Several days ago, there was a seemingly minor announcement about Prince Charles and the Queen. It seems that Charles is going to be taking an even more active role in the monarchy as the Queen begins to phase out some of the bigger parts of her job. Part of this announcement wasn’t really news – this has been happening over the past few years, with Charles taking on more and more of the Queen’s daily responsibilities. Part of it seemed like Charles and the Queen were just formalizing the arrangement and letting people know that Charles’ assumption of duties was going to continue and grow. But there were some interesting pieces of news buried in the reporting.
For one, the Queen is only going to make one more state visit. Ever. Like, one more and then she’s done with traveling. But here’s something fascinating: the Queen is no longer going to have her own press office. Buckingham Palace and St. James Palace are merging press offices, with Charles’ communications director taking over at Buckingham Palace. Which means that we can expect more glowing stories about Charles from here on out. Then, this week, Charles’ press office announced that they were also merging (or rather, completely absorbing) Duchess Kate, Prince William and Prince Harry’s press offices as well. Apparently, Charles is tired of the press focusing on Kate’s clothes. I’m serious.
Is Prince Charles jealous of his sons’ – and Kate Middleton’s – media profile? That will be the conclusion many royal watchers will arrive at when the news breaks that he is taking control of the young royals’ press operation.
For, following hard on the heels of the revelation that Prince Charles will soon be overseeing the Queen’s press office, by moving his press team into Buckingham Palace and subsuming her press office into his own, the Royalist now learns that the same fate awaits the Kensington Palace press office, which was established just last year before the royal baby was born to represent William, Kate and Harry.
Given the importance of press coverage in the life of the Royal family, the move represents a significant blow to the young royals attempts to set up an alternative court in Kensington Palace. The move is believed to have been instigated by Prince Charles – who funds the KP operation – as part of a drive to refocus the attention of the UK on serious and worthy issues such as the environment, nature and architecture, discussion of which he wants to promote during his kingship.
Now that he has his hands more firmly on the levers of power than ever before, following the first public acknowledgement that the country is in a ‘transition’ of reign from his mother to him (made discreetly in the New Year Honors list), it appears that he is not delaying in his attempts to shift the national discussion away from Kate Middleton’s clothing choices and onto his more weighty pet subjects.
Charles – who was often said to resent being overshadowed by his late wife, Princess Diana – is known to be concerned that the image of the glamorous young royals is in danger of completely eclipsing the serious work of both the younger and more senior royals, and is frustrated (as to be fair, are many others in the royal household) that royal gossip – especially when it concerns the younger and more good looking members of the royal cast – receive global coverage while their serious labor on behalf of difficult causes often goes unremarked, except by local news outlets.
But the move represents a significant blow to the young royals’ power base, and will be read as a sign that during the reign of King Charles, he very much means to be a traditional King, in charge of all royal activities, in stark contrast to the Queen who allowed her family members great independence.
The shortlived Kensington Palace press office will cease to exist – despite having performed remarkably well under intense pressure of the royal baby, the biggest royal story in decades – and Harry, Kate and William’s staff will lose much of their media autonomy as their press officers will once again have to report to Prince Charles’s media director.
A senior courtier confirmed to the Daily Beast today that the three royal household press operations are to be merged, in order to “better coordinate the communication of the Royal family” and said an official announcement may be made soon.
The Daily Beast goes on to note all of the times Charles has made it known that he does not approve of all of the hysteria that comes with Duchess Kate and her clothes and her hair. There’s also this one random gossip who says: “There is a feeling that Charles has been given an inch and taken a mile.” I believe that – the Queen probably wanted to ease into a transition and Charles has just gone balls-out. So, let’s break this down on many different levels.
*People are always going to care more about the royal women. Most people who pay attention to royalty ARE women, and we want to talk about clothes, hats, hair, makeup, etc. No amount of PR petulance is going to change that.
*If Charles really wanted to use Kate’s popularity to his advantage, he should be encouraging William and Kate to take on larger roles in the subjects he cares about and telling them flat-out that they need to work hard to earn their keep. Instead, it’s like Charles wants to shove them under a rock and it’s like he doesn’t want them to do anything that might pull focus.
*Charles comes across as a controlling, nitpicky, authoritarian douchebag here. I believe Kate, William and Harry need their own press offices because they need to learn how to wield their press power and managing their day-to-day press will make them more effective royals. And it’s not like they’re being denied something they want – they’re having power wrenched away by KING CHARLES.
*If Charles continues on this kind of path… well, the throne of the British Empire is in real danger. Will the UK become a republic in my lifetime?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Perhaps streamlining the functions into one entity to save $ and/or to make things more efficient?
They do seem to be trying to “streamline” the BRF so it sounds like that’s definitely a part of it. Seeing the start of an active “transition” while the previous monarch is quite fascinating though. Personally, I couldn’t blame Charles if he’s wanting to wield a little bit of power. He’s had to wait so long (I know that’s literally the purpose he was born for but still, 50 odd years is a hell of a long time to have a chance to fulfill your destiny). I can’t help but wonder if he looks at the Netherlands sometimes and sighs “If only…”
That was my first thought also.
Yes, for sure.
Not that I’m English or anything 🙂 but I really have high hopes for Charles as king. He seems like such a solid and stable sort, and he supports some truly wonderful causes.
Me too! Charles is my favourite member of the British RF. I think he is the best crown prince (compared to the crown princes of the other European monarchies).
He started his Prince’s Trust when he was in his 20s.
According to a poll, the queen remains the most popular member of the British RF, and her Diamond Jubilee was the most momentous event – left a more lasting impression on respondents than William’s wedding or George’s birth.
I thought about the streamlining for cost efficiency. He hasn’t done that for any of the other Royal Households and if it were solely for money, one would think he’d include his siblings’ and cousins’ press offices too.
I think this is an image rebrand. He’s trying to get control and make the BRF seem less fluffy.
Absolutely. All the Royal Family haters should welcome this as a cost-cutting measure. How stupid to cloak it as Charles is “jealous” over the attention the younger Royals get.
My first thought also. I don’t think it’s a matter of Charles “wrenching” anything away from his children or grandchild. I think he wants to save money, and I actually kind of agree with him that people should focus on the good causes he backs instead of just fashion. In fact, before his Time magazine article, I didn’t know he backed any real causes (although, I am completely in the dark with any royal happenings).
Also, I wouldn’t think that the Queen would let him take a whole mile. If she gives him and inch, then he’s only getting one inch from her. I love her.
Prince Charles has backed royal causes for YEARS. He had that going for him, way more than Diana ever did. Diana’s work was way more visible of course, but I’m sure the help Charles brought to his own causes mattered to the people he helped.
Charles has indeed been the backbone of a great many things. He created The Prince’s Trust and really advocated for a return to natural farming practices. And that’s not to shade Diana as she was very involved with her charities too, except she often got more publicity for her work whereas Charles was often ignored or worse, ridiculed.
A lot of Royals do an enormous amount of work with very little coverage.
I honestly think Harry/William/Kate/Baby George are the best thing that has happened to the Royal Family since Diana, at least image-wise. I totally get all the complaints about the work ethic but they really breathed new life and new public enthusiasm into the Royal house after all the grossness around the many divorces and sordid private lives of Charles and his siblings. I think Charles trying to pull the focus back to himself and his “serious work”, while sensible on paper will be a public relations disaster.
I hope he goes his own way and I do think he will. You can kowtow to celebrity for popularity or focus on meaningful things. His kids have little clue of service (okay, Harry, maybe). Do you want to be popular or do you want to leave a legacy? I think Charles wants to leave a legacy because he is exquisitely mindful of his position and role. Meanwhile, David was popular and look how well that worked out. But yeah, he continued to be ‘fashionable’ til the end of his sad life.
As for a sordid private life? Harry has been shown up and W/K simply haven’t been caught yet. Oh yes, wait a minute, there’s those naked photos of her in France (in front of the servants for sure).
The only thing Wills and his ilk have going for them is that they are young and hedonistic and look glamourous. That will soon wear off.
Membership in the anti-monarchy group Republic increased significantly just after the WK wedding. I do not think that shows “new public enthusiasm” for the monarchy related to WK.
This lends total credence to that thing that lainey said about how they are cutting Andrew and his girls and Edward flat out of the whole Working Royals thing, is like the 8 people and that’s it
They’ve said for some time now that Charles’ wants to prune the family down. I disagree with him (I have a lengthy argument) but who am I?
*Flails about waving leaves to get your attention*
Ladyslippers,
You are a lovely and articulate flower!!! I want to know your lengthy argument, in fact, I am excited about it.
Hope you don’t think I dropped you before but I am now working again full throttle and don’t have much time to be pithy! Still read your (and everyone’s elses) posts everyday 🙂
*Blows big fat kiss your way with weary leaves*
C’mon, LadySlippers, share your argument!
Yes, what is your argument LS? Always loves your comments about the Royals. (plus it gives insight to things I wouldn’t know otherwise)
Oh Tulip! The Garden is ever so lonely without you!
And hello to Green Girl (green thumb too?) and blue marie. 🙂
*waves to all*
I’ll post it down below — more room.
Lady slippers is correct. Charles wanting to cut the rest out has been around forever. In the end it’ll hurt him. If things stay the same Harry, Camilla, and Charles will be the only funded royals pulling their weight while the others are seen as leechers. Meanwhile Bea and Eug will be keeping up with their charity work while funding it themselves.
Bad move Charles.
Why will it hurt him?
I have a feeling you and I are in agreement on this Florc. This is gonna be VERY bad for the BRF. I’m posting my comments down below.
Bluhare
Hurt him with bad PR. Bad PR will lead to falling out of favor in the eyes of the public and it’s just a snowball from there.
Agreed. Charles spent the latter half of the 80s and the whole of the 90s in PR hell. I can see that he may now be over zealous re press control and public image but it’s staggering that he hasn’t understood that when someone has public goodwill journey capitalise on it – you can’t control it and absorb by osmosis.
He supports some great causes but does he have the pull to make young people interested in his organic farming methods ? Not a chance – he needs to work his young royal connections!
@BettyBlue.
‘He needs to work his young royal connections’. How so? To dress better? It’s not like any of them seem to care about much else than appearance and certainly not what he cares about.
The man stands for something. Can you say that for the rest?
Unfortunately Bea and Eug are tainted-by-association by their parents, who are roundly disliked. They are perceived as trust fund babies who cannot keep jobs, flit around on vacation, and don’t work hard. That may be how many of their wealthy friends behave, but if B & E want to be taken seriously, they have to work hard and vacation less – no matter how unfair that may seem. They are in a really tough position. They are not paid to be public figures, but by the nature of their family, they are high profile.
Maybe the best thing for now is for B & E to apply themselves to building careers and families outside of the royal sphere. Keep doing charity work on their own, but not assuming a royal role and not be perceived as WANTING a royal role. Prove that they can earn their own living like Zara and Peter Philips, don’t need the taxpayer trough to survive, etc.
Once they prove themselves as independent earners for 10 years or so, I think the public would be more willing to accept them – part-time – doing the work done now by the Glouchesters, Kents, and eventually the Wessexes.
I have mixed feelings. I don’t think William and Kate’s press office was doing a very good job with all of their fake stories about no nannies, they’re just like regular folks, etc., so maybe someone else could handle it better, but I also believe Charles is a jealous, petty person and he hates to be overshadowed by anyone. Probably because he’s easy to overshadow.
I agree with Kaiser that people are interested in hair and fashion of the Royals and Charles should just get over it. I’m realizing as I write this that I don’t like Charles. At all. I have tried, but failed.
I think this is where I am on the story. Prince Charles was totally eclipsed by Princess Diana, IMO, and he doesn’t want to go through that again, especially when he’s sitting on the throne.
But I think pushing people away from discussing Kate’s hair and makeup just won’t work. Kate brings more attention to events by a) showing up and b) wearing clothes from the high street and/or British designers. People will continue to pay attention to her, so why not capitalize on that?
Charles is no longer 30 and soon he will be king. I think that has an effect. People talk like he’s still stuck in Dianatown.
@GreenGirl. I think if Kate Middleton showed up more often, the interest in her clothing would calm down. Part of the attention comes from the fact that she only showed up for what, 55 hours of work TOTAL last year? Most pregnant women I know work 40 hours per week. And since she is doing nothing of substance, work-wise, there is little to talk about but the hair flipping and $150,000 worth of clothing.
If she worked regular, everyday events like the lower-profile royals, the interest would *eventually* be on the work and not the clothes.
3 events per day, 5 days a week, 40 weeks a year = 600 engagements a year. These engagements are rarely more than 1 hour, adding in travel and prep time, that is less than an 8 hour work day. And that still gives an incredibly generous 12 weeks of vacation a year.
If she showed up as often as the Princess Royal, dressing to protocol instead of skirts flying up all the time, the attention would be on the work. That seems to be what Prince Charles wants as well. His long game is the survival of the monarchy as an institution, not fleeting fangirl obsession with hair and clothing.
Hi GoodNames, I agree with your first part and disagree about Charles. He’s worked hard and is actually now coming into his own. He’ll be the next King, and that’s starting to phase in. He might get jealous; I mean the guy’s human and we all get jealous, but is he really petty?
I don’t know him, of course, but I find it petty to resent another person for getting attention, especially when you are married to them. But as I said, I don’t care for him very much, although I concede that he has some good qualities, so perhaps I’m not a great judge.
I’ve read (and re-read and re-read, embarrassingly) the Diana Chronicles and it is both scathing and sympathetic toward Prince Charles at the same time. He really does come across as petty and petulant much of the time, very much the poor little prince. And while it’s obviously about Diana, Brown did a really good job articulating how both of them had faults, and one of his is pettiness.
@Seagulls,
Again, I will reiterate- is Charles stuck in Diana time or are we? it’s been decades since that debacle and yet we expect Charles to remain the same.
If all the articles on hair and clothes disappeared tomorrow the monarchy would still be around. They are incredibly resilient – amazingly so, really.
By all reports Charles funds their lives. This sounds like he is dragging them into line. Which raises the question to me- what did they do? I don’t buy that it is jealousy about their popularity. Charles has never been the popular one. He’s 65 now and taking on the monarch’s responsibilities. I don’t buy that he would cause this much drama and shakeup just so that he can make the public like him more. His time as king is practically in sight and no measure of popularity is going to change that. So what is it?
William has seemed to be pushing boundaries for a while with all of his and Kate’s new preferences for their family, declaring her a princess of the UK (which doesn’t even exist), and aligning so closely with the Middletons. He and Kate have both taken a lot of criticism for their lack of work ethic. Harry’s freedom to run wild has also apparently been nipped with this new job in London. To me, this sounds like Charles telling his kids that if they want the job and the money, there are rules and boundaries and they need to recognize that. This just feels like a father move to me, doubly because he reportedly has such strong relationships with the three younger royals.
Hasn’t it been reported for years that since her mother died, the Queen has been pretty lax in controlling the family, the younger generation in particular? Maybe she just figured that as long as she kept watch on her four, the rest have parents to handle things. She’s been queen too long to want to rule every member of the family with an iron fist.
The Queen was and is pretty hands off in terms of control over the BRF. Now the Queen Mother, that’s a whole ‘ nother can of worms. She did a lot of managing and her daughter was okay with it.
It’s about time someone told William and Kate to stop their endless vacation and go to work. Prince Charles is probably tired of all the press stories about his “do-little” children.
Sounds more like he wants them in the shadows so no one notices when they vacation or how much they work. All the focus is on him and his vision for the BRF. IMO anyways.
While I think William and Kate needs to work more, Charles was always jealous of Diana overshadowing him so I could definitely buy him being jealous of the attention and popularity of William and Kate.
I thought that the arrangement was that the Queen was in charge of her official duties, and Prince Phillip & the Queen Mother were in charge of the family.
Oh, FCS.
Charles is acting like nothing more than a spoilt little boy who will take his ball and go home if there’s anyone more skilled or better liked than he is. The attention has to all be on *him* or he will stamp his widdle feet and tantrum bc the more popular kids get all the attention.
I do agree that he supports worthwhile interests and causes. Also agree that Kate and Wills need to step up more. But he’s approaching this all the wrong way. While some members of the family need to be curtailed (ahem, Air Miles Andy) the way he’s doing it seems pouty and venal. I’m sorry, but I am old enough to remember poor, troubled Diana and to resent the campaign to shove that old nag Camilla down everyone’s throats in recent years. Now that’s done, so on to severing ties with both the old guard and the younger, harder working members of the RF. Completely agree everyone in the RF needs to do their all to support their privileged life, but Charles seems desperate in his desire to be the only royal who matters.
Sorry, Charles- people will always be more interested in Kate’s clothes, hair and Baby George throughout his entire life, than they will in you.
I don’t know, I kind of feel differently about this. If he’s done this, as the article says, to pull focus more onto the serious issues the monarchy is working on and concerned with, such as the environment, then that’s a good thing. It sounds as if he wants the royals to be more associated with serious issues and less associated with hats-n-shit.
And really–it’s going to be years and years before William is king, anyway. Why in the world do he and Kate need a press office now? It begs the question–did Charles have a press office when he was 30? I know those were different times, but I think it’s a legitimate question.
Maybe pulling their press office IS part of telling them to get their butt cheeks to work. Maybe he is telling them that behind the scenes. Don’t get me wrong–Charles has never been my favorite. Far from it. But I don’t see the harm in this, I guess.
Yes to everything Anastasia has said, but Charles is missing the point that people don’t really want to read about the “things that matter.” The royals are just glorified celebs for most of us and we want the fashion and drama that celebs offer us.
I agree with both of you. Maybe Charles doesn’t want the royal family to become just celebs, which is pretty much what they are now. I don’t think it would be a bad thing for the family to take a big step back and regain a little of that royal distance. People would have cared about Prince George’s birth whether William and Kate were obsessively followed or not, just like their big wedding. He’s the heir.
All the tabloid coverage might be good for William and Kate’s popularity, but it isn’t good long term I don’t think. Even the most beloved celebrities eventually lose their time in the sun. Not to mention the inevitable backlash. If the heir to the throne is more known by his tabloid persona to most of the world and his wife’s primary contribution to the family image is taking pretty pictures, that doesn’t bode good things for the royal family as a whole or their future.
Yet the monarchy endures even when there isn’t a lot of “copy” about glorious hair and pretty clothes floating around.
I can see Charles’ point however I think he’s going about it incorrectly. I think this may backfire in a pretty substantial way.
Exactly! You never hear about the charities when there are stories of W/K. You hear what she wore or how thin she looked. Nothing about anything of substance. Well done, Charles. Wield that power. Bring those lazy Cambridges in line. Also, good on him for removing the tabloid tentacles of the Middletons’ pap on call.
First, I’d bet money that it’s William feeding the paps through the Middleton’s not the Middleton’s doing it on their own. And second, it won’t actually stop those leaks regardless of the source.
Really LS?
I thought there was a time when William was behind the Middleton’s lawsuit against their longtime go to pap. Where The Midds were clearly calling him with details only they would know, but William had a privacy fit. No?
And yes. This will not stop the leaks. It will stop palace press releases issued about William and Kate receiving helicopter rides as gifts and why they are or aren’t attending events or suddenly pulling out of long scheduled events.
Flor: Yes, William had lawsuit against him but William eventually dismissed it. I think the lawsuit was for show. But that’s just my opinion.
LadySlippers
I had my facts all wrong thinking the Midds were the the plaintiffs then and William was the one pushing them to sue. Thanks
I’m with everyone on this one. Isn’t it interesting when something happens that appears to validate what a lot of us have been saying?
I’m getting that too.
Good for Charles. So tired of all the fawning over Kate and her nonsense.
I despise the idea of youth culture in the fact that if you are young and attractive you are automatically more interesting.
The focus should be less on the do nothing younger set and more on the ones who are on the throne and immediately next in line.
I’m with Eliza…people forget that Charles bought Diana into the fold, not the other way around.
Hear, hear!
I also liked seeing Wills and Kate at the Olympics. Oh well I am an American so my opinion doesn’t count anyway.
It counts here, TG.
Bluhare is right!
Your opinion counts here:)
I agree, all opinions count equally!
And wouldn’t it have been wonderful if they’d brought that kind of attention to the para-olympics as well, as they promised? Oh but wait, they had to “work” and “prep” for a tour. Right. Who needs a new PR department? Clearly, these two.
The throne is in danger? Seriously? That seems more than a little overwrought
It is always a concern that the UK may want to become a republic. It wasn’t that long ago that people were very upset with the BRF to make some serious noises about it.
I’m aware of that, but I don’t think this particular action by Charles heralds the end of the royals.
Once my post down below comes out if moderation, you’ll see my reasoning.
Basically, the monarchy only exists because if the goodwill of the British public. And the goodwill of all the other countries they represent.
Agreed, the Queen has been a figurehead for how long now?
She just had her diamond Jubilee not long ago so that’s 60 years at that time of her on the throne.
She’s dedicated her life to the commonwealth and though no reign is perfect she has proven herself dedicated to her country. I just don’t see the same qualities in the next generations.
I bet the queen gave Charles her approval, and if she was able to be more crude, she’d tell everyone to ‘piss off’, and then she’d retire to the library with a ice-cubeless glass of gin.
Isn’t the UK under austerity measures? Closing up an office that duplicates the function of another office would seem to make sense, especially since the royals are figureheads costing the country a boatload of cash.
Charles is streamlining the press offices (thereby wasting fewer taxpayer resources) and trying to put the focus on–GASP–important issues and this makes him a controlling ass? I don’t think so. Bravo, Charles. There needs to be more focus on things that actually matter and less on shoes and hair.
+1
+2
I absolutely agree. I think this streamlined monarchy is a VERY GOOD idea. British public is really stretched and we don’t want a bigger and more expand RF, I was very skeptical of Charles a s a king but this idea of his gave me hope that maybe he will be a great king. He is very much in tune with the mood of british citizens who don’t want a bigger monarchy. There is absolutely no love for Yorks and rightly so. They might be very nice girls but i don’t want to pay for their upkeep. William, Kate, Harry, his spouse and Charles with his siblings are more then enough imo.
Here a article on BBC defense correspondent saying he fears W&K are too boring and basically celebrities to survive as King and Queen and that Charles will be fantastic king and that George will not make it as King, it represents my opinion on monarchy and W,K,G etc perfectly. it’s a very good read IMO.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2544369/RICHARD-KAY-Wills-Kate-just-dull-celebs-says-former-BBC-defence-correspondent.html
I saw that article and agree wholeheartedly with it. From the comments, it truly does seem the tide is turning against W/K. They’ve got to start earning their keep or the monarchy will end with Charles.
Good article. Sadly this is just how my friends in London described them. Celebrities. And their argument put them lower than reality tv celebs since those people earn their money. Certainly not public servents.
He’s merging offices so no one left. They just now report to Charles’ press people – different change of command is all.
But Charles is BORING, important issues not withstanding. IMO, he is out of touch with most Britons and the issues that affect their lives – education, healthcare, keeping a job, etc. – and that is why no one particularly cares about him. Organic farming is fine but Charles has always been part of a socio-economic elite (i.e. people who can afford to own/run their own large organic farms) and that hasn’t changed. He sounds like a petulant child who is pouting because he isn’t popular.
Can you imagine this man with power during a time when Kings got away with a lot more? Yikes! He should recognize that William, Kate and Harry are the only reason the British royals get international attention — and the only reason give a crap about them is because of DIANA! All roads lead back to her.
He doesn’t need international media to like him, he just need to care about british public with whom he is very popular and well respected.
I’m British and I have never noticed a great deal of respect or popularity for Charles, he was generally despised in the wake of Diana’s death and now William, Harry, Kate and the Queen are all far more popular than he is…
Charles only wants the best for anyone, including the people.
If he gets a “glowing review” then he has earned it. End of story.
Then there should be no need to control the press Journalists will simple see what’s going on and report on it in a totally unbiased manner.
I like how you think Murphy, but that’s not the world we live in.
You are right, media is dependent on selling copy in an ever decreasing market, the economics are that Kate, William, Harry and Prince George sell copy, Charles does not and regardless how much he tries to control the press to promote his image under the guise of promoting his causes – he still can’t sell magazines and newspapers the way Kate et al can. The Royals are dependent on the press to promote themselves, they are celebrities and trying to curb or change the way the media use their image to sell their newspapers can only backfire in the end with less coverage and less interest – he would be better off leaving well alone…
Thank god he is doing this. W&K’s pr is a disaster, they don’t have staff, they do have staff, they don’t have nannies but then we find out they do and looking for more and yet they can’t work, Rf is informed about pregnancy just minutes before the press, Kate is too sick for charitable visits but not for a vacation or meeting celebrities, they can’t attend Paralympics closing ceremony because they are preparing for their tour but then get caught sunbathing in France and I can go on and on and on. Someone needs to control their disastrous public image and he has every right to do this as future king because definitely they are not working out on their own.
100000% agree Angelic.
+1
+ 1
Great point Angelic, and I agree!
Nothing, but the truth Angelic!
Kindly as possible, look at how his former wife Diana sadly died and be reminded of the intimidation, violent risks of media demand. Charles may not be trying to shove them under a rock but respectfully attempting to give them as much protection as he feels capable of contributing.
Diana played a dangerous game with the paps. She invited them into her life and removed her protection from them. What happened to her was tragic, but she opened the door to all that danger.
Really, Diana and her memory has very little if anything at all to do with this move.
Florc, You and I are in complete agreement today!
This move has been years in the making. Diana may have had a bit to do with it but only peripherally and to further emphasise the ‘meat and potatoes’ theme Charles is striving for.
Is Kate really popular in Britain?
Who was paying for the employes at the KP Press Office? If it was Charles, then that was another $150,000 a year he was paying out of pocket (assuming it was two people working), in addition to the $100,000 a year he is paying for Kate’s wardrobe and no doubt other miscellaneous expenses as well.
It might just have been a redundancy/budgeting issue.
I really want someone more seasoned in Royal expenses to answer this or correct me, but I think Charles was not footing that bill.
If he was he shouldn’t have let it happen to being with.
Charles funding their offices and other miscellaneous expenses has never been hidden.
I thought Charles foots ALL their bills. That they weren’t on the civil list, I want to say it’s called.
Thanks LAK and dread
Doesn’t the civil list have a different name now?
Florc: It is called something different now. The name escapes me as well.
It’s now the sovereign grant.
I don’t think anyone lost their job. They just moved offices — reread the article.
Charles is going to have to walk a very fine line. This could be a good thing or it could totally blow up in his face. The royal Family has to be seen as hard-working and in touch with the times their subjects live in. But Charles will be making a big mistake if he underestimates the power of glamour and charm. Cutting the working royals down to the bone, decreasing the visibility of the younger members and forcing William, Kate and Harry to attend lectures on composting Will not bind the royals to the public’s heart.
Agreed. I said pretty much the same below. Hopefully it’ll come out of moderation soon! Lol
You Go Charles!!!!
I hope that the “royal-expert” of Celebitchy’s readers shades some light on this (and that’s LAK). I’m curious about the meaning of this…
Yup. And Sachi. She’s always got a good POV.
We’ve really collected some experts around here. And it’s nice to have so many points of view to give both interpretations and facts 🙂
Before I read the comments, I love this thread!! It’s about royalty, yet there’s some seriousness in it too. YAY!! (Guess I must agree with Charles!)
Sounds like a good idea to me. Streamlining usually is. I’m liking the direction Charles is taking.
The royal spuds can still start a blog if they want to be heard.
Ha!
While we have differing sentiments about this thread, your comment was straight up hilarious. Thanks! 😀
Well given William and Kate do barely any work and Harry really isn’t very important now that William has a child, it makes sense. They really don’t need separate press offices, there simply isn’t that much for PR people to do.
Huzzah! 100% the correct move. The image branding announcement by W, K and H was the last straw for me. They are not celebrities, they exist in their position to champion the brand and interests of the Commonwealth, not themselves. I am absolutely thrilled that Charles wants to move focus back to where it belongs. Not to mention that Carol Middleton will have exactly zero influence over a centralized press office.
There was talk ages ago of how William was much too close to the Middleton’s and “loaning” them furniture that belongs to the BRF to furnish their new home. Wonder if this is also Charles pushing back over that too. That William and his wife are not seen as hard workers that will keep the monarchy alive, but entitled, out of touch celebs that have now sense of duty to a country that gives them everything.
William gave the Middletons the money to buy their large new manor house. It was explained as “since he and Kate will stay there so much, it needed security upgrades.” Truth be told, the Middletons went from upper-middle-class to landed gentry on Diana’s inheritance.
Juliette
I thought it was never proven William gave them the money for the house. It was just speculated. Could be wrong though.
Ugh and those security upgrades on the Middleton’s house was absurd. New kitchen, servant quarters, a new wing. The tax payers footed that bill.
FLORC, it wasn’t denied either. And it wasn’t the rags reporting it.
Im hoping this means Charles can see that who ever is doing the PR for Will and Kate is failing dismally.
The press office works for the Royals so that’d be Will & Kate — nothing goes out without their approval. True for all the Royal Households.
I don’t agree with your assessment of facts. I think it’s about time someone took the reins and stopped all the lies coming out of KW’s press office. And they weren’t good at it either. Moreover, the image KW present to the world has turned them into perfect, fluffy wastrels without an inch of nobility to their name. They are lazy and spoiled and would manipulate the press so they can remain lazy and spoiled.
It is Charles’ right as heir to shape his legacy. Getting rid of the sickening fluff and mendacity would be a great start. Refocusing the monarchy on important subjects is what is needed. At least there will be one last royal before the republic who has a sense of obligation and duty. Good for him! He’s waited a long time.
Next, I hope he gets KW off their fluffy tushes to do some real and meaningful work and help them realise that they are not the entitled centre of the universe.
I find this all exciting. Finally some movement and change. It will be interesting to see what happens next.
Spot on Maven
It makes me wonder if when we ever see William and Kate work for more than a few weeks consistenly without a long vacation approaching or stealing spot light from another royal and their charities ill it mean S#!t really hit the fan? Will it mean they need to actually sell an image of hard working, soially responsible royals without the press writing fluff pieces on hair and clothes, but rather focusing on work and results?
Only time will tell I guess.
FLORC,
I’m excited. Perhaps Charles finally put his foot down and is reining them in. It’s clear he’s reorganising and has a vision for his reign. Remarkable if you think about it- this coming from a royal when royals are usually dumb as posts and indifferent to thought. I can’t wait to see what he does next. Clearly the dynamics are changing. Woo hoo!
This also might explain why William with his stupid gap year doesn’t have the RAF to hide behind any longer and is being forced to actually look serious with that agricultural course. Same with Harry (though in a fluffier way). Daddy suddenly is ruling with an iron hand.
I feel myself finally lifting from the torpor I have experienced every time the subject is royals, well, largely, you know who.
For whatever reason Maven I can’t see Charles making William shape up. His role is cemented. And for the most part I think Harry truly has a passion for Charty work so there’s little pushing him into work.
And yea. William needs to start looking like he wants to better his country by workiing more. The PR merger might just be another way to hide all his muckups.
I absolutely agree. I think streamlining lends itself to better control of information and finances and Charles IS the more senior of the gang, so I mean, they should just zip it if they dont’ like it. I’m starting to feel that Kate’s crowd’s attitude smacks of entitlement and laziness, which looks bad for the royal family. Charles is doing right by being the bad guy…it frees up the Queen to continue as she has been doing lately … things need to be taken in hand in the royal family but the Queen doesn’t need to deal with that s*** anymore at this point in her life. I mean, really. She starts to enjoy the younger crowd and then they take advantage of granny’s goodwill.
From my understanding, a lot of people are living in poverty – seeing the royals flit about on vacation in rich locals that only the wealthy can afford…I mean, fine, the royals have lived large for generations. I just don’t think the RF can expect to be always popular if they continue to live like that while a large part of the population struggles. Which brings me back to Charles. Buddy gets around and I’m pretty sure he’s well aware of what’s going on in Britain and is doing the best he can to ensure his royal standard lives on.
Also, I thought William hated the press and the paps? I was thinking he’d be happy that Charles is taking this on…less crap for William to deal with. I really do think Charles is taking the hit for the good of the family.
I agree, too.
I have my own wacky way out theory – and it’s based on Cressida.
I do think Harry is going to marry her and I predict that Cressida entering the royal family will cause a meida frenzy – a larger upheaval even than the Kate and William nuptials, for a variety of reasons that I won’t bore you with. The important thing is that the frenzy will be based on clothes and hair and jewels and endless Cressida versus Kate stories – that is the narrative Charles is trying to get away from.
I think he’s taking control of the situation BEFORE all this happens. Remember the crazy Diana/Sarah years? He’s taking a strategic approach to get the royal family PR in shape before all that comes down again.
Anyway, my crazy theory. I actually agree with his approach if not all the specifics. We’ll see how it all pans out.
* the press should stop freaking out over kate’s outfits. they’re basic and boring as hell.
* they should stop freaking out over her hair for the same reason.
* kate and william don’t do sh*t anyway. do they need a press office to report on their once-a-month trip to wherever to shake hands with whoever? charles and i agree that the answer to that question is “um, no.”.
* if the queen doesn’t have a press office, it’s because she doesn’t want a damn press office. no one puts the queen in a corner. NO. ONE.
+1
Okay. Remember this is just my opinion and I could be wrong. So here it goes. *takes deep breath*
While I understand the need for a better managed monarchy — I don’t think shaving over 2/3 of your work force is the way to do it. Why? Actually there are several reasons.
~ Geography ~ It has been reported that Charles to looking to other monarchies as a blue print for streamlining the BRF. However, no other monarchy has to cover the vast number of countries and land like the BRF does. And the BRF still routinely travels to former colonies as a goodwill gesture. It’s a whole lotta geography to cover for only eight people. A whole lotta geography!!
~ Work Load ~ I don’t have the exact number of engagements each Royal does but Charles and Anne have been tussling over the top spot for years with about 600 engagements each a year. HM and Philip usually put in a staggering number as well but just to be conservative, let’s give them 400 each a year. Edward and Sophie usually do about 300 each a year and doesn’t Andrew as well? I can’t remember but we’ll say 300 engagements for Andrew as a good measure. Camilla is another Royal that clocks in at about 300 engagements a year (300 seems to be a nice comfortable and manageable number to achieve). And we usually don’t mention the minor Royals but most do about 100 or so a year themselves each year (some less, some more).
So on a very very conservative estimate — all those people do well over 3000 to possibly 4000 Royal engagements a year. How the heck are EIGHT people going to accomplish those kinds of numbers???? Especially when you consider the next point.
~ Increase in requests for Royal Patronages ~ More and more businesses and organizations are asking for Royal patrons. And William, Kate, and Harry have expressed the desire to have more meaningful connections to their patronages (quality over quantity) which I absolutely respect. No shade there but that means A LOT of fantastic organizations will not enjoy the pleasure and boost of having a Royal patron. Especially the ones asking for one and have to go without.
~ Increase focus on remaining Royals ~ With far fewer active and working Royals means the intense scrutiny already experienced by the senior Royals ramps up even more. For better or for worse. Yuck. No matter what — I can’t see a positive here.
~ Increase focus on numbers ~ As odd as this may sound, in this day and age, fewer employees doesn’t equate to a drop in service. Or that’s what we believe. So when people just look at the numbers alone — the BRF will appear to work less because the number of Royal engagements will plummet with a smaller workforce.
What can all of this lead to?
~ Possible increase in public dissatisfaction which could lead to a republic ~ When you look at each of those points (and there are probably more points that I’ve missed) there are VERY few upsides to a smaller BRF. Money isn’t everything and they’ll still be super expensive regardless. And the BRF depends on the goodwill of the British public to keep the monarchy (and by extension all the other countries the BRF heads). It’s as simple as that.
I *honestly* think the best thing to do is get everyone working and that includes having some of them live in all the countries the BRF represents. Model it after the military and have people ‘home base’ in the UK (not necessarily London or even England) and live for a few years abroad. Get everyone involved and everyone working. Rotate the Royals so everyone can come home between living abroad.
Also creating a smaller fishbowl for the super senior Royals (Charles’ family) will make it tougher and not easier to be in that small group. Not a good thing.
Bottom line is the British public and the rest of the countries the BRF represents deserve to have a very active and involved Royal Family. I just fail to see how that can be accomplished with so few people. In all honesty, I could see this getting almost as bad as what the Japanese Imperial Family is facing. (Just to be clear, I don’t think it’ll ever get that bad but why paint yourself into a corner if you don’t have to?)
Thoughts???
Serious question here: what would be the real point in having Royals living abroad? In which countries would they be living? To me, that sounds extremely expensive and unnecessary. Aren’t State visits enough?
Great Question littlestar. If the Royals lived in one of the many countries they represent, you could ask that country to pick up the burden of the cost of security. Some of the costs the BRF will ready be keeping up with so it’s not THAT much different than now. Plus, all those other countries would get the added bonus of Royal Patronage. That really does WONDERS for an organisation.
Sure there’s be logistical issues but IMO the pros outweigh the cons.
I have to disagree with this. This would not help another country at all and I cannot see very many people actually wanting to fund some random Royal to live in their country. I live in a Commonwealth nation (Canada) and I know very few people here who are even mildly interested in the RF (yes, there was public interest for W & K’s wedding and trip to Canada a few years ago, but that has died down greatly). Canada has its own economic problems now (massive deficit that just keeps getting larger), and the thought of having to fund someone as lazy as Will or Kate to live here just so they can have some good PR for themselves and the BRF enrages me – and I’d venture to guess it would anger other Canadians as well. Can you think of a country that would actually want this?
Edit: thinking about it, I think a charity organization in Canada would probably do better if a Canadian celebrity was its patron, rather than a Royal (for example, a famous hockey star like Sydney Crosby).
Fair enough argument.
Expenses are a big concern and I get that. Most of the Royals will still have some money coming in already as that money has been in place for some time. Plus, there are expenses going out for other public officials — we just never hear about them. The question is — is the cost worth it? And the answer is it probably depends on the Royal(s) and how well they do their job.
For example, having Harry stationed in Canada would honestly get people excited more excited than a lessor Royal. Time frame would be like the military I was thinking a 2-3 year stint in any country. Keep using Harry as my example, he could actually liaison with the Canadian military while performing his other Royal functions.
On the other hand, people probably wouldn’t be as excited if the Gloucester’s or the Kent’s were stationed there but they are all solid working Royals.
Again, it wouldn’t be perfect (nothing is) but it’s a way to have the Royals working in and living with the people they represent. And Charles’ main focus is not to have a bunch of dead beat Royals and I think there are other ways to accomplish that. This is just one way — I’m sure others can think of alternative options.
Have to strongly disagree about posting royals out to other countries – it would cause an uproar.
In Australia prince Charles has intimated a couple of times that he’d like to be the Governor General and it’s really ruffled feathers. I think at some point they tried the same for will (or maybe Harry?) and that was rebuffed too.
The problem is that for former colonies, having royals there is…well…too colonial. It feels v patronising.
I actually think they need to stop the scenty gazillion “engagements” a year and do some substantial work with less charities. How much profile raising do all of those charities get? Really not very much at all – you rarely see any of the engagements get reported. Even William did something the other day (went to one of the regional cities?) that didn’t make the news. I think measuring the worth of the royal family by column inches is v dangerous for the monarchy (which is good, as I’m a republican!)
AmandaPanda,
The colonial feeling is a very big down side and I wasn’t suggesting a role like Charles advocated. I was thinking more in terms of promoting charities like they do now in the UK. And my idea might be a crappy one but I think throwing ideas ‘out there’ to get feedback is always a good thing.
The BRF should call you. Stat.
Thank you!
🙂
Wow. Really well done. I had no idea they attended so many functions. Also, Charles may be intelligent, but I don’t think he has exhibited good judgement over his life.
The BRF does a lot and the focus ends up on only a few — regardless of whether they work or not. But most work their tuches off and some of the minor Royals actually wanted to work more and can’t or couldn’t. Which is sad.
As for Charles, his idea looks great on paper. Many ideas do in fact. However, I don’t think he (or most famous people) have anyone to give honest feedback and that is what this idea seems to lack. HM is rumoured to adore her dresser Angela (can’t remember last name) because she is the only person, other than Philip, that is honest. That’s how insulated she is. Diana said pretty much the same thing about Charles; she said he’s been surrounded by ‘yes men’ since birth and she was one of the few to say no to him.
I have to give Charles credit though. He has often been very forward thinking in other areas so I’m not shading him at all with my comments. I greatly admire the BRF and wish it to go on for a long time. So I think Charles’ intent is spot on but how he is planning to carry it out is flawed.
Bravo Lady Slippers!
My thoughts are that you’re correct. We are on the same page with this discussion.
Nice breakdown! I was totally appalled during the last summer Olympics to find out how many people do not realize how big the UK really is and was.
I think you bring up great points!
When people talk about streamlining the monarchy and not having those members of the BRF beyond the “core eight” do public appearances, I have to wonder what those individuals would do without having to make public appearances. If the members of the BRF are willing to work for their pay, then I don’t see the harm in keeping them on. Because as has been mentioned, some of them do work, and work a lot. They generate interest in their chosen charities, and isn’t that important?
“Also creating a smaller fishbowl for the super senior Royals (Charles’ family) will make it tougher and not easier to be in that small group. Not a good thing.”
Good, good point. With only the core eight, you really leave a lot to chance when someone in that group dies, gets too ill to work, etc. Especially when you consider a) one of those individuals is a *baby* and b) how much work can the Queen and Prince Philip reasonably do every year?
(BTW, I am a gardener, but not as great as I’d like to be!)
I agree, LadySlippers, especially about the amount of work that a streamlined monarchy would have to deal with. It’s ridiculous to consider how William, Kate, and Harry and his wife would have to do 900 engagements a year if Charles succeeds in cutting his siblings and nieces off.
Norway has a streamlined monarchy: King, Queen, Crown Prince and his wife, and their firstborn child. They make up the Royal House. This works for them as Norway is a small country and the public doesn’t exactly demand much from their royals.
Charles, on the other hand, will reign over the UK and the Commonwealth nations. Anne, the Wessexes, and Andrew may not be tabloid fodder in today’s media, but they undertake a lot of foreign visits and events on behalf of the crown. Just because the media doesn’t focus on them doesn’t mean they don’t do anything and that Charles and William can do it all so there’d be no need for a bigger royal family.
People dismissing the negative impact of a streamlined monarchy must not have considered that the Crown’s work goes beyond Charles, Camilla, and his sons. Even the Queen’s cousins have events representing the Queen.
There’s just too much work for 7-8 people to do in a year. George will not be doing his own events for another 20-25 years. William and Kate are in their 30s and show no sign of actually wanting to work hard. I doubt they’ll ever change. They’d probably just go through the motions and even for them, 700 events a year per person is a lot.
I don’t want to have to pay for so many royals down the line, but right now, I think Charles is being very shortsighted about this. I like that he is taking control and has a plan for what he wants to do when he is King, but I also think that his desire to be in control is overshadowing the practicality of having his family working for the UK especially when some of them are worthy of the roles they occupy in the royal family.
Taking away William and Kate’s press office, on the other hand, is a good move. W&K’s PR machine is a disaster. A lot of conflicting reports were coming out of St James Palace vs Buckingham Palace, confusing people who still believe Charles is the one who is ‘holding back’ William and Kate from being true hardworking royals because he’s jealous of them. LOL.
Good points, too! I was thinking about a possible workload for the BRF. If you plan it just right, doing 300 events per person per year is feasible, especially if you bulk up the schedule and do two or even three events in one day.
The press offices merged but sound like everything else is still intact. I think the headline is misleading. So they still maintain the same people.
And to clarify, the core 7-8 right now are:
HM
Philip
Charles
Camilla
William
Kate
Harry
And eventually Harry’s wife
George doesn’t factor in for years and obviously HM and Philip might not be around forever which trims those numbers again. So if HM and Philip dies soon (please God no) then it brings down the numbers to 5. Charles’ siblings are (I think) expected to keep working but I wouldn’t be surprised if he asks them to stop soon.
ETA: In total agreement about the junior Royals. Alexandra (Kent) has stepped in for her cousin as has Richard (Gloucester) and Edward (Kent). They are not glamourous but do some great work on behalf of HM. To shut out the York’s and the Wessex’s is very unfortunate and I think Charles may regret that.
I’m an anglophile and a big fan of the Royal Family and I am get what Prince Charles is trying to do. I don’t think it all has to do with PR though, I think this is all part of a grander scheme. Yes, I think he wants to streamline the royals, as well he should. IMO, Charles, his siblings and Will, Kate, Harry, and because I have always been a huge fan, Zara (though I don’t think she counts because she holds no HRH title) should start becoming a bigger presence. I think, in terms of PR, they would be the best options. Second tier I would say Beatrice, Eugenie, lol probably cuz I’m not a huge fan of theirs. PR wise, though, they would really modernize the monarchy.
There would be no reason to send any royals to the commonwealth realms, I just don’t see the point, isn’t that the job of an ambassador? You don’t really need an ambassador to your own territory. It would be the equivalent to having a U.S. ambassador to Puerto Rico. Redundant and irrelevant.
I also think it will take a lot more than bad PR to abolish the monarchy in favor of a republic. Abolishing a constitutional monarchy has to do with politics, finances, and faith in the institution. Whether they get bad or good PR is just a small facet of what goes into becoming a republic.
I think Charles is being smart. He’s streamlining the monarchy, yes, but he’s also cutting down on expenses and putting his foot down about the kind of message they’re sending. I’m not as hard on the younger royals as some others are, but no doubt they need to work on their PR. Too much fluff about clothes, make up and hair and not enough about real issues, maybe Charles sees that? Maybe he knows what the critics are saying and is trying to change that? If that’s the case then good for him, he will be king soon and William will have to step up to a much larger role and with him, Kate and Harry.
I don’t know how many members should take on official duties but I think they should care more about *which* members they use. Just because you’re royal doesn’t mean you should take on official duties, maybe that’s what Charles is trying to do. Obviously there are some that have no choice (Will, Kate, Harry) but it seems Charles is making sure that whom ever represents the BRF will send out a certain message that is less puff piece and more serious business.
If he’s cutting down on expenses can he still keep the man employed by him to iron his shoe laces?
And royalty doesn’t have to take on duties, but it looks really bad if they don’t.
Charles strikes me as a man determined to make a difference, which means it’s kind of a shame he’ll probably only be King for all of five minutes when his turn comes. After all, look at what Victoria did to Edward and that was intentional. QE2 is a reasonable woman, but her mom lived to be a smidgen over 100, so poor Charles.
Taking your numbers of 4000 engagements and 8 people to do them that’s 500 engagements per year per person. If we assume 2 hours per engagement that’s 1000 hours of front line work per year. Assuming 500 hours of back room work , we’re looking at 1500 hours per year. A full time working person works 2000 hours per year, assuming 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year. I don’t see the problem. Also, nothing says that the number of engagements must remain the same, same holds true for patronages.
George VII (it’s going to be hard to get used to that!) is going to do things his way, and he’s going to rein in everyone so that one message gets out about the BRF. Not a message per clique, but one message total. I think it’s a smart move. Flower got it in her post down below. He’s centralizing communication. The Queen’s been hands off about this, and Charles is definitely indicating he isn’t.
Charles has said he’ll be Charles III.
As for the numbers — 4000 was being conservative and 8 core members might be an over estimate. Most Royals now don’t achieve close to 500 engagements a year. Charles and Anne are exceptions not the rule. Plus William, Kate, and Harry have said they want to make more meaningful connections with their charities so I don’t see them going over 300 engagements a year anytime soon. People notice numbers and the numbers will plummet and it will be used against the BRF not matter how good the reason is.
Actually, Charles is considering George VII. The reason I read was that he thinks Charles is an unlucky name. Apparently, the final decision has not yet been made, however, and I thought it had. Apologies.
This has been my contention all along. While everyone was screaming about how little Will and Kate showed up I’ve always said that the Queen and Charles held them back because they refused to be overshadowed by a couple of handsome young people. This just proves it.
Kate and William were not held back because of the Queen and Charles. They’ve set their own pace for ages. And William and Kate could up their work load 200% and still be a spot on the map compared to all the other royals do.
Read anne_000’s comment below. It’s a solid grasp on what this is partly about.
Jaxx, I agree with Florc here. Over and over the palace has confirmed and reconfirmed that all the Royals, including Will & Kate, set their own schedules.
I think it’s a smart move by Charles, especially since William’s press office has been doing a really bad job of lying about how normal, frugal, & staff-less W&K are. Nobody believed it & their continuing this lie probably offended the Public as if they considered people to be that stupid & gullible.
Also, considering that William doesn’t seem to want to work full-time as a Royal, taking over another Royal duty from him & putting it in the hands of Charles seems like a common sense move. Charles takes the job seriously & probably knows that there’s a negative reaction to W&K’s false propaganda about themselves.
So Charles is taking over the job? Well, we will see how much more Will and Kate are in the public eye. I bet you won’t see any more of them than you do now. Charles does not intend to be overshadowed by his son in his kingship as he was Diana while he was Prince of Wales.
Kate’s and William’s press office were doing a terrible job. Charles’ has a done a great job in getting Camilla accepted by the public they might actually be able to get the focus away from kate’s hair and clothes.
Camilla earned her place in the public too. She took the abuse and threats. Kept her family very low. Kept up with charity work and being very involved with it.
And yes. At the bones of many comments here and on other Will and Kate threads their KP PR was terrible! Absolutely awful! They issued statements where they should have kept quiet. They had no clue what was happening when the Middleton’s called their family pap to break news about Kate’s pregnancy while they d no idea anything was happening. The whole HG diagnosis that KP did. I won’t go on, but lord knows I could. KP was just awful.
I do wonder what will be covered about Kate if she continues to keep her schedule low. MAny people do want to hear about her hair and clothes.
I don’t fault KP for Will & Kate’s mistakes. They took their direction from their bosses — Will & Kate.
I really see this as Charles trying to control his family’s image. To the best of my knowledge no one lost their job they just moved offices.
Even though I believe that, for the most part, Charles is doing this for the right reasons we should also remember that he is human and he has been waiting to stick it to Andrew for a very long time LOL.
Part of its business, part is personal.
Big move by Prince Charles. The other big move he engages in regularly is the secret veto (http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/14/secret-papers-royals-veto-bills) BOTH show that Charles demands control. He’s a strong-willed person, undoubtedly one of his better traits. Still, I find him cold and unlikable. He seems calculating, devious, and petty. I do not know him personally, but I rank among those who dislike him based on reputation, disposition, and the “feeling” he gives off. Frankly, Charles gives me the creeps.
Will he use that iron-will to bring Will & Kate into the royal workforce? I just don’t see that happening on the scale that would be required should Anne, Andrew, Edward and Sophie be downsized. Kate especially does not seem to have an interest in public affairs, charity work, government functions, or anything outside the home really. William doesn’t like to be forced. He will rebel against his father’s control in some way. That will be interesting… Stay tuned…
The Horsefaces need to realize they’re just not all that liked. Maybe curbing the kids’ press will give Charlie more face time, but it won’t make him liked. Here’s hoping he doesn’t have them all killed in high-speed paparazzi car chases.
I bet they won’t get into a car with a drunk driver then not wear their seatbelts. I also bet they will not dismiss their protection from the paps like Diana.
Really Diana has virtually no place in this move. She invited them in and made herself a target. Charles, William, and Harry will not do the same.
Charles always plays the long game and he always wins.
This may be a good thing for Will and Kate, particularly if they come out of it in a few years as rehabilitated as Camilla.
Wow. That is interesting. It sounds as though he’s clipping Billy Boy’s wings.
As a Brit, I think this is a savvy move by Charles. By streamlining the press of the core eight members, he’s forcing the younger royals (esp WK) to start being more responsible about how they are presented by the media. If they can no longer put out their own fluffy news then they have to start living lives of substance and value in order to get good press.
With all the economic woes faced by Britain, cutting down costs of the BRF, cutting out the gossipy elements that fly in the face of austerity measures, and emphasising the value of good causes is going to help the public take the BRF more seriously. This is good for ALL the heirs, not just Charles.
I find william to be the most irritating member of the royal family and I bet he is a big difficulty for everyone. He’s seems a bit too headstrong and can’t see beyond his own wants and needs, a certain selfishness and you can’t be like that in the royal family, it is so much bigger than you.
He doesn’t seem to want to do much, a passive aggressive attitude towards his up coming role therefore it seems like a disrespect to the queen, his granny. He pushes too much towards living an ordinary life which is fair enough but you’re never going to be normal. He only really wants to hang out with his friends. I don’t get the hate for kate. I think she’s better than her hubby and when the time comes, she will do all the work and carry the throne and william will be very lazy and just not care.
@Sam.
” I don’t get the hate for kate. I think she’s better than her hubby and when the time comes, she will do all the work and carry the throne and william will be very lazy and just not care. ”
If the monarchy is still around at that point, Middleton will not be the monarch, she will be the spouse of the monarch. It is not her role to “carry the throne” and it never will be.
– The woman *barely* worked for a decade. She was a two-or-three-day-a-week part-time accessories buyer for 9 months, and during that time demanded more time off to be available for her boyfriend. Her boss was quoted in the press as saying she wasn’t exactly committed to the job.
– If memory serves, she was papped twice outside the Party Pieces building in total, when she allegedly worked there for her family for a decade. The “work” she allegedly did was credited to someone else on the site and in the catalogs. When asked point blank what her sister did for the family company, her sister couldn’t answer.
There are valid reasons why people think Kate Middleton is lazy and always has been. Neither Bill nor Kate will ever work a solid work schedule unless they are forced to by Charles.
There is a key phrase which stood out for me in the article…… “the move represents a significant blow to the young royals attempts to set up an alternative court in Kensington Palace”.
I read this as more about Charles nipping in the bud any Royal Factions that might be brewing, historically various palace factions created serious problems for the monarch particularly just before and after Edwards abdication. I think the WK and Harry are clueless about Palace Politics and could be easily influenced and made to feel by some that they are more important than they really are , WK in particular could be easily persuaded that a few photo ops accompanied by some fluffy spin are all that is required to fulfil their duties.
Charles knows only too well what happened when Diana set up her own PR camp, it almost brought down the monarchy so he is making sure he has a firm grip on the Palace hierarchy and I’m talking about Palace staff not the royals themselves. The amount of hidden unreported backstabbing , plotting and jockeying for position and power ‘below stairs’ is just as bad as it was in Tudor times. No mention of staff redundancies but I bet my bottom dollar the resignations or ‘moving on to new jobs’ will not be long in coming. Undesirables (as Charles sees them) will be quietly elbowed out.
Flower, I believe you may have hit the nail on the head.
I agree.
I think people are so into Kate`s fashion because we do not know anything else about her. She has given one interview when she got engaged and that was it. She shops a ton that we know. Do we know is she stands for anything? Does she have causes close to her heart? We know about the art therapy but that seems like a cop out considering she studied art in university. Did she do anything related to art therapy while she was waiting for the rock? Whatever anyone says about Camilla, she works hard. The press talks about her fashion because of Kate.
Kate is no Princess Maxima who actually worked in finance and heads a bunch of microfinance committees. As for the belgian royals, they are boring but as an American living in Belgium I am sort of glad. They do their job. Queen Mathilde was a speech therapist and while Hello magazine covers what she wears, most people don`t care. We know that she is not spending her time shopping. Just my two euro cents
I think Maxima and Mathilde are great examples and great royal spouses! Dedicated career women who know what it is to accomplish something on your own and earn your way in this world. Now they are directing that energy and professionalism to their work as royal representatives.
It’s quite simple really: the Queen will be 88 in April, Prince Philip is 92. They have no choice but to slow down and take things more easily. That means the Prince Charles and Camilla will take up more of the slack. Therefore it makes total sense to amalgamate their Press Offices. More sense than the headline to this article anyway.
I was under the impression that Charles tacitly agreed to give up the throne in order to finally marry Camilla without any royal static. At the time, there was a lot of “Camilla must never be Queen!” fuss, and I thought he’d agreed – unofficially, at least – to abdicate when the time came, in favor of his son.
Not that I think he should have HAD to make that deal, but was that anyone else’s understanding, or I am just hallucinating?