Does anyone care?

Give the taxpayer the money or moneys worth that they have had for various things, that they still benefit from, then I wont care.
 
Knowing people that worked with him and briefly seeing him in Afghan then that’s exactly what happened - he was treated the same as others - until our gutter press leaked it
Correct, my brother in law was a class behind him at Sandhurst and was on Op Herrick with him. Had zero special priveleges as he was just another officer who had a job to do. At Sandhurst he was subjected to the same training as everyone else and I know that to get through that he would have been a tough SOB.
 
90% of the time I don't care but I do when it involves tax payers money, money could go to better use elsewhere. I had a 400 mile round trip yesterday and heard a good deal about this on the radio. The general opinion is you can bea senior person in the royal family or not, you can't be a little bit in. The idea that they can spend 6 months of the year in America / Canada 'working towards financial autonomy' is not compatable with spending the remaining 6 months in the UK on Royal duties. If they want to go to Canada, by all means but accept that you become a Zara Philips (no criticism of her at all) and lose some of the priveleges that you had previously. If you want to keep the trappings then accept what goes with the job, perhaps look at someone like Anne and learn how to do it whilst keeping your head down.

They strike me at the moment as being a bit like the Beckhams at their peak. They are complaining about the press but then do things that put them absolutely at the forefront of the news.

What is it that has been done ? Trying to recall any major issues beyond the press being the press ?
 
As I posted earlier; in general I'd wish them well. However it remind me of the SNP who want to get away from UK control but want to hop back into EU control. The Sussex's seem to blame the media for lack of privacy and need to escape yet in their quest to make cash to fund their independent lifestyle they will court and want a high media profile to enhance their own Sussex brand's value proposition.
 
What is it that has been done ? Trying to recall any major issues beyond the press being the press ?
Bunkermagnet beat me to that one. They lectured, got pulled up over it, quite rightly, and then took the hump when their hypocricy was exposed. Not sure how the flying back and forth to Canada fits in with their eco message either.

They did the documentary with Tom Bradby which put out for all to hear the issues they were both having, including within their family. No need to do that, their choice.

The current situation. Talk to the advisors of the Queen, Charles and William, who have been doing this for years, come up with a plan to withdraw from duties and then release a statement with a plan for the future. Instead they drop the news, with no plan of how this will work, with barely any consultation with the palace. They must have known the news coverage their statement would bring, they have made an absolute horlicks of it. They don't seem to want to listen to advice, to work out a method of managing their situation. If they can't see they are causing damage, did not see it coming, then they are hugely naive and I don't believe they are.

I think they are currently behaving like spoilt kids, not adults with some level of responsibility.
 
If I could get my countrymen to pick up my tabs, I wouldn't turn my back on that.
As a matter of fact, my maternal grandfather used to say that I thought I was a prince.
This guy wants a referendum.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51062770

The money we spend on the royals could be used much better elsewhere, i'd not be bothered if they all stood down

Then we can have a president!

Don't be so sure that you want one.

Although I suppose that your president would merely be head of state and you'd still have a PM.
I think HRM Bess II is a nice lady, myself.
 
If I could get my countrymen to pick up my tabs, I wouldn't turn my back on that.
As a matter of fact, my maternal grandfather used to say that I thought I was a prince.


Don't be so sure that you want one.

Although I suppose that your president would merely be head of state and you'd still have a PM.
I think HRM Bess II is a nice lady, myself.
well not yours anyway:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
No issue at all. Harry was born into these privileges, never asked for them nor do I believe has ever expressed that he expects them. Sure, no doubt we'd all love the amount of financial security he has enjoyed if we could get it. However, if the condition was that to get that financial security, you had to be a high up member of the royal family and undertake the various duties that they do, then I'm sure a lot of us would turn down the money and forget it. I definitely would. And for those that still take the money option, good luck to you.

A lot of the mainstream press are scumbags, especially the British tabloids. Sensationalist misleading rubbish simply to sell papers. Negative stories sell after all. Social media doesn't help either, but I'm sure a lot of the idiocy that is spewed on social media comes from the misinformed public, who are willing to believe the rubbish in the tabloids in the first place.

So, this is his way of sticking his finger up at these types in the press, and perhaps even the critical British public and trying to get away from it all. It will be interesting to see if he can of course, because no doubt the journalists will be chasing him across the Atlantic (I guess stalking doesn't apply to the tabloids) and trying to make up any story they can. Even if they stepped down entirely from Royal duties, I'd imagine taxpayers money could still be used for protection. After all, I doubt it would look very good for Britain if they were taken hostage or something, and it's not exactly like they can blend into the background wherever they go.
 
I have no real concern about them going off and doing their own thing. That said, I think they are delusional if they think that this will give them a break from the media. I feel that it will be quit the opposite and without the Royal press office helping to keep the press out of parts of their life, I think that they are in for a shock.

As others have said, their use of public funds is also an issue to me. If a company spent money on me then there would be clawback agreements if I left the post. In theory the same should apply here.
 
Just write off as bad debt any monies spent on their house or anything else - it's money spent and the state didn't spend the money with an understanding that they would stay working for Royal Family Ltd. The money was spent. Done. Really not a big deal. Such pettiness IMO shouting about claw-back. If they want to offer something great - but good grief - future state spending on the RF will be reduced if they go their own way - result!

Good diversion from worst ever NHS A&E waiting times reported today. Now that's important and worthy of our time discussing. Not this tripe.
 
Best of luck to them, they've decided that it's not worth the pressure and strain on their mental health to stay in the UK. His mum was effectively hounded to her death by the press, the same press that at best take a very strange attitude to his wife and at worst are verging on the racist. So they've said sod this for a game of soldiers. Don't blame them at all for doing this.
 
Personally have a lot of admiration for them.

Life's too short to sit and be bored stiff doing Royal duties if you don't want to.

They are both likeable and talented and I'm sure will continue to make a success of their lives without being inside the Royal circle.

Just hope they stick to their word and pay their own way. I'm sure both of them have become used to having a few staff members, as well as executive travel and they'll no doubt need to do something pro-active to raise money to maintain that lifestyle.
 
Bunkermagnet beat me to that one. They lectured, got pulled up over it, quite rightly, and then took the hump when their hypocricy was exposed. Not sure how the flying back and forth to Canada fits in with their eco message either.

Well I think it’s fair to say they aren’t the only one - how do all these big politicians get to these climate meetings - walk ? Even Greta uses air/car/plane travel

If they are hypocrites then anyone who uses a mode of transport can’t be critical about “climate change”

They did the documentary with Tom Bradby which put out for all to hear the issues they were both having, including within their family. No need to do that, their choice.

No idea about a documentary- not sure what issues they put out ? But understand Meghan said she was struggling with the intense scrutiny by the media - seems ok to me to say that especially when we know what our press our like
The current situation. Talk to the advisors of the Queen, Charles and William, who have been doing this for years, come up with a plan to withdraw from duties and then release a statement with a plan for the future. Instead they drop the news, with no plan of how this will work, with barely any consultation with the palace. They must have known the news coverage their statement would bring, they have made an absolute horlicks of it. They don't seem to want to listen to advice, to work out a method of managing their situation. If they can't see they are causing damage, did not see it coming, then they are hugely naive and I don't believe they are.

Well this current situation I believe has come about because of the press , they have managed to get hold of something before it went through the whole process hence the rushed statements- no surprised with our press
I think they are currently behaving like spoilt kids, not adults with some level of responsibility.

I’m not sure exactly why they are “spoilt kids”

But I can tell Harry has prob done more for injured soldiers than people realise , the man was willing and wanted to his bit on the front line , he watched whilst the press ruined his mother’s life and ultimately helped push her to her death and now it appears all he wants is for his wife and family to not suffer the same as he and Diana did but still use his standing to continue to help others

I find it hard for people to be critical of someone who is just trying to protect his family

The treatment of his wife by many is disgusting at times - and it’s mainly because she is a yank and also her skin colour - some of the stuff said on social media and in the press is a disgrace and it’s that they want to get away from
 
Harry and Meghan have done some excellent work, really excellent work, with the charities they are involved in. They both have a really empathetic way with people and people warm to them. They are an absolute asset, no question and this situation is a real shame for all concerned. That doesn't mean we can't question decisions they make whilst they are still on the public payroll. Remove themselves from that, drop the titles and they can go fill their boots wherever they like.

Whatever happens I think most people want them to be happy, as everyone should be. It's just a matter of how they get there.
 
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