The Late QEII and the late DoE birthdays, anniversaries and personal milestones

[Amabel2]

Thanks, I also have a number of books on the history of Wales and England that I have enjoyed. Wales seems to me to be a very fascinating country with a rich heritage. I am really looking forward to this visit by William and Catherine. 

Just my opinion yet this so called whatever slimmed down monarchy is a bad idea, to be seen and heard there needs to be more royals out promoting the country and it's people.

certainly not.  Slimmed down monarchy, we have to pay for some of it.

[Nightowl]

I get that yet why couldn't some of the royals do events just once in while, mot full time, just every now  and then. There needs to be more royals out there doings the bread and butter stuff like Edward and his wife do.  Pay would be limited and security is a must with this crazy world we all live in. People don't ask to be born royal yet those that are have a responsibility if a working royal to their country and the people.  People certainly don't want to throw away their heritage and history of their country all because of money do they?  When I visited London and Oxford I was the typical tourist......spent thousands of dollars on everything about the places I visited........That there is what is needed for a country to keep going. Keep  your heritage and places like BP so that we across the pond can enjoy them.   

[Amabel2]

Its up to the tax payers of Britain whether they want a large working royal family and indications have been for a long time that they dont any more. 

[TLLK]

Its up to the tax payers of Britain whether they want a large working royal family and indications have been for a long time that they dont any more. 

While these results are 8 years old and four of the royals(QEII, Prince Phillip, DoS, DoY) included in this poll are no longer working members,  I expect that most of the taxpayers in the UK still feel the same sentiment as they did in 2015. With the death of QEII and Prince Phillip, it might be understood that the Edinburghs and the Princess Royal are needed. Their security is only part time when they are on official engagements.

Voters: time to slim down the royal family | YouGov

Thought least deserving of preferential funding are the Queen?s cousins, descended from King George V (the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Duke and Duchess of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent), as well as the Queen?s grandchildren (Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, and Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall). Fewer than 10% think these groups should continue with their current financial arrangements.

Only 28% think that Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, two of the Queen?s sons, should be allowed to receive public money and revenue from the royal duchies, while slightly more (39%) think Princess Anne should qualify.

Even Prince Harry, fourth in line to the throne, only narrowly avoids the financial chop. 48% say he should be allowed to receive money by his current means, 43% say he should not.

For 250 years Parliament paid the Queen a fixed amount of money, through the Civil List, insensitive to the rate of inflation. But the Coalition?s spending review of 2010 changed all that, and as of 2013 the Queen has received an inflation-proof 15% cut of revenue from the Crown Estate ? a property portfolio with soaring value ? through the Sovereign Support Grant.

The cost to the taxpayer of the royal family is around 58p per head per year, or around 0.005% of total public spending. Still, republicans can argue that money raised from the Crown Estate (or in Charles?s case, the Duchy of Cornwall) is strictly hereditary, and benefits from generous tax exemptions.

As the late QEII's family meets this week at Balmoral to enjoy each other's company and remember her,  I do expect that there will be a meeting among the working royals to continue to plan for the coming years.

[Nightowl]

Does anyone think that a smaller royal family can do all the events today like they did in the past?  I don't  think so as so many people just love having the members of the royal family come to their event as that shows pictures, more people wanting to know more about the event, hopefully more money to help other people that need it.......even part-time royals are better than no members of the royal family.   

[Curryong]

Does anyone think that a smaller royal family can do all the events today like they did in the past?  I don't  think so as so many people just love having the members of the royal family come to their event as that shows pictures, more people wanting to know more about the event, hopefully more money to help other people that need it.......even part-time royals are better than no members of the royal family.   

No of course the RF in the future won?t perform as many engagements with as many charities as they did in the late Queen?s day. Not very many of Prince Philip?s, Andrew?s or indeed the late Queen?s many many hundreds of patronages each have been redistributed and it?s clear that most, apart from the military ones, won?t be.

The Kents, in bad health and already doing only a handful each year are drifting towards retirement in the next year or so. The Gloucesters (Pr Richard already nearly 80)  will probably follow within the next decade, and the Wales?s have made it very clear that they wish to concentrate on about 30 charities each as Patrons and Presidents, giving them their full attention. Prss Anne and the Edinburghs certainly won?t be taking on several more hundred patronages each. It?s impossible in practical terms.

Most of the above senior royals? adult children are in private life and show no signs of wanting to go on the royal roster. It?s doubtful that Charlotte and Louis will want to either. This is following the pattern of European and Scandi Royal families in the last forty years or so, and it?s been obvious in the BRF for ages with the Queen?s cousins offspring.

Those charities without a Royal Patron could find them among the celebrity world. Loads of British celebrities do valuable work with charities all over the UK. Local dignitaries do some too. Other charities will just go on without them.

[Curryong]

Charities affiliated with late Queen await news on whether they will get new royal patron | UK News | Sky News

Hundreds of charities once affiliated with the late Queen remain in the dark over whether they will be given a new royal patron.

Many say they are optimistic - but the slimmed-down monarchy means many could miss out.

?After the death of Queen Elizabeth, each of her royal patronages was sent a letter explaining there would be a review.

Nearly a year later the outcome is still not known.?

[TLLK]

Does anyone think that a smaller royal family can do all the events today like they did in the past?  I don't  think so as so many people just love having the members of the royal family come to their event as that shows pictures, more people wanting to know more about the event, hopefully more money to help other people that need it.......even part-time royals are better than no members of the royal family.   

As @Curryong pointed out in her posts, the BRF are definitely showing signs that they are following the path that their European peers have blazed in the past decades with fewer "working" members even if there is a larger "royal family." Public opinion polls in those nations have also shown a preference for a smaller pool of royals who receive taxpayer support for their activities. In some cases, their constitutions limit the number of working royals.

IMO the signs have been there for awhile now with the BRF since the 1990's. For example,  Edward and Sophie were originally to have full time careers with a few patronages and appearances throughout the year. Their children were not going to use their royal titles as the grandchildren of the late Queen. While the couple did become part of the full time royals list, their children are expected to have careers. Any plans to have the York sisters on the working royal roster, were shelved years ago.

  Even among Charles and his siblings, there is a noticeable difference in the number of patronages. Charles and Anne have hundreds of them while Edward/Sophie have 70 or less. While he's no longer a working royal,  Andrew like Edward had far fewer patronages than his two older siblings.  That suggests to me that these plans have been in place for awhile.  Public opinion polls in those nations have also shown a preference for a smaller pool of royals who receive taxpayer support for their activities. In some cases, their constitutions limit the number of working royals.

Instead of hundreds of single charities, more royal families are shifting towards foundations ie: The Netherlands has the Oranje Fund and concentrating their public engagements on those charities. The BRF has to be flexible enough to adapt to what the people of the United Kingdom want in the years to come if they expect the nation to remain as a monarchy.

[Amabel2]

Does anyone think that a smaller royal family can do all the events today like they did in the past?  I don't  think so as so many people just love having the members of the royal family come to their event as that shows pictures, more people wanting to know more about the event, hopefully more money to help other people that need it.......even part-time royals are better than no members of the royal family.   

NO, people are less interested in the family and dont feel the need to see them.  Mainly they dont wnat to pay for them. and I dont think that one will have part time royals, if the royals want a career, they wont want to do more than an occasional engagement

[sara8150]

POLL: Should Prince Harry join royals on anniversary of Queen's death? | Royal | News | Express.co.uk
Yes 9%
NO 90%
Don?t know 1%

POLL: Is King Charles right to mark anniversary of Queen?s death privately? | Royal | News | Express.co.uk
Yes 90%
NO 9%
Don?t know 1%

Should Prince Harry join Royal Family for anniversary of Queen's death? Vote in our poll - Mirror Online
Yes 19%
NO 80%
Other 1%

[Curryong]

Are we supposed to take notice of these extremely dodgy results of polling done by the tabloid Express?

[sara8150]

Are we supposed to take notice of these extremely dodgy results of polling done by the tabloid Express?

Yes but Duke of Sussex will not welcome to Balmoral because of his tell all book last January and also Netflix last December 2022

[Curryong]

Yes but Duke of Sussex will not welcome to Balmoral because of his tell all book last January and also Netflix last December 2022

Oh, has Charles issued a proclamation about Harry at Balmoral. I haven?t seen one and in fact there isn?t one. And the King has nothing whatsoever to do with dodgy and unscientific ?polls? run by tabloids purely for clickbait.

[Nightowl]

Given how H/M have spent the last 3 years as the entire world has seen and read their bad mouthing and telling lies about the royal family, just who is ever going to to trust them or want to be around them for fear what they say is going to end up on a TV show some reporters interview or book?  Don't think Charles  needs to say anything at all as the royal family as kept their mouths shut where H/M are out there front and center with their so called truths.  There is no  spin to take that away from them ever.....

They did that  all by themselves.

Meghan mocking HM with her curtesy was evil and totally disgusting to the entire royal family she will never be accepted back to the family again just wonder how the adult children grandchildren seeing that  felt........rage and anger to say the least of their feelings.

[Nightowl]

^ That right there shows how Megan has disrespect HM her husband's grandmother no less who gave them a million dollar wedding and more,,, totally selfish and self centered all for herself!

[wannable]

So basically two newspapers; The Express which allegiance is Conservative and The Mirror which is Labour Party, their subscribers of both don't want H&M at Balmoral.

[TLLK]

Has anyone heard if there will be any BRF members present at memorial services on Friday besides the Prince and Princess of Wales? I understand that Charles is having a quiet and private day, but I was wondering if Anne/Timothy or Edward/Sophie had any engagements related to her passing.

[Curryong]

Has anyone heard if there will be any BRF members present at memorial services on Friday besides the Prince and Princess of Wales? I understand that Charles is having a quiet and private day, but I was wondering if Anne/Timothy or Edward/Sophie had any engagements related to her passing.

Apparently the Gloucesters have engagements on that day but according to this there is nothing pencilled in for Prss Anne, the Edinburghs etc. It might just be used as a day of quiet reflection I suppose, unless something is planned nobody knows anything about.

Royals working on the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth?s death | Woman & Home

[sara8150]

Has anyone heard if there will be any BRF members present at memorial services on Friday besides the Prince and Princess of Wales? I understand that Charles is having a quiet and private day, but I was wondering if Anne/Timothy or Edward/Sophie had any engagements related to her passing.

King Charles have quiet on day of Queen Elizabeth?s death anniversary no public will release pictures per Buckingham Palace remember when late Diana,Princess of Wales passed away in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth wont say anything about that and Queen Elizabeth said Diana wouldn?t no longer have royal funeral or royal burial at Windsor Castle due Queen Elizabeth strip her titles HRH but Diana will know as Diana,Princess of Wales in public or events but Diana will have funeral at Westminster Abbey after her funeral at Westminster Abbey her final rest place in Althorp private burial no paparazzi or media taking pictures per Althorp limited off!!

1 Year Without Queen Elizabeth: How Royal Family Has Coped, Exclusive

[Curryong]

'Queen Elizabeth had no regrets. She was at peace in the days before she died and her thoughts dwelled upon her faith, on her father and upon the

The Right Reverend, Dr Iain Greenshields, then Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, spent a few days at the castle last summer as a guest of the Queen, as was traditional.

Her Late Majesty was frail, he told me, but that, in a series of one-to-one conversations, he found her mentally sharp and contemplative, preoccupied in particular with her faith and that of her father, George VI.

During those final meals, the Queen spoke of her faith and continued to do so in private conversations with Dr Greenshields. Her love of Scotland, and Balmoral in particular, came through.

?At one point in our conversations she went to the window and said ?who would not want to be here?. She was in a very peaceful, private place. She was at peace.'

[TLLK]

^^^ This is how I expected that the late QEII spent her days. She knew that her time was drawing to a close and was ready to be at peace.

[Curryong]

^^^ This is how I expected that the late QEII spent her days. She knew that her time was drawing to a close and was ready to be at peace.

Yes, I expected that as well. The late Queen had led a full and interesting existence. Plus, in a way she was both typical of people with a deep and devout religious faith and of many aged people who know that their lives are coming to a close, and so are able to get to a good place, serene and happy, at peace with themselves and their lives.

[Nightowl]

I felt it was just a matter of time when I saw her on the last balcony appearance with the Wales children.  Also that last picture of HM in her living room at Balmoral with the new prime minister was heartbreaking as I thought she could barely stand up.  May HM rest in peace!

[wannable]

'World's most expensive coin' unveiled in honour of Queen Elizabeth II
It is described as a "16-month labour of love" by craftsmen from across the Commonwealth, and is one that "many thought was not possible due to the scale of the project and the global shortage of diamonds as a result of the pandemic".

Made with almost 4kg of gold and more than 6,426 diamonds, a new coin has been unveiled in honour of the late Queen - and may be among the most valuable of all time.

The creator of the luxury object called The Crown - the East India Company - has valued it at around USD 23m (GBP 18.47m).



'World's most expensive coin' unveiled in honour of Queen Elizabeth II | World News | Sky News

[sara8150]

Coin worth an estimated ?18.5 million with more than 6,000 diamonds unveiled to mark anniversary of Queen's death | Daily Mail Online
Article said worth $23 million in USA and in UK pounds is $18.5 million