The Royal Family #40

[Boring Monday]

I think he’s damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t.

I agree this was a possibility so could have been pencilled into his diary, however as a member of the RF Australian are obliged to provide security for him if he travels there. Part of the Canadians’ issue with the other 2 basing themselves there.

Then if he travels and Catherine and the children don’t, the Royal Protection officers will have to be split and I’m sure that causes security and cost issues.

Could it have been planned better? Definitely. Can he win either way absolutely not.

Well, unless William, Kate and the kids are always going to be in the same place at all times then security is going to be split. It was split when Kate went raving in Norfolk.

There was a lot of talk about a them doing a royal visit to Australia in 2023 … and this would have been the ideal time. If William went as part of his FA President duties, maybe they could have stumped up for security.

 

[Ennui]

Just waiting for the tabloid frenzy to give us a "What's William doing? Sweet FA" headline.

 

[squacksquack]

Just waiting for the tabloid frenzy to give us a "What's William doing? Sweet FA" headline.

They’ve missed a trick if they don’t use that at some point!

 

[thegreencow]

I think William will make a surprise appearance after the backlash. He's had a couple of days to make arrangements and still has tomorrow.

If William & his family did go, they should be never all be allowed on the same plane again. If anything happened to them Harry would be our next King.

Old Chjarles needs to grow some balls and remove Harry (and his offspring) from the LOS all together. He has more than made his feelings clear. I hope that if William did die, Charles would do that.

But that would mean Andrew would be king. No thanks. I'd take Harry over him any day.

 

[Lammington]

I think William will make a surprise appearance after the backlash. He's had a couple of days to make arrangements and still has tomorrow.

He'd have to be already in Aus or presently on a plane to make it, given it's around 23 hours of flight time.

 

[AlexTwist]

If anything happened to them Harry would be our next King.

That's not correct, it would be Prince George.

 

[Happy Lady]

Unfortunately, it’s their job.

I think <to me, in my opinion and all the usual disclaimers> there are two issues at play here.

The first is that the President of the FA isn’t going to be there to support the national team in the World Cup final. The first they have been in for 57 years. The fact that is William is to some degree irrelevent. Whoever the President is should be there, but it is William and so William should be there.

Coupled to that <again to me, in my opinion, etc, etc> is that fact the tournament has been held in Commonwealth countries so given the Commonwealth rumblings and the fact that they have recently pulled out of hosting the Commonwealth Games, given that <to me, etc,etc> William should have been there anyway then it would have been exceptionally good PR and goodwill for he and his family to be there from the start of the tournament (not just going for the final) It’s not like FIFA keeps the dates secret and only drops them at a couple of days notice. There would be plenty of time to arrange a semi official, semi private visit, even if it did clash with their summer holidays. Because, again, that’s the job. The trade off for the 4 homes, pretty clothes and a luxurious lifestyle is occasionally having to put the job first.

Absolutely bloody brilliant post.

If anyone else decided to pick and choose which parts of their job they were and were not going to do they'd be sacked. Don't get me wrong, I love William and the RF, but we tax payers pay for their many castles and gorgeous clothes, so I totally agree that he should have given no excuses and attended. I'm secretly hoping he rocks up anyway.

 

[Libbylulu]

Everyone is getting their knickers in a Twist about this. Do you think people care if William was there or not or is it just another thing to make a fuss about.

 

[Boredofgrey]

Everyone is getting their knickers in a Twist about this. Do you think people care if William was there or not or is it just another thing to make a fuss about.

Silly season continues……….

 

[Filouette]

That's not correct, it would be Prince George.

They meant that if the whole family is in a plane crash then numbers 1,2,3 and 4 (William and all three kids) in the line would be gone and the crown would go to number 5, Harry.

 

[Yel]

I don't know anything about football but assumed it was like tennis with the wta and ATP where they're two totally separate entities?

Kate is the patron of Wimbledon so is always at the finals, but she wouldn't go to the Australian open if a Brit made the final. That seems a somewhat similar scenario, obviously still with quite a few differences.

Kate didn't attend the us open when raducanu was in the final, but once she was back in the UK they did meet for media.

 

[bubbadabut]

To be fair to him, nothing could persuade me to go and watch women's football either. **hides**

 

[Boring Monday]

To be fair to him, nothing could persuade me to go and watch women's football either. **hides**

Maybe he shouldn’t be President of the FA, then

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

Football does get very hyped in this country and Europe in general. Without football, I'm sure life wouldn't come to a halt.

 

[Boring Monday]

Football does get very hyped in this country and Europe in general. Without football, I'm sure life wouldn't come to a halt.

Of course it would. But I’m discussing this on the Royal board purely because a Royal is President of the FA. If the President were Geoff Hurst, I’d be discussing it on his part of the forum and William could sit in front of the tele with his popcorn with no problems.

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

Of course it would. But I’m discussing this on the Royal board purely because a Royal is President of the FA. If the President were Geoff Hurst, I’d be discussing it on his part of the forum and William could sit in front of the tele with his popcorn with no problems.

Oh I wasn't targeting it at you. I just think the hype and furore around football is ridiculous most of the time. It's not that I don't like football, but it's made out as if it's the be all and end all whenever the World Cup or European Competitions are on. I get it's a popular sport for so many people, but overreporting on it, especially International football whenever we (England) are doing well is a bit OTT.

 

[Great_Kate]

While I personally think football is completely overrated, most of Europe has a very different opinion. It’s extremely popular. Like American Football in the US. And the First Leagues of Italy, Spain, UK and Germany(?) do get noticed with the general fan crowed in other countries as well. Which is partly due to popular players leaving their „Home League“ for the big teams in other countries. It’s still „just“ sport and I don’t get how people can build their identity around football or any other sport (they don’t play themselves that is) or a person. But it’s a big thing. And many people that aren’t necessarily interested, still watch it when big tournaments are on (EU or World).
To show support to Football teams during big tournaments should be a given for the President of the FA.

I do think that other sports don’t get enough support compared to football. The UK is actually much better than my home country. You at least have Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Tennis - which also get quite some airtime and publicity. The RF justifies their big number and role (not because they need it in atm as they are quite safe constitutionally but rather to appease the public and for good PR) by attending lots of Charity and sporting events as well as visiting places. I would argue that the regular UK citizens has much better chances of being recognised/seen by their HoS or someone representing them in this level than most other citizens. With that perspective it’s only fair to expect them to show up for those events. Not singling out football specifically. But my annoyance with the Walses approach to work is well known.

 

[Boring Monday]

Oh I wasn't targeting it at you. I just think the hype and furore around football is ridiculous most of the time. It's not that I don't like football, but it's made out as if it's the be all and end all whenever the World Cup or European Competitions are on. I get it's a popular sport for so many people, but overreporting on it, especially International football whenever we (England) are doing well is a bit OTT.

But that is mainly a thing that happens when a National team/representative is doing well. I remember Torvill and Dean getting gold and it was literally everywhere. You couldn’t turn on the tele or radio without hearing the beginning, middle or end of Bolero. Or when Olympic medals were scarcer than hens teeth … I remember feeling so sorry for Tessa Sanderson. If one more person asked her how she felt when she won the medal, I’d have rolled my eyes and sighed in their face for her. Our local news went bananas when we had a gold letter box … it was local headlines for days. Look at the comments about how much coverage Eurovision had this year and how excessive some thought it was and how much press Sam Ryder got for actually getting points and coming second.

It’s just that for these weeks’ it’s the turn of football. If England had gone out at the groups or knockouts then the rest of the tournament would have passed almost without a whimper, but first final for 57 years is pretty noteworthy.

 

[Baby Giraffe]

To be fair to him, nothing could persuade me to go and watch women's football either. **hides**

You don’t need to but it is his job. Personally I’ve loved the surge of support for women’s football as it has motivated several of my friends daughters to be more active and participate at their level which the men’s game never did. When I was a girl I wasn’t allowed to play and therefore my choice of sport was restricted. An active population is a good thing for a healthy society.

 

[Tatooine_legend1]

While I personally think football is completely overrated, most of Europe has a very different opinion. It’s extremely popular. Like American Football in the US. And the First Leagues of Italy, Spain, UK and Germany(?) do get noticed with the general fan crowed in other countries as well. Which is partly due to popular players leaving their „Home League“ for the big teams in other countries. It’s still „just“ sport and I don’t get how people can build their identity around football or any other sport (they don’t play themselves that is) or a person. But it’s a big thing. And many people that aren’t necessarily interested, still watch it when big tournaments are on (EU or World).
To show support to Football teams during big tournaments should be a given for the President of the FA.

I do think that other sports don’t get enough support compared to football. The UK is actually much better than my home country. You at least have Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Tennis - which also get quite some airtime and publicity. The RF justifies their big number and role (not because they need it in atm as they are quite safe constitutionally but rather to appease the public and for good PR) by attending lots of Charity and sporting events as well as visiting places. I would argue that the regular UK citizens has much better chances of being recognised/seen by their HoS or someone representing them in this level than most other citizens. With that perspective it’s only fair to expect them to show up for those events. Not singling out football specifically. But my annoyance with the Walses approach to work is well known.

I used to enjoy football, but now I'm a very casual football watcher/supporter. I used to go to games (Chelsea) many years ago, but soon realised I'm paying an exorbitant amount of money to go watch a bunch of millionaires kick a leather ball about. If I go to a theatre show, I know those actors are being paid a pittance in comparison and they are putting on a fantastic show for weeks at a time to entertain us folk, under the pressure of the lights with no editing. I find the disparity in general in sports and entertainment a bit wild.

So many A list actors are paid a fortune to appear in films and tv shows that don't always end up successful, and you have a footballers making so much money. Then you have players poached by Saudi clubs (that's another discussion altogether!) and being paid handsomely. I know this is off a tangent and not related to the RF, but yeah it's just something that has bothered me for a while. I don't really see it changing for a long time, so I suppose it's a conversation that we will all go around in circles debating, which is unfortunate.