Royal Security

[KittyAtlanta]

Let me open another can of worms.

Why does Kate have protection 24/7, while the York ladies only get it when they are on public duty? Yes, I know she is the wife of the heir to the Heir; however, the girls are actually in line for the throne, but Kate will never be anything but Queen Consort.

Somebody explain, please.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Let me open another can of worms.

Why does Kate have protection 24/7, while the York ladies only get it when they are on public duty? Yes, I know she is the wife of the heir to the Heir; however, the girls are actually in line for the throne, but Kate will never be anything but Queen Consort.

Somebody explain, please.

Because she is married to the 2nd in line and will probably be crowned Queen and be the mother of future monarchs.

She is the future of the royal family, has a higher profile position and will be a public figure for the rest of her life (unless she is unable to have any children, William dies and she remarries).

Like Philip and Camilla she is the spouse of a senior royal while the York girls will become increasingly irrelelvant to the future of the royal family.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Not everyone in the royal family can be protected at the taxpayer's expense. Here in the States, the president and his or her spouse will lose Secret Service protection ten years after he leaves the office. Any children of a former president under the age of 16 have protection for ten years or until they turn 16, whichever occurs first.

On a lighter note, perhaps their penchant for ludicrous head gear will afford the York princesses some sort of protection, like an amulet. They certainly don't wear them because they are fashionable or attractive. Just my opinion

 

[dilsnub]

has there ever been an assination attempt on a member of the royal family?

 

[MRSJ]

has there ever been an assination attempt on a member of the royal family?

I believe there was one on Princess Anne ......

 

[Zonk]

has there ever been an assination attempt on a member of the royal family?

There was an attempt on Queen Victoria and King Edward VIII that I recall. The kidnapping attempt of Princess Anne in the 70's and of course the security breaches that affected the Queen and Prince William.

In reference to US Presidents, George W. Bush is the first President that the ten year rule is applicable to. The Clintons are the last Presidential couple to have lifetime Secret Service protection. At one point we were paying for Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and George HW Bush. Personally, as a US taxpayer, I believe that lifetime security should be for all former Presidents. I am not a fan of the 10 year rule but that's just me. At any point its all about symbolism. Whether you are a former President, 6th in line to the British throne or a retired British Viceroy......its still symbolism.

 

[MRSJ]

In reference to US Presidents, George W. Bush is the first President that the ten year rule is applicable to. The Clintons are the last Presidential couple to have lifetime Secret Service protection. At one point we were paying for Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and George HW Bush.

Ah- thank you Zonk for this knowledge, I thought that as well but was sure I'd gotten my facts confused

 

[dilsnub]

"In reference to US Presidents, George W. Bush is the first President that the ten year rule is applicable to."

Couldn't happen to a better person

 

[Zonk]

Really, that was unnecessary IMO.

And this is not going to turn into a Bush bashing thread either.

 

[Iluvbertie]

has there ever been an assination attempt on a member of the royal family?

There have been a number over the years with at least one successful - the assassination of Prince Philip's maternal uncle - Lord Mountbatten by the IRA.

There have been shots fired at different monarchs during Trooping the Colour including one in 1981 at the present Queen. Even though the rounds were blanks the person still fired at the Queen.

BBC ON THIS DAY | 13 | 1981: Queen shot at by youth

 

[dilsnub]

that is interesting...
i wonder what ever happened to the guy who fired the shots and what in the world possesed him to shoot blanks

 

[FanofMonaco]

The Queen is supposedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Is she too cheap to provide security for her own grandchildren? That's sad.

 

[Osipi]

The Queen is supposedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Is she too cheap to provide security for her own grandchildren? That's sad.

I think its always been a matter of protection being provided by the government for the Royals but it is now changing. I think this is a positive step. Public funding for royal security I think is necessary when the said royal is performing duties or engagement on behalf of the crown but as far as personal protection out shopping, going to dinner, movies and pubs and such, that responsibility should fall on the individual families. It will be interesting to see if Andrew will be picking up the tab for 24/7 protection for the girls as it was him that adamantly insisted that they needed it.

As the royal family continues to downsize itself, I can imagine that there will be quite a bit of security being withdrawn from the minor royals.

 

[FanofMonaco]

I wonder what the policy is for royal families of other countries?

 

[Iluvbertie]

that is interesting...
i wonder what ever happened to the guy who fired the shots and what in the world possesed him to shoot blanks

He was charged with treason, found guilty, sentenced to 5 years, served 3 - mainly in psychiatric centres - and has since married and changed his name.

He was only 17 at the time and claimed he wanted to be famous.

 

[dilsnub]

i guess there was a lot of breachings in the early 80's but most all were just an attempt to "be famous"

 

[redbicycle]

Let me open another can of worms.

Why does Kate have protection 24/7, while the York ladies only get it when they are on public duty? Yes, I know she is the wife of the heir to the Heir; however, the girls are actually in line for the throne, but Kate will never be anything but Queen Consort.

Somebody explain, please.

From a republican standpoint, why isn't every subject entitled to the same level of publicly funded protection afforded to the royal family?

 

[Iluvbertie]

From a republican standpoint, why isn't every subject entitled to the same level of publicly funded protection afforded to the royal family?

For the same reason that not everyone in a republic gets the same level of publicly funded protection - they don't need it.

Public figures are targets for extremists, 'lone-nuts' etc and thus need to be given greater publicly funded protection.

 

[redbicycle]

But where does it end? Apparently the royal wedding cost £20-30m in security and policing costs, and Her Majesty has 6 other grandchildren yet to get married....

 

[MRSJ]

But where does it end? Apparently the royal wedding cost £20-30m in security and policing costs, and Her Majesty has 6 other grandchildren yet to get married....

But it also brought 1 billion pounds to the British economy or so they say....of course I doubt Bea and Eugenie's wedding will bring in as much.....And actually it's 5 since we already know Zara's wedding is not a 'royal' event and won't have that level of security, pomp and circumstance.....

 

[Lumutqueen]

The Queen is supposedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Is she too cheap to provide security for her own grandchildren? That's sad.

What you're saying is sad IMO.

But where does it end? Apparently the royal wedding cost £20-30m in security and policing costs, and Her Majesty has 6 other grandchildren yet to get married....

It made the country over 1 Billion pounds, I think that's well worth it. Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie, Harry, Louise and James deserve security during their wedding as they are public figures who will serve our country. Just like our PM and other high profiled politicians. I see no problem with spending £20 million on such a wonderful occasion, especially if it makes the country 5 times as much is spent.

 

[muriel]

But where does it end? Apparently the royal wedding cost £20-30m in security and policing costs, and Her Majesty has 6 other grandchildren yet to get married....

This was probably the most high profile of the weddings of HMs grand children. The others are likely to be relatively small weddings and are unlikley to require much security, other than is usual when a member of the royal family is present.

 

[muriel]

Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie, Harry, Louise and James deserve security during their wedding as they are public figures who serve our country. Just like our PM and other high profiled politicians.

You have an excellent sense of humour. The only one who should not be your grouping above is Harry as he is actually serving his country!

 

[Lumutqueen]

That wasn't humour, that was missing a word.

 

[muriel]

That wasn't humour, that was missing a word.

It certainly made me smile!

 

[Lumutqueen]

Mistake on my part then.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

....On a lighter note, perhaps their penchant for ludicrous head gear will afford the York princesses some sort of protection, like an amulet. They certainly don't wear them because they are fashionable or attractive. Just my opinion

Vasillisos, can you see my grin???

Further to Zonk's earlier post:

After the 1901 assassination of William McKinley, the U.S. Congress directed the Secret Service to protect the President. Today, the Secret Service is authorized by law to protect:

President
Vice President
President-elect
Vice President-elect



plus

• The immediate families of the above individuals, with the exception of spousal protection, which shall terminate in the event of remarriage, the divorce from, or death of a former president.The widow or widower of a former President who dies in office or dies within a year of leaving office for a period of 1 year after the President's death (the Secretary of Homeland Security can extend the protection time)
• Children of former Presidents until age 16 or until 10 years after the presidency, whichever comes first
• Former Vice Presidents, their spouses, and their children under age 16 for a period of not more than 6 months from the date the former Vice President leaves office (the Secretary of Homeland Security can extend the protection time)
• Visiting heads of states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad whom the president deems important enough for protection outside the Diplomatic Security Service
• Major presidential and vice presidential candidates
• The spouses of major presidential and vice presidential candidates (no more than 120 days before a general presidential election)

Any of the above can decline Secret Service protection, with the exception of the President, the Vice President, the President-elect, and the Vice President-elect.

Congressional Research Service.
U.S. Department of State http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/109502.pdf.

During the current presidential cycle, Congress has been called upon to reconsider, as the world has become more dangerous for former office holders. Members of Congress have discussed restoring lifetime protection in view of increases in terrorism and other threats.

No decision on any change has been reached to date.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Vasillisos, can you see my grin???

KittyAtlanta my dear,

Your grin is illuminating my day up here near Chicago. thank you

 

[dilsnub]

Any figures on how much anually is spent on secret service?

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Any figures on how much anually is spent on secret service?

The agency is reluctant to disclose actual figures because it believes that showing the amount may reveal how much actual protection is out there. When I googled your question, I found a link where the Washington Post estimated the amount at $140 million but that was only for protecting the President, Vice-President and their immediate families. But that was back in 1992 and one must remember that the Secret Service also protects others such as foreign dignitaries and past presidents and assists the Treasury with investigating crimes such as counterfeiting. I imagine the actual budget is enormous.