William and Kate are not paid by the nation to do anything (except that he's paid to work in the material).
See, I believe that the failure of some here to do their own basic (home)work is just so glaringly obvious that it's hard for me to understand imposing their own work ethic on someone else.
Look to your own house first, and when you've stepped up your own work (in this case fact-finding), post in a more opinionated manner.
And yes, I used to think the same thing and was reeducated within one week of joining this forum. Only two people are on the list for payment from the British People. If William and Kate are living on anything more than his salary, it's because their parents or grandparents are helping them out. I help out my kids. I am not a socialist and believe that being able to spend money preferentially on my children (while paying taxes to help other people's children of course) is the right thing. So, when I hear this bossiness toward Kate and William as if they are owned by the British people for X number of hours a week, I think: either poorly informed or socialist (and politics are not the subject of this board).
LumutQueen, you don't have to change your opinion whatsoever, but of course, we can all have our opinions on your posts, as well. Susannah, myself and others are as entitled to call what you're saying "criticism" as you are to say what you're saying.
If you want to continue being critical, we could all be as critical of every other human as we wish. Would you really want that? Indirectly, for example, doesn't have a hyphen in it, yet you put one. Now I'm being critical of you (in order for a principle of mine, reciprocity) to be illustrated (as opposed to your principle of criticizing).
We don't know who paid for Mustique, but it wasn't the British taxpayers. And again, unless you are a socialist (and you appear to be), it isn't anyone else's business how families spend their money (although one may criticize anyone in this world). So I totally understand how you might feel critical and want to criticize (and in America, it's your right; I believe it's a right in Great Britain too), but if you do, you are putting it out there to hear what others think. There's a saying, "live by the sword, etc." So some of the people who have disagreed with you will probably continue to do so. I find your tone indicative of a very entrenched position, which will almost certainly have the effect of causing some other people here to adopt a similarly entrenched position (it usually does, in human discourse).
We could spend all our time criticizing royals if we wished. It would be easy enough to do. We could then criticize the criticizers (who then could criticize the non-criticizers).
I continue to like the fact that Kate is doing things differently, I think a lot of the so-called "work" done by some Royals in the past isn't really "work" (in the sense that it generates something of value for an economic unit) but is in fact P.R. for the royal franchise. If the newlyweds' stance indicates a general denouement in a chapter of British royal behavior, given that there are only 2 people on the list - perhaps they are "working to contract," so to speak (I would), I think that's a good thing.
As for the security payments while on holiday, if the British people really feel that security should be withdrawn from their royals when they're on holiday, that should be a matter for Parliament. There, the debate would be meaningful and interesting.
The way it stands here, I'm left with the few that some of you think Will and Kate should have security withdrawn from them when they're on their private time. That, it seems, is a more appropriate criticism (it's taxpayer money) than constantly criticizing the character of one young woman.
