Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall like to spend New Year’s Eve in Scotland during normal, non-pandemic times. They skipped their NYE plans last year because of the pandemic, and because (reportedly) the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge f–ked up Scottish relations just weeks prior with Bill & Cathy’s Covid Choo Choo Tour. That was when William and Kate wandered around the UK by royal train, maskless and breathing on old people and children as Covid cases spiked. The press was so bad for the Cambridges in Scotland that it was said that the keens actually strengthened the Scottish independence movement. The point is that Charles and Camilla skipped their annual Scottish NYE trip one year ago, but this year, they decided to make the journey. By private plane. Against the wishes of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall were spotted leaving Aberdeen airport today as they arrived in Scotland to celebrate New Year. The heir, 73, and his wife, 74, flew via private jet from RAF Northolt in west London, which is near The Queen’s Windsor’s home where they spent Christmas.
It comes as Nicola Sturgeon today insisted large-scale New Year’s Eve parties in Scotland are still cancelled as English border pubs brace for as many as 100,000 Scottish and Welsh revellers to cross into England to celebrate on Friday. The Scottish First Minister announced a ban on large gatherings last week which torpedoed Hogmanay festivities and this afternoon she insisted the crackdown is necessary to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. Ms Sturgeon said it is ‘prudent’ and ‘essential’ to take action to reduce transmission of the disease in order to ‘avoid the sheer volume of cases overwhelming us’.
Some 15,849 positive cases were recorded in Scotland yesterday – the highest number of the pandemic ‘by some margin’ – while 679 people were in hospital, 80 more than the previous day.
Ms Sturgeon’s comments came as Boris Johnson said ‘everybody should enjoy New Year but in a cautious and sensible way’ as he stressed the data on Omicron shows it is ‘obviously milder than the Delta variant’.
The royals are believed to be spending New Year at Birkhall, their private estate on Balmoral.
Yeah, it doesn’t sound like Sturgeon specifically said “no one come to Scotland,” she’s just been trying to shut down big NYE gatherings and pub crawls and such. It’s not like Charles and Camilla are going to host big gatherings at Birkhall while they’re there. It’s far more likely that Camilla will drink a lot of wine and Charles will… do something, I don’t know, go fishing? Still, do the optics on this look good? Not really. Especially the private plane!
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Where’s the outrage from the British press about Charles and Camilla using a private jet? Some believe that Charles doesn’t have a deal with the British press but he certainly does.
William could also pull a Flybe stunt to put down his father. William looks for these sorts of opportunities, IMO.
Except since the numbers came out about his own heli use (obviously for personal use as his numbers and places he went don’t correspond), he really doesn’t have a hair follicle to stand on! 😄
The press once said (while criticizing Harry and Meghan) that Charles “is known to fly commercial” — which apparently means if he flies commercial just ONCE, that’s all it takes to get a “pass” for every other private jetting.
They did nothing wrong to be honest. I suppose Camillla kids and grandkids will join them or do they usually spend NYE just the two of them ?
I don’t think Charles spends much time with Camilla’s grandchildren. And she sees them at Raymill.
It’s all about Charles, he don’t even spend time with his own grandchildren.
In fairness, New Year’s Eve is not a children’s holiday, They’re not even up at that time.
Ah, but what about all those people who are going to have to be there to serve these people on their holiday whims.
If Covid waylays those pampered royals, they’ll have earned it. I feel for their staff.
He’s not even trying to keep his carbon footprint low. Not so serious about climate change, are you Charles?
Right? And he can’t even claim it’s for “work”. He literally took a private jet to go on vacation a couple of months after lecturing world leaders about climate change. Seriously.
The only “environment” the royal family cares about is protecting big game so they can be hunted. (Like Philip with the World Wildlife Fund)
Private plane to Scotland against the wishes of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a pandemic. Yup. Sounds about Charles.
Many of the Scottish populace r also ignoring the wishes of the FM to travel to England to see in the NY across the border.
It’s a bad move optics wise however it’s not illegal under current restrictions in Scotland esp if they stay in the estate and don’t flout the 3 households rule.
I have been a bit shocked at how many people have not been vaccinated. Was in the UK news that 60% of hosp admissions with COVID have been unvaccinated. Am in Scotland visiting family at the moment and even here people r refusing to b vaccinated.
The optics on this are so bad. First – just stay home Charles, don’t remind everyone of the time you flew to Scotland when you had COVID. And second….sure, Brexit, pandemic, etc but fly in a private jet to Scotland to stay on your huge estate. That looks great.
Yep flying to Scotland while he had Covid—that was a winner. Sturgen has been trying to stop Scottish from entering England. Hmm? I wonder if they will let Charles and Cammy leave Scotland lol!!!
Screw the planet, he’s the future King of England, etc., etc. He can’t be rubbing elbows with the great unwashed and his time is more precious than anyone else’s on the planet, barring his mum, of course.
Best to make use of his estates, as silly willy is distracting from his affairs, with talk of Converting duchy of Cornwall properties for the homeless. What a little shish.
The Queen, Will’s grandmother, isn’t even dead yet. William’s haste is, as always, disgusting. He can’t wait until his dad is king and he can help himself to his dad’s princely properties–in addition to his other two palaces and the lodgings he wants in Windsor.
I wonder if the queen knows Charles and William are just waiting for her to die already? I don’t know much about her or her sister, but the general impression I got was they DID care for their father, and I don’t think Elizabeth was anxious for him to die so she could get more power. So I wonder if she has a clue about how Charles and William actually feel? Or do they pretend they are a loving family (despite how they treat other members)?
I never thought I would feel sorry for Camilla and I don’t, but Charles with his many idiosyncrasies must be a pill to live with.
No wonder Diana didn’t put up with his crap.
Camilla wanted this life. Beginning when she became his married mistress. Plus Camilla has the advantage of being able to keep her own home at Raymill to retreat to. Charles naming her publicly locked her into the marriage. It was “not done” for a Prince to publicly admit an affair with a married woman. I don’t feel sorry for Camilla. There are pluses to offset the minuses.
He must think of Scotland as home. Most of us when we’re sick want to be home in our own bed and most people also like to go home for major holidays.
I’m surprise none of them live in Scotland full time, that goes for minor Royals also.
I don’t understand the British royal system at all. How can Scotland be home & not High Grove or wherever he lives in London? It’s not like he’s popular in Scotland. I’m not criticizing your remark, just trying to understand.
Erm, why on earth can’t they travel by train?! Don’t they have a royal train or something? Like the UK isn’t Australia distance wise, sustainable my behind…
Exactly! I was just saying this……it’s a relatively small area and it doesn’t take that long to drive places. Living in Texas, which could fit Germany more than twice (and that’s only one state in the lower 48, albeit a big one), I don’t understand how it’s a big deal to drive or take a train for several hours, especially when you can take a really nice train! They have the time and the resources to do that.
Same Ann! I grew up in South Texas and had relatives in Oklahoma. It was a twelve hour drive, and the first eight were in Texas. One time we flew, and it was only 2-3 hours? I remember being so shocked 😂
My husband is from the north east, his family thinks anything over an hour is too long in the car. I think it’s just cultural. They also have never been to a state right next to them, it’s like three hours away and they talk like it’s Narnia. I can’t imagine thinking of England as hard to get around. I want to do a walking tour sometime, if it’s still possible.
Well, judging by how well the royals various attempts at a charm offensive have gone over so far, best to get in as much time as they can in their own “tartan Disneyland”.
On the subject of Charles’ estates, out of the blue, for no apparent reason, William has made it known that he might perhaps one day look into converting some royal properties into housing for the homeless. What’s interesting to me is not the classic keen to be keen language, but the fact that this will apparently happen only once he inherits his father’s properties and the Prince of Wales title.
Does anybody else feel like the Cambridges have been mentioning the POW titles more frequently of late? It not only feels distasteful, like telling your Gran what remodeling you’ll do once you get her house after she kicks it, but it feels like if they felt secure in getting those titles right away, they wouldn’t be pushing so hard, y’know? As it stands, William seems to be saying that helping the homeless can only happen if he gets his title from daddy. And Edward can tell you that Charles is not afraid to be stingy with the title bestowing if he wants a hold over you.
My crackpot theory is that Charles has let it be known that although the POW title is usually held by the firstborn son of the monarch, he might not bestow it on Will until certain conditions are met, in terms of work. Sort of like making your loser son pay rent for living in your pool house as an incentive for him to finally move out.
He’s probably talking about houses in the Duchy of Cornwall-regular houses where the people who live in the Duchy aren’t allowed to own their own property. Most likely unclaimed properties where people died and the Duke of Cornwall “inherits”. He won’t be giving over any actual royal properties, which are technically run by the crown and not owned but only used by RF or any of the Queen’s privately owned properties.
Charles almost always travels by private plane and no way he’s going to change that now because of a bit of carbon. He’ll tolerate first class commercial if that is the only way to get to his destination, like a 17 hr flight to some far flung locale. Private jet travel is one criticism he seems to shrug off and has no intention of changing.
When does Prince Charles NOT travel via private plane? William travels interstate via helicopter. However, it’s news when a private corporation flies Prince Harry from point A to B. There wasn’t a news story when he and the Duchess flew from NY to CA on a commercial flight. The hypocrisy has become so dull. Charles’ position in life is guaranteed because the Queen of England gave birth to him. People gladly bow to him. He does not adhere to complaints, rules, protocols, etc. All the environmental blah blah is performative
Flybe is the gift that keeps giving. That and Brexit.
Flybe and Brexit is the gift that keeps giving.
The queen praises Charles and Will for their concerns about the environment but fails to see how their actions with private travel doesn’t support their empty words. Sure they both need projects but make the effort to set an example.