Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Official Visit to Ireland - March 3-5, 2020

[HereditaryPrincess]

Great to see the Cambridges in Ireland today. It would've been nice if the visit could've been a week later so they would've been in the country for St. Patrick's Day; but that's just me and these photos have been fantastic so I'm not complaining!

 

[polyesco]

Day 1
Duke of Cambridge jokes about unwittingly ‘spreading’ coronavirus
William talked about the infection as he chatted to emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain’s Ambassador to Ireland.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/...wittingly-spreading-coronavirus-39012556.html

 

[Lady Marlboro]

After reading that article, I think his comments were in very poor taste.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The first day of tours of Ireland are all very similar - meet with the President and Taoisoach, visit the memorial park and lay a wreath and then visit somewhere else - for William and Catherine it was Guinness. Charles and Camilla had a similar programme for the first day of their first visit to the Republic.

When royals visit any overseas country the first day is largely meeting the countries' leaders and any special memorial. Things start to vary on the second day.

 

[TLLK]

The first day of tours of Ireland are all very similar - meet with the President and Taoisoach, visit the memorial park and lay a wreath and then visit somewhere else - for William and Catherine it was Guinness. Charles and Camilla had a similar programme for the first day of their first visit to the Republic.

When royals visit any overseas country the first day is largely meeting the countries' leaders and any special memorial. Things start to vary on the second day.

Yes. The host nation would want to ensure that their guests would see their nation's most important monuments and considering that this is an incoming visit from the UK, the sites that the Cambridges visited are very symbolic for the Republic of Ireland.

 

[yukari]

Day 1
Duke of Cambridge jokes about unwittingly ‘spreading’ coronavirus
William talked about the infection as he chatted to emergency workers at a reception hosted by Britain’s Ambassador to Ireland.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/...wittingly-spreading-coronavirus-39012556.html

Who say this?

Later he grimaced with mock horror as he said: “By the way, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spreading coronavirus, Sorry.

Is it me, but I find it unusual for William to refer themselves as "the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge".

And I'll apologise before I offend someone and I don't mean to be insensitive, but what William joked about ppl insist of having coronovirus while it's merely a normal flu is the exact rants of my friend who's paramedic.

 

[ACO]

After reading that article, I think his comments were in very poor taste.

I get he was joking but there is a time and place for it.

 

[Osipi]

Who say this?

Is it me, but I find it unusual for William to refer themselves as "the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge".

And I'll apologise before I offend someone and I don't mean to be insensitive, but what William joked about ppl insist of having coronovirus while it's merely a normal flu is the exact rants of my friend who's paramedic.

It happens sometimes. With the instant availability of so much information at our fingertips, any little ache or pain can be looked up and connect to something much more dire. The best course of action is to seek professional medical help for anything worrisome but I can see where its been so easy to self diagnose and self medicate from information found in a search engine.

William, being very familiar with what emergency workers are facing with perhaps people having an ordinary case of the flu and panicking thinking its COVID-19, he was lightening the mood with the context of his "inside joke". I didn't take it mean in any way, shape or form that William was making light of the very serious threat that has us all worried at this time.

 

[Lady Marlboro]

William has made so called "jokes" before that have been downright nasty and cruel and no one has called him on it because of his position.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Day 2 In Ireland

The Duke and Duchess will visit :

The Jigsaw,National Centre for Youth Mental Health, in Dublin's Temple Bar

Next stop the Extern Social justice charity in Kildare

Teagasc Animal Bioscience Research Centre in Dunsany in Co Meath

On Tuesday they will a attend a reception hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office in Dublin.

 

[Lilyflo]

I don't find William's jokes about coronavirus in the least offensive or in poor taste. It's what everyone I know is doing - cracking jokes about not shaking hands & making silly comments when they cough. Also, William served with the Air Ambulance and within the medical profession, black humour is widespread.

 

[iceflower]

Day 2 has started:



** Pic ** rex gallery ** pa gallery **


** gettyimages gallery: IRL: The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Ireland - Day Two **


** dm: King and Queen of hearts: Prince William and Kate Middleton meet young people with mental health problems..**

 

[An Ard Ri]

Both of the Duke and Duchess are suitably wrapped up as we're having a prolonged chilly spell in Eire,at least its dry!

Day 2 Round up

 

[O-H Anglophile]

William was talking to “fellow” emergency healthcare workers about coronavirus-who often use black or gallows humor to cope. I think this was definitely a case of being an audience specific conversation.

 

[nightsky]

I didn’t find Williams joke to be offense at all. Actually, some people have been freaking out a bit much.

 

[Betsypaige]

I don't find William's jokes about coronavirus in the least offensive or in poor taste. It's what everyone I know is doing - cracking jokes about not shaking hands & making silly comments when they cough. Also, William served with the Air Ambulance and within the medical profession, black humour is widespread.

I just read the article - it’s not a big deal at all; it’s gallows humor. People are probably worrying so much to the point of over worrying, and humor is a release, an outlet.

 

[Alison H]

It was just a joke. I realise people are worried, but panic-buying toilet roll, talking about a legal ban on kissing and calling for all flights into and out of the country to be banned is not helping. The UK's got 51 cases, out of 65 million people, but this morning's papers are proclaiming that normal life is going to be suspended for 3 months, 20% of the population will be off work sick, murder investigations will be abandoned because all the police will be ill, and the Army will be called in to control rioting as supermarkets run out of stock! Give me black humour any day.

 

[Sister Morphine]

I have nothing against gallows humor/black humor/Irish humor (I've heard it called all three), but at a time when there is a serious threat of a global pandemic, particularly with an illness far more virulent and deadly than influenza, joking about spreading it around is NOT funny. My parents are in their 70s and both have lung issues. The governor of my state just confirmed our first case of it. I'm legitimately worried they could catch it inadvertently from either my sister or me and if I were out in public and heard people joking about spreading it around, I'd scream bloody murder around their ears.

In the grand scheme of things, is it a big deal? No. Does it show a lack of sensitivity that is rather shocking considering William isn't known for gaffes like that? Yes. I don't think he should be tarred and feathered, but someone should take him aside and say, "Hey. I get your humor but don't joke about that. Not right now."

 

[O-H Anglophile]

I understand concerns for elderly parents, but William wasn't joking to the general public. It was with a specific audience that got that sort of joking. He wasn't being insensitive to people with legitimate concerns, say at a nursing home or hospital. or even the general public at a walk about.

 

[TLLK]

Yes his remarks were made to a specific audience. I've heard similar remarks from family/friends who are in the healthcare/first responder professions and honestly I believe that it is a form of stress relief for those experience the roller coaster of emotions related to their careers.

 

[nightsky]

I just read a tweet from someone living in Italy, who said they joke about the virus. She went to the supermarket and the check out person made a joke about the coronavirus!Seriously some people need to lighten up!

 

[Mirabel]

It was just a joke. I realise people are worried, but panic-buying toilet roll, talking about a legal ban on kissing and calling for all flights into and out of the country to be banned is not helping. The UK's got 51 cases, out of 65 million people, but this morning's papers are proclaiming that normal life is going to be suspended for 3 months, 20% of the population will be off work sick, murder investigations will be abandoned because all the police will be ill, and the Army will be called in to control rioting as supermarkets run out of stock! Give me black humour any day.

Yes, I've heard lots of jokes about this.
Really. some people just search for reasons to be offended.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Duke of Cambridge makes a Coronavirus joke on Dublin Visit,to be honest it has hardly made any headlines here in Ireland.

Visit to the Teagasc Research Farm in County Meath

Day 2 Photos

https://www.rte.ie/news/galleries/2020/0304/1120186-duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge-visit/

The Duke and Duchess are attending at Reception in St Stephen's Green in Dublin this evening.

 

[Betsypaige]

It’s just a way of dealing with a terrible situation -like the way we joke about death. No one is happy, everyone is worried. My state has 6 cases - none in my immediate vicinity, but still rather close. There’s a good chance I’m going to be forced to cancel my trip to England and Scotland that I’ve been planning for months. That makes me miserable. A joke now and then can lighten the mood, which is something we all need.

 

[Lilyflo]

Camilla was cracking jokes about coronavirus today - said she was "self-isolating". People in Britain made jokes during the war - it's a way of diffusing the fear & tension. I'm very sorry for people having to cancel holidays Betsy - so disappointing if you have to.

 

[Alison H]

My mum and dad have just cancelled a holiday in Italy :-(, but things in England and Scotland aren't too bad - hope you're still able to come. It's very hard to plan at the moment.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Tomorrow the final day the Duke and Duchess head west to the capital of Connacht -Galway city.

 

[Betsypaige]

Camilla was cracking jokes about coronavirus today - said she was "self-isolating". People in Britain made jokes during the war - it's a way of diffusing the fear & tension. I'm very sorry for people having to cancel holidays Betsy - so disappointing if you have to.

I saw that - I cracked up, lol.

Yeah, it is - because the alternative is to hide in our houses, afraid of meeting anyone, being scared to just live.

Thanks, Lily. I HOPE I don't have to, but of course I could always reschedule, so it wouldn't be the end of the world (and, people have it a LOT worse than I do).

Alison:

My mum and dad have just cancelled a holiday in Italy :-(, but things in England and Scotland aren't too bad - hope you're still able to come. It's very hard to plan at the moment.

Aww, that's a shame - I hope that they will be able to reschedule once things get better. The good thing is that I haven't booked my flights...... I hope for the sake of the British - a lot less so for me - that it remains relatively quiet there.....

 

[yukari]

On a side note, I actually prefer William to have a "slip" like this coronovirus joke. As future king, there's no way he can disappear from media radar and unfortunately for him, boring-happy news doesn't sell in the long run. This way, at least it's valid and hopefully will feed (and satisfy) the media beast (and haters) for awhile. It's better than unfounded and made up story/rumour just because they have nothing "interesting" to write about him.
In a way this coronavirus-joke coverage reminds me of the media outrage when he referred Catherine as "the missus".

 

[iceflower]

Here are the first photos of the final day of the visit today, March 5:



** pa gallery ** rex gallery **


** dm article: All the fun of the heir! Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive in Galway..**


** gettyimages gallery: IRL: The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Ireland - Day Three **