Breaking News***Royal Heifer Getting Hitched***Breaking News

They look happy.

Praise Jeebus!!!

And he's not to bad either. Is she considered the "pretty one" or is that Beatrice?

Oh, that’s the cuter sister. It’s a very nice photo of her. That was my something nice.

Now the other sister and Fergie can really throw themselves into their Grey Gardens schtick. There’s a crowd.

And he should turn to a life of crime. He has the perfect face for it. He’s handsome enough that he looks trustworthy and could gain confidence. And if you had to describe him for a police sketch, you absolutely could not. He’s generic and there is not a single remarkable thing about him.

They have the same teeth. Big and porcelainy.

Apparently he can ski.

I didn't read any further, couldn't be bothered.

Wow. They DO have the same teeth!

He looks like he’s a missing Windsor brother. A lot like her father and uncle. Typical upper class British Twit. Sure they’ll deal very well together.

Given the other thread about the Pork Duchess suing Murdoch for 40m, my instant response to this news was to wonder how Pork would milk it. Then I scrolled down OP's link to find Pork's tweet:

[quote]I always say that the river flows well to it’s destiny because of the guidance of a solid rock.

She's bigging herself up therefore (I assume) as 'a solid rock.' Ego and tone deafness firmly in place as ever. Should be a lively year.

Poor Fergie doesn't get invited to the other royal weddings but they can't very well exclude her from this one. (Or can they!? Ha!) It is said that Prince Philip can't stand Fergie and won't allow her to be at any event he attends. So will he concede in this case to see his granddaughter get married? Or will he skip this wedding? Or will they have a long engagement and wait til he dies?

I bet the ratings for her wedding will be higher than for Sparkles.

Maybe she's pregnant. The timing seems bad with the lawsuit and Harry's wedding.

I like her. Of the two Princesses she seems the nicer, and the other one seems more....Fergie-ish.

The other one looks Fergie-ish, but other than that and a habit of being work-shy, she’s not known to be a mean person. The few times I’ve seen her on camera being interviewed she seems awkward but friendly. She seems like the type who’d be a perpetual spinster living off her father’s bank account.

A bar manager and former waiter? Nice

Five years tops, then he dumps her for a blonde similar to the one Clark dumped Bea for.

No, R14, not a mean person, I agree, but I believe Princess Beatrice The Work Shy seems like she will be unlucky in her choices and have several husbands.

You know, with all the spare apartments in all the fucking castles, and all the "cottages" on the various estates, I would think the Royals could board all these Royal freeloaders with out a problem. I mean if you have to keep the damned buildings open and heated for one, why not for the rest.

Jack Brooksbank worked as a waiter, but went to Stowe boarding school which costs £8,530 to £11,865 per term?!

That's one privileged waiter.

Fergie might finally get an invitation to the royal wedding!

"He chose not go to uni." (Tatler)

He must have failed his A-Levels.

How old is this dude?

Does he he have grifterish tendencies?

Seems like this would be a prerequisite for his mother-in-law.

[quote] But he chose not to go to uni.

His parents were probably thrilled, especially after they threw away a small fortune at his pre-college education.

R20 is probably right. Funny how Tatler insists that he [italic]chose[/italic] not to get a degree. I've heard of students waiting tables to pay for college. But not skipping college entirely just to become a waiter!

Ding-ding-ding, r20!

He's probably as dumb as a brick, which means he'll fit right in with that family.

And college in the UK -- even a very good university, like Oxford -- costs less than 10,000 pounds a year. So, less than his secondary school.

Yep, dumb as a brick.

We know OP

R25, that thread speculates if they're engaged or not - this thread confirms the official announcement.

He looks like her parents' long-lost son.

In this photo, he shares a resemblance to Fergie and especially Andrew. They look like a family: 2 parents and 2 sibling kids.

I feel sorry for Beatrice. Ten years with her boyfriend, they split and he is engaged a year later to a beauty.

Aw, he's cute.

Don't agree he looks like a criminal, but he could be a criminal's hapless patsy. Total ingenuous look about his eyes. He seems like the comedy sketch character 'Tim-nice-but-dim.' R20 appears to confirm this. How he'll need to man up to cope with the in-laws!

I hope he can cover my spending habits.

They both have fake teeth.

r20

Relax an A level isn't what gays think it is.

Wasn't she the one that wore that hideous fascinator at William and Kate's wedding?

No, that was the other one.

[quote]I feel sorry for Beatrice. Ten years with her boyfriend, they split and he is engaged a year later to a beauty.

I just did a quick search because I don't really know much about her beyond being the granddaughter of the queen. And from what I just read, frankly, I think she dodged a bullet - the ex-b/f looks like a total douchebag and a user. Getting married just to get married, shouldn't be the goal if someone like him is what you end up with.

Fascinators are for men too:

There were rumors and BIS that the two sisters were upset Harry got engaged when neither of them were engaged. There was also a BI a few weeks ago that EugeniE is a lesbian. Which just struck me as interesting since he worked for Clooney and his boyfriend's tequila brand.

R20, That "tequila you've never heard of" is called "Casamigos." Get the connections? More than a coincidence as one of the creators of Casamigos was/is friendly with Prince Andrew. They even dated the same model.

Anyway Casamigos was bought by a major Asian investor and distributor of liquor. Tequila is not yet super popular in Asia.

R34 - both York women have made some major fashion blunders through the years but it was her sister Beatrice who won the worst fascinator award at Will & Kate's wedding.

Hahahahahaha, R40!

I’m much more interested in seeing the dresses Eugenie picks for herself and her bridesmaids than seeing what Meghan wears. Will she be able to pull it together for one day?

I suspect her scoliosis was caused by the massive breastesses she inherited from her great-great grandmother, Queen Mary.

She’s got huge hams, that’s for sure.

Eh, good for her. They're both rich dopes who will drink a lot and ride horses and stare off into space together. They seem to be right for each other.

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R46 - he must have saved all of his bar tips to buy that ring.

That’s why it took him so long to propose. He needed years to save for the ring. You don’t think he would dare to give her a fake would he? Maybe it was a family heirloom.

Of course he hit up his mater and pater to buy that damn rain, and you know it!

ring

I miss fun royals like Fergie having the public spotlight. I hope she does something Fergi-licious enough at the wedding to light the tabloids up again.

We do too!

"I think she's magnificent!"

Eugenie's dress for her engagement photos certainly is an improvement over Sparkle's outfit.

Good for them. They've been together for years. Maybe Eugenie will find a purpose as a wife and mother, since she has just drifted along so far. She does seem quite nice...although spoiled and entitled, but it would be difficult not to be, born in her position. The guy seems pretty decent. Never given interviews. Never reached for attention. Apparently William didn't like Beatrice's BF. Didn't trust him... I hope relations are better here..

I don't care what anyone says, I love that Beatrice wore a battle shield on her head as a fascinator and I'm giddy with excitement to see what she wears for the next two royal weddings.

Beatrice needs to lose the raccoon style eye makeup. And dress more simply.

Ask Aunt Sophie for some tips. Sophie only rarely makes a mistake with her wardrobe and she appears to be seeing that her daughter follows in her footsteps.

Beatrice and Eugenie had the dreaded Fergie as an example in wardrobe choices and that "guidance" has been a disaster.

Both Beatrice and Eugenie were widely mocked for their wardrobe choices at William and Kate's wedding. Especially Beatrice's hat. They both have taken pains to dress better/more pleasingly since then.

I wonder how Fergie is going to make the wedding All About Her and try to steal the spotlight from her daughter.

Queen Elizabeth definitely has Queen Mary's eyes. Where did that family get the lower face "horselook"?

I've always felt like Eugenie would be OK. It's Beatrice who likes to pal around with Mum and keeps trying to get jobs where she has connections to the wealthy, and a great title but no discernable work. Whatever. I

I wonder if there is a subplot here. Andrew and Charles really don't get along. Charles intends to "scale back" on the Royal Family as soon as he is able. (cough!) and Andrew keeps undermining Charles efforts by running to Mummy.

Andrew, over the years, has pushed the girls to get close to the Queen and they seem always to be underfoot with Her Majesty. Until the Jubilee. That's when Charles took over planning and pushed Andrew off the fucking balcony...figuratively speaking.

If you recall it was The Queen & Phil, Charles, Camilla, William Kate and Harry up there. The balcony looked rather a lonely place without all the others. No Princess Anne, No Edward & Sophie, but especially no Andrew. And if you remember Andrew road on a boat away from the others. Sort of bringing up the rear.

Andrew and Trump have a lot of friends in common. pedophiles, gangsters and rich oligarchs. They're both also grifters. In fact for a fee Andrew may have offered himelf to Trump to sort of "back channel" insider news about what's going on in the Uk, except Edward would know little and "surmise" a lot.

I have to wonder if Andrew decided to push for a wedding at St. George's "in the Fall" to compete with Charles/Harry/ Meghan. He's not real bright and it should be clear to everyone that Harry is wildly popular and will overshadow these attempts. I also have to wonder if racism isn't a factor for Andrew. Maybe not, but I'm certain he'd feel like his little dumpling ought to get as much attention and consideration as HArry since she is a Royal Highness and out ranks Meghan as she does Kate.

Beatrice always looks like Alice in Wonderland to me.

[quote]I wonder how Fergie is going to make the wedding All About Her and try to steal the spotlight from her daughter.

She won't make it all about her, but I don't doubt she'll try and profit - probably calling businesses to offer up advertising space on the bride's dress, like NASCAR.

Andrew is silly. He should have had the wedding at a chapel on one of his estates and got the Palace to pay for the expensive renovations necessary to host such a grand extravagant affair. Then he could have sold the rights to photography the wedding exclusively to some high end publication for big money. Then once that was all lined up, he could have got everything free since it would generate publicity so designer gowns, champagne, celebrity chef, etc. And do it near to December, in the twilight with candles and fires burning and make it all very Celtic.

Damn. Tell them to call me.

R60 The family gets the bulging eyes and big teeth and fat cheeks and 'horse look' from the Hanover genes. Beatrice is a frightening clone of Queen Victoria in her youth. Queen Mary and her Teck genes reinforced the large bosom (also inherited from the Hanovers) plus the stern/masculine face. Philip gave them some height as Victoria was barely 5 feet. Eugenie, Harry and Zara def got the better combination of genes.

Actually I think William is not unattractive. THe one that always shocks me is the Princess Royal. Princess Anne was very attractive when she was younger but now she look like Gary Oldman when he play Dracula.

Princess Anne got all the worst of the Windsor horse genes.

Oops.

Tee hee. I love Auntie Anne in the Windsors and how the temperature drops when she enters the room. GERMAN EFFICIENCY!

Also it's amusing that I'm in Ireland and can't watch the above clip. Fuck you, Channel 4.

Does Princess Anne remind you of Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus ?

Thanks, R68.

I'll bet Princess Anne laughs uproariously at her character. She probably loves it.

[quote]he must have saved all of his bar tips to buy that ring.

Padparadscha Sapphires are extremely rare and can be as much, if not more, expensive than the classic Ceylon blue color. I would guess that ring probably cost 100-200k depending on the quality of the diamonds.

The Windsors is a very funny show.

I think he is better looking than her father. He has to come from money. I don't like her ring though. The other sister must be secretly devastated since she dated her bf for 10 years, only for him to run off and get engaged to an attractive American. I actually don't get the criticism that she does nothing. There are literally thousands just like her who post on Instagram. All they do is travel and party it up.

I’m looking at Sarah’s syrupy tweets, she’s totally going to make this wedding about herself, isn’t she.

R74 Beatrice and the BF broke up after 10 years when Beatrice didn't want to get married. She pretty much shut that relationship down...

Ah, other way around. Fergie gave Dave Clark the ultimatum, r76. And he scrammed right back to New York to work for a .... are you ready? ... a taxi company called Uber.

What does he do?

Jack is a Brand Ambassador of Casamigos tequila, which was founded by George Clooney, and worked in bars and pubs, including the celebrity hotspot Mahiki, for several years. Speaking about his career in hospitality, he once told theDaily Mail:

"I want to create a chain of pubs. It has been my dream since I was 18. I have fond memories of Sunday roasts in pubs with log fires, and it's something I want to recreate."

I wonder what title Jack will be given. Earl of Publican-on-Thames. That seems appropriate.

At least Jack doesn't look like Pee Wee Mathews.

Hunny Pippa's husband can look anyway he wants because he is dripping in money. Dripping. Wallowing drowning. WTF ever.

Just released sneak shot of Eugenie's wedding dress.

They both look inbred. So he works in a bar ? What does she do ?

r78 lol "Brand Ambassador" = Instagram ho

Do British Royalty not believe in plastic surgery?

R77 That is info I haven't heard/read in the gossip mags.

I hope when they have the wedding they make Harry and Sparkles sir near the back and put the ugly heir and his wife in the balcony.

You gotta hitch her to the fence real good, otherwise that heifer might get loose!

Interesting wording on Andrew's official announcement: "The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce..., as if they're married. He's also omitted the "HRH" from his title (because it would be awkward for Fergie, who was stripped of hers?). The correct wording should be "HRH The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York are delighted to announce..."

Also, some on Twitter are speculating that the reason they're tying the knot within months of Harry & Meghan is that they were advised to get married asap, as the Queen and/or Phillip could go at any time.

Andrew is probably pushing the wedding for asap. With the Queen in charge, Euge is likely to receive much better gifts from the crown, possibly even an earldom for her husband. With Charles in charge, who knows? The first time Charles kicked his siblings off the balcony, it was during the jubilee, and Philip wasn't there, since he was in the hospital with a bladder infection. Supposedly Philip was furious with how Charles had treated the Queen's other children and grandchildren. (He's never really liked how Charles does anything, though.) If Charles doesn't want Andrew to be on the balcony, they why is he allowing Harry on the balcony? Harry is the next Andrew, and he's now also an afterthought, since William's had kids.

[quote]possibly even an earldom for her husband

Nope.

There won't be an Earldom. Only children of the sovereign get Duchys/Earldoms. Not grandchildren. That line has been given the Dukedom of York thru Andrew.. And since there is no male heir, that title ends with Eugenie and Beatrice.

Here comes "The Spin".....

Who are his family?

Jack's parents are Nicola and George, who work as a company ź and a chartered accountant respectively. He is also a descendant of the Brooksbank baronets, and he and Eugenie are actually blood relatives (albeit very, very distant). The Duchess of York is the great great granddaughter of Lady Julia Coke, who is the daughter of Jack's great great grandfather, Thomas Coke.

Have we seen Eugenie's fiancé, Jack Brookbanks, shirtless yet?

So Eugenie's kids won't have any title? Just plain ol' Bob or Sally Brooksbanks?

That's correct r95. Plain ole Mr. or Miss Brooksbanks.

He might be needing some manscaping.

R95 Since Eugenie is an HRH Princess by birth, her children will be Lord/Lady X Brooksbanks.

Just as HRH Prince/Princess Michael's children are Lord Freddie Windsor and Lady Gabriella Windsor.

So will Princess Eugene still carry her title? Or will she be like Eugenie Brooksbanks?

I think she should just call herself Heather or Karen or Millie. Had she married an aristocrat, Eugenie would definitely be appropriate - Duke of Northumberland marries HRH Princess Eugenie.

Now she's plain old Mrs Jack Brooksbanks.

I always get the York girls confused, I have to remember that Beatrice is the bug-eyed one and Eugenie is the one who looks like a PE teacher.

So if her kids are just Lord or Lady, what will Jack be? R91 and r92 are saying no Earldom. So will Jack just be a Lord as in Lord Publican on the Thames?

R98 here. Researched some more and it looks like I'm wrong. The kids won't get any title as the father won't be ennobled, even though the mother is. Interesting. So they will be Miss/Mr X Brooksbanks only.

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They look very much in love.

R99 Looking at Princess Alexandra who married Angus Ogilvie on Wikipedia....the styling could be something like: HRH Princess Beatrice (of York), Mrs Brooksbanks.

Well that's a major bummer, r102 isn't it? Gotta run and get my tiara fitted!

Eug missed out on Britain's richest aristocratic catch. Oh well - Pub Manager Jack it is.

But her kids will be Matt, Sally, Steve, Brenda or Tootsie Brooksbanks, r105.

Beatrice (ugly name) dated that guy for 10 years....most marriages don't last that long.

I used to worry we'd lose our sense of self as a Gay message board, but then I read through a thread like this and I realize, yes, this is absolutely a Gay message board . No identity crisis on this damned thread. And that's a GOOD THING!

So ditto with the old spinster Beatrice. If Beatrice marries some Bob Smith bloke, she'll be HRH Princess Beatrice Smith and her kids will also end up being Bob Smith Jr, Mandy Smith, Nancy Smith and Fred Smith.

The marriage announcement says they got engaged in Nicaragua earlier this month. Well, that's a romantic spot if ever there was one.

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That guy's a furball. Their children will be little hairballs.

Yes it looks like Jack has a sexy hairy chest underneath that suit.

They are third cousins twice removed.

That explains the matching teeth.

It's back on Weight Watchers so I can look svelte in my MOTB dress.

Duchess Kate gonna be all like this at the wedding....

If Harry and MEMEMEghan have kids, what will the titles be? Will they be princes and princesses?

I read the link at, R107, and can't believe in this day and age only the sons inherit the estate in aristocracy. Ugh, get with the times, we are not living in the era of Pride and Prejudice.

R55, she was the one who did well in school and I think has a master's degree. She was also working. What is it about her life that you think is drifting?

Exactly R89. When I saw that wording it really struck me odd especially since it came from The Palace.

They got engaged in Nicaragua?

It's a shithole!

The Brooksbanks are very wealthy and titled themselves (baronets), but he's the second son so won't inherit. I'll bet Andrew badgers the Queen for a new title, and he's her favourite so he might actually get it.

R90, Harry is Charles' son. He'll always be on the balcony if Charles has anything to say about it.

They’re well matched and from photos he looks like he really loves her. Wish them the best.

Harry’s children will be princes and princesses, and if he and Megan have boys, the eldest will inherit Harry’s dukedom once Harry dies.

It is interesting that none of the recent young royals (william, harry or eugine) have married someone of high aristocratic title or social position or of substantial wealth. Either the royals are not interested powerful/rich marriage partners, or the potential powerful/rich partners want to have nothing to do with marrying into the Royal family. I am guessing it is the latter.

r128 I'm sure it's the latter. If you're already rich and have a cushy, privileged life why would you want the hassle of being a part of the Royal Family?

MM will morph into Britain's Viscountess of Weymouth.

If someone is rich and powerful, they don't need the cachet of the royals. And many rich and powerful want to live their own lives. They aren't interested in fame.

R72, blue sapphires are actually cheap wholesale. Unlike rubies and emeralds.

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R112 gave me ideas for a cat shelter, large doghouse or escape in my yard!

I really hope Eug shows up looking better than the way way looked at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball 2011.

Will the Queen pay for this wedding too? (I think I remember reading that she is paying for Harry and Sparkle wedding?)

Just released photo of enchanting romantic getaway for Jack's "Total Surprise" proposal after 7 years courtship with Eugenie.

Hi, Hare. Yujie here. So like, whaddaya think about a double wedding? Y'know, save costs, make history, have one lovely English bride. Mum thought I should ask you before going to Daddy.

Lemme know. Bye. Oh, hi to the Missus to Be. M something. You know who I mean. You ARE going through with it, right? I mean, the ceremony. A bit short, you know. Everything drags the floor. Funny for someone who's done nudies. I can give her some fash tips, Hare. If you want. Not to be pushy. And is she really that dark or just not accustomed to a good scrub?

Oh, and BeeBee is SO jealous. Barking mad!!!!!! Hee hee. 'kay then. Do get back soon. Because otherwise Daddy will need to find some investors and that means more little-girl parties and I am so concerned someone will take a pic and act like it's not perfectly reasonable yacht behavior. They ARE all in double-dij ages. Such PRUDES.

And the Abbey works for me, too. And I go down first because of the rank, of course. You don't mind. Camilla will have more time to hit the flasks before the "tears in her eyes" eye-drop routine.

Bye now. Buh bye. Bye.

The Yorks just did a dress rehearsal for the wedding in their designer gowns and suit. Sneak peek - Not for distribution.

Fergie's already embarrassing them on Instagram.

This gave me a thrill! Real royals and all it entails, obscure fashions and all, are so much more fun than just another "celeb" type. Especially frisky minor, yet impressively- lined royals. I'm sure that's why they're getting married now, too..the Harry thing is starting to curdle, and the Queen's got to show she's still got it! Those engagement photos are the stuff.

Eugenie's dress that she wore for her engagement photo costs $5000 pounds. Yes. That black thing with the red and white flowers splashed all over it.

I wonder what kind of grift Fergie is going to come up with so she can make some $$$ off of this wedding.

Oprah should hire all three of them for Weight Watchers.

Would it have killed her to go outside the tribe for a little genetic diversity? It wouldn't surprise me if the children were born with tails and whinnying for oats.

The future bride looks much, much better with a softened makeup look, obviously done by a pro makeup artist.

Fashion industry has been pushing large flower prints. Very few can pull off that look. Welcome to the 70's style reboot.

She should have picked a very flattering, solid color, accented with a long tied scarf to elongate her body. It's a classic look too. JMHO.

[R105] The Queen offered Angus Ogilvy Princess Alexandras husband his own title to carry down his family line but he declined. She will likely do the same with Eugenie but she will accept.

Speaking of the Ogilvys the gorgeous James Ogilvy is Princess Eugenies godfather and so will I'm sure be an attendee at the wedding. Hope to catch his handsome face on the TV or media coverage even if it's only in the background. 😍

[R142] What makes you say the Prince Harry thing is starting too curdle?

I miss the royal spotlight on Diana and Sarah. They had personality and pizzazz.

The current crop of royals don't come close to the fun and charisma of the Princess of Wales and Duchess of York.

I can't wait until Andrew and Sarah announce that they are remarrying. Suck it Philip. It's gonna happen.

Well, that's the million pound question....will the Queen give the new in-law an earldom (like for Tony Armstrong-Jones marrying Margaret and being made Earl Snowden). Anne's husbands turned down titles but if offered, it seems unlikely that this lot will turn anything down. If so, then their kids WOULD have titles. The eldest boy would be Viscount Brocklmockle, all the girls would be Lady Hannah Brocklemockle and the other boys would be "The Honorable Jaiden Brocklemockle".

You know Andrew is gonna put the screws on Mummy to give him a title. And, Charles will be behind the scenes fuming.

Man, there are more titles than I ever knew:

Viscountess Weymouth: Emma McQuiston – Britain’s first black Marchioness

Beautiful pics!

She got both Andrew and Fergie's looks blended in her. She's not ugly but she's not raving beauty. I'd say if she keeps her weight down she'd be one point above average.

The Queen didn’t give granddaughter Zara Phillip’s husband a title.

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[quote] With the Queen in charge, Euge is likely to receive much better gifts from the crown, possibly even an earldom for her husband.

No. That will never happen.

That didn't happen for Princess Alexandra of Kent, who is analogous in rank (i.e. the daughter of a royal duke), so it will not happen for Eugenie.

Fat chance r11, most of the western world is somewhat aware that Prince Harry exists, not so much for HRH Princes What's Her Name. Meghan, an American will be covered, HRH Princes What's Her Name will get a passing reference outside of the UK, if that.

r46 I love her outfit. Why did he choose a ring that's literally a red knock-off of Diana/Cate's ring? Am i crazy or are these similar?

r81 I had no idea Pippa married a damn near billionaire. Being Queen, in your 60s, doesn't sound as nice as the freedom of a billionaire's wife.

I bet Beatrice is frantically scarfing down biscuits and crumpets to eat her feelings even as we type!

Andrew is such a tool. He tries so hard to make himself and those girls relevant. There is no way this wedding will get the media of Harry's and that will just piss him off. I don't believe Phillip was upset at all that Charles is edging Andrew and his family out, not even during the Jubilee. Phillip detests Fergie. Really detests her. Andrew could never marry Fergie (a Vanity Fair article said he really wasn't romantically inclined toward her but has become responsible for keeping her out of trouble and easier to let her live with him since he has to pay off her debts. Additionally, he has to keep her under control so she doesn't influence The Firm negatively toward the two girls) until Phillip dies so Phillip would want them edged out now by Charles for fear Andrew and Fergie marry later on. He felt she embarrassed the family the most.

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[quote] Andrew is silly. He should have had the wedding at a chapel on one of his estates and got the Palace to pay for the expensive renovations necessary to host such a grand extravagant affair.

What "estates" are you talking about? Andrew doesn't own any estates. He lives in a home his mother gave him. Any royal family estates are owned by either the taxpayers or his mother. The ones owned by his mother will go directly to Charles when he becomes King

I hope as a wedding present Granny gives me an upper lip!

Unbelievable Andrew was the good looking one. He looks like shit now.

[quote] [R55] she was the one who did well in school and I think has a master's degree. She was also working. What is it about her life that you think is drifting?

None of Andrew's daughter's have a master's degree. They are just as dumb as the rest of the royal family. William was always considered the smart brother, although he graduated with a useless degree (and he had a C average). Harry graduated Eton and the only way he did it was by having someone cheat for him. He couldn't even smart enough to do his own cheating. Charles graduated from University with almost a D average. He only graduated because of who he was. No one wanted to accept Prince Edward. He finally got in because someone pressured a University to take him. He was a very poor student

And as for the York girls, one University turned her down UNTIL it was pointed out that she happened to be the Queen's granddaughter

[R158] That was because Alexandras husband declined the offer but an offer WAS made.

[R163] Philip may detest Fergie but he doesn't detest his granddaughters or his other three children Anne, Edward and Andrew. I can well believe Philip is sceptical of Charles plan to sideline his siblings once King. Who is going to do all of the huge numbers of engagements they all do especially Anne? Charles slimmed down monarchy will do do them all like Kate? I don't think so.

r165 this I don't get. Why don't the leftover royals like Edward and Andrew set up shop in one of the Queen's rarely used homes like Sandringham? I'd keep the flat in Kensington Palace or St. James Palace, live in one of the Queen's gigantic cottages and hold my own county court. Charles wouldn't have to worry about me at all.

Andrew doesn't know how to play the game. When Charles eventually becomes king, I'd sing a solo rendition of "And I am Telling You" as until he let me keep a room in the castle.

[quote] love her outfit. Why did he choose a ring that's literally a red knock-off of Diana/Cate's ring? Am i crazy or are these similar?

Evidently Fergie's ring was a knock off of Diana's. It was a red ruby surrounded by diamonds. So I guess this ring could be a knock off of her mother's . An above poster hilariously posted that the ring cost between 100k - 200k. It actually probably cost about £7,000. But who cares what it cost? It's a beautiful ring. I think it is prettier than the rings of Fergie and Diana

[quote] [R165] this I don't get. Why don't the leftover royals like Edward and Andrew set up shop in one of the Queen's rarely used homes like Sandringham? I'd keep the flat in Kensington Palace or St. James Palace, live in one of the Queen's gigantic cottages and hold my own county court. Charles wouldn't have to worry about me at all.

You don't get it. Edward and Andrew don't need to set up shop anywhere. They already have flats in Buckingham Palace. Edward doesn't need to set up shop in Sandringham. The Queen gave Edward a 50 room mansion to live in. Andrew had a mansion that his mother had bought for him as a wedding gift when he married Fergie. He sold it in some sorted, shady deal to a relative of a dictator for millions above the asking price and now lives in a grand house his mother is letting him live in

And despite all of this Andrew was still renting out the taxpayers palace (Buckingham Palace) on the sly to the 1% when his mother wasn't home. Charles will always have to worry about Andrew and Fergie

Their offspring are gonna have some PRIZE choppers! This I can tell you!

r173 I didn't know they had a place in Buckingham Palace! I would keep living there as well, though if I'm not mistaken the Royal Family hates Buckingham Palace and only stays at there at the government's request. They would prefer to use Windsor Castle as their official residence since Buckingham is a bit of a cold gaudy dump.

[quote] The Queen offered Angus Ogilvy Princess Alexandras husband his own title to carry down his family line but he declined.

Angus Ogilvy was the son of an Earl with an ancient Scottish lineage. Scottish noble families tended to care more about clans and bloodlines than they do about titles.

From all accounts, he and Princess Alexandra had a happy marriage. Alexandra's mother, Princess Marina (herself the daughter of a Russian Grand Duchess) was less than pleased about the match. Marina believed royalty should only marry royalty. After the marriage, Angus would introduce his wife to his friends as simply "Alexandra". When Princess Marina heard about this she exploded in a temper and informed her new son-in-law that in future he MUST introduce her as HRH Princess Alexandra and his friends must address her as "Ma'am". Later in life, Sir Angus commented, "You can have no idea what it is like to be married into THAT family." He became close to several members of his wife's extended family, but when en masse, he had very little patience for them.

At one time, Princess Alexandra received an allowance from the State (Civil List) for carrying out royal duties. The amount was less than what she actually spent, so Angus subsidized the cost of his wife's public duties out of his own pocket. Most members of the Royal Family would never have dreamed of using their private funds for public duties.

Actually, when I toured Windsor Castle about two years ago, the guide told us the Family rarely uses Windsor anymore. They used to use it more and for certain holidays but much less in the past few years. I love Windsor. I mean the town and the area surrounding the castle is just lovely. I've been to St. George's Chapel, too. Was surprised at how small it is compares to St. Paul's or the Abbey, but it is beautiful and filled with history. So many famous royals are interred there. And the Duke & Duchess of Windsor are on the grounds but away from everyone else.

The Queen likes to spend more time at Sandringham when she isn't at Buckingham Palace. I think when Charles becomes King he will open Buckingham Palace to the public a lot more than it is now, and use the palace for ceremonial occasions and for offices, not as a residence. I think he'll do the same with Windsor. Ceremonial. Open it to the public more. He'll probably leave Clarence House and St. James as they are, and Kensington Palace as well. Kensington is open to the public in some areas but of course not the apartments.

Thanks for the detailed information [R176]

Another good and interesting quality of Angus Ogilvy in my opinion is that he clearly has an ability to father extremely handsome sons 😍

R179 - Not sons. Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy had two children - James and Marina Ogilvy. Marina was quite the royal rebel in her day when she got pregnant out of wedlock. She married her boyfriend but sold her story to the tabloids. She is divorced.

James is safely married to an Essex girl named Julia and they have two children. No hint of scandal that I know.

[R179] To be honest to my eyes James himself alone is proof enough that Angus Ogilvy can produce a handsome son!

Whenever I have googled Princess Alexandra most of her recent family pictures are with her son James and or with James and her daughter in law. So she is clearly very close to her son. I'm not saying she doesn't love her daughter or isn't close to her but I suspect James is Mum's favourite especially as he's never sold stories to the media about the royal family. My crush on James aside his mother Princess Alexandra is quite right to be proud of him as he's clearly a well turned out decent bloke, according to someone on here who knows him from years ago he's charm personified and very excellent manners.

I wonder if Eugenie or indeed Beatrice will end up with a similar role in future to Princess Alexandra ie a granddaughter of a monarch and then cousin of a monarch who has a busy diary of Royal engagements? I think Prince Charles should stay open minded on this. Apparently Princess Alexandra still does quite a lot of royal duties to this day.

I don’t understand that anyway. Beatrice and Eugenie are happy to take on royal engagements yet Alexandra is still used. It’s time to retire those Kents.

Why is Charles scaling down the size of the monarchy anyway? Is there some change to the Civil LIst when the Queen croaks? He should be asking William to stop breeding with Cate, between their lot and horny Harry's future offspring we will have enough royals from those to two men to fill a generation. Let the York sisters take on a role.

Well apparently it isn't just Andrew. It's the Queen. She has a whole lot of friends and cousins and whatnot ensconced in apartments at various palaces and Royal estates and it's like having a bunch of freeloaders on the public dole. So as they die off, Charles is phasing that out.

He is going to also streamline his own siblings to set an example. Now to her credit, Anne, who is acknowledged as the absolutely hardest working Royal in the family besides The Queen and Prince Philip, is not one who lives and takes. She gives and is conscious of her duty. Sophie and Edward are low maintenance too.

It's only Andrew who keeps insisting on the kind of largesse and lifestyle perks that are no longer appropriate. And his shady lifestyle and friends his attempts at deal making, etc. Make him someone who needs a firm hand. Charles is happy to say no to him. He does very little to earn his keep. And Prince Philip expects them all, even Andrew, to serve and do their duty.I think once Charles got his life settled, Philip and he have grown closer.

Good post, r183. Charles would be right to streamline the family as the older extended family members die off. Right now, you have the Queen's first cousins once removed and second cousins etc. living off the Royal tit. That's a bit excessive and unnecessary.

How many of you even KNOW your second cousins, or if you do how often do you even see them?

[R118] I'm not sure what you mean by retire those Kents or why? Prince and Princess Michael of Kent don't do any official royal duties as such, Princess Alexandra does a lot of duties but seems happy to do so. She may like to pass some of her duties to others to lighten the load but I think she is too devoted to many charities and organisations to want to give it all up. The Duke of Kent is likely to be doing less duties because of a mini stroke several years ago but has a dedicated portfolio of causes he won't want to just drop like Alexandra. The Duchess of Kent hasnt done royal duties for years and she has had poor health history. So it's really only Princess Alexandra and The Duke of Kent. Two people who actually work hard for their age and are not freeloaders as some unfairly say.

I should think that with all the households in the Royal portfolio, if I were a servant in the royal household and I were homeless and single, I could simply live modestly in a small apartment at one of the less used places and be quite happy and undiscovered. Sort of like the little boy who lived at Walmart's after closing time.

I strongly doubt Eugenie will be offered an Earldom for her husband. Charles has emphasized *streamlining* the royal family as a modernizing technique. And the grandchildren except the direct line have been cut out (Peter, Zara, Eugenie, Bea, James, Louise). Anne still does engagements as do Edward and Sophie. Andrew has had scandals, so he's been kept a bit lower profile.

But Andrew is especially *torqued* that his daughters are being cut out. As children of a male son of the sovereign (Anne is a female, Edward's kids are too young) he feels his daughters are being unfairly slighted.

And Andrew's daughters are in an especially bad situation. Their mother is very unpopular. And they have a rep as 'party princesses'

But there is already a pattern in place for title streamlining. The Middletons have not been given an Earldom. It is unheard of for a sovereign to have commoner kin. Elizabeth Woodville's parents were ennobled....but the Middletons have not been. And they are not expected to...

And it seems that Eugenie/Beatrice - too unpopular to even join the Civil list - will probably not get Earldoms either. But who knows?

The only cousins of the Queen who carry out official engagements anymore are all first cousins and with whom she's close - the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra of Kent, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. None receive anything from the Civil List - I believe any expenses are covered by HM for official engagements. What they do for charities they may serve as patrons of are not necessarily considered official engagements (ie; representing HM) so no reimbursements there.

The Queen has given her cousins flats at Kensington or St James or a cottage at Windsor which for many years now they pay market (or near enough) rate. Tho HM does reimburse her cousins (not sure if she does for all or the full amount) and makes up any shortfalls from her private funds for the rent paid. To me, she’s a rich old lady, so if she wants her familial contemporaries around her, and it’s on her dime - let her. HM and her cousins are all over 70, so its not likely to last for decades. I do suspect she has something in place granting them “lifetime occupancy” to prevent Charles from turfing them out once she herself dies too.

The children of her cousins have never carried out official engagements, are styled as children of peers, and all work/support themselves.

If Prince Andrew is unsuccessful in getting a fresh earldom for the son-in-law, he may have more success in getting his mother to grant a “special remainder” either for his dukedom or his earldom (he’s also Earl of Inverness) to his daughters - as was done for Earl Mountbatten and the Duke of Fife (husband of Princess Royal) as both only ended up with daughters to inherit.

Even without any peerage, the Queen's habit has been to buy a country house for her children and grandchildren as they marry, so the Princess and her husband will at least have a home free and clear.

Do Bea and Eugenie even do any work on behalf of the crown? I follow several of the official royal Instagram pages, and you see Sophie and Edward out there hustling for the crown as well as the Queens old cousins. Seems like everyone pulls their weight except for Andrewand his girls. Maybe if they got out there and it a few ribbons and shook a few hands, the public wouldn’t be as hard on them as they are. They come off as spoiled and lazy. I do love how the DailyMail keeps track of their vacations.

Once again, it all shows that Fergie has no "filter."

I watched the engagement video and I was surprised at Eugenies deep smokers voice- that and the giant teeth on the two of them.

R189 Bea and Eugenie do not work on behalf of the crown. That is the nexus of the problem. They WANT to. And Andrew wants them to. But Charles does not. Because they are funded to perform the public events by the tax payer. They would have a staff, security and other funding to allow them to perform this work. The royal family is being streamlined and only a small group of critical members (close to the throne) will be funded to perform tasks representing the royal family. This has made Andrew furious. He feels it's a snub towards his daughters and he feels they deserve 24/7 Security (paid by the crown). And Charles is probably right. Every royal person is watched like a hawk by the public and criticized mercilessly for the money they cost (except the Queen). If Bea and Eug were added....the public would be furious.

R188 A daughter can inherit a title only when the letters patent specifies that at the time of its creation. A pre-existing peerage can't be amended. Mountbatten already had only daughters at the time his earldom was created so it was drafted specifically with that in mind.

The only way Beatrice and Eugenie's children are getting titles is if they're newly created for them or their spouses.

[quote]$5000 pounds

You heard it here, folks.

Does a title bring in any income? Like does being an Earl put money in your bank account, or is it just a title?

I always thought that Charles' suggestion to his whining brother Andrew that HM could declare that Andrew's ladybrood could collectively be called "The Yorkies" was particularly apt and helpful for putting the matter into proper perspective.

r195 the titles come with land, I think, which can be leased out for money.

r192 explains it well, and what a sense of entitlement Andrew has, so clueless too! Putting the York Girls in a situation where they would be supported in luxury for the next 50 or 60 years when they are so far removed from the line of succession (and lazy as all get-out, as well) would be a PR disaster for the Royal Family. Andrew just doesn't get it.

It’s not usually the done thing to have one royal engagement competing with another. This was very well timed by the Yorks. The American divorcee must be furious.

R195 No. The title/peerage is offered only. When accepting, the family has to consider if they are able to maintain the status granted by the title/peerage. The title can be for only the lifetime of the individual (and it does not transfer to the next generation) or a heriditary peerage, which WILL transfer to the eldest son.

Winston Churchill was offered the 'Duke of London' hereditary peerage by QE2 at the end of his career. One of the reasons he turned it down was because his son objected to the cost it would entail to keep up such a high status title.

If the girls want to take part in royal engagements why not get in front of an issue and prove their own worth. Most people in the world give to charities on their free-time after work, these girls hardly work so they have plenty of time to sink their teeth into an issue. They should choose something bold and local.

Another tip, call up Pippa, they should remember her, she's that girl they snubbed before Cate married William. Yeah, that girl, anyway call her up and find out how to snag a billionaire. Screw bar backs, they need to get that money.

R201 That is a good idea and it seems obvious. I also wonder why they don't do this. Maybe they just don't have the discipline. They seem like nice girls. They don't say mean things. But they are entitled and party or vacation all the time. And they have the taint of their mother's scandals on them. And the British tax payers don't want them representing the royal family on THEIR dime. And Charles has listened to that...it seems.

[R201] I believe the girls do support some charities and do engagements related to them and are maybe patrons etc but it goes under the radar.

he has a nice smile, she looks nice, i like that dress on her but that ring is so ugly and small. can't he afford a bigger ring?

[quote]The Queen didn’t give granddaughter Zara Phillip’s husband a title.

Zara's mother had already declined titles for her children and her father declined an earldom. I doubt anyone, including the Tindalls, ever even considered such a possibility at this point. And Zara and Mike both seem quite happy as things are now.

Princess Anne was smart not to have her children get titles. Peter and Zara are seemingly quite well-adjusted people with lives and careers away from the Royal Family and perfectly content. Unlike their grasping cousins.

Why should Charles, once he succeeds, look after his mothers cousins and give them work? The two York girls are more than able to handle cutting ribbons and unveiling plaques, and Eugenie is interested in spinal disorders which is interesting and helpful.

It’s not usually the done thing to have one royal engagement competing with another. This was very well timed by the Yorks. The American divorcee must be furious.

Yep, absolutely brilliant move by whomever - not Andrew or Sarah themselves obviously as they are both far too dim to come up with it on their own. Media Meg is so thirsty and domineering that she makes Eugenie look great by comparison. I've been following the engagement story and much of the public comment is about how different Eugenie and Jack are to Harry and Meg: they dated for seven years before getting engaged, they seem like a more genuine couple, even their engagement photos were seen to be more dignified and regal than H & M's Calvin Klein photoshoot. Also lots of comments about Eugenie's recycled dress as opposed to Meg's hella-expensive prom dress.

R157) Wow, a wealth of information. Thanks.

He was a bartender, and Camilla has the nerve to bitch about Kate and Meghan being commoners.

Great, R157, maybe they can invite the Trump boys to go shoot something.

R208, IF you believe CDAN Blinds there are repeated hints that all is not copacetic in the upcoming nuptials between M&H. Perhaps the change of focus IS intentional.

[quote] It’s not usually the done thing to have one royal engagement competing with another. This was very well timed by the Yorks. The American divorcee must be furious.

Eugenie and this guy have been a duo for a lot longer than Harry and his clinging vine, Sparkle. Why should Eugenie step aside and wait?

Good for her.

[quote] Beatrice and Eugenie are happy to take on royal engagements

Really? Between vacations and more vacations, when would they have time for royal engagements???

R214

Your argument is one that many British citizens have also made.

What Beatrice and Eugenie do very well is "look after" Granny. She enjoys their company according to their father, and they like to "spend time" with QE2. So they "accompany" her around the palace and on private visits and sometimes to public engagements. I'm sure they are not with her as often as Andrew would have us believe, but they are with her often enough to nettle Charles.

QE2's favorite grandchildren are said to be William and Zara. Sarah Chatto is also said to hold a very special place in her heart.

She is also fond of Sophie's dad who I think is a widower...

Regarding the comment at 217 - this is from many years ago. Great grand children have been born. New marriages. So there may be changes. But I have no doubt that QE2 still adores Sarah, she always has.

[quote] I don’t understand that anyway. Beatrice and Eugenie are happy to take on royal engagements yet Alexandra is still used.

Really? What can't you understand? The fact that with Beatrice and Eugenie, comes fuck up Fergie? They princesses are never far from their mother and she constantly tries to insinuate herself back into the royal family. She's a shady, greedy, money grubbing schemer. The royal family does not need that. It's bad enough that they have Andrew, who is just as terrible

Charles has good reasons to do this. For every sordid thing you know about Fergie, there are probably just as many that the royal family has had to bail her out of that you don't know about.

She will cause more drama before the wedding. Knowing her, she'll probably try to flog an invite to her daughter's wedding to the highest bidder or in exchange for some type of business deal.

Got that one covered luv, r219. Any more good ideas?

[quote] Also, some on Twitter are speculating that the reason they're tying the knot within months of Harry & Meghan is that they were advised to get married asap, as the Queen and/or Phillip could go at any time.

That's true. The Queen has gifted her children and some of her grandchildren with homes on her estate. Charles may not be that generous. If I were Eugenie I would be down at the registry office on Friday getting married

OK whether I fully agree with it or not I can kind of get the rationale for Charles sidelining Andrews family

But I don't understand or agree with this strategy if he's going to sideline hardworking Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie. Sophie is a patron of a lot of organisations and charities and they seem very very happy with her Her work flies under the radar but she's a real asset to the Royal family and my country the UK

[R212] What do these blinds say?

R219, considering Anderew’s special friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, I hardly think Fergie is the true villain of the family.

Yep, the heat was on Andrew when that hugging picture was everywhere, and the press said as much as they dared. Pork's toesucking and pimping et al seems a shade less culpable.

"Jeugenie" are now getting married in October because Sparkle and Harry are.....doing an international tour in September.

Why do the women always wear those stupid hats?

We had it remodeled from our dining room table centerpiece, r227. Is there a problem?

That fascinator ^^^ was so ugly and definitely worn as an attention-getting device.

I feel bad for whoever had to sit behind her in that thing. Someone was probably so excited to get an invite to the wedding in the royal seating area, only to have their view blocked by some hideous head tumor with a bow.

r224 I'm shocked only shocked that Andrew likes girls/women. But I noticed that all the questions were about his involvement with underage girls, I guess the Palace should have inquired about his actions with boys as well.

I prefer their Windsors versions of the York girls to the real thing. If they were replaced with the actresses playing them, would anyone notice?

[QUOTE] Meg's hella-expensive prom dress.

Hella? Well hello, midwestern flyover frau

The rumors and BIS from several places, including CDAN, is that like a lot of struggling actresses intent on making it Meghan slept with the right people for money and I think one said might have done yachting one season. I think one said there was a tape from someone and The Firm was trying to shut down people from talking. BUT the crux of the last BI from CDAN is that The Firm is souring on her with all the new info they are learning about her and I think it mentioned her absolute love of being in front of the camera and The Firm is trying to see if they can ease Harry out of this engagement. On phone so can't link, going by memory. She does love the attention, which would be a good thing, unless like Fergie they can't control her. She is a real cutie, but I can see her calling paps like Diana did to get pap shots, although Meaghan would probably do it just to get her pic in the paper not in some bid for sympathy.

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God, r235. Fergie is just shameless.

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r236, what is Fergie supposed to do? She is no worse than Andrew or the racists (African Broach) Kents. None of them do much of anything, she is just a woman trying to make it in this world. Her daughters and ex-husband are her life support. I don't blame her.

r237 good, Harry and Meghan are far more important to the Monarchy than the York sisters. Plus, those girls were bitches to the Middleton sisters, not that I'm a fan, throwing their titles around during a fashion show. They need to understand that their line of the family is not the future of the royal family, it's the past. In 20 years, Harry's line will be in the same position, it's how the Firm survives the 21st Century.

Harry's wedding will bring a positive approval bump to the family and increase interest from American's = more tourists dollars if played right. York sisters better be careful, I think that ice-queen Cate will be out for blood once Grannie dies.

When Charles becomes King...I'm not sure if he will completely cut out everyone. The family needs a representative for the European market - all of the royal events that happen there. Edward and Sophie have been the team doing that for years...I think they may continue as they know everyone. Anne is adored by the nation for her hard work ethic. Alexandra is well loved also. Don't see those 2 going anywhere. Will and Catherine will step up as the Prince and Princess of Wales. Harry and Megan will be full time. Guessing the Kents will retire. Pushy isn't exactly beloved. But just guessing...

I'm on the boat who believe only Ann and Charles are the bio children of Philip. Not the other two boys. The Queen squeezed Philip out of her sex life and bedroom when he was caught cheating. One guy was a stable manager and the other I forget what. I believe the Queen has had 4 children with 3 different fathers. I mean, look at the younger boys. Can't believe she got away with that crap.

i think the princess looks great in the engagement pics. but the ring is tiny and not pretty.

Charles is being ruthless with his younger brothers and their spawn because he KNOWS they are not Philip's bio children. They are both half brothers, each from a different father. So it's only Charles and Ann who are legitimate.

Bug eyes Bea gave it away by crying over "grandpa" in the doc of Queen's 90th. She was really crying because she knows Philip is NOT her paternal grandpa. The real reason.

I still think Prince Charles is going to have a bit of a wait as I think the Queen is going to live at least as long as her mother if not longer say 103/104.

As an aside I'm a bit confused by what I am experiencing on datalounge the past day or so. It appears no matter what thread I go on the FF is faint as if I've already clicked onto it when I haven't. This appears on every post which signifies or indicates I have ff every single post including my own in every single thread! It makes no sense? Anyone else experiencing or noticing this?

R241 & R243 - I don't think the Queen is a cheater. Philip for sure but the Queen is too pious for that nonsense. I always thought that Andrew was the "makeup baby" (eg. after a tough period in their marriage, the couple made peace and had a second family).

[QUOTE] think the Queen is going to live at least as long as her mother if not longer say 103/104.

Or she could die tomorrow. You never know.

[quote]They need to understand that their line of the family is not the future of the royal family, it's the past.

The York girls are just too stupid to realize this, and apparently nobody has set them straight. They'll have a very rude awakening when Charles becomes King. As an above poster said, they're close companions to their grandmother so that's why they're kind of tolerated. When the Queen is gone, things will be a lot different.

Have any of you seen Betty Windsor hop out of a car lately? She's going to be a functioning queen for at least another five years...or more. No cane, no walker, no assistance. She just literally launches herself out of the car and tally-ho!

I doubt Charles has any plans to "streamline" Edward & Sophie or Anne. His streamlining is confined to his mother's old retainers and their families, and to his brother Andrew and his offspring, because of his "special regard" for Andrew.

Yes, r244. It's like the FF function has been disabled. Noticed it 2 weeks ago.

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R250 - Charles has always had those weird hands - short and fat. Of course, as he ages and puts on weight, they're even more noticeable.

Those that don't think he will streamline fail to realize that their crown and money is basically a gift from the British public. After the divorces the number of Brits wanting them abolished increased. They are doing OK now with the public, but Charles' plans are what the brits want and expect. This is an expensive family to keep. And the brits are not fond of the Yorks. Even when the two girls supposedly had jobs they were usually on vacation and the public noticed. The general feeling is that the girls want to be on the public dole because they basically don't want to have to do anything. Unlike Anne's kids.

R241 R243 R245 Regarding QE2 and her 4 children. Long ago I read that Elizabeth had always planned to have 4 children. So she had the first 2 as planned...and then her father passed away unexpectedly and she became Queen. And that shock and change to her life stopped the clock on the next 2. And after several years when things were calm...she had her 3rd and 4th, as always planned.

But The Crown series portrayed it differently and they surely have better sources...

But there is no evidence in Elizabeth's life or character that she ever cheated. Plus poor Edward looks like the ghastly Hanovers. Andrew does look different...but recessive genes no doubt.

Who did Phillip cheat with and when?

maybe things will be hard for the girls when the queen goes but isn't she filthy rich? since she knows they don't make much money, maybe she will leave a few bobs for them in the will. or maybe she won't and won't it be a shocker? lol.

Thanks [R249] thought it was just me!

While I’d love to think Lizzie had a fling or two the odds are against it. By all accounts she takes her role as head of the Church of England and her vows very seriously.

Also, Eddie looks like George VI and Andrew bears a resemblance to Prince Alfred. Nothing to suggest they were not legitimate.

R210 what’s your source for claiming Camilla bitches about commoners? She’s got the reputation for being very laid back about that sort of thing. (Hint: your imagination isn’t a source)

As far as 'gifting' Eugenie & her new fiancee a home to live in, she already has a lease on one of the small cottages at Kensington Palace, much like the one Harry currently lives in but will presumably vacate for larger digs at KP after his impending marriage. Those leases can be very lengthy, sometimes decades. I don't know what deal Andrews has in place for his daughters there.

I know he has like a 100 year leasehold on his country house at Windsor, which will be inherited by his daughters so they can live there well into their elder years; this so Charles can't 'turf them out' as many presume he'd like to do.

In terms of work arrangements, it's best the York girls get their own careers and make their own way. However its also been floated it wouldn't necessarily be impractical to have them perform royal duties part time, given the abject laziness exhibited by Charles' sons (particularly William & Kate) in doing their share of royal work. Once the busy elder generation retires or can't perform, you've got a very small core of royals to cover all the charities and the next generation hasn't shown themselves to be eager to work much. The Yorks could fill a gap there.

Brilliant post [R258]

I do agree that having a very small core group of royals doing all of the duties will be too much and create problems. Share the load with some other less central royals even if it evolves into more of a part time role.

I think there’s less and less demand for royal ribbon cutting or charity patronage. The average Brit doesn’t care who’s on the board of what charity just so long as nobody is dipping in to the till. As philanthropy has become as de rigueur for billionaires as a yacht or an island the public don’t much care if the great grandson of a dead monarch is having his picture taken standing by a plaque so long as the purpose of the charity is being fulfilled.

Where the royals have value is diplomacy. Having a separate head of state and head of government is a good thing. There are many heads of government around the world who are inwardly tickled pink by an invitation to a royal event.

And the brits are not fond of the Yorks.

They are even less fond of Media Meg. Her attention-whoring puts Diana to shame.

And they’re not fond of horsey Kate either.

I laugh every time I read this thread title.

Eh, death to royalty in general, but these two are cute.

I was just trying to picture Fergie, Beatrice and the Brookbanks all happily enjoying the bucolic setting of a leasehold on the grounds of the Windsor Castle estates. LOLOLOL!

I've always liked Princess Anne. You just know she detests most of her relatives.

Smart to hide her teeth

R267, That's one of the most flattering dresses I've ever seen on the Royal. Her expression though is rather lacking.

Clearly the "Casamigos Rep" is far less dominant in this relationship. Maybe that's why it works?

[quote][R267], That's one of the most flattering dresses I've ever seen on the Royal. Her expression though is rather lacking.

Her hair looks like crap, too. I have never seen it look good, and that is yet another reason why her overall look is never good.

so their teeth is fake? hers look real, his, i'm not so sure.

what about the other sister, who is she dating?

they look compatible in op's pic

William and Kate aren't "lazy".

You don't get to be a slacker when it comes to "The Crown".

If you're read anything on the Queen (or even watched the tv show) you know it's common knowledge that Liz and Phil were (naively) opening they'd get at least a decade or more to just be relatively normal and raise their family with Philip having a naval career before she'd have to start "Queening" it up. But, since Bertie died young, that spoiled those plans and she had to go into harness.

They're letting Will and Kate have a few years to be as "normal" as possible to have time to raise their kids before they have to take on f/t roles in service to the Crown.

Basically, they have until Elizabeth dies. Once she's gone and Charles is King, they'll have to step up their roles. Until then, they can easily be "part timers" while they have the advantage of having two generations of Royals above them to do most of the work.

Since Anne and Edward have their nose to the grindstone, it's really only Andy and the Yorkies who are the "Problem Branch". There previous shady behavior means they cannot be trusted. Which sucks for the two girls but the sins of Andy and Fergie cast shadows on them.

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[R272] Agreed. The opening picture is supercute.

They seem cute in the interview. He's rather a deer in headlights. I am sure Eugenie will be happy working part-time at Christies, being a mother and homemaker and cutting the occasional ribbon.

I've always like Eugenie. She seemed the more balanced of the two. It's Raccoon-eyed Beatrice who seems to be a silly little fool .

The Daily Fail is saying they were forced to change their date to October because of Harry and Meghan going on tour in September. But here's my alternative theory. I think the reason Windsor was chosen for Harry & Meghan was for security reasons, and Eugenie, who is close to Harry, agreed to have her do there too so it wouldn't arouse suspicions about the security concerns. They're very real.

My friend's sister lives in the UK, and she's a Black Brit, and she says the racism and nastiness towards Meghan and HArry is off the charts. If true I find it very troubling. God I hate Trump SO much.

[quote] I've always liked Princess Anne. You just know she detests most of her relatives.

I like Anne too. I love the no nonsense vibe that she gives off and would love to hear her unvarnished comments on those upcoming "relatives".

For a chuckle, check out the following clip at the 8:00 mark. 12 year old Princess Anne was Maid of Honour at the wedding of Princess Alexandra to Angus Ogilvy in 1963. At Westminster Abbey, when the newly married pair exit the chapel of St Edward the Confessor, just prior to the formal curtsy/bow to the Queen, Alexandra looks back to check on the state of the 20 foot train on her dress. Anne gives her a "Push off" signal and later straightens the train. Even the commentator refers to Anne's actions as "taking command".

That is fucking funny R278!

LOL! Anne barely had time for the perfunctory nod to her Mum!

Your friends sister is either a liar or a drama queen r277. That statement is ridiculously overwrought and as far as I can tell from the British people I spent all of last week with in Manchester and Edinburgh it’s completely untrue. They didn’t know she was biracial, or even who she was, until the papers pointed it out and nobody could give a flying fuck anyway.

[quote]I've always liked Princess Anne. You just know she detests most of her relatives.

She gets likes Charles and Camilla, and she is her father's favourite.

I read an interview with someone in which they horrifyingly described her as asking Ringo Starr was a football player. She was a teenager in the 60s. She knew who Ringo Starr is. She was bored at an event and obviously taking the piss.

Disagree r260 re charity work, there's actually more demand for royal ribbon cutting or charity patronage than before. That's always been the bread and butter work of the modern UK royals, beginning with George V and Queen Mary who instituted high levels of patronage work as a way to keep themselves tied to public favor and appear worthy of their increasing reliance on the public purse. The small town appearances for school or hospital openings, factory re-models, etc as well as charity support keep them relevant to the common people and maintain their visibility outside of The City.

Diplomatic use of the royals while at times practical is not their main reason for existence, not for that matter is 'tourism' as is often suggested. It's a conflation of multiple reasons including bread-and-butter work.

When the Junior members of the Royal Family make visits to other countries they are almost always representing The Queen She is The Queen of 15 other Countries including Canada & Australia and Head of The Commonwealth.

Given the current hierarchy in The Royal Family (lots of heirs & spares) it is unlikely that The York Sisters will ever make foreign visits on her behalf, so they are superfluous.

The situation when The Queen ascended The Throne was quite different, she only had Her Mother, one unmarried Sister and two small children. Which is why The Kent's, The Gloucster's and other more distant relatives played a larger role.

Her voice is so masculine and husky!

It takes every member of the Royal Family promoting the UK's interest and trade & tourism, whilehere all we needed was Michelle Obama.

[quote]Given the current hierarchy in The Royal Family (lots of heirs & spares) it is unlikely that The York Sisters will ever make foreign visits on her behalf, so they are superfluous.

Read r283 - there is far more involved in 'royal work' than making visit abroad. Those visits are almost always undertaken by senior family members anyway.

While King Charles & Camilla are off globe-trotting, who's going to open the new wing of the Children's hospital in Leeds? Or the newly opened Land Rover factory in Solihull? or community projects in Cornwall...that's always fallen to junior, boots-on-the-ground royals from the '2nd tier' (Gloucesters, Kents, Wessexes). Here is where the York girls could assist. Most particularly given the Wales sons lack of interest.

Look, there is no real reason for the Royal Family at all, especially not diplomacy. So having the lazy, half witted Yorks on the public dole is even stupider then having Charles and his family on the public dole. Tone of them are needed by anyone and the Yorks are just useless. Their only purpose is they are fun to gossip about.

^ none of them

Great Post [R283] I agree it's a bit of an unfair caricature to talk of royal engagements as just ribbon cutting. For a start there's a lot of hospital visits. For instance Princess Alexandra toured a hospital in recent weeks visiting elderly patients in Bromley. It's easy to sneer at Royal visits and Royal patrons of charities but to many people who receive or take part in those visits ie the beneficiaries it really means a lot and is a real highlight for them. For a brief time it feels like their everything and means a lot and lifts their spirits. Lots of small charities especially say the power of a royal name, royal patronage makes a real big difference in terms of bringing funds in to their cause.

R264, Thanks, that was lovely!

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I think the hospital patients and charity recipients and others enjoy seeing a female royal too, so the Yorks would brighten their day. If the Earl of Wessex unveils a plaque he’s in a gray suit. However people will remember the Countess if she did the same thing because she might be in a pretty dress or suit, maybe a hat or maybe not but definitely a smart bag and shoes. People remember those little details. They’ll remember Edward’s bald head.

I'm sorry 273, but how hard is it for two people to show up to charity events and what hell does a "working royal" even do?

Hell, if the Kardashian's, for all their faults, can hustle for some endorsements and black millionaires, surely Will and Cate can cut some damn ribbons. Their staff coordinates everything, all they have to do is show up, smile, make minor small talk, look slightly interested, then get chauffered back to their palaces. Their job is easier than most part-time jobs held by teenagers.

^ r273

The story of the Queen's children has been mentioned upthread (and in other threads). I don't think Philip was unfaithful (although it certainly wouldn't shock me), but I really don't see the Queen as being unfaithful. One thing that impresses me, greatly, is how seriously she takes her role as head of the Church of England. I realize this scene is from a popular series, but I think it helps illustrate the point of view.

R292- It would be cuter if her girls weren’t adults.

r296, of course, Phillip was unfaithful, he was an aristocratic man from the Georgian era. They all cheated on their wives, it was expected. Don't forget, even Charles' friends knowingly allowed the Prince of Wales and Camilla to use their homes to hookup, much to the dismay of Diana. These people believe in arranged marriages for breeding and money. The younger royals probably hold a more grounded idea of marriage, but it would be quite common for a man in Phillip's position to have a mistress.

Sorry, they stopped naming eras after the Edwardian period, but my statement remains.

There are many YouTube videos that go into great deal re Prince Philip's many extra-marital affairs. Others hint at Queen Elizabeth's dalliances. There's a reason Prince Charles expected his 1st wife to be compliant with infidelity as long as he was reasonably quiet about the situation. Better to use friend's houses than a public hotel.

R287

While you still have 8 Senior Royals (The Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Princess Anne, William, Kate, Harry & Meghan) performing duties (suppose you could make that 11 with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward & Sophie) you are a bit overstaffed in The UK. They must be driving past each other on the way to 'Ribbon Cuttings' in our tiny country.

Also still active are the Junior Royals, Princess Alexandra, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent (all of whom have represented The Queen abroad).

It is not the same position that The Queen was in when she ascended The Throne. The total number of Senior Royals was 4 (The Queen, Prince Philip, The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret) Queen Mary was much too ill to have any duties.

I suppose that there could be a roll for The York Princess's if Prince William's children are still in education and all of The Junior Royals are dead, but I doubt it.

r301 why do you need a royal to cut a ribbon? Do people really notice after a hundred or so ceremonies each year?

Seems like less would be more in this situation.

To be honest it can become a bit of a nuisance to have lots of Royal visits if you live in a large City in The UK, roads get blocked off, parking restrictions, flights delayed at airports etc.

Then we get the Politicians! - Party Conferences - Condolence visits - Elections! we've had 2 national, a referendum (in the past 3 years) and have local each year, all with the same problems as a Royal visit.

I wish they'd all keep away for a while!

[quote] I don't think Philip was unfaithful (although it certainly wouldn't shock me)

No, he certainly had mistresses. It is common knowledge, but the women were discreet and everyone knew his loyalty was ultimately and always to his wife. The BBC and the bigger newspapers had a kind of gentleman's agreement to keep quiet about them out of respect for the Queen.

That "We love you mummy" post it note has been carted and plastered in every car Fergie sits her royal bottom in. The tony post it note is horribly mangled as you can see from the times Fergie drags it out and affixes it to the back of a front seat.

The whole charade of carrying and reposting level 10 year old love notes in every car Fergie is ferried to and fro has become a running joke among the British press.

Phillips most famous 'Mistress' - Pat Kirkwood went to school with two of my Aunt's.

I know a few of her family even now.

Why isn't this "half-brother" situation more widely reported in the press r243? Rumours have been circulating for ages about Andrew - short, stout, like he wandered into the Windsors from a local orphanage.

Beatrice and Eugenie are lazy but what did Kate do before getting married or after? Wills and harry do bugger all as well.

Anne, Edward and Sophie get a lot done but are significantly smarter than Andrew in not expecting their children to be provided for. Andrew is a greedy, entitled halfwit.

Who married a complete fucking idiot.

I think Eugenie gets some of Beatrice's flack. She has actually worked consistently since university.

Just in -- we were right about the groom being as dumb as a box of rocks; even his own grandmother thinks so:

"He’s a charming boy and all that but not the most intelligent and I would never have thought this would happen...I think it says a lot about Eugenie that it’s him she wants and it’s lovely.”

Granny must be a regular poster here on DL. (If she's not, we need to get her asap -- she can school us all on gold-standard shade!).

"I think it says a lot about Eugenie that it’s him she wants" = she's just as dumb as he is.

I'd say kate is easily as lazy as beatrice but gets away with it because she is thin, photogenic and has married the second in line.

Plus she's made sure she's pregnant all the time, thus giving her an excuse to be lazy. At some point she'll have a fake baby in there and then suck up headlines for the "miscarriage" which will buy her another year of mourning and hiding.

It's unbelievable that Kate did NOTHING in the years between uni and getting engaged. She delayed attending uni and then deliberately attended same uni as wills. Then did fuck all between initially hooking him until the wedding. And has done fuck all since. For all her flaws, diana had a job and could never have been said to have done nothing. Her sympathy for aids victims and land mine victims brought those people much needed attention, funding, empathy and consideration. What will be the legacy of waity Katey?

WHen Kate or William or Harry or Princess Anne, etc. support a charity they do more than cut a ribbon. They spend time and participate and most important, they call attention to the organization and the work it does. You can dismiss them as photo ops and they are, but they're also so much more. Those organizations rely on that publicity to remain viable and keep doing their work. It also calls attention to the whole concept of service, which is a very big deal in the UK. Their presence signals to people that they ought to get involved and help out local charities with their time and effort, and to understand the problems that are being addressed. So to a certain extent they are helping to build and sustain a sense of community. They also help the economy with much more than tourism although that in and of itself is important. I had no idea Andrew was so involved with foreign trade until he was removed from those boards. But Charles etc are all there to help grow and strengthen the economy. The Royals may seem silly and irrelevant, but they aren't.

So they're basically celebrities, which any idiot can be. If the monarchs weren't "calling attention" to things, some other attention vampire would.

I'm going to DENMARK, which still has a REAL monarchy!

Brilliant post [R314]

R316 = Charles, Prince of Wales

[quote]I suppose that there could be a roll for The York Princess's if Prince William's children are still in education and all of The Junior Royals are dead, but I doubt it.

The "Junior" royals you mention - Alexandra, Glouceters, Kents - are all nearly elderly and more than ready to retire. Alexandra has been ill in recent years and has cut back, the Duke of Kent is in his 80s and the rest there are nearly there.

When they are retired (soon) and the Queen gone (soon) is when there will be down to a core of six: Charles, Camilla, William, Harry and their wives. Three of those six have so far (Meghan gets a pass since she's brand new) shown poor to little interest in doing a full schedule of what has always constituted 'royal work'. You can think up various reasons why this is: pregnancies/children (in Kate's case), other interests; but the end view is they've been fairly disinterested and laid-back in taking on a regular full workload as has been defined by the Queen.

It's for these reasons, and the future after QEII, that 2nd tier royals like Anne, Sophie, and the York girls may need to stay on or be conscripted to fill in where the current "Junior" royals leave off. Look at the schedule of someone like the Duchess of Gloucester for example: dozens of small gigs without much fanfare but all very meaningful. Can't see Kate or Meghan taking these on.

Give Sparkle the small gigs. That'll teach her. No glamor, no red carpets, not what she signed up for.

r318 Meghan isn't even technically in the firm yet. I won't begrudge the girl some time to plan and enjoy her upcoming wedding, but I'm team Megham. Cate seems like a grade A bitch so I worry about my future American princess.

[R318] You've explained it brilliantly and put my thoughts into words better than I could!

Prince Charles plan whilst maybe well intentioned isn't realistic or practical. I would like to think that The Kents, Princess Alexandra and The Gloucesters get to step down and gradually ease of royal duties on their own terms and in their own way. Rather than just being axed by Prince Charles as King and their charities and appointments just dropped as if their meaningless. That would be a slap in the face imo.

I think the Queen is going to live to about 103 but if she dies sooner I hope Prince Charles handles this sensibly and sensitively.

The younger royals and future 'minor royals' need to be encouraged to pick up the slack and and build on what's already being done and that I think should include Eugenie and Beatrice.

Of course people remember seeing a member of the Royal family. I'm American, and it's a lifelong memory for people if they saw a Royal, or if they came to where they worked for an appearance. It's more than just celebrity, it's a part of history. Seeing a President or Pope is the only thing that's comparable in terms of lifelong milestones.

I think Sophie and Edward Anne, and Andrew Beatrice and Eugenie will replace the kents etc. and still participate in Royal duties when Charles is King. But remember Charles is 70. So how long is this going to go on.

I think this is the current crop of working royals:

Queen Charles Camilla Anne Andrew Edward Sophie Duke of Kent Duchess of Kent (??) maybe Alexandra Duke of Gloucester Duchess of Gloucester William Kate Harry

So if Charles downsizes and makes The Firm only about his brood, then he will have lost nine workers. That’s a lot of engagements to fill, even though the Kents scaled back their activities due to age or illness. It doesn’t seem possible he can manage it with just his family (+Megs) without more help. Not using the York girls is just stupid, they’re perfectly pleasant to people and they know exactly what’s required for the role. I bet they’re only work shy when it comes to corporate jobs, royal work probably would appeal to them.

I put question marks next to the Duchess of Kent because I think she pulled herself out of royal affairs due to depression decades ago, and living a separate life from her husband. I think she tells people to just call her Catherine now.

r321 Charles has indicated he's cutting back the core of the "Royal Family" to himself, Camilla, his sons and their families, but I don't believe he's indicated he'll just one day cut/turf out the elder working Royals - his siblings and cousins - at the drop of a hat, the minute he becomes King. Make no mistake, he dislikes Andrew and will probably cut his profile way back, but he won't turf out Anne for example. She does a ton of work with great efficiency and is one of his biggest supports. Also doubt he'll just cut his cousins. They are all near retirement and that will occur naturally as time goes even before QEII passes.

r324's last paragraph sums it up nicely. He can use Bea and Eugenie part time (not full time) to fill in gaps as the others retire/die, since they understand the work and have expressed a willingness to do it. They don't need to be paid by the Civil List; if they don't do it for free he can find other ways to compensate them....really the only reason he'd avoid using them is his bitter dislike of their father, which is justified but has nothing to do with the kids and the practicality of calling them up for duties when needed.

If the Queen lives to 103 (she certainly could) that means Charles won't become King until he's 81 years old!

If Charles lives to be around 100 like his grandma then George & Charlotte will be around 30ish. I don’t foresee a shortage of ribbon cutters.

r329 the York girls are already compensated with the ridiculously cheap apartments at St. James Palace.

What is all this about "retirement"? These people like to act like they have a real job. With the exception of the Queen, they aren't really working that many days of a year and can just as easily "call in sick". Who can say no to a royal?

I know I sound bitter, but I it seems like they have a great setup. Castles and palaces full of (indirectly) government paid butlers, maids, drivers, and nannies. They get to chose most of their schedule around a select few annual events and can sleep in till 11 if they so choose. I'm not seeing any hardship in this setup.

r329 Princess Anne has always worked hard.

I'll give you that r330

What do they do with the problem named Fergie?

There hasn't been a 'Civil List' since 2011 it was replaced by a single payment of the Sovereign Grant, which is based on some strange calculation of the revenues of the Royal Estates, which had been assigned to the government in perpetuity to pay The Prince Rgent's debt.

The Princess Royal will remain a Senior member of The Royal family even after King Charles accession, her rank and position is unassailable. Her Brothers will also remain as 'Senior' (sort of).

Thanks for clearing that up r333. So it seems that Charles rightfully predicts that the government won't be increasing the royal allowance, thus he's throwing the dead weight overboard.

[quote]I had no idea Andrew was so involved with foreign trade until he was removed from those boards

He was thrown out for being a stupid, uneducated, useless thorn in their side. All the civil servants and politicians hated him for throwing his weight around because he had few diplomatic skills.

not to mention, fergie the ex, was selling "meetings" with Andrew so foreigners can meet Andrew to discuss trade etc.

[quote]WHen Kate or William or Harry or Princess Anne, etc. support a charity they do more than cut a ribbon. They spend time and participate and most important, they call attention to the organization and the work it does. You can dismiss them as photo ops and they are, but they're also so much more. Those organizations rely on that publicity to remain viable and keep doing their work. It also calls attention to the whole concept of service, which is a very big deal in the UK.

Bullshit.

When Charles slims down the Royal Family, I think he will bear in mind the Queen's Golden Jubilee, when the vaunted "core" royals looked so small and insignificant on that balcony. At her Diamond Jubilee, all the cousins and their kids were there and it was more of a celebration.

He will keep the Kents and the Gloucesters and Princess Alexandra working until they want to retire and living in their apartments until their deaths but not replace them but spread their work between Camilla, Edward, Sophie and Anne, and (he hopes) William and Harry.

As much as it pisses people off, Meghan is likely to put many more hours into duties, a la Anne and Diana and Philip and Sophie. And since she has turned up on the scene, Kate has been inspired to continue working through her pregnancy.

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Reading through this thread and some other royal threads there is definitely somebody posting on here in my opinion who is very very knowledgeable and is a bit of a royal insider or recentish royal insider.

I don't mean a member of the royal family but someone in close enough proximity to events or situations and circumstances now or in the past to be knowledgeable from the inside track to some extent.

Maybe a butler maybe a friend maybe a florist to the Royal family or something else! Who knows but whoever you are and however you know stuff I'm grateful to you and so are others I'm sure so please keep posting in these royal threads! 😘👍

[quote]He was thrown out for being a stupid, uneducated, useless thorn in their side. All the civil servants and politicians hated him for throwing his weight around because he had few diplomatic skills.

He sounds absolutely tremendous.

[QUOTE] I think he will bear in mind the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, when the vaunted "core" royals looked so small and insignificant on that balcony. At her Golden Jubilee, all the cousins and their kids were there and it was more of a celebration.

Fixed

Andrew went through a bad patch with Fergie selling his time for favors and money and his proximity to the Epstein scandal, and other sexual misadventures with underaged girls. It was quite messy. It was shortly after all that that he was removed from the trade boards. I'm not disputing his ignorance or his unpleasant personality. Simply adding some color.

Look. Beatrice, Eugenie William and HArry used to party together and still remain close after a fashion. I think the girls will use William and Harry as go betweens to help smooth things out for them. Everyone is aware of the prickly relationship between Charles and Andrew and as William and Harry get more mature they have more sympathy for their father's point of view. But they will not want to see the girls treated harshly. Fergie remains a problem. I think her ban is for public engagements, but perhaps not for all family activities, just some.

You mean the problem named Andrew, R332.

I saw a very recent photo of Andrew and he looks unwell. His debauched lifestyle combined with the effects of a British diet will lead him to an early grave.

[quote]Fergie remains a problem. I think her ban is for public engagements, but perhaps not for all family activities, just some.

R343, One of the articles linked upthread (I can't remember which one) indicates that Fergie is not welcome anywhere while Prince Philip is in residence. The Queen still likes Fergie, so visits are planned when Prince Philip is away. And Her Majesty is quite fond of Beatrice and Eugenie (and Andrew is her favorite son).

Only a mother could love a pedo.

Isabella has denied that "Turned him down" storyline a thousand times.

I think the M and Harry thing IS going to curdle. If it were widely popular, instead of a slow motion train wreck, I don't think Eugenie's engagement would have made a stir. Eugenie/Jack made more of an impact that it should have, considering nobody thinks about either Eugenie or Beatrice. But Eugenie's engagement photos and engagement interviews seemed so normal and real, it underscored how contrived - and full of lies - Harry and Meghan Markle's interview had been. It feels natural, so people are gravitating towards THAT engagement.

All of these people are completely useless and I'm sick of hearing about them.

What on earth is Bea doing at Davos?!?!

[quote]The Queen’s granddaughter is among the Davos elite attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland this week. Princess Beatrice is attending the summit as part of her role as a corporate fixer rather than being there as a representative of the British Royal Family. Her Royal Highness has been a regular attendee, having visited the forum for the past few years. The 29-year-old appears to have taken over the duty from her father, the Duke of York, who used to attend the meeting as Britain’s trade envoy.

No wonder the poor dear is exhausted, and in need of a vacation! The stress! The pressure!

Not sure? Do they have an equivalent of 'Yacht Girls' in Davos? She may as well have taken her Mum along!

I'm surprised to hear this but not outraged or angry . I am not sure what her paid job is away from royalty so I am not in a position to cast doubt on her expertise .

I think people hinting she may be a yacht girl are following the wrong boat -pun intended!

Harry will be the son of a king, Eugenie will be just the niece of a king and is daughter of one of the future king’s enemies. Plus the Fergie thing. She’ll fade into obscurity eventually. I don’t see her story gathering that much interest compared to Harry and Meghan.

I went on you tube and checked out a little of Edward & Sophie's wedding at St. George's at Windsor Castle. It was lovely and he had a fantastic turnout of the wee folk, the little people all cheering and waving flags on the roadside. The church photographs well and it was packed. Princess Margaret was still alive in 1999 and the little princes and princesses, Bea Eugenie, Harry & william looked adorable. Just a glimpse of them as they came into church. Camilla & Charles weren't married yet and even though she was invited she decided not to come. The Queen looked spledid in a feathery hair thing.

Edward wanted the wedding to be a little different so they had it later in the day instead of the traditional morning wedding the royals usually do. Because it was later, the dress code was more like cocktail dresses instead of the traditional pearls and hats. The only one who broke the dress code and wore a hat was the Queen Mother, so I guess it’s true that she was an obstinate bitch who would do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.

Of course r348. Did you expect any differently?

[quote]I guess it’s true that she was an obstinate bitch who would do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.

Which was why the Queen Mother lived to be 101. She had zero fucks to give.

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R351 she looks like a fire-fly in that picture.

um, Eugenie and Beatrice are the Queen's grand daughters, they'll be well-provided for in HM's will. Even dumbass Sarah knows this, that's why she keeps clinging to them.

Exactly, R362, all this nonsense about the York sisters having to get married to provide for their future, they'll both have millions when Liz & Phil fall of their perches! It's not as if the royal family is going to die out if Beatrice & Eugenie never have children, although Eugenie will probably spit out a baby or two. However, Sparkle is a bit long in the tooth to be a mother, if Harry had any sense, he 'd marry a young, fertile heiress.

They are very unlikely to inherit anything extra when The Queen dies. Her estate only remains free of inheritance tax if it left in it's entirety to the next Monarch, so it will simply just pass to Charles.

The Duke of Edinburgh will already have extensive Estate Planning in place, it is very unlikely that any tax will be due.

The Royal Children and Grandchildren are provided for by Trust Funds which payout at fixed ages. Usually 25,30 and 40. The York girls are already very wealthy.

Andrew might have inherited money from The Queen Mother though. It’s possible. Unless her debts were such a mess that The Queen actually had to discreetly cover them after her mother’s death.