Prince William's Suitability to be King


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Why would William want to be political? As King he would need to be apolitical, so it is best to be like the Queen and keep his views private rather to be like his father with a document trail following behind him.

Also he is going to be King of multiple countries- definitely another reason to stay away from politics.

I actually agree. Charles has done a lot of good for the country in his position as Prince of Wales, but I've never liked the way he has tried to get involved in politics, however slight. I realise that he doesn't have the same restrictions on his position as the Queen does, but I always felt it was slightly overstepping the mark for him to be giving his opinion on political issues. I read in the DailyMail recently (which could just be a load of rubbish) that he was asked by a few MPs if he would be willing to give up his power to veto legislation when he is King. IF that is true, I can only guess it comes as a direct result of his tendency to make his political opinion known. William much more mirrors the Queen in this respect. Always diplomatic, never controversial.
 
Who in their right mind would want to be king - you get to live in a fish bowl with constant media coverage, always wary of trusting anyone. Every action and non-action is criticized by people in the media and by absolute strangers on message boards. Your day -week-month-year is planned down to the minute. You also get to read mean spirited stories about the woman you love - a woman who gave up her private life to live in the media glare. As Harry is discovering, the chance to wear a tiara is not worth the media in your face 24/7.
 
I actually agree. Charles has done a lot of good for the country in his position as Prince of Wales, but I've never liked the way he has tried to get involved in politics, however slight. I realise that he doesn't have the same restrictions on his position as the Queen does, but I always felt it was slightly overstepping the mark for him to be giving his opinion on political issues. I read in the DailyMail recently (which could just be a load of rubbish) that he was asked by a few MPs if he would be willing to give up his power to veto legislation when he is King. IF that is true, I can only guess it comes as a direct result of his tendency to make his political opinion known. William much more mirrors the Queen in this respect. Always diplomatic, never controversial.

I do not think Charles is party political in any way. He is a man of conviction and ideas, and is happy to use his influence to see his ideas implemented.
 
Who in their right mind would want to be king - you get to live in a fish bowl with constant media coverage, always wary of trusting anyone. Every action and non-action is criticized by people in the media and by absolute strangers on message boards. Your day -week-month-year is planned down to the minute. You also get to read mean spirited stories about the woman you love - a woman who gave up her private life to live in the media glare. As Harry is discovering, the chance to wear a tiara is not worth the media in your face 24/7.

Now that is the very best summation of any royal out there, is you have a strong stomach and have no problem with no private life even when the media is in your bathroom, then this is the life for you..........I feel for Harry, I wonder if he will ever have that married life that he wants, who could put up with a camera going under your skirt, peeking in the bedroom, having lies spread about you on a minute to minute basis, Oh no the life to be lived. Freedom is the most important thing in the world and that I will take any day of the week!
 
Who in their right mind would want to be king - you get to live in a fish bowl with constant media coverage, always wary of trusting anyone. Every action and non-action is criticized by people in the media and by absolute strangers on message boards. Your day -week-month-year is planned down to the minute. You also get to read mean spirited stories about the woman you love - a woman who gave up her private life to live in the media glare. As Harry is discovering, the chance to wear a tiara is not worth the media in your face 24/7.

(Western European) kings get far less criticism and media scrutiny than (western European) politicians, mostly because, since kings don't make government policy decisions, they are above partisan controversy and are not blamed for a bad economy, welfare cuts, tax rises, crime or an unpopular war, just to mention a few common culprits of the downfall of governments in western democracies.

Actually, most of the time, the press is deferential to monarchs, even more so than it should be and the monarch is never directly attacked (royal princes may fall into a different category though).

All things considered, being a hereditary and non-partisan Head of State is a fairly comfortable position compared to being a prime minister or an elected president.
 
I do not think Charles is party political in any way. He is a man of conviction and ideas, and is happy to use his influence to see his ideas implemented.

Perhaps I'm not giving him the credit he is due. When I read about him writing letters to MPs and holding meeting with them, as he did on the recent Scottish referendum, it makes me raise my eyebrow. That being said though, he definitely has a lot of influence which he has tried to use for the betterment of his country and people, so it isn't as if I think he will make a bad King. I think he'll do quite well regardless.
 
I think we saw on Williams China and Japan tour that he is capable of being a neutral diplomatic precence. Him being the olive-branch to China is a very big move in my book and shows trust in him. Now with the state banquet (yet another increase in the signifigance of his duties) we will see him start probably one of his first more influential diplomatic relations.
 
Let us take it all in perspective: for years and years Prince Philippe of Belgium has been ridiculized and painted down as a goof, a dumb, a grey suit, a clumsy figure. Now he is making a good and promising start as King of the Belgians and his father King Albert II has in the meantime totally been forgotten.

Another thing to be taken into perspective: Prince Albert, the Duke of York, was a shy person who disliked to be in the public eye and had a serious stammer. Unexpectedly he was called upon the throne. He made a great King George VI.

Morale of the story: it does not matter so much if someone is suitable for the kingship or not. The line of succession is as it is. In a constitutional monarchy the King has (almost) no executive powers and is covered by the political responsibility of the Government, so it is all not that important if Prince William is "suitable" or not.
 
I know I'm nit-picking here, but surely, Mbruno, Kings as head of state do get the blame for unpopular wars, or wars that have turned out disastrously. Look at the Greek royals in the early 1920's as a result of the Greek-Turkish War, Kaiser Bill in 1918, the Habsburgs in 1919, for instance. It was Uneasy Lies the Head for them at least.
 
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I know I'm nit-picking here, but surely, Mbruno, Kings as head of state do get the blame for unpopular wars, or wars that have turned out disastrously. Look at the Greek royals in the early 1920's, Kaiser Bill in 1918, the Habsburgs in 1919, for instance. It was Uneasy Lies the Head for them at least.

There was no constitutional monarchy in Austria-Hungary or in Russia, the more executive powers the royals have, the more vulnerable they become. So a disastrous loss of a country like Russia or Austria, at the cost of millions and millions of fellow citizens, with a ravaged economy and a wide-spreading revolutionary ghost soon toppled these heads of state. Look what happened after the fall of the Iron Curtain, when the one after the other communist Government was toppled. Look what happened during the Arab Spring, the one after the other ruler was thrown out of the presidential palaces.

Then we come to Emperor Wilhelm II. However a powerless figure, since the Empire was more or less governed by a military junta: the Oberste Heeresleiting (Supreme Army Command) held the reins of power and the Emperor was degraded to a rubberstamp for their decisions. The Emperor however has been so loud and so visibly uniting himself and the monarchy with the disastrous course which lead to the path of war, that the disaster which came over Germany could not remain without an eruption, an outcome which was astonishing: not only the toppling of the Emperor but of all the monarchies of all the independent states in the German "federation".

Then we come to Greece. As it is anno 2015, so was it in the 1920's. Greece is a laughing stock amongst Europe's nations. Anno 2015 it is a dysfunctional state, glued together by corruptism, nepotism, inefficiency and plundering. That was not different back then in the 1920's. The Greek royals essentially were foreigners who were planted there and did nothing to take firm rooting in Greek society.
 
Let us take it all in perspective: for years and years Prince Philippe of Belgium has been ridiculized and painted down as a goof, a dumb, a grey suit, a clumsy figure. Now he is making a good and promising start as King of the Belgians and his father King Albert II has in the meantime totally been forgotten.

Another thing to be taken into perspective: Prince Albert, the Duke of York, was a shy person who disliked to be in the public eye and had a serious stammer. Unexpectedly he was called upon the throne. He made a great King George VI.

Morale of the story: it does not matter so much if someone is suitable for the kingship or not. The line of succession is as it is. In a constitutional monarchy the King has (almost) no executive powers and is covered by the political responsibility of the Government, so it is all not that important if Prince William is "suitable" or not.
I have to take issue with your assertion that Crown "Prince Philippe of Belgium has been ridiculized and painted down as a goof, a dumb, a grey suit, a clumsy figure." as I have never read anything that depicted him as anything other that a quiet, somewhat reserved and perhaps overserious young man who managed to marry a woman who complements him beautifully and who has given him four beautiful children. Not surprisingly he has grown, matured and attained the gravitas required to come into his destiny as King under the shadow of scandal and has shown every indication that he is, and will continue to be a fine King. If you have any references to his goofy dumb and clumsy traits I'd love to read them.

As for Prince Albert, Duke of York? You are correct, he did suffer from a debilitating speech impediment and I agree, he did make a Great King.

However, when it comes to Prince William's visit to China and Japan it is, as always, at the behest of the HM Government and they at least are confident that he can handle the cultural nuances that are so important, at a diplomatic level, without causing offence.
 
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Well if, as he writes in his preface to the new autobiography of The Queen by Lord Hurd, William has his grandmother as "a model for a life of service to the public" I don't think we have anything to worry about https://twitter.com/james_elliott_/status/635084682871336960


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:previous: Agreed.
The modifiers he uses tell us not only what he admires in the Queen, but what he thinks is important in a monarch:

  • quietly and modestly
  • example and continuity
  • charity, family, duty and compassion
  • kindness and sense of humour
  • sense of calm and perspective
  • love of family and home
Nicely done.
 
Yes nice with the words. Lets hope (when the time come) with the acts and the help of his consort to make it great job.
 
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Well if, as he writes in his preface to the new autobiography of The Queen by Lord Hurd, William has his grandmother as "a model for a life of service to the public" I don't think we have anything to worry about https://twitter.com/james_elliott_/status/635084682871336960


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William knows what is expected, and judging by what he wrote, he also knows what qualities of his grandmother he wants to emulate when his turn comes. No, there's nothing to worry about, because when the time comes, he will be ready for the job.

:previous: Agreed.
The modifiers he uses tell us not only what he admires in the Queen, but what he thinks is important in a monarch:

  • quietly and modestly
  • example and continuity
  • charity, family, duty and compassion
  • kindness and sense of humour
  • sense of calm and perspective
  • love of family and home
Nicely done.

Nicely done, indeed. I think William picked the attributes that many admire when it comes to Her Majesty.



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The royal machinery that is present in every country in Europe with a monarchy is firmly in place just like any other part of the government. Even with a change in the Head of State the machinery still keep functioning and working. The new Kind/Queen will of course over time replace some staff with their own handpicked choices but for most part, any major changes will take some time. Each new King/Queen will bring there own style and preferences to the job. Of course the Prince of Wales will be starting his role as King 60+ years (maybe 70+) after QEII. Their starting points alone will assure all that the reign will be very different. But the changes will be incremental and only noticable over time. It is like dropping a new captain onto an oceanliner at sea. He/she will be able to change course but it will not be instant.
 
I have to take issue with your assertion that Crown "Prince Philippe of Belgium has been ridiculized and painted down as a goof, a dumb, a grey suit, a clumsy figure." as I have never read anything that depicted him as anything other. [...]

Oh oh yes, (then) Prince Philippe really, really had a poor imago.

De Standaard (the most serious Dutch-speaking newspaper): "[And?] Can he now?" [...] His whole life long Prince Philippe has to deal with the image of a colourless but stubborn houten klaas (wooden indian)[....]. Link

Het Nieuwsblad: [...] "He simply can't. A sad case. He just walks along, like a doggie. Shaking hands." (Spoken by Mr Herman Liebaers, former Court Marshal) [...] Link

NRC/Handelsblad: [...] Prince Philippe needs a "political nanny" to help him [...] (former Prime Minister Wilfried Martens Link

Trouw: "Belgian media sceptical about King Philippe: no one becomes excited about his intellect" Link

In this article, Yves Desmet, Editor-in-Chief of De Morgen: "To Philippe sticks that he just can't. Whether it is true or not true, fact is that no one who has once met him seems to counter that argument." Jan Segers, Editor-in-Chief of Het Laatste Nieuws: "Maybe Prince Philippe will succeed in fighting the prejudices about him." He does not have a lot of trust in that: "no one becomes excited about his intellect." [...] "According various politicians Prince Philippe not only misses his father's sound state of mind, but also his self-awareness, his modesty and world-wisdom. Two journalists of the newspaper De Morgen: "A conversation with Prince Philippe is like a conversation with a plant. The same interaction." The French-speaking newspaper L'Avenir avoids Prince Philippe and stresses Princess Mathilde: "In two weeks after her wedding day, she has done more for the monarchy than King Albert in ten years."

Morale of the story: we can discuss if Prince William is capable, suitable or ready but that does not matter. The widespread feeling in Belgium was that King Philippe = a dumb, a goof, a clumsy dude on the throne = Philippe the Last. For so far the King seems to enjoy popularity and no big hiccups were caused. The King has a low profile, that is maybe deliberately done. So the predicted disasters have not happened (yet).
 
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I agree that William's education is not so great compared to that of other European royal heirs, some of whom have already ascended their respective thrones BTW. However, if you think about it, William has far more formal education than his grandmother, who is widely recognized as an excellent monarch. And William was a better university student than his father, with the caveat however that he attended a lower ranked institution than the one Prince Charles went to (i.e. St Andrew's versus Cambridge).

One thing that bothers me though about William is his inability to speak any foreign language at all. Since he is (probably) going to be also King of Canada, at least an effort on his part to learn French properly would be appreciated. I was watching a few days ago a clip of William's Canada Day speech in Ottawa and, although he seemed to connect with the crowd, it was painful to hear him struggle to read a few prepared notes in French.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqSho29zp0
 
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I agree that William's education is not so great compared to that of other European royal heirs, some of whom have already ascended their respective thrones BTW. However, if you think about it, William has far more formal education than his grandmother, who is widely recognized as an excellent monarch. And William was a better university student than his father, despite attending a lower ranked institution (i.e. St Andrew's versus Cambridge).

One thing that bothers me though about William is his inability to speak any foreign language at all. Since he is (probably) going to be also King of Canada, at least an effort on his part to learn French properly would be appreciated. I was watching a few days ago a clip of William's Canada Day speech in Ottawa and, although he seemed to connect with the crowd, it was painful to hear him struggle to read a few prepared notes in French.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqSho29zp0
I understand your point, but people are good at different things. Clearly, languagues isn't his thing, and I think as long as he's able to connect with people and at least tries to say a few words in their language, it will go a long way. Yes, it would be cool if he knew more.. but I don't see it as a necissity.
 
PW allegedly attended tea every week with his Grandmother when he was at Eton to assist him in his understanding of his forthcoming role. Her Majesty was not intended to be Monarch and indeed it came as a shock when her father did become King.
 
Interesting. Coming monday Prince William's Dutch "colleague" Princess Catharina-Amalia will go to secondary school, to the Sorghvliet Gymnasium in The Hague. In today's Algemeen Dagblad a former pupil of that school told: "Linda van de Beek, teacher in German, still commutes from Utrecht to The Hague, and that for 30 years now. Henk Petrie, teacher in History, learned us how to play rugby. Mariana Ringnalda is still teaching French. With singing chansons like La ballade des gens heureux from Gérard Lénorman or the hitsong Ella elle l'a from France Gall, she tried to bring us the love for the language of Molière. Then there is the teacher Latin who loved it to itialanize names: "Davide". Why he is still working there? "To bring pupils in contact with Homerus, Vergilius or Cicero is the most beautiful thing there is!"

After reading this and the fact that Prince William went to Eton, how is it possible that he can not speak and read French???? Dit this German gentleman in that article in The Telegraph had a point? To see William, hmmmm..... Link about disappointing British private schools.
 
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PW allegedly attended tea every week with his Grandmother when he was at Eton to assist him in his understanding of his forthcoming role. Her Majesty was not intended to be Monarch and indeed it came as a shock when her father did become King.

Yes, but she was only 10 years old when her father became king, wasn't she ? I mean, she had plenty of time to prepare for the role thereafter.

When I tell my British friends that I'm surprised Queen Elizabeth was "home-schooled" and never went to university, they say that was common for aristocratic women at that time. However, take e.g. Princess Juliana of the Netherlands, who was actually 17 years or so older than Queen Elizabeth. According to Wikipedia:

On 30 April 1927, Princess Juliana celebrated her eighteenth birthday. Under the constitution, she had officially come of age and was entitled to assume the royal prerogative, if necessary. Two days later her mother installed her in the "Raad van State" ("Council of State").
In the same year, the Princess enrolled as a student at the University of Leiden. In her first years at university, she attended lectures in sociology, jurisprudence, economics, history of religion, parliamentary history, and constitutional law. In the course of her studies she also attended lectures on the cultures of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, international affairs, international law, history, and European law. She graduated from the university in 1930 with a bachelor's degree in international law.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_of_the_Netherlands#cite_note-dan-3
 
Interesting. Coming monday Prince William's Dutch "colleague" Princess Catharina-Amalia will go to secondary school, to the Sorghvliet Gymnasium in The Hague. In today's Algemeen Dagblad a former pupil of that school told: "Linda van de Beek, teacher in German, still commutes from Utrecht to The Hague, and that for 30 years now. Henk Petrie, teacher in History, learned us how to play rugby. Mariana Ringnalda is still teaching French. With singing chansons like La ballade des gens heureux from Gérard Lénorman or the hitsong Ella elle l'a from France Gall, she tried to bring us the love for the language of Molière. Then there is the teacher Latin who loved it to itialanize names: "Davide". Why he is still working there? "To bring pupils in contact with Homerus, Vergilius or Cicero is the most beautiful thing there is!"

After reading this and the fact that Prince William went to Eton, how is it possible that he can not speak and read French???? Dit this German gentleman in that article in The Telegraph had a point? To see William, hmmmm..... Link about disappointing British private schools.
I mean... He took french in school. I took 6 years of spanish in school. Only a few years later now, I can barely present myself. If you don't use the language and only studies it for tests that is usually what happens unless you have a big talent for learning languages.
 
Interesting. Coming monday Prince William's Dutch "colleague" Princess Catharina-Amalia will go to secondary school, to the Sorghvliet Gymnasium in The Hague. In today's Algemeen Dagblad a former pupil of that school told: "Linda van de Beek, teacher in German, still commutes from Utrecht to The Hague, and that for 30 years now. Henk Petrie, teacher in History, learned us how to play rugby. Mariana Ringnalda is still teaching French. With singing chansons like La ballade des gens heureux from Gérard Lénorman or the hitsong Ella elle l'a from France Gall, she tried to bring us the love for the language of Molière. Then there is the teacher Latin who loved it to itialanize names: "Davide". Why he is still working there? "To bring pupils in contact with Homerus, Vergilius or Cicero is the most beautiful thing there is!"

After reading this and the fact that Prince William went to Eton, how is it possible that he can not speak and read French???? Dit this German gentleman in that article in The Telegraph had a point? To see William, hmmmm..... Link about disappointing British private schools.

British education is actually very good, but it is very specialized. In years 12 and 13 (the last two pre-university school years), students only take three or four subjects to prepare for their A-Level exams and, although some university courses require certain specific subjects, there is no compulsory subject a priori. William, for example, didn't take any foreign language for his A-Levels, unlike his father who, I believe, took French.

Even in earlier school years, e.g. between years 9 and 11, the breadth of subjects that students take in English schools is not so big. Some of the brightest students may take up to 9 or 10 subjects at what is called GCSE level (end of year 11), but that is not the case for "average" students.

The few subjects which students actually take in England are studied in depth though. A-Level Maths/Further Maths for example covers material that , in many countries, is only taught in the first year of a bachelor's degree.
 
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If the president of the United States can mange with 'just' English than so can an English Monarch.

English is the language of the Western World. We have the Dukes of Marlborough and Wellington to thank for that.
 
To be honest and I don't want to dismiss the guy, I hold no grudge against him and wish him the best, I am not too impressed so far. He has the tendence to mumble and swallow his words in, which seems a bit remarkable. Should a future King not speak clear and articulate? And then that he is not able to read some words in French, which was the lingua franca at all royal courts and which is spoken in one of his biggest Realms...

It is nice he learned how to fly a helicopter but that the King can express himself in French when he is in Québec or in one of the many francophone countries would not be too pauvre either. Recently I have seen footage on German television with Prince Charles speaking almost accentless German. At least this future King speaks the language of Europe's most important country and a major trade partner to the UK. No translator needed when he meets Frau Merkel...
 
I mean... He took french in school. I took 6 years of spanish in school. Only a few years later now, I can barely present myself. If you don't use the language and only studies it for tests that is usually what happens unless you have a big talent for learning languages.

That's exactly what resulted from several years of French in school for me too.

One thing about Will and foreign languages in his role as a monarch, I can imagine Will making the effort to at least try and present something in the home language (no matter what it is) but also having the aplomb to relate to the people enough that should it not be perfectly spoken, it will at least be endearing. He's got that kind of charisma with people. I would think that the ability and gift of being able to relate to whomever he meets is a far greater advantage than the ability to speak languages or hold a Master's degree in various subjects or found a cure for cancer. A King serves his people and unless you can relate to the people, the King becomes an untouchable and irrelevant to the people.
 
I mean... He took french in school. I took 6 years of spanish in school. Only a few years later now, I can barely present myself. If you don't use the language and only studies it for tests that is usually what happens unless you have a big talent for learning languages.

Yes, it's very, very easy to forget a language if you aren't exposed to it for a while. When I graduated from university, I was essentially fluent in Spanish. However, once I graduated, I never needed to use it, and it was remarkable how quickly I lost the language skills that I had spent years acquiring! I took it upon myself to re-learn what I'd forgotten, though, and fortunately I realized that much of the knowledge was still there, it just needed using! I've had similar issues with my French-speaking abilities. I'm generally quite good at pronunciation, but with French, I need to be around it for a little while and listen to it to get my my pronunciation sorted out. If I had to read a speech in French right now, it would come out sounding a mess.

It would be nice if William could speak French but, IMO, doesn't affect his "suitability" for the position. If it were a real issue, I'm quite certain that someone would be making sure his French skills were still up to snuff.
 
The comparable royal to Prince William who unmeditatedly pops in my mind is Edward VIII. Both William and Edward are/were popular with the people and are/were good at key aspects of royal work, but it seems like they don't like the job as much as it likes them.
 
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