Should Prince Harry and Meghan Markle abdicate? - Page 3

Darat · 13th January 2020, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

Oh noes somebody stop him. He might break the British public's illusion that that the Royal Family is totally normal and well adjusted.

Please. Unless he's got GoPro Footage of the Queen bathing in the blood of her Corgis to stay young, I don't think any Oprah interview is going to shock anyone.

Nah it's the blood of foxes and stags.

JoeMorgue · 13th January 2020, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by ceptimus

We will do X (something you don't like) unless you (continue to) pay us lots of money. Not blackmail in your book. Okay.

This would only make sense if the British public was paying Prince Harry to continually praise the Royal Family and by "Going on Oprah" we would someone be remit in those duties.

Like Darat said, you don't own him and he doesn't owe you anything.

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 08:19 AM

A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown!

Darat · 13th January 2020, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by ceptimus

We will do X (something you don't like) unless you (continue to) pay us lots of money. Not blackmail in your book. Okay.

Nope that does not follow from what I've posted.

You forget for it to be blackmail it actually has to exist outside the fevered imagination of some hack.

Are you looking forward to all his royal duties being carried out in the nude?

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Nope that does not follow from what I've posted.

You forget for it to be blackmail it actually has to exist outside the fevered imagination of some hack.

Are you looking forward to all his royal duties being carried out in the nude?

To be honest that would have been more appealing ten years ago. That family lives long lives but doesn't age well.

Darat · 13th January 2020, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown!

Nah it's if they can beat them on 8 out of 10 Cats do Countdown.

And let's not forget he could also threaten the royals with another It's a Royal Knockout.

Mind you he could also be threatening to release the hound of the baskervilles (aka the royal who has been locked up in a turret in Windsor for 70 years).

It's amazing all the things he could be threatening to do if he doesn't get his way!

Wonder which rag I can get to pay me for all these "he could"s?

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Nah it's if they can beat them on 8 out of 10 Cats do Countdown.

The queen would nobble Harry by putting him with Roisin, while taking Sean as her own partner.

Btw why is Jon Richardson so hot? On paper he certainly shouldn't be. And yet he is madly sexy! I'd pick him over Fabio any day.

JoeMorgue · 13th January 2020, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

To be honest that would have been more appealing ten years ago. That family lives long lives but doesn't age well.

I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one."

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one."

What do you mean, "now"? Harry's been the hot one for years and years. William at his best was just pretty, not hot.

JoeMorgue · 13th January 2020, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

What do you mean, "now"? Harry's been the hot one for years and years. William at his best was just pretty, not hot.

Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s.

Steve · 13th January 2020, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Cain

I don't.

Oops. Sorry Cain. Should've noticed it was your post

.

ceptimus · 13th January 2020, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one."

Harry is also rapidly balding.

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s.

Meh. Such polls are contaminated by teenaged girls, who are notoriously bad judges of male beauty. There is a powerful distinction between "good looking" and "attractive". William when younger would look nice on a coin. Harry when younger would look hot on one's bedroom floor.

Trebuchet · 13th January 2020, 09:05 AM

Bald is beautiful!

Segnosaur · 13th January 2020, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Meadmaker

I love all this royal title stuff, and ceremonies and whatnot. I think it's cool.

I do too... I think it adds a certain amount of character to a country's social and political landscape.

Quote:

I've occasionally wondered if somehow they could create a non-hereditary monarchy. Have this figurehead that gets to symbolize the nation, and lots of excuses for pomp and ceremony, but isn't stuck with this for life.

Canada sort of has that...

The Queen is still considered the Head of State for Canada, but her representative is the Governor General, who is selected by the Prime Minister at the time and serves 5 year terms. They do the same sort of functions that the Queen does in the U.K. (reading the throne speech, formally 'dissolving' parliament, etc.)

The problem though is that when you have an 'appointed' or 'elected' position (rather than hereditary) you run the risk of the position becoming political.

Segnosaur · 13th January 2020, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by Cain

It's difficult to respect countries that have a monarchy (even if it's only ceremonial). King of Sweden, Queen of England, who cares? Abolish them all and find something else to gossip over.

I personally think its beneficial to a country to have a ceremonial figure as a "head of state", someone removed from the politics of the country, and for whom protocol is considered a defining feature.

For example, lets say you were an American, and you just saved a bunch of orphans from a burning building. Since the orphans happen to be white, the Trump administration decides to award you the Medal of freedom fries. You go into the ceremony knowing that the person presiding over the ceremony is someone who called neo-Nazis "fine people", and during the ceremony there is a pretty good chance that Trump will decide to go off on a racist rant. (This happened when Trump was at a ceremony to honor the WW2 "Code talkers".)

On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, and even though they never voted for the queen, they also didn't vote against her either.

That's one example... I can think of others: greeting heads of state, doing throne speeches/state of the unions, etc.

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 09:53 AM

Being a figurehead is no more stupid a job than being a spokesmodel. And as with any job, some are suited to the work and others are not, some enjoy it and others don't. As long as somebody's paying for the position to be filled it's clearly of value to somebody.

Steve · 13th January 2020, 09:54 AM

Regarding security for the Harrys while in Canada, From the Globe and Mail 3 days ago.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales [Harry], along with members of his family, are Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs) and are entitled to the protection of the RCMP while in Canada,” said Cpl. Caroline Duval of the RCMP in a statement.
“As part of its mandate, the RCMP is responsible at all times for the safety and security of visiting members of the Royal Family while they are in Canada. Security costs for protection of visiting members of the Royal Family while in Canada are covered through the existing operational budget. For security reasons, we cannot provide a detailed breakdown of these costs. For security reasons, the RCMP does not disclose the number of police personnel assigned to work during this type of visit.”

Looks like Canada will foot the bill for security in our country unless some cost arrangement can be made with the UK.

Darat · 13th January 2020, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s.

Harry is ginger, which in UK attractiveness ratings places him below a Lloyd Webber and above a slug.

Distracted1 · 13th January 2020, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Cain

It's difficult to respect countries that have a monarchy (even if it's only ceremonial). King of Sweden, Queen of England, who cares? Abolish them all and find something else to gossip over.

My brother was just saying that people are complaining about how "woke" Harry now is. He should go back to his playboy lifestyle of bangin' broads, gettin' drunk, and dressin' up as a Nazi. Y'know, havin' fun with his "mates." Stupid.

They are a tie to a nations' glorious past.
Like a statue of Robert E. Lee, or a $20 bill with Andrew Jackson on it.
Clear objects of reverence.

Dave Rogers · 13th January 2020, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Segnosaur

On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, [...]

...because Prince Philip has now retired from public life and so doesn't do this sort of gig any more.

It's not always a perfect system.

Dave

Segnosaur · 13th January 2020, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Dave Rogers

Quote:

On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, [...]

...because Prince Philip has now retired from public life and so doesn't do this sort of gig any more.

It's not always a perfect system.

Prince Philip supposedly made >20,000 public appearances in a career that lasted over half a century. The fact that he may have made a few gaffs in that time is perhaps not that surprising.

Still a better average than Trump, who tends to say things that are somehow wrong pretty much every week.

JoeMorgue · 13th January 2020, 10:49 AM

Queen agrees on 'period of transition' for Harry and Meghan

Quote:

London (CNN)Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has agreed to a "period of transition" while details of a more "independent" role for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are hammered out.

After a crisis meeting of senior royals at the Queen's Sandringham estate north of London, the Queen said she had agreed that Prince Harry and Meghan could split their time between the UK and Canada but that "complex matters" would have to be resolved. The monarch said she had ordered final plans to be drawn up in the next few days.

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/uk/ro...gbr/index.html

TragicMonkey · 13th January 2020, 10:54 AM

That means the queen allowed Harry to recharge his crystal amulet at the Bloodwell, but if he wants more he'll have to either set up his own in Canada or come crawling back. The star lizard lifeforce is finite, and periodic channelling is vital to maintain human form. Harry thinks he can overcome the addiction through willpower but the queen well knows the hunger always wins in the end. She will set her Dalek guards around the temple perimeter to catch anyone sneaking back in.

theprestige · 13th January 2020, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Segnosaur

Prince Philip supposedly made >20,000 public appearances in a career that lasted over half a century. The fact that he may have made a few gaffs in that time is perhaps not that surprising.

Still a better average than Trump, who tends to say things that are somehow wrong pretty much every week.

Prince Philip was born into a centuries-old establishment that produced severe social expectations of behavior and presentation, and applied mandatory education and training fulfill that expectation.

Americans pretty forcefully rejected that establishment and its expectations. As a result, even its leading figures commonly seem crass and boorish to their more refined and constrained cousins across the pond.

Of course Philip has been less gaffe-prone than Trump. That quality, in Prince Philip, is pretty much the one thing that justifies his existence. Being less gaffe-prone than literally anyone else in the world is kind of the point of Prince Philip. Not giving a **** about that sort of thing is kind of the point of being American.

ThatGuy11200 · 13th January 2020, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey

The French had the right idea on how to deal with obsolete royalty.

You mean kill them, then kill people who don't want to kill them, then give the country to a military dictator for a while, then, when he's gone, invite someone else to be king?

SuburbanTurkey · 13th January 2020, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by ThatGuy11200

You mean kill them, then kill people who don't want to kill them, then give the country to a military dictator for a while, then, when he's gone, invite someone else to be king?

It's a bumpy ride, but you don't have the French wringing their hands about these kinds of pointless scandals in 2020.

theprestige · 13th January 2020, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey

The French had the right idea on how to deal with obsolete royalty.

Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty.

The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful.

You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right.

Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again?

theprestige · 13th January 2020, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey

It's a bumpy ride, but you don't have the French wringing their hands about these kinds of pointless scandals in 2020.

You also don't have me wringing my hands about my obnoxious mother in law at Christmas. Because I cut off her head years ago. Problem solved! (Mrs. ThePrestige doesn't like it, but she knows better than to complain.)

P.J. Denyer · 13th January 2020, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown!

The bad news is that Edward is going to make it!

The dread spector of "It's a Royal Knockout" haunts the palace again.....

SuburbanTurkey · 13th January 2020, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by theprestige

Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty.

The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful.

You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right.

Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again?

Madame Guillotine is hungry, prestige. Don't be so greedy!

theprestige · 13th January 2020, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey

Madame Guillotine is hungry, prestige. Don't be so greedy!

What exactly is your problem with royalty, that killing them seems like the best solution to you?

SuburbanTurkey · 13th January 2020, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by theprestige

What exactly is your problem with royalty, that killing them seems like the best solution to you?

This was all largely a joke.

I do think it is ridiculous for a nation of free citizens to pay such reverence to such a regressive institution. It's pathetic.

There was a time when killing absolute monarchs was a moral answer. Nowadays they should just be taxed into oblivion like all other rich layabouts.

Meadmaker · 13th January 2020, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by theprestige

Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty.

The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful.

You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right.

Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again?

I guess royalty jokes are a sensitive subject.

There's no need to lose your head about...uhh ... never mind.

JoeMorgue · 13th January 2020, 02:31 PM

A look at how the major British tabloids have treated Meghan Markle as compared to Kate Middleton.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...tm_source=digg

cullennz · 13th January 2020, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Segnosaur

Prince Philip supposedly made >20,000 public appearances in a career that lasted over half a century. The fact that he may have made a few gaffs in that time is perhaps not that surprising.

Still a better average than Trump, who tends to say things that are somehow wrong pretty much every week.

Big Phil' rocks man.

Easily my favourite royal.

98 Prince Philip gaffes, for his 98th birthday

https://inews.co.uk/light-relief/jok...8-years-500658

Quote:

“If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes,” he remarked to 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby during a visit to China in 1986.

“I would like to go to Russia very much – although the bastards murdered half my family," he said in 1967 when asked if he would like to visit the Soviet Union.

“You can't have been here that long, you haven't got a pot belly,” said to a British tourist in Budapest , Hungary in 1993.

"You managed not to get eaten then?“ he asked a British backpacker who trekked through Papua New Guinea in 1998.

“We don't come here for our health. We can think of other ways of enjoying ourselves,” he said about a trip to Canada in 1976......

Elagabalus · 13th January 2020, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

A look at how the major British tabloids have treated Meghan Markle as compared to Kate Middleton.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...tm_source=digg

I'm more concerned about Tamara Ecclestone. How did she fall off the British Tabloid radar?

Trebuchet · 13th January 2020, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Elagabalus

I'm more concerned about Tamara Ecclestone. How did she fall off the British Tabloid radar?

She's on the cover of one of the US ones. Got burgled, or something.

Segnosaur · 13th January 2020, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey

I do think it is ridiculous for a nation of free citizens to pay such reverence to such a regressive institution. It's pathetic.

Please explain what you imagine "pay such reverence" actually means.

I am Canadian, and I think having a monarch as ceremonial head of state is a good thing because it removes the political nature from the position.

But I do not believe that the position of the monarch is ordained by god. I do not think they are above the law. I do not let it affect my day-to-day activities. I never tune in to royal weddings or the queen's address. So does that count as 'reverence'?

Vixen · 13th January 2020, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Harry is ginger, which in UK attractiveness ratings places him below a Lloyd Webber and above a slug.

Fishing for compliments?

OK. There is nothing wrong with being ginger.

Yes, stripped of titles including HRH and public funding/protection	9	25.71%
Yes but keeping titles incl HRH, public funding, protection and Frogmore Cottage	2	5.71%
No, Harry cannot give up his British citizenship and Archie belongs to the Queen	3	8.57%
Who?	21	60.00%
Voters: 35. You may not vote on this poll

13th January 2020, 08:17 AM	#81
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,130	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue Oh noes somebody stop him. He might break the British public's illusion that that the Royal Family is totally normal and well adjusted. Please. Unless he's got GoPro Footage of the Queen bathing in the blood of her Corgis to stay young, I don't think any Oprah interview is going to shock anyone. Nah it's the blood of foxes and stags.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

13th January 2020, 08:18 AM	#82
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 29,967	Originally Posted by ceptimus We will do X (something you don't like) unless you (continue to) pay us lots of money. Not blackmail in your book. Okay. This would only make sense if the British public was paying Prince Harry to continually praise the Royal Family and by "Going on Oprah" we would someone be remit in those duties. Like Darat said, you don't own him and he doesn't owe you anything.
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate."

13th January 2020, 08:19 AM	#83
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown!
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 08:20 AM	#84
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,130	Originally Posted by ceptimus We will do X (something you don't like) unless you (continue to) pay us lots of money. Not blackmail in your book. Okay. Nope that does not follow from what I've posted. You forget for it to be blackmail it actually has to exist outside the fevered imagination of some hack. Are you looking forward to all his royal duties being carried out in the nude?
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

13th January 2020, 08:26 AM	#85
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	Originally Posted by Darat Nope that does not follow from what I've posted. You forget for it to be blackmail it actually has to exist outside the fevered imagination of some hack. Are you looking forward to all his royal duties being carried out in the nude? To be honest that would have been more appealing ten years ago. That family lives long lives but doesn't age well.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 08:26 AM	#86
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,130	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown! Nah it's if they can beat them on 8 out of 10 Cats do Countdown. And let's not forget he could also threaten the royals with another It's a Royal Knockout. Mind you he could also be threatening to release the hound of the baskervilles (aka the royal who has been locked up in a turret in Windsor for 70 years). It's amazing all the things he could be threatening to do if he doesn't get his way! Wonder which rag I can get to pay me for all these "he could"s?
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

13th January 2020, 08:30 AM	#87
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	Originally Posted by Darat Nah it's if they can beat them on 8 out of 10 Cats do Countdown. The queen would nobble Harry by putting him with Roisin, while taking Sean as her own partner. Btw why is Jon Richardson so hot? On paper he certainly shouldn't be. And yet he is madly sexy! I'd pick him over Fabio any day.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 08:32 AM	#88
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 29,967	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey To be honest that would have been more appealing ten years ago. That family lives long lives but doesn't age well. I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one."
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate."

13th January 2020, 08:34 AM	#89
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one." What do you mean, "now"? Harry's been the hot one for years and years. William at his best was just pretty, not hot.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 08:36 AM	#90
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 29,967	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey What do you mean, "now"? Harry's been the hot one for years and years. William at his best was just pretty, not hot. Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s.
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate."

13th January 2020, 08:43 AM	#91
Steve Philosopher Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney Nova Scotia Posts: 8,070	Originally Posted by Cain I don't. Oops. Sorry Cain. Should've noticed it was your post .
	__________________ Caption from and old New Yorker cartoon - Why am I shouting? Because I'm wrong!"

13th January 2020, 08:54 AM	#92
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 6,460	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue I dunno now that William has gone bald Harry might enjoy being seen as the "hot one." Harry is also rapidly balding.
ceptimus puzzler Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 6,460

13th January 2020, 09:02 AM	#93
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s. Meh. Such polls are contaminated by teenaged girls, who are notoriously bad judges of male beauty. There is a powerful distinction between "good looking" and "attractive". William when younger would look nice on a coin. Harry when younger would look hot on one's bedroom floor.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 09:05 AM	#94
Trebuchet Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Port Townsend, Washington Posts: 30,662	Bald is beautiful!
	__________________ Cum catapultae proscribeantur tum soli proscripti catapultas habeant.

13th January 2020, 09:39 AM	#95
Segnosaur Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 16,879	Originally Posted by Meadmaker I love all this royal title stuff, and ceremonies and whatnot. I think it's cool. I do too... I think it adds a certain amount of character to a country's social and political landscape. Quote: I've occasionally wondered if somehow they could create a non-hereditary monarchy. Have this figurehead that gets to symbolize the nation, and lots of excuses for pomp and ceremony, but isn't stuck with this for life. Canada sort of has that... The Queen is still considered the Head of State for Canada, but her representative is the Governor General, who is selected by the Prime Minister at the time and serves 5 year terms. They do the same sort of functions that the Queen does in the U.K. (reading the throne speech, formally 'dissolving' parliament, etc.) The problem though is that when you have an 'appointed' or 'elected' position (rather than hereditary) you run the risk of the position becoming political.
	__________________ Trust me, I know what I'm doing. - Sledgehammer I'm Mary Poppin's Y'all! - Yondu We are Groot - Groot

13th January 2020, 09:49 AM	#96
Segnosaur Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 16,879	Originally Posted by Cain It's difficult to respect countries that have a monarchy (even if it's only ceremonial). King of Sweden, Queen of England, who cares? Abolish them all and find something else to gossip over. I personally think its beneficial to a country to have a ceremonial figure as a "head of state", someone removed from the politics of the country, and for whom protocol is considered a defining feature. For example, lets say you were an American, and you just saved a bunch of orphans from a burning building. Since the orphans happen to be white, the Trump administration decides to award you the Medal of freedom fries. You go into the ceremony knowing that the person presiding over the ceremony is someone who called neo-Nazis "fine people", and during the ceremony there is a pretty good chance that Trump will decide to go off on a racist rant. (This happened when Trump was at a ceremony to honor the WW2 "Code talkers".) On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, and even though they never voted for the queen, they also didn't vote against her either. That's one example... I can think of others: greeting heads of state, doing throne speeches/state of the unions, etc.
	__________________ Trust me, I know what I'm doing. - Sledgehammer I'm Mary Poppin's Y'all! - Yondu We are Groot - Groot

13th January 2020, 09:53 AM	#97
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	Being a figurehead is no more stupid a job than being a spokesmodel. And as with any job, some are suited to the work and others are not, some enjoy it and others don't. As long as somebody's paying for the position to be filled it's clearly of value to somebody.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 09:54 AM	#98
Steve Philosopher Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sydney Nova Scotia Posts: 8,070	Regarding security for the Harrys while in Canada, From the Globe and Mail 3 days ago. “His Royal Highness, Prince Henry of Wales [Harry], along with members of his family, are Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs) and are entitled to the protection of the RCMP while in Canada,” said Cpl. Caroline Duval of the RCMP in a statement. “As part of its mandate, the RCMP is responsible at all times for the safety and security of visiting members of the Royal Family while they are in Canada. Security costs for protection of visiting members of the Royal Family while in Canada are covered through the existing operational budget. For security reasons, we cannot provide a detailed breakdown of these costs. For security reasons, the RCMP does not disclose the number of police personnel assigned to work during this type of visit.” Looks like Canada will foot the bill for security in our country unless some cost arrangement can be made with the UK.
	__________________ Caption from and old New Yorker cartoon - Why am I shouting? Because I'm wrong!"

13th January 2020, 09:55 AM	#99
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 96,130	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue Really? I mean my pulse was never really on the Royal Family Fandom enough to rank the Princes, but I always got the impression that William was the "Teen Idol" one until about the mid-00s. Harry is ginger, which in UK attractiveness ratings places him below a Lloyd Webber and above a slug.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

13th January 2020, 09:58 AM	#100
Distracted1 Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 5,203	Originally Posted by Cain It's difficult to respect countries that have a monarchy (even if it's only ceremonial). King of Sweden, Queen of England, who cares? Abolish them all and find something else to gossip over. My brother was just saying that people are complaining about how "woke" Harry now is. He should go back to his playboy lifestyle of bangin' broads, gettin' drunk, and dressin' up as a Nazi. Y'know, havin' fun with his "mates." Stupid. They are a tie to a nations' glorious past. Like a statue of Robert E. Lee, or a $20 bill with Andrew Jackson on it. Clear objects of reverence.
	__________________ The man with one watch knows what time it is, the man with two watches is never sure.

13th January 2020, 10:06 AM	#101
Dave Rogers Bandaged ice that stampedes inexpensively through a scribbled morning waving necessary ankles Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cair Paravel, according to XKCD Posts: 32,249	Originally Posted by Segnosaur On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, [...] ...because Prince Philip has now retired from public life and so doesn't do this sort of gig any more. It's not always a perfect system. Dave
	__________________ There is truth and there are lies. - President Joseph R. Biden, January 20th, 2021

13th January 2020, 10:17 AM	#102
Segnosaur Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 16,879	Originally Posted by Dave Rogers Quote: On the other hand, lets say your brother from Britain also rescued orphans from a burning building, and they decide to award him the Royal order of the Crumpet (or whatever honor they give for that sort of thing). They know that there is a higher probability of the ceremony being treated with respect, [...] ...because Prince Philip has now retired from public life and so doesn't do this sort of gig any more. It's not always a perfect system. Prince Philip supposedly made >20,000 public appearances in a career that lasted over half a century. The fact that he may have made a few gaffs in that time is perhaps not that surprising. Still a better average than Trump, who tends to say things that are somehow wrong pretty much every week.
	__________________ Trust me, I know what I'm doing. - Sledgehammer I'm Mary Poppin's Y'all! - Yondu We are Groot - Groot

13th January 2020, 10:49 AM	#103
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 29,967	Queen agrees on 'period of transition' for Harry and Meghan Quote: London (CNN)Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has agreed to a "period of transition" while details of a more "independent" role for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are hammered out. After a crisis meeting of senior royals at the Queen's Sandringham estate north of London, the Queen said she had agreed that Prince Harry and Meghan could split their time between the UK and Canada but that "complex matters" would have to be resolved. The monarch said she had ordered final plans to be drawn up in the next few days. CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/uk/ro...gbr/index.html
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate."

13th January 2020, 10:54 AM	#104
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 58,956	That means the queen allowed Harry to recharge his crystal amulet at the Bloodwell, but if he wants more he'll have to either set up his own in Canada or come crawling back. The star lizard lifeforce is finite, and periodic channelling is vital to maintain human form. Harry thinks he can overcome the addiction through willpower but the queen well knows the hunger always wins in the end. She will set her Dalek guards around the temple perimeter to catch anyone sneaking back in.
	__________________ You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara.

13th January 2020, 11:08 AM	#105
theprestige Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 48,625	Originally Posted by Segnosaur Prince Philip supposedly made >20,000 public appearances in a career that lasted over half a century. The fact that he may have made a few gaffs in that time is perhaps not that surprising. Still a better average than Trump, who tends to say things that are somehow wrong pretty much every week. Prince Philip was born into a centuries-old establishment that produced severe social expectations of behavior and presentation, and applied mandatory education and training fulfill that expectation. Americans pretty forcefully rejected that establishment and its expectations. As a result, even its leading figures commonly seem crass and boorish to their more refined and constrained cousins across the pond. Of course Philip has been less gaffe-prone than Trump. That quality, in Prince Philip, is pretty much the one thing that justifies his existence. Being less gaffe-prone than literally anyone else in the world is kind of the point of Prince Philip. Not giving a **** about that sort of thing is kind of the point of being American.

13th January 2020, 11:47 AM	#106
ThatGuy11200 Critical Thinker Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: London Posts: 309	Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey The French had the right idea on how to deal with obsolete royalty. You mean kill them, then kill people who don't want to kill them, then give the country to a military dictator for a while, then, when he's gone, invite someone else to be king?

13th January 2020, 12:25 PM	#107
SuburbanTurkey Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 7,286	Originally Posted by ThatGuy11200 You mean kill them, then kill people who don't want to kill them, then give the country to a military dictator for a while, then, when he's gone, invite someone else to be king? It's a bumpy ride, but you don't have the French wringing their hands about these kinds of pointless scandals in 2020.
	__________________ Gobble gobble

13th January 2020, 12:38 PM	#108
theprestige Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 48,625	Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey The French had the right idea on how to deal with obsolete royalty. Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty. The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful. You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right. Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again?

13th January 2020, 12:39 PM	#109
theprestige Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 48,625	Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey It's a bumpy ride, but you don't have the French wringing their hands about these kinds of pointless scandals in 2020. You also don't have me wringing my hands about my obnoxious mother in law at Christmas. Because I cut off her head years ago. Problem solved! (Mrs. ThePrestige doesn't like it, but she knows better than to complain.)

13th January 2020, 12:40 PM	#110
P.J. Denyer Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 7,724	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey A proposal from the palace! The queen has offered to let Harry and Meghan off the hook of royal duty...if they can defeat her and Philip on Countdown! The bad news is that Edward is going to make it! The dread spector of "It's a Royal Knockout" haunts the palace again.....
P.J. Denyer Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 7,724	__________________ "I know my brain cannot tell me what to think." - Scorpion "Nebulous means Nebulous" - Adam Hills

13th January 2020, 12:56 PM	#111
SuburbanTurkey Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 7,286	Originally Posted by theprestige Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty. The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful. You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right. Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again? Madame Guillotine is hungry, prestige. Don't be so greedy!
	__________________ Gobble gobble

13th January 2020, 01:00 PM	#112
theprestige Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 48,625	Originally Posted by SuburbanTurkey Madame Guillotine is hungry, prestige. Don't be so greedy! What exactly is your problem with royalty, that killing them seems like the best solution to you?

13th January 2020, 01:33 PM	#113
SuburbanTurkey Philosopher Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 7,286	Originally Posted by theprestige What exactly is your problem with royalty, that killing them seems like the best solution to you? This was all largely a joke. I do think it is ridiculous for a nation of free citizens to pay such reverence to such a regressive institution. It's pathetic. There was a time when killing absolute monarchs was a moral answer. Nowadays they should just be taxed into oblivion like all other rich layabouts.
	__________________ Gobble gobble

13th January 2020, 01:49 PM	#114
Meadmaker Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 24,827	Originally Posted by theprestige Jesus Christ that's a lot of vicious and violent hate for royalty. The French idea was murderous, horrific, inhumane, and all around awful. You want to see a good idea for how to deal with obsolete royalty? Look at the UK. Look at the British commonwealth. Those people knew how to do it right. Your idea of running around murdering people whose privilege you dislike is so wrong as to be monstrous. Would you like to reset and try again? I guess royalty jokes are a sensitive subject. There's no need to lose your head about...uhh ... never mind.