarchy has about two months to live: every time I try to launch a conversation on the Windsor, I get bored looks and remarks like: ‘What is the point anyway?'.
You have a point through, it is not easy to get a wide idea of what the opinion think. The press give a deformed image, opinions differs, polls are not reliable.
But what you reproach me, you do. You tend to make your own opinions look widely accepted. Charles ‘ opinions are brilliants, Camilla is accepted, etc.
I don’t see any hint of this around me, a lot of journalist in this country, at least, seem to disagree with those statements, and I doubt you have sampled the whole population on those subjects. So unless you provide more substance to prove your statement, they will remains your opinions, and your opinions only to me.

Does the Happy dance. I second & move your motion. :p

[Huddo]

I heard somewhere that when charles steps up to the throne that he intends to scale down the Royal Family!.....does that mean some people will loose their titles?....

[Madame Royale]

Well I certainly can't imagine him revoking any styles and titles given to those members of his family, by birth (brothers, sister, nieces and nephews).

But perhpas he will look more to an immediate royal family?

Himself, Camilla, William (William's wife), Harry (Harry's wife), grand children etc...

[wbenson]

The royal family will scale down naturally unless William or Harry have more than 1 or 2 children each. After the Queen's children and all of the royal descendants of George V die, there will be Beatrice, Eugenie, William, Harry, the descendants of William, and the descendants of Harry (assuming no untimely deaths). That's much smaller than we have now.

He may take away duties from some of the other members, though. Nothing in law says that being an HRH means that you have to receive public funds or perform any duties. I think that would be a massive blow for the visibility of the family, though.

[Russophile]

I'll bet the titles stay, but the income won't. Whatever income they used to get from the civil list won't be there any more and royals will have to *gasp* get. . . a . . . job. . . !

[wbenson]

They don't get any income now from the civil list (only remuneration for official duties, and probably some cheap housing thrown in, but I doubt they would be thrown out), so their situations will stay the same.

[muriel]

I personally do think there will be a gradual reshaping of the monarchy in the years to come. Some of this has already started under the Queen.

> "Active" members of the royal family will be C&C, William and family, and to a lesser extent, Harry & family. Hopefully, Harry will probably continue to serve in the army for most of his life, exonerating him from public engagements. His wife may be called upon to play a somewhat supporting role to Camilla and William's wife, as appropriate.

> I suspect Anne will continue to work hard, as long as she reasonably can. Her children do not carry out royal engagements, and are unlikely to want to start now.

> I suspect Andrew, Edward and Sophie will gradually do even less than they currently do. They will be provided for financially (through trust fuinds the queen will leave for them, or through the private funds of the monarch, but not the state) so that they are not short of funds.

> I doubt if Beatrice and Eugenie will ever carry out any meaningful royal engagements on their own - other than perhaps, appearing with the royal family at Sandringham at Christmas (if that continues once Charles ascends the throne!) and occassionally on the balcony at Buck House. They too, will receve some money from the Queen in trust funds, and ultimately from their fathers estate, but outside of that, I don't see a monarchy under Charles subsidising their existence.

> Everybody gets to keep their titles, but I suspect there will be some pressure on B & E to drop the Princess title - which I think they will fight to keep!

Would be happy to hear everybody's views.

[LadyCat]

You're probably pretty close Muriel. Except for the titles of B & E. I think Eugenie may give hers up without a fuss, however I feel Andrew (probably at the insistence of Sarah) will fight for keeping them. Call me jaded, but Sarah has nothing to talk about and sell herself with if she is no longer the mother of two princesses.

Cat

[normalil]

I think Princess Anne will carry on working as long as she can. Her children don't have royal titles, and i think she was wise to do that. I don't see Beatrice or Eungenie doing anything except party.
I do feel that the Royal Family will change hugely after POW succeeds. There is still such bad feeling toward C and C, (unfairly I think.) It seems that almost everyone, whether Royalist or not, admits that the Queen is a great monarch, and she is viewed with such respect. This is bound to change when she is gone...(a long way off yet hopefully.)

[Russophile]

What's Charles going to do about all those castles, etc.? That's a lot of money to upkeep. Balmoral is theirs, isn't Windsor as well? Costs a lot of money to heat and light. Will they become museums to offset the costs?

[BeatrixFan]

I doubt it. I think Charles will spend alot more time at the Castle of Mey rather than Balmoral. Windsor Castle is open to the public at the moment but I can't see the Royal Family 'moving out'. They like it too much.

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

I doubt it. I think Charles will spend alot more time at the Castle of Mey rather than Balmoral. Windsor Castle is open to the public at the moment but I can't see the Royal Family 'moving out'. They like it too much.

Didn't the Queen Mum own the Castle of Mey?

[BeatrixFan]

Yup. Now it belongs to Charles AFAIK.

[Elspeth]

I think it's been given over to the Castle of Mey Trust or something.

According to the Wikipedia page, Prince Charles and Camilla stay there for a couple of weeks at the end of July.

Castle of Mey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Castle of Mey

[Russophile]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

Yup. Now it belongs to Charles AFAIK.

AFAIK?? :??:
It's a beautiful castle. Have they modernized it? Does anybody know how much money it takes to run a castle?

[Mermaid1962]

Are you asking what AFAIK means?

"As far as I know."

Originally Posted by Russophile

AFAIK?? :??:
It's a beautiful castle. Have they modernized it? Does anybody know how much money it takes to run a castle?

[Royal Fan]

I Hope William is Invested Prince of Wales in Wales Like his Father .Wonder if The King will Be Charles III or George VII

[Huddo]

do you think they shoud go along the lines of the Norwegian Monarchy where only the heir and his children have the HRH title whereas everyone else such as Martha Louise and her Aunts have a lessor title?.....