UK General Discussion: Rishecession

[afleitch]

I like Harry. I think the British press have absolutely done a number on him. The why is the issue that appeals to me.

With William, I have no idea what interests him. I don't know his charities other than he occasionally sells copies of the 'Big Issue' homeless magazine. I can't remember a single speech he's given in any cause or issue.

[Earthling]

Maybe the problem with William is that is just not much there. At least Harry has a personality. He has character. William is just.... blah. Boring, no personality, no real interests, nothing.

Charles can be quirky but there is depth to him.

[Alben Barkley]

I like Harry. I think the British press have absolutely done a number on him. The why is the issue that appeals to me.

With William, I have no idea what interests him. I don't know his charities other than he occasionally sells copies of the 'Big Issue' homeless magazine. I can't remember a single speech he's given in any cause or issue.

Harry seems like a whiner to me. Whining endlessly about the ultimate spoiled rich kid problems in a book called “Spare?” Give me a break. Throwing your whole family that has given you an insanely privileged life  (let’s be real, he wouldn’t be married to a Hollywood actress if he was just some random ginger guy named Harry) under the bus publicly? Just wrong. Also South Park hit the nail on the head with the hypocrisy of complaining about the media constantly while seeming to go out of your way to attract media attention. He just seems to lack self-awareness and I understand how it can piss people off to see someone whine so much about the trials of being a rich prince while they’re struggling to make ends meet.

William seems more down to Earth at least if boring. But I do like Charles better than either of them. Always thought he got a bad rap, so this is a real shame. Cancer is awful, I know from experiences with my own family, and the fact that they’re not telling anyone what kind of cancer it is and he’s canceling public events is not a great sign. Of course he’ll have access to the best treatment around, but even that can only do so much sometimes. Hoping for the best for him!

[Torrain]

Cancer is a such a rough ride, for patient and family alike, and and I know going through it during an ongoing familal estrangement makes things painful in a host of additional ways. Nothing but sympathy for him, and them alike.

I've noted my amused, but genuine appreciation of his bicycle monarcy instincts before - and the openness here feel genuinely commendable. The reported 300-fold increase in traffic to the NHS webpage on prostate health after his previous announcement definitely speaks in his favour.

I do have a number of thoughts, medical and constitutional, but a lot of those feel ill-judged for right now. All I'd suggest is - maybe send Michael Dixon on an extended leave period, and find a more conventional interim replacement?

[Conservatopia]

It's rumoured William is into pegging

Okay, but what about on the weekends? He can't do that all day every day.

[CumbrianLefty]

I like Harry. I think the British press have absolutely done a number on him. The why is the issue that appeals to me.

With William, I have no idea what interests him. I don't know his charities other than he occasionally sells copies of the 'Big Issue' homeless magazine. I can't remember a single speech he's given in any cause or issue.

I note there is much more traditional "palace secrecy" regarding what his wife's treatment was about.

[Pres Mike]

Out of curiosity, why does the British press hate Megan Markle so much?

[CumbrianLefty]

Her being non-white and American is quite a lot of it, even before you get to more specific stuff.

Btw there is quite a big online "rabbit hole" conspiracy claiming that the Sussex kids aren't real.

[Sir Mohamed]

Let’s hope he beats this cancer quickly.

I’m curious, on these modernizing reforms to the monarchy, what does Charles actually want to do? And if worse comes to worse, how much of it can be crammed into a couple years?

I think it's already part of the modernization that the king even announced his diagnosis. We'll see whether the public gets more information in the coming days and weeks.

Anyway, wishing him a quick and full recovery. Cancer is a vicious disease.

[President Johnson]

Out of curiosity, why does the British press hate Megan Markle so much?

I wonder whether racism is at least a part of it. Or because she's not originally British?

[icc]

Out of curiosity, why does the British press hate Megan Markle so much?

I wonder whether racism is at least a part of it. Or because she's not originally British?

I think it's pretty hard to dispute that racism plays a part, and that is what most people have honed in on, but there's little doubt in my mind that the overwhelming reason is that she's American, and, horror of horrors, a 'celebrity' in her own right.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Out of curiosity, why does the British press hate Megan Markle so much?

I wonder whether racism is at least a part of it. Or because she's not originally British?

I think it's pretty hard to dispute that racism plays a part, and that is what most people have honed in on, but there's little doubt in my mind that the overwhelming reason is that she's American, and, horror of horrors, a 'celebrity' in her own right.

'She is American and therefore vulgar' etc. I think some missteps of hers (which to an extent have to be seen as the Palace flunkies fault: they seem to have made assumptions that she must know certain things as her first language is English...) then contributed. Doesn't help that a very different American Woman is still remembered.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

I hope he lives to see Poundbury finished. The mad kings of old built castles; the monarchs of today must have their surreal toytowns.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I hope he lives to see Poundbury finished. The mad kings of old built castles; the monarchs of today must have their surreal toytowns.

The Thuringian Quarter of Dorchester.

[Blair]

Let’s hope he beats this cancer quickly.

I’m curious, on these modernizing reforms to the monarchy, what does Charles actually want to do? And if worse comes to worse, how much of it can be crammed into a couple years?

A minor change but he’s long wanted to cut down on the number of royals who get paid to open garden centres and who get free accommodation and so on in exchange for doing royal duties- a slimmed down monarchy was the plan, and that plan was essentially Charles, William and Harry doing the brunt of royal outwards facing work— hence why the Harry crisis hit so hard and scuppered it.

Both Charles and Camilla (pre 2022) both did a lot of quiet work behind the scenes around issues that are political e.g domestic abuse, youth work, climate change etc and both have an interest rather than wanting to appear to care- which is how other royal projects from other members came across.

[Silent Hunter]

They've now got a shortage of people to do all the work; all the working royals bar William and Catherine are over 50, with a majority over 70. Charles isn't even the oldest of them - there's Prince Edward of Kent i.e. one of the cousins, is 88.

With Charles and Catherine out of commission for months, it's made the problem even bigger.

[Zinneke]

Well they could always rely on Prince Andreeeeoh never mind.

Seriously though, in 2024, surely after the above scandal + Prince Charles being best mates with Jimmy Savile, one could at least contemplate giving the gig to another family.

[Torrain]

Yeah, given that Anne seems to cover more public engagements in a week than some 'working royals' do in a year, it's not going to get any easier in the coming years. It's like that xkcd meme about internet infrastructure, but the wobbly block at the bottom is a 73 year old woman's immune system.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

[AtorBoltox]

Yeah, given that Anne seems to cover more public engagements in a week than some 'working royals' do in a year, it's not going to get any easier in the coming years.

Yeah, look at William's schedule from a few years ago.
https://twitter.com/RepublicStaff/status/1546198622001397760
It's stretching the definition of 'working' to its breaking point to consider William a working royal

[Zinneke]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

There was an interview with one of her advisors on Newsnight, which had some very Thick of It vibes. Worth a watch.

[Pericles]

She hasn't gained any brain cells since leaving Number 10 clearly.

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

There was an interview with one of her advisors on Newsnight, which had some very Thick of It vibes. Worth a watch.

Do you have a link?

[EastAnglianLefty]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

And with her usual inimitable timing, doing it in the same week as we're reflecting on mortality and the royal family.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Seems like Liz Truss is trying to make a comeback of sorts but it's going about as well as her tenure as Prime Minister

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/06/bring-the-popcons-out-liz-truss-is-the-entertainment-that-keeps-giving

Another opportunity to savour the latest incarnation of one of UK’s shortest-reigning prime ministers

And with her usual inimitable timing, doing it in the same week as we're reflecting on mortality and the royal family.

Well, the other Liz lasted only 2 days after meeting Liz Truss.