jimf

It’s a soap opera

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...e_iOSApp_Other

Apparent endorsement of female only kitchen

Meghan and Harry post new pictures of their visit to Grenfell kitchen
https://mol.im/a/7873951

cxx

She can't say she didn't know what to expect. She had experience of being in the public eye and had seen how the press treated other royals. Can't help but wonder if this was her intention all along.

Jingsamichty

I agree with you but it's hard to believe there are so many people - and press - who genuinely believe that the Royals are special. Kate is just an air hostess's daughter but they treat her like she's some sort of royalty.

Hopefully Andrew is held to account properly for his over-entitled philandering and self-enrichment and not just allowed to quietly slip into the background.

caretaker

Some of the news in Canada is questioning who has to pay for security for them. Besides being a little cheap, our government will probably not want to pay because it will be unpopular, and because RCMP resources are already stretched thin, with many rural detachments understaffed so creating a safety issue. I think Harry and Meghan are great, wish them all the luck in the world, and as far as I'm concerned they're welcome to move anywhere they want. Canada will be richer for having them. The British could pay for protection either through their existing Protection Command run by the police, or by training up a course of soldiers in protection services at BATUS at CFB Suffield and using them for Royal duty, possibly rotating through diplomatic missions augmenting the Protection Command. Problem solved, in gratitude for the Invictus Games program, the British Army can provide security out of their budget, and it would probably be a coveted posting.

scrubbedexpat091

They can pay for it themselves or the UK can pay for it, otherwise maybe they will need to learn to live without security. Canada shouldn't foot the bill, and it would be an issue with the public and opposition parties most likely and I don't think the government will choose to cover the costs because of that.

Rete

I'm with Jsmith on this. They are stepping away from their 'senior' duties and seeking a private and personal life away from media and spying eyes, then they are not entitled to security provided by a government. Be it either Canada or the US, if we are unfortunate enough for them to want to move to CA, let them foot the bill. The government is not paying for a security detail for me or my family unless you consider the police as such. And in that case, the police can patrol pass their house once or twice a day like they do mine.

JGK

Not a royal fan but would argue that they're worth the money it costs the UK to have them Just for the tourist revenue they bring in. The Queen is entitled to a percentage of Crown Estate profits (property that belongs to the Crown, but profit generated now go to the state) which is named the Sovereign Grant.

In 2016–17 it was pinned at £42.8 mill (~$60mill).This is money that goes right to the Queen to fund her official duties. The tax payer does fund extras such as policing.

By contrast, it is estimated that the Obama presidency costs just over £1billion ($1.4 billion) per annum. This includes everything from Air Force one to the his dog trainer.

I'd argue that a president would't bring anywhere close to the directly related other revenues the royals do.

caretaker

Canada may have a legal obligation to foot the bill since they have protected person status and we're still part of the Empire. There's no reason the rule can't be revised, since this is an exceptional circumstance because it's a permanent or semi-permanent residency instead of just a visit. So far, while it has been on every newscast this morning, the only guy they're interviewing is the head of some kind of right-wing looking citizen's coalition. None of our political leaders is going to complain and go on record as being anti-Sussex, probably not even the Greens, but I think there will be an attempt behind the scenes by the Liberals to make a new deal for funding their security.
One idea I've seen floated is making Harry the next Governor General. There would be opposition to this, since the position has been filled by prominent Canadians for a long time, but it seems to make sense that the Queen's grandson could be the Queen's representative.
Edit to add that what they are "stepping away" from and to what degree is still being decided.

scrubbedexpat091

I am sure there is.

Partially discharged

Well said.

One side of me says 'let them work for a living' and we shouldn't be footing the bill and the other side of me says 'who cares, who are these people and why in the 21 st century do they still live in a palace etc and why does Canada still have some fundamental connection to this archaic set up..

I think Monty Python summed it up best.


Arthur: I am your king!
Woman: Well I didn't vote for you!
Arthur: You don't vote for kings.
Woman: Well how'd you become king then?
[Angelic music plays...]
Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering silmite
held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine
providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your
king!
Dennis interrupting: Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin'
swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power
derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic
ceremony!
-----------------------
Dennis: Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just
because some watery tart threw a sword at you!
-----------------------
Dennis: Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some
moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

Partially discharged

Totally agree and well said JSmith321. Now how much do you want to bet that there will be some hand wringing, apologizing by our supreme leader here in Canada and Justin will ride in on his white horse and offer them some sort of refugee status and they can go live in their mega log cabin owned by some dodgy russian multi millionaire on the BC coast. If Harry and Meghan like it so much here, I'm sure Prince Andrew may want to move here as well

Didn't many of us on this board move here to get away from the Royals. ?

dave_j

It's reported that their combined wealth totals about 60M CAD and it's their wish to become 'financially independent'.
I'm tempted to ask the questions...
'Are they not financially independent at the moment?'
and
'Just how much cash do they want before the rest of us can go back to sleep?'
and
'If security's an issue, and Canada's where they want to be, then a log mansion with a big wall around it in the middle of nowhere sounds just the place to me.'

cxx

Totally agree. They are stepping back, and have enough money to employ their own security.

scrubbedexpat091

I know 60 million would be sufficient ro get me throigh my life without working but they are probably used to a different lifestyle.

BristolUK

I know that's what's usually said but I never accept it. The annual interest on "only" $1m is more than some people earn and nobody is asking wealthy types to do that.

If you're used to a penthouse suite when you stay at a hotel, fly first class, dine at the Ritz, drink the best champagne, own six $5m villas in glamorous locations around the world, you don't have to maintain that lifestyle, unchanged.

Sell 5 of the villas and just live in one. You might not be able to afford the hotel suite as often as you'd like but half a millio a year interest on the money banked from selling the villas is just about manageable. not to mention $25m rainy day money.