Here are some photos from the Commonwealth Observance Day visit to Westminster Abbey. The Queen was there, of course, looking very Spring/Easter-y in a lovely yellow. Prince Harry was there, looking sexy. Prince Charles and Camilla were there (Camilla wore purple, and I think her jacket has staples for buttons??), as were Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Not in attendance? Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, who is in Malawi on royal business.
Prince William and Kate didn’t show up either. Which is so funny to me! I mean… they added a royal event to their schedule this week, as they will both attend the Irish Guards-St. Patrick’s Day thing, which Kate skipped last year to much criticism. And they’re going on a two-day “work” jaunt to Paris later this week. I suppose that’s why they didn’t come out for Commonwealth Observance Day – they just have a “packed” schedule and the poor sausages need some down time before they do a handful of appearances over three days. Their absence was widely noted by the British press, and since the press is just looking for an excuse to pounce, we found out hours after this event that William had actually jetted off for a boys-only ski weekend. Kate was at home with the kids (and her mother, presumably). I wonder what the Queen thought about that?
Meanwhile, my guess is that the Queen’s thoughts were elsewhere on Monday. Scottish politicians are making a lot of noise about a second Scottish independence referendum vote. Nicola Sturgeon wants the vote to happen next year, just as Britain is completing their Brexit from the EU. You see, Scotland actually voted to stay in the EU. Scotland had a majority of pro-EU votes, and now people think that if Scotland gets to “Scexit” from Great Britain, they’ll be able to be an EU-participating member nation. I could see that happening. The last referendum vote was closer than most people were expecting, and the Queen made some unprecedented moves to let it be known that she did not approve of a Scexit on her watch. Of course, the Queen was reportedly pro-Brexit, so who knows?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Old, rich person in favour of Brexit? Shocking…
Yep, plus it’s not the royals who will suffer because of Brexit…
To be a fly on the wall when she discusses this!
@Kaiser – An independent Scotland won’t be a participating member of the EU. The EU commission has said several times that they have to go to the back of the queue and apply like every other nation. Entry is not guaranteed as Spain has gone on record saying they will veto any EU application from an independent Scotland, just like they keep vetoing EU membership application from Kosovo (which I believe France has done as well). They don’t want to encourage people from northern Spain (Basque, Catalan) who want independence.
This talk of an independent Scotland getting special treatment and gaining immediate entry into the EU is propaganda from the SNP. Their case of using the UK membership as a reason they should stay is incorrect – again the EU commission has stated (several times) that they cannot expect to remain a member if they break from the UK. They would be a newly formed independent nation and as such would have to apply to join on their own merit.
Long story short – the EU has stated that they don’t want an independent Scotland.
But am sure I’ll get jumped on for stating the facts.
Spain has changed their mind and won’t veto an independent Scotland: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/13/independent-scotland-would-have-to-apply-to-join-eu-commission-says
IMO it’s the hard Brexit that’s causing all the trouble so blame Teresa May. Both the Scots and the Irish in both NI and Ireland are opposed to and will suffer from the hard Brexit. May is acting as if she’s only the leader of England. Very unwise.
Well thats good to hear but the fact remains the Scotland would have to apply to become a member as a independent nation.
Am well aware that its the hard Brexit thats causing it but the SNP is all about independence so they are always going to use any excuse to push for it.
Digital Unicorn, while Scotland would formally need to apply if Scotland has not actually left EU before applying the process would be pretty shoot since there is a lot of support for Scotland in the EU. So unless Scotland does not actually meet some requirement (and it’s not like countries before have not been let in without meeting requirements, that is how Greece got in back in the day, the EU politicians are always very pro expansion) I don’t see why there would be a problem.
Much as I know you’ll hate me saying it, if I were in Scotland I would probably vote Yes. Because I think England is jumping off a cliff that will last for generations. Pre-Brexit, I’d have agreed with your assessment on EU reluctance vis a vis an independent Scotland but I’m not sure that holds true now. I know you don’t like her but I think Sturgeon is a canny player and is making the best of a bad hand – and not a bad hand of her making.
That said, all major players in UK politics are now held hostage by impossible to reconcile contradictions.
May and Hammond know perfectly well Brexit is a disaster but are terrified by the rabid press and the Tory swivel-eyed right. Sturgeon, who knows independence NOW will be financially punishing and it would be better to wait is hostage to her own independence-or-die types. Corbyn is letting the Tories have a hard Brexit because he’s a hostage to Labour seats in Brexit heartlands. Nuttall, whose entire party is an extreme fringe, couldn’t even poach a Westminster seat in those same Brexit heartlands.
We have the weakest leaders of all stripes with the least control over their voters in generations. And literally every single thing is in flux. It’s all very dangerous and there will be significant realignments. Scottish independence is just one aspect of it.
I would hate to bet on what happens and, frankly, the BRF is the least of our worries at the moment!
Yep – its all in chaos. An independent Scotland now will just be like Greece, broke with the people paying through the nose. As I said, Scotland will have to go to the back of the queue to sign up and that process takes a very long time. The Scottish people will be persuaded to vote for independence based on the assertion that Scotland will still remain part of the EU and thats wrong because its not true. Thats one of the things that makes my blood boil about this. The process maybe smoother for Scotland as they already meet a lot of the criteria but it does not mean they get auto membership if they were to leave the UK.
And I agree with your comment about Sturgeon – she backed herself into a corner and has to push for this now to save face within her party.
Corbyn is letting the Tories do a hard Brexit because he supports it. If he didn’t he would have put up a better fight.
I honestly think Sturgeon is a MUCH better politician than you give her credit for, sorry!
I’m pretty much with what Jack of Kent is saying about both Scotland and NI:
http://jackofkent.com/2017/03/on-brexit-the-snp-and-sinn-fein-have-been-waiting-and-preparing-the-whole-time/
The wheels are going to come off the Tory bus very soon. It’s going to be an apocalypse here and lord only knows what will be left or will emerge by the end of it.
You know, 6 million Brits are entitled to Irish citizenship and I am seriously thankful that the Sixlets are two of them.
Maybe – but her and her party’s obsession with independence means that they are not fixing what’s wrong in Scotland, there is plenty to fix and not all of it’s down to money or Westminster.
I wonder where the Welsh are? I thought they would be teaming up with the Irish/Scots.
ITA that the Tories will explode and take us all with them. I’m self employed and am already looking at leaving that to go perm or go abroad (looking at NZ or Canada).
Wales voted for Brexit so I assume they’ll stick it through.
If I were a Scot I would be voting YES, LETS LEAVE THIS 21ST CENTURY TITANIC BEFORE WE TURN INTO JACK. Let them queue for admittance. At least it will be their choice, not someone else’s.
May is acting as the English PM, not the UK’s. Scotland derserves to decide for themselves if they want to gain independence or not.
@Sixer – I know we don’t always agree on things but I do enjoy the banter over politics etc..
Now the May’s Brexit “hell on earth” bill is off to get Royal Ascent, the chaos and headless chickens act will only worsen.
I just saw an article on the BBC website that talks about young girls in West Yorkshire missing school because they are too poor to buy menstrual products. They had to get help from a charity that helps women in Kenya. We really really need to make sure that these items are given to young girls for free.
Digital Unicorn.. in Canada here, would love to have you, just get all your work ducks firmly lined up first…the Canadian market is a bit closed to ‘outsiders’ though as a Brit you might have more success.
I am Scottish and will not be voting for independence. I loathe the SNP who are a shower of fanatics. They want independence at all costs. Dont believe a word about the EU and Brexit. Only an excuse. Scotland is a very insular country and in the main could not care less about Europe. This is another reason I dont want independence. It would be like living in a bubble. I am also a highlander and the SNP are only interested in the central belt.
Loathe brexit too so a great life just now but brexit, SNP, Trump all the same narrow minded nationalistic viewpoint.
We won’t be a part of Europe regardless of whether we go Independent or not, if we can rejoin ( even after time) it will be better than remaining a part of the UK.
Am glad that you can see that – I know many supporters of Independence who believe the Scotland doesn’t have to reapply to join the EU. Its one of my personal bug bears.
Honestly, I’m looking to leave the UK myself. I’d rather be in the EU than live in the UK tbh. I do think at the end of Brexit the union will be torn asunder. It will be ironic for the Conservative and Union Party to tear Britain apart for Brexit. Fun times.
Nicola Sturgeon is a one-trick pony. She has nothing to offer the people of Scotland other than independence which statistics have shown couldn’t be sustained. The last independence referendum was said to be a once in a generation occurrence and the majority of people voted no.
Brexit is a UK issue not a Scottish one. In a democracy you can’t always get what you want and have to accept the majority view. The city of London voted to remain. Are they going to be given the chance to abstain from Brexit???
You may have missed the news that Scotland, unlike London, is a nation. Not an independent state – yet.
I bet she and Charles were pissed about this. I mean William is 2nd in line to the throne. It’s more apparent he does not want to be King.
How hard could it be to SHOW UP?
I know. Especially him: all he needs to do is pull on a suit, any suit, and he’s good to go.
i wonder if she is getting to old to give a f…… about his behaviour or if he is just too hard to handle? It is a strange thing if Harry is suddenly the reliable one, that is for sure.
I am so curious to see how the British monarchy is going to change under Charles. And I do hope he gets to be King.
I visited the Royal Britannia Yacht in Edinburgh this weekend. When you see the pomp and circumstance that came with having and mantaining this Royal residence you cannot help but feel that monarchy is just an old fashioned concept and a colossal waste of money. Especially the modern ones. If I compare Kate to Diana, who was constantly pictured during her engagements and who kept the media interested with her fashion choices and interests in people and causes….How can somebody as insipid as Kate inspire turism or anything worthwile for the British economy?
Royalty is a colossal waste of money. As for the Queen, she hasn’t stopped William so far so chances are she’s buried her head in the sand like she has for the rest of her family’s many,many indiscretions. Her agenda is to keep her family sucking up public funds.
I am happy to say that I have lived a mile from the Ocean Terminal, where that “yacht” is berthed, for many years, and have never yet felt the need to visit it. Just a wee personal protest.
She doesn’t seem the type to care about anything until it blows up in the Royal’s collective face a la Diana.
Anyhow she is old and why should she care about whether William is secretly a Republican engineering an end to the monarchy with his overtly privileged act? At least she gets to die a Queen.
Let Charles and William secure the royal’s future.
Regarding the William’s behavior, let’s just say there’s white privilege and then there’s white royal privilege.
I wonder if William told Kate to stay at home. It would have looked even worse for him if she was at Commonwealth Day.
I think Kate is equally workshy and needs no further encouragement to stay at home. The only thing that I can think of that might inconvenience her is that she can’t go out and be seen shopping. Tending to her beloved children and online shopping seems very up Kate’s alley.
It hasn’t stopped her from shopping before. Missed the Irish Guards last year, showed up the following day with newly dyed, cut, and style hair obviously done during the IG event. Missed their annual meeting of their foundation (last year, year before?) and papped shopping during it. Also papped out during the funeral for Belgium’s former queen, when the BRF had told Belgium everyone was working and no one was available to attend.
I know you guys say she sticks her head in the sand, but she has to be pissed. The Will coverage & antics has overshadowed the importance of the Commomwealth Day again. She needs to get it together and cut him (& her) off asap.
I doubt she would do that or even Charles. William will just use the Diana card over them.
Oh dear Lord, the staples on Camilla’s dress… hideous! What was the designer thinking??
HM looks lovely, as always.
The staples are awful, but her feathery purple confection of a hat almost makes up for it.
The Queen looks wonderful. I love the way she dresses, she always gets it right. Camilla, that jacket, I don’t know… And why is it that a ninety and ninety-five year-old show up and the two thirty-somethings can’t even be bothered. Shame on them.
Maria, her dresser gets it right. It wouldn’t surprise me if Cammie didn’t have a dresser, a lot of times she doesn’t look quite put together and then sometimes she looks wonderful,
On second glance, Charles is not looking as dapper as usual. Maybe the three button suit is one button too many? Or he should have buttoned the top two buttons not just the middle? Overall looking rumpled, which isn’t his style.
Right? That jacket reminds me of the time i had to staple a skirt hem that was falling. Shredded my nylons so stick with tape kids! It’s like her buttons were ripped off and this is how she prevented pulling a Kardashian (aka walking around with bra and boobs hanging out).
William is a petulant brat who has been allowed to have his own way since he was born. The Queen is notorious for sticking her head in the sand when it comes to family matters. Philip was always the one who dealt with that sort of thing. It is, perhaps, a sign of his advancing years that W&K are allowed to avoid royal duties as much as they do. I can’t see Charles managing them any better.
There was nothing to stop Kate going except for her own laziness. She is probably cocooned at Middleton Manor while Whiny is away. There may be a “romantic” break for the two of them sometime soon to pacify Carole and all their fans. I seem to remember a trip to the Maldives without George after his hunting trip to Spain was discovered.
It’s well-known that the Queen hates confrontation and at almost-96, I don’t think that Prince Philip has the energy to make his grandson toe the line. I doubt that Will cares what his father thinks, either. Now if Diana were alive, things would have been different. She not only had strong work ethic but was also keenly aware of public image. She would probably have been the only person he would have listened to.
Charles is just as concerned with public image as Diana and has a strong work ethic. The problem is, in addition to what you wrote about HM and PP, that I think Charles is afraid of William. He doesn’t know how to handle William’s Diana-like, whiplash temperament. He already had to put pressure on them through the media to get more time with the grand kids. I’m not sure even Diana could get through to William, as she always had to use Harry as leverage to get Wm to do anything.
But I think Diana is to blame for how petulant he is-so who knows.
Happy mom,
You cannot blame Diana for the way William acts. He is an adult, and is responsible for his own actions. Harry behaves better, well, most of the time, I think Willy came up with it all by himself.
You know, I’ve been wondering since Christmas if the reason Workshy blanked the family at Sandringham this past year was because Phillip led the charge in a family come-to-Jesus-meeting (aka bollocking) the previous year. There were reports that Wills had been taken to task by the family for not stepping up in Dec 2015, and in Dec 2016 lo and behold, he refused to show up, blatantly insulting his g’ma, who holds family time and CoE traditions as sacrosanct.
Seriously Kate on her own with the royal family without Willie – they would eat her for breakfast
Didn’t know that the Queen was Pro-Brexit. My estimation of her just plummeted.
We don’t know that, either. Frankly, I think it’s unlikely that there’s much truth to that rumor. My estimation of her plummeted when her piss-poor financial management of BP’s maintenance came to light.
Greetings Everyone,
Personally I think that bill middleton and his vain, arrogant, self absorbed mrs are an absolute bloody disgrace to both Crown and Country.
Here the second in line to the throne is skiing and the kate supposedly at home with the privileged photo ops (kids) when the going gets rough.
Where the hell has your pride gone Britain?
Obviously bill couldn’t give a fat rats butt about the Commonwealth or anything that resembles Duty and Service. kate has more nannies than we can probably count or if they would tell the truth about and still she couldn’t be bothered turning up either.
There will be no Monarchy after the Queen passes. There was absolute no excuse even close to why those two professional grifters could not attend.
kate can turn up to a Church Service without bill – especially something as important as this, the lazy madam turns up at the hairdressers on her own – or does billy boy sit next to her to massage her ego.
Either way the Monarchy is a FAILURE – and the Queen is just watching all her work slip away at the hands of these two pig ignorant tossers.
I come from a Commonwealth Country, attended the service to Commemorate this due to being Part of a Royal NZ Navy family – and after middleton flashed her underwear at the India Gate while supposedly laying a wreath on their last years Indian Jolly – I knew there was no hope.
Well “Great” Britain is no more. It is divided Britain and it is being brought down by the very two professional benefit scroungers that 6 years ago were touted as the saviours of the world.
What a joke. You want, you pay for them, don’t foist them on the Commonwealth – they are not worth it. They are a laughing stock.
Shame on them and shame on Her Majesty letting them get away with it and shame on the British people who worship at the feet of the Lamebridge idiots.
They will NEVER be my Sovereigns. That ship sailed …. now you lot clean up your own mess and don’t bother foisting them on us.
Well, have to agree EXCEPT I would like to see Charles take the throne. Then it can be flushed.
Maybe William and Kate aren’t Christians.
So what? Doesnt make them bad people. In fact religious people can be the worst. Doesnt even matter what religion you follow.
Religious people are entitled to their beliefs as long as they don’t try to push them unto others. Don’t lump all believers in one heap.
And what does that have to do with Commonwealth Day?
Nothing.
The Middletons were never known to attend church until the Christmas services after the engagement. KM wasn’t confirmed until just before the wedding. They received lots of pro-Middleton mileage from the stories that came out around those Christmas photos about “Kate’s last Christmas at home” accompanied by the photos. Ditto the Christmas photos of KM when expecting, more dueling Christmas pap strolls.
That’s what makes their appearances at Christmas and Easter services each year even funnier. They aren’t religious, never used to attend church, and clearly only go now in order to make sure they get papped at church being William’s “real royal family”.
A lot of people attend church at Christmas and Easter. Not unusual.
No, just extra amusing that the Middletons only started appearing for the 2 yearly pap strolls after the engagement was announced.
Well take may be awkward for the future head of the Church of England
Horrendous seeing PW drinking on slopes in Verbier partying with model lunching with her whilst rest of BRF are carrying out Royal duties …. he is a waste of taxpayers money ….he photographed by media drinking with these people ….should of been at Commonwealth Day..
Just saw the stories of Willy having a “boozy” lunch with friends and 24 year old model, suppoedly had dinner and partied at her workplace later. I think he cheats on Kate a lot, maybe this was innocent, but it doesnt look good and will really get Carole angry.
Cue another “honeymoon for the entitled twits when he gets home.
I thought it was Guy Pelley who got Will and Kate together after they split?- the daily mail left a lot to be speculated with their whole article. No show Will to royal ceremony bunks off to ski resort on weekend with mates but there just happened to be some gorgeous girls in their restaurant. not sure if Wills is worried about what gan gan thinks but more what grannie Carole thinks at this time.
Camilla would look more put together if she wore a better fitting bra. Her boobs always seem to be around her waist. If you’re quite busty it pays to just hoist them up a few inches.
Dollypaws, Then they would say she had, had breast augmentation.
Wills and Kate are junk. But Harry looks fantastic. He’s got a certain glow about him; I’m starting to believe he will be engaged soon.
Patty, I so hope not, I do think he regularly perms his hair though, does that give him a glow???
Do you mean he is glowing from the fumes, because there are some that make me glow:)
Lady D, they do make you glow!!
Daily Mail is like a dog with a bone today ahhgrrrr!!!! Chewing up the weekend