During the Cambridges’ week-long workathon, one of their big appearances was for Trooping the Colour last weekend. Trooping the Colour is an annual thing for the Queen’s birthday, and for this year’s festivities, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought out Prince George and Princess Charlotte for their first balcony waves. It was actually pretty charming because kids are kids and kids don’t really give a crap about royal protocol. George and Charlotte were probably better behaved than most kids would have been, but George was still pretty grumpy. So at one point, William knelt down to George’s level. Will talked to George, possibly pointing out some of the planes or whatever, just trying to get George to brighten up. And the Queen was not amused.
Come for the queen scolding William, stay for the George facepalm. pic.twitter.com/etvmofiU5m
— Brandon McGinley (@brandonmcg) June 15, 2016
While I love George’s face-palm (the kid has no poker face), what I love most of all is that the Queen is basically the only person William will obey. If Charles had said, “Stand up, William,” would Will have done it? Nope. The Queen had to remind William that he wasn’t there to make the moment better for his son, William was there to stand up straight and represent the monarchy. Kneeling is for peasants!!! A prince never crouches.
Bonus photos of the Queen and her fabulous brooches at the Royal Ascot. I wish she would order Kate to stand up straight too! All of the younger royals need to be reminded that slouches are not royal. You know what’s royal? Brooches.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Don’t just stand up, you privileged sponger. STEP UP.
LOL
I’m giving William a pass this week for his Atittude cover. I’m glad he is speaking out on LGBT bullying. It’s an important issue.
Ha, exactly. The RAF were about to fly over. He needed to be standing as a sign of respect. She shouldn’t have to tell him things like this. But, for William, his desires supersede all.
Particularly important that he did, being he is an ex-RAF pilot himself. He should have showed more respect to his ex-colleagues.
Right. Best indoctrinate little Georgie right away, so he will realize that he doesn’t matter as a human being. Only appearances matter.
Sociopaths act that way. (And abused people.) Folks here demand this socico behavior of a toddler and his father. That’s nuts.
Sociopaths? Seriously???? I never though of the Queen to be like that, I guess you always learn something new.
Well, I never realised that being told to show respect is sociopathic behaviour
tmot, if William doesn’t want to follow the rules and respectful behavior required of his ridiculous position, he is free to walk away at any time and take the kids with him. As long as he stays in taking millions a year in perks, he needs to suck it up, do the job, and follow the rules.
I am with tmot. That entire institution is cold and heartless. The queens fixation on the role of monarchy is insanely sanctimonous. She heads the most pointless establishment in the Western hemisphere but still puts it ahead of actual human beings in her family. A father bent down to speak to his son only this souless human being who outsourced her own child rearing role would object. You know who else raises money for charity? Celebrities, most of whom occupy that role by virtue of some outstanding quality and NOT because a distant ancester was really good at war. I wish somebody would tell all these people (starting with this ice box woman in a tiara) to sit the hell down.
Naya, did you read the rest of the explanation of what happened? She didn’t stop him immediately. It wasn’t until the flyby took place that she wanted him to stand and show his respects to the RAF.
If William has a problem with the rules or the job, he needs to quit the company and give back all the money and perks. They can go live elsewhere on his 10 million inheritance. Otherwise, follow the rules and get to work.
“outsourced her own childrearing”? Bashing working parents again? You’ve been reading the pro-W&K fandom press. There have been many stories released in the last few years countering the idea that HM is either a cold or neglectful parent. Princess Anne led the charge and publicly slapped down her older brother about his comments.
@ naya….I seriously and totally agree with everything you said and then some….Now! Let’s pry their grip from all the land holdings, taxpayer millions, swiss bank accounts, stocks/bonds/contracts/dealings/media $ et al et al et al….et al. that they have banked on for oh let’s be generous and just say the last 100 years….Problem solved! Their human dignity can then be restored. Think it will happen? Me neither.
Hudsongirl – yes. He is so spoiled it makes me cringe. And you can tell he wants the perks without the responsibility. Yet another example,however short…
Naya, it was just for a moment.
Although I agree the monarchy is a useless and wasteful institution, filled with people whose ancestors killed other monarchs to grab the crown. 🙂
Anyone notice the look on Prince Harry’s face? Took the joy right out of it.
I will (sorta) stick up for him. The photo I saw, he was kneeling down to be level with his adorable son, George.
Maya Memsaab. Well said.
I love the orange hat the Queen is wearing with her blue suit.
The blue and orange is really stunning!
Me too. She looks lovely!
I love the pink hat. Stunning. HM’s hat game is fabulous. Others should take not but probably won’t.
Camilla’s hats can be wonderful too. I was over on Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor reading the blog owner’s comments on Ascot fashion. Best one? Her description of Princess Haya’s feathered hat. “You know what they say: it’s not Ascot until someone puts a mysterious sea creature on their head. “
Nota – that quote made my day. Thanks!
I think that is my fave look out of the Queens’s outfits. Her choice of colours for her outfits are always on point.
+1000. Note to Kate, THIS is how you do duo-chromatic or monochromatic dressing! The Queen, while not the fashion-plate Diana was, always looks put together and appropriate for the occasion, whether she’s driving a jeep in the mud, visiting her patronages, or opening Parliament. And, she’s been known to recycle clothes too!
Yas! The Queen’s fashion is always on point.
There really needs to be a book or online site devoted entirely to pics of the Queen in her colorful business attire through the years. Maybe there is one already.
I know there’s a wonderful color chart online, made by Vogue magazine, showing the Queen in a veritable rainbow of hues and what colors she wears most. Google “Queen Elizabeth Vogue Color Chart.” Vogue UK has a lot of articles about the Queen’s style. And her designer, whose name I can’t recall but who used to be her personal maid, published a memoir a few years ago with the Queen’s approval. I think that book had a lot of interesting tidbits too.
Boss
I prefer the “top lady.”
Haha. The matriarch generation (I call them the sister mafia) in my family are like that.
Poke. “Do this.” Pokee obeys.
One of my aunts has what we call “the gravy in the hair sanction”. Do anything she doesn’t like while she’s cooking, and you get a rap on the head with the spoon she’s stirring the gravy with. It requires instant obedience. And it gets it.
We don’t have good brooches, however. I think you are onto something there, Kaiser. We are separated from the blood royal by the symbol of the brooch.
My mother doesn’t even speak. She gives you the look that stops a train in its tracks and you had better know why. It makes you blush with shame at your lack of tact/manners/decorum and instantly rearrange your pouty face to a suitable degree of fascination/joy/empathy. No brooches, either, though. Maybe I’ll give her one for Christmas this year.
Oh go on! Give her a brooch!
Nobody argues with the sister mafia in my family. I’m longing for the day I’m old enough to join them and my word also becomes THE LAW.
Get that gravy spoon ready!
I thought I was the only one! Growing up in a Very southern family run by an total matriarchy means that you obey when mamma gives you “the look”
My grandmother ran the family because my grandfather was very ill. Now my aunts and my mom run the family and the younger women are poised to take over.
Kate – that’s my family! The older generation of women run it. The men really don’t have much of a say at all.
Sixer – sounds like we come from good people. Here’s to one day being old enough to join “the sister mafia”
My mother does ‘the look’ as well. She also has ‘the tone’ that tells you in its quiet way that she’s disappointed and have had just enough of your nonsense. Is there a secret club where they all learn this or something?
My mother, the nasty old besom, was the QUEEN of “THE LOOK”, and ditto GNAT, one had better know what it was for! AND, we did. The gravy spoon would have added insult to injury, and been quite superfluous in our house, “THE LOOK” was sufficient to keep us in line. Also, “THE PINCH” in the church pew was another effective device of good behaviour Mind you, we was brung up proper like. No brooches required, although I do love a nice brooch, and her Madge sure does have a lovely collection of them.
I didn’t have a mother growing up, but the nuns would always silence us with a look. Especially Mother Superior, I find myself doing the look to my kids. Hey, it works.
That is my nan through and through. She’s a big ‘poker’. “Erinn. Get off your phone.” “Erinn – go get me a spoon. Not that one, a big one”.
She’s a force to be reckoned with, and it’s amazing. Drives my mom nuts as it’s her MIL.
We’ve had to remind her on many occasions to put the big kitchen knives down while gesturing hahaha
I recently had the pleasure of listening via phone to my sister issue a blistering verbal “gravy spoon” to her daughter. I knew it was serious when she uttered the phrase, “I didn’t raise you to….”! It reminded me so much of my own Mama, who has passed, that it made me proud, giggly and was bittersweet. Nice to know that when Mama gets serious, it still means business and she will straighten out you out!
For me, this is a southern tradition of matriarchy which exists on my side of the family but not my husbands. It really does create a different family dynamic. I much prefer the female driven model.
Sixer, does she wash the spoon before putting it back into the gravy? 🙂
Everyone’s too scared to check!
My mother asks: Egla what should we do now? She doesn’t do the straightening thing. She is the sweetest person in the world. If I do something it’s right in her eyes. My father on the other hand…stinky eye…nop killer eye all the f…g time. Everything we do it needs adjusting according to him.
I suppose she gets a break because she’s the authority on what is or isn’t Royal, but I actually thought that was kind of rude. She’s not a very warm person, is she? But, brooches.
Same here. She just seems rude
But at least she knows what the public expects of its Royals and it doesn’t include pretending to fly helicopters and flashing people. William could have easily picked up PG Tips and allowed the public to see the Grumpy Little Man while pointing at the planes.
I don’t know what half the words you are saying mean.
I understand it perfectly – well said Lisa!
Thanks, ABC.
Made perfect sense to me too.
Lisa – exactly! Well-said. W & K think they are being given lives of luxury to sit around & “raise their kids” (which I have suspicions of how much they actually do!) but they’re supposed to be leading members of BRF. And, Willnot, that entails standing at attention for a few seconds. Kneeling during the fly past would’ve been disrespectful – so pick up your son if he’s fussing & do your “job”.
I don’t know… I’m with GNAT. I’m not a fan of monarchy in general and of this family in particular, but seeing William kneel next to his son is one thing that does NOT make me want to exclaim “how dare he, given his luxurious lifestyle!” (pretty much everything else does :-), although I was pleasantly surprised that William took a stand for LGBTQ people the other day – I thought surely the royals were too conservative to be outspoken on that issue?)
Well said Lisa. As a British taxpayer, I want the head of state to act like a head of state. I don’t want to pay some two bit flasher and her less than intelligent husband to represent me. Especially when he admits he doesn’t understand what a full time royal role actually entails.
I thought it was quite rude as well. He wasn’t sitting lazily, he was interacting with his son, and I’d wager people prefer to see that than him standing stoically. She is from a different generation, though.
She was merely reminding him of his manners. I don’t recall that going out of style no matter what generation.
He knelt down during the flypast which in theory everybody would be saluting as it happens. Everyone else is standing/stands up, including the parents of all the other kids on the Balcony. If the boy needs reassurance whilst on the Balcony then he is too young / not ready for the balcony or carry him.
It’s not about William or the boy. William should know this by now. The show must go on even if someone is having a meltdown.
Years ago, someone actually shot at the Queen during this parade and she kept going, side saddle and all.
LAK is correct.
I mean, when I am Glorious Overlord there will be none of this anachronistic crapola. My chariot will be accessible to all.
But I’m not Glorious Overlord (yet) and Bill was there to do his anachronistic ceremonial duty. If the toddler wasn’t up to it, he shouldn’t have been there.
ITA – if you watch the footage William spent more time fussing with George than paying attention to where he was. TQ actually looked annoyed with him. TBH George didn’t look like he was having a moment, he seemed quite excited about the flypast when it happened. Thou he did keep rubbing his eyes meaning that he may have been tired.
But the cynic in me things that William kept kneeling down to show us all how much of a ‘normal, hands on father he is’ unlike his own.
Oooohhh. I didn’t understand that it was during the fly past. That makes more sense. She thought he was being disrespectful, then?
GNAT: Yes.
She also didn’t tell him to stand up straight away. She let him talk to the boy for some time, and only told him to stand up at the fly past.
The incident is being framed as if she told him off the minute he knelt down or soon afterwards.
Further, he was talking to the boy about the flypast as it was happening , so it’s not as if he was oblivious to that part of the parade.
It also looks from the clip that he and Harry were chatting and laughing at something when the Queen told him to knock it off. I’d be annoyed too if I were her.
What it is, GNAT, is the other way around, you know?
WE are not getting a look at THEM in a family way.
THEY are showing themselves to US, by participating in the nation’s ceremonial events.
WE are not showing respect to THEM.
THEY are showing respect to US (where “us” is the nation).
See what I mean? I know it’s an unfamiliar way of looking at it if you don’t have a ceremonial monarchy. I don’t even agree with having a ceremonial monarchy but, since we do have one, and they enjoy immense privilege because we do have one, they should do it properly.
@GNAT — It starts at 1:22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ffx9GFqe-g QEII tells him to stand at the same moment some people near this camera say “Here we go! Here they come”. William’s down there for about 30 seconds. (You can also hear the planes in the background of this video too http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2016/06/17/4621035777967243058/640x360_4621035777967243058.mp4)
OT–I think you can also get a sense of what @Betti is referencing, in William’s constant fussing with George, who is looking out, waving, and not doing anything, (except for when he leaned over the balcony).
Ok, thank you, everyone. Just looking at the little GIF was not the whole story. I see it now for what it was – it was time to stand up and she was being helpful, not really scolding, just “it’s time to stand” or there probably would have been pictures of him not being respectful. We stand for our national anthem, so it was sort of like that was beginning and she just let him know it was time. Got it. So sorry, QE. Did I mention I love your brooches? *Slinks away after unfairly calling 90 year old nice Queen rude*
NEVER apologise for saying bad things about the BRF, my lovely GNAT! It’s a silly institution and it should be long gone. What is ridic is that we Britishers can lecture you on the finer points of Britisher civic ways, when those civic ways involve a nonogenarian standing on a balcony, wearing a brooch, and waving at aeroplanes.
Yes @GNAT– To second Sixer, never, ever, NEV-VAH, apologize for talking sh*t about the BRF. You said cold. I’m in a good mood today. It was my something nice for the day. But if you had called QEII greedy, corrupt, and negligent, I would agree! My particular issue with The Heir of the Heir and The Hair at this second, is how this felt like yet another pandering, calculated attempt to steal the spotlight and put on a show of being normal, and happy, and blah, blah, blah. The thing with the monarchy is, if you’re going to buy into the bullsh*t, you have to buy into all the bullsh*t. William and Kate want to pick their bullsh*t. This felt like an extension of that attitude. They make a point of being uncomfortable with pomp and circumstance, (they think that’s charming). They’re modern, with middle-class values. They literally want nothing to do with the few things (tradition, continuity, duty) that Liz and the monarchy can hang their hat on and stand for… STAND UP, Bill!
I was going to say all this upthread to someone, and then I thought I sounded to cranky. I figured someone else would say it better, and sure enough, here it all is!
You’re working, William! Stand up! Respect the RAF and the people gathered to look at you, since that’s a basic requirement of your job.
There is a long tradition of royal children coming out for the flyover, so people would have been disappointed if George and Charlotte didn’t show. At the same time, they both looked grumpy and fussy, but sometimes members of the BRF just need to suck it up and put on a good face. I don’t think that is cold or heartless. Their extraordinary privledge comes with life long obligations and they need to learn that from the get go, especially since they have the far better end of the bargain.
I don’t like any of them, but I don’t get coldness from her https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb9MIJIjW3k. (You know those awful, terrible, formal, *ahem* Germanic, family get-together we gotta’ hear about every year? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K6XtXQaTxw. Seems exaggerated.) I think there are plenty of grandmothers everywhere who would have told their grandsons the same. (And George is busy sneezing and wasn’t even speaking to William when he went down. Nor did he seem especially interested in what Will was saying.) I would know better than to be crouching in my uniform like that and to STAND for the RAF’s flypast. http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2016/06/17/4621035777967243058/640x360_4621035777967243058.mp4 QEII seemed to wait a moment and when it looked like William wasn’t going to get back up, (ready to pose and point and get the photo of him interacting with his son in HIS family photo, I agree with @Betti), she told him to get up.
I would love for a lipreader to tell us what HM’s saying to William.
I know. It’s “stand up asdhs dsajd mdmas *mutterings*” It looks like two additional sentences. 😀 I thought I saw a “you know” near the end. I’d also like to know what the others were thinking. Harry spares a few glances at William throughout. (Harry was also speaking to Charles before quickly saying something to William. I wonder if they were telling him to stand b/f Liz did.) Edward checks it out and quickly diverts his eyes. But Bea stares, lol. I love the plastered grins and bemused glances. I don’t know if they’re just going “Smile, smile, *gritted teeth* keep smiling”. Or if they were all charmed by the father/son moment… doubtful. Or if they, like the Queen, were all thinking, “Seriously?” Her Maj-ness however was without question not amused. She turns her head towards Will, scowls and barely budges for a moment there, and then finally “up, idjit!”
If that was a private moment than it would have been ok, but William is not a normal parent taking his son to a parade. He was there for work. His work is to stand up straight, and if his son has a meltdown he can ask to the nanny to take him away. End of it.
It was rude of him, and the Queen was right to remind him which is his place.
THIS!
I see now, please see above.
I don’t think she is rude. she is brash.. and also she is her family’s boss (Harry referred to HM with that name) and that is her way.
she was never a warm and loving mother or grandmother.
How do you know?
Also consider the purpose of having William, Kate, and both very young children front and center, flanked by the Queen and the Prince of Wales. Its a charm offensive stunt to combat all the criticism the Cambridges have been getting. I’m reminded of Queen Victoria’s successor, King Edward VII. The monarchy was not popular at the time of the Queen’s death because she had been avoiding the public and had all but stopped most of these events. She rarely attended the opening of Parliament and the Trooping of the Guard/Color, etc. Edward was wildly unpopular himself but he immediately upped the pomp and circumstance of the BRF’s ceremonial role and reminded the people why they cared about the family to begin with. I see the Queen’s actions in much the same light. Being a family man tucked away in a distant manor is all well and good for an aristocrat, but if you want to remain a Royal you must represent something the public can’t get from any other well off father of two. So while William may have been keen to crouch and experience the whole event with his son, the Queen realizes that won’t keep his crown safe from an ever increasingly underwhelmed population.
William was the rude one, not standing as the fly-by came. It would be like Obama kneeling down during the National Anthem. He would, rightly, be criticized. Talk to your son, of course, she didn’t poke him right away. But he needed to have some respect for the RAF as they flew over.
And I think the Queen just doesn’t put up with nonsense. She’s 90, and has no patience for disrespect. She seems to have a great relationship with Harry. 🙂
He looks like he’s making some kind of excuse. I have very little clue as to what that parade is about, but if there’s generally a lot of noise, is it possible he tuned it out and did not realize that the fly-by was imminent? That’s what his body language and pointing at the sky seems to mean to me. “Oops, sorry, didn’t realize they were already right there” kind of thing.
I’d love to meet her n break every protocol. Enough with Royals, people are starving n this b.s. show is a waste. Were all the same …yeah too early lol
Thank you. Sometimes I am flabbergasted with the amount of fawning over this useless family.
I agree, stand up and step up.
That orange and blue hat on the Queen is EVERYTHING! The whole outfit looks great on her. I can see why the English want the monarchy around as long as she is queen she has the work ethic and represents. Bravo. Well done.
This makes me feel lots of sympathy for William, actually.
why though?
If you were the head of a large corporation – paid loads of money to do not very much, you’d be expected to behave with decorum and follow protocol at public events, too.
Sorry guys, this wasn’t a simple family outing – this was one of the FEW things these idiots to during the year, for which we pay them millions.
Given the perks they all enjoy, dressing up and following some ceremonial protocol for a few hours is the least you could expect. You’d think that in 2016, when a lot of people think the whole idea that this family is somehow better than the rest of us, just by the accident of birth, is simply absurd. In the environment of uncertainty and austerity in the UK, not much is expected of these people and the Cambridges consistently fail to fulfill even that. So yeah, my sympathies are non-existent.
I get that. Initially I felt for him too. But after reading all the well informed comments, it snapped me out of sympathy.
William is doing what his mother did and it’s been increasing behaviour of late. Doing yoga on grass in socks ??? in full view of cameras…by himself. What self respecting man in a position like or similar to his would do that? Unless he was trying to manipulate public cameras for goodwill, sympathy. Now this.
The Queen has done this rodeo in full with his mother so she can spot this coming. Good on her publicly slapping it back. We need to see that in a family supported by and enjoying the public money.
Diana had all my sympathy when she was alive but in hindsight and lots of reading, plus aging myself, I’ve realized what a manipulative sabotaging mess she was. William needs to get it together but I think there’s little hope for him.
Why does Kate look like she’s insanely grinning out of place in one of the photos? She increasingly reminds me of a Stepford Wife from that movie…creepy.
Boo – THIS! Including the Diana bit.
Hmm, I thought that the yoga was stretching before a polo match, and that all players did it. If I were royal, I’d probably still choose to stretch elsewhere, in private, but then again I’m not a great athlete and never felt like I looked good exercising, so maybe it’s my thing.
I felt sorry for William too. He has always been surrounded by great wealth and privilege, but this little scene made me reflect on what a lonely time he probably had growing up after his mother’s death – surrounded by cold, undemonstrative people. No-one’s fault as we are all the product of our own upbringing, but I bet he could really have done with a cuddly grandma.
You don’t know that. Many accounts are out there of Charles being a good, loving father. Don’t believe the Daily Mail-type propaganda about him.
And yet Harry seems to have turned out fine, though he also lost his mom, and was also raised and surrounded by these same supposedly cold and undemonstrative people.
Harry chose to grow up, William has chosen to be a public grump.
But when William knelt (kneeled?) we could see Deliciousness better, so he was actually doing a public service.
Lol
I’m with you on that Size, if Silly Billy obliges us by stepping out of the view of The Ginge, then he is doing all of us great unwashed a huge solid, it’s probably the only thing he can do right.
First steps–now if the Queen can just order Wills to do some work!! The Queen looks so beautiful and I love all the bright colors she wears. I would love to be that stylish when I’m 90!!
I am not feeling kindly towards the royals today. We spend £100m a year on their security. Perhaps it would be better spent on security for our hard-working MPs.
Still grieving this end. Good news: Corbyn and Cameron both going to the constituency today. This is a platform they *should* share.
Agreed. And the Conservatives are not contesting the by-election, which is the right thing to do, I think.
Yes. FINALLY. Some decency all round.
I hope this has given the politicos and the media (on all sides) the wake-up call they need. They’ve all been playing with fire. If so, Jo Cox couldn’t have a better legacy.
I’m turning off the news now, or I’ll be blubbing all day.
Really liked what Cameron had to say about the importance of access in our democracy and that because we are generally safe and secure, we get this special and probably unique aspect of it.
Yesterday was an awful, awful day. The more I read about Jo Cox the more apparent it becomes that she was an incredible woman and advocate. For all the grouching about our politicians, most are just dedicated public servants. I’m glad the by-election is being left uncontested.
Just wanted to throw in my hat and offer respect and condolences re the Jo Cox debacle. Honestly, I despair of the world sometimes! I can only hope that living unafraid and carrying on the good fight will somehow overcome those who senselessly hate others. RIP Ms Cox. I was awed to see that Gabby Giffords had some lovely things to say about her. There is a woman who knows whereof she speaks.
pfffft, hard working MP’s my a**. How about putting it forward for NHS that’s sinking as well as students who are paying £9000 student fees?
This is really not the week to be making that comment.
Was Charles even there?
Yes. Standing to the other side of kate. Cropped out of the pictures.
Poor guy. He is the next king and is far more dedicated to his duty. Yet, whiny Willy and Waity are the ones standing with the Queen.
You also could barely see Harry. I bet more people wanted to see him than William and Kate. Plus, he does more for the country.
But hands on! Normal! Dad doing some Dadding! George is at the age where if he didn’t want to be picked up, someone probably would’ve gotten a black eye.
I can see both sides, I just can’t really be bothered either way.
That orange and blue, however, is giving life to my morning.
I doubt the Queen was upset with him. Just telling him it was time to stand up. He probably could have picked the kid up at that point, but George is at a very unpredictable age. If you’re going to insist on including toddlers and babies at such events, expect many breaches of protocol and count your blessings if the kid doesn’t start screaming.
“The Queen is the only one he will obey”
Very true. But only to her face. When she sends him letters with requests he ignores most.
I am just here for more videos of Lilibet scolding William. Sixer? LAK? Anyone? Haha!
Hilarious GIF, except that brutal moment when the joyful impish smile falls off our lovely Ginger Harry. “I’ll slap that smile off your face”, HRM.
HM is not renowned for being warm and compassionate so at first I thought she was a bit off in telling William not to speak to George. However thanks to other commenters I can see the incident in its proper context and feel she was right to ask him to stand up for the fly past. Good to see he pays attention to someone sometimes.
My eldest aunt is the current matriarch, and I’m being groomed to take her place. 🙂 Age isn’t the priority in my family, it’s who has the vagina to tell others off.
Team Queen on this one (although points to William for showing more of Harry in uniform, yum!). This wasn’t a private airshow, it was an official review of the troops and he should stand, if not salute them. And W&K definitely looked like they were posing for their “we’re just folks” Christmas card. Ironically, I thought the Queen’s response was that of a normal granny when in public/at formal occasion. Throughout my childhood, whenever my cousins and I squirmed in our seats at church, in the theater, etc., my grandmother could stop us in our tracks with a look that would make the Pope sit up straight.
On another note, am I the only one who thinks William and Edward look like they could be brothers? Same face-shape, lack of hair, etc.
Exactly. And he should be embarrassed that at his age he still has to get his nan to remind him the role he was raised to fulfill.
He should go and live like any other person, see how much fun he has working all week and having little time to spend with his family.
So true. If William wants to do the “normal” thing, he should go full monty.
The Queen is one of the last of her generation. Grannies from her generation expected their granchildren to have respect and manners. They had no problem being one of the adults to instill them with a pointed look and a word.
paddyjr: Uncle and Nephew.. Sometimes the gene pool does things like that . I knew someone once who was convinced that my Uncle was my actual Father. He wasn’t. No matter, didn’t matter how many times I told him , we looked alike and that’s all he noticed.
Yep, it’s amazing the different combos those chromosomes can come up with. I just never noticed how much alike William and Edward looked. If I didn’t know they were uncle/nephew, I would have said they were brothers.
So the queen tells him off over something as little as kneeling down to his son in a balcony but people still believe she’s okay with his work shy attitude?
Cool! The Queen is a Mets fan!
Lol, I thought of that as well; Mr. Met should have been at Ascot, too!
Wow, Charlotte takes after the Queen (and the Queen’s distaff side).
My mother took many photographs back when of the Glamis contingent of the family and I’ve seen some – striking resemblances.
A little piece of history here: The brooch HM is wearing with the blue/orange suit is perhaps one of the most historic she wears. That enormous sapphire surrounded by diamonds was Prince Albert’s wedding gift to Queen Victoria. 1840, I believe.
@Sixer thank you for explaining this distinction! It is one I don’t even think William *gets*.
quoting Sixer: “WE are not getting a look at THEM in a family way.”
This supports the idea of a “Celebrity” Monarchy. And how Will and Kate could take the Holi-tours (India, Australia), believing that their job is essentially to pose in front of famous monuments.
So at first glance I did think the Queen was rude. Now I see that it was William who was wayyy too casual for the occasion. Without the Queen, we’ll eventually see William on the balcony in cut off jeans and grubby undershirt, barbecuing steaks. *shudder*
Whooa! The queen has style! I love her hats! She is too cool!
Doesn’t she? I lived in the UK for 7 summers and heard that when she is seen by so many people, one can find her in a crowd very easily because she wears such bright colors. Not to mention those gorgeous jewels. I had to find a book on her jewelry and pretty much gushed over her diamonds alone.
She has a triple strand of just round diamonds on a chain. That necklace is my everything. Stunning piece of work.
The Queen is World War II generation. Manners meant something to them. The Queen was reminding William to be respectful for the flyover. Totally something a granny from that generation would have told her grandson.
Also, having had a granny from the Queen’s generation, I can tell you they are directly to the point. No sugar coating or pulling punches. And you better listen because they don’t play around like parents do now. No fifty warnings and asking you how you feel about their directions and consequences being optional. Nope. LOL.
Too right, having a mom from the same generation. William was lucky she prodded him rather than smacking him on the upside of his head with her handbag. 😉
@freeshalori.
LOL. So true. Those ladies were well versed with the backhanded smack and the purse smack. 😜
i thought is was extremely rude
i don’t care for these two lazy ppl, but that was wrong and i actually felt bad for him – she did this in front of the entire world!
shame on her
he is a father trying to talk to his young child
not that she cares about children – never has
what a terrible old lady
He talked with his son for a period. It was only when the RAF was set to fly overhead that he was made to stand to honor the military. Basic rule, stand to honor the military. He should not have to be reminded of that by his boss (the MONARCH), but at almost 34 he still doesn’t understand the basics of the job.
Charles is the only one who has complained about her parenting, and Anne smacked him down about it publicly as lies. If you watched any of the private video that was released you would see for yourself that she wasn’t a cold or distant mother.
Her Majesty was right in asking William to stand. Everyone needed to be standing at attention during the RAF fly-past, not just the Royalty. The Queen didn’t chastise him. She simply reminded him to stand out of respect. No big deal. William has little ones, and he was distract. Too much is being made of this.