The Queen urges members of the Royal Family to show support through recession

[brittanylala]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/3527794/The-Queen-urges-members-of-the-Royal-Family-to-show-support-through-recession.html

The Daily Telegraph can disclose that Downing Street is increasingly looking to the Queen as head of state to lead the country through the bleak economic times.

The Queen's own diary of engagements has already been discreetly tailored to ensure that she meets more people involved in the caring professions and helping the victims of the most serious economic downturn in decades.

Prince William and Prince Harry have been given permission by their commanding officers in the Army to increase the number of official engagements they perform. Next month Prince Harry will present awards to "children of courage" and will attend a charity day in the City which will benefit 100 organisations including his own African charity. Both Prince William and his brother are, according to an informed source, alive to the fact that the country is "in a difficult time" and will behave in public accordingly. They are acutely aware that photographs of them tumbling out of expensive London nightclubs, when thousands of people are losing their jobs each week, will send the opposite message to the one the Queen wants her family to convey. Writing in today's Daily Telegraph, columnist Mary Riddell explains that the Queen is planning to be a figurehead in the financial crisis.
"The changes will be largely presentational," she writes. " It has been decided that the princes should stick to military careers rather than glossy, fund-raising events. 'This is not the right time for ribbon-cutting,' I am told."

[Stix Chix]

that sounds like a good idea.  dont get me wrong....ressession or not i dont have a problem with them going out and having fun....but a lot of journalists, MPs and members of the public would be more then happy to hang them for it right now.  which is a good thing to avoid.   although i think the more fervent among them would still call the Queen buying new socks a "terrible excess" of public taxes.

interesting new info in there.....more public duties for William and Harry coming up.

[The Chocolate Princess]

 I love the Queen , but since I heard her son Charles gets 7 eggs cooked in the morning to get to choose the one he likes best at the time, I so cannot take this seriously    
I know those eggs don't cost much compared to his usual expenses, but it is a matter of attitude how to deal with resources... imho

note: I really believe HM means what she said, about urging her family members to spend less money. 

[Monika]

Aren't these statements contradictory?

Prince William and Prince Harry have been given permission by their commanding officers in the Army to increase the number of official engagements they perform.

It has been decided that the princes should stick to military careers rather than glossy, fund-raising events.

[wannabe]

Old fashion charity raise funding perhaps, but yes it is contradictory.

The paps and tabloids would make the charity clubbing sound and look like the "wrong signals" - precisely what HM wants her family to avoid.

[Monika]

That was my impression...

If they are to stick with their military careers, then where does getting "permission by their commanding officers in the Army to increase the number of official engagements they perform" come into it? 

This can't be a blonde thing, can it?  Lol...   

[Stix Chix]

^i noticed that as well.   my reading of it is that they dont want them doing any more of the BIG charity events.......like the Concert for Diana and City Salute......or taking part in fundraisers, such as EnduroAfrica, which results in the public having to pay a lot for their security.  i understand about the clubbing and even the fundraising abroad.....but i think its a huge shame that they're being discouraged from setting up any more events.   although with Geoffrey Matthews going i guess they dont have anyone to help them organise it anyway.


Buckingham wants William and Harry to take a lower profile--The Internet Forum

[lurker]

I agree, Stix. So "it was decided" they'd take on military roles because of the recession? I don't get the logic. I understand about them not being all over the clubs now and cancelling private parties but why reduce charity efforts? Also this makes it sound like it wasn't such a big surprise announcement by William himself to go to the RAF but rather the wish of the Queen as part of his and Harry's "lower profile".

although with Geoffrey Matthews going i guess they dont have anyone to help them organise it anyway.

I see it the other way around. The big charity was cancelled due to the recession and hence Mr. Matthews had to go.
 

[marine2109]

Queen rallies royals to support Britons through the credit crunch

http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2008/11/27/queen-support-crunch/

[lurker]

Sorry for the double post. More from the Telegraph - a more humorous perspective.

First up, the Queen could withdraw her royal warrant with Fortnum’s and bestow one on beleaguered Woolie’s. MFI also needs a boost, so it could be invited to re-furnish the state rooms.

The Queen could also help banks and building societies by swapping Coutts for HBOS - while taking out a Northern Rock mortgage on Buckingham Palace: finally a potential customer unlikely to be warily regarded as a sub-prime defaulter.

When it comes to taking their holidays, the family could set up a house-swap scheme with other royal families. For example, the Spanish lot could have Sandringham while the Queen enjoys a no-frills fortnight in Spain. (Note to King Juan Carlos: "please leave the Tupperware full of cereal, and before you leave, change the guard.")

The Earl of Wessex, who can sometimes seem a little under-employed, could offer counselling on how to cope when you lose your job and find you haven’t got much to do. He and the Countess could even offer life classes on "how to get by on just £1 million a year".

Meanwhile the Duke of York and Prince William could be reminded that in a recession being a bicycling monarchy is not enough; they must become a shank’s pony monarchy, so no more air miles or un-scheduled stops in military choppers.

Similarly, the Prince of Wales could augment his fleet of Aston Martins with a Toyota Prius, thus saving the planet and his pennies. Others could follow Lord Linley’s example of going into trade. For example, Prince Harry could turn his hobby into a job by setting up a nightclub: how about a new branch of Harry’s Bar?

Just as the Queen Mother felt that the bombing of Buckingham Palace meant she could look her subjects in the face, so I’m convinced the Queen would adapt remarkably easily to BYO garden parties , state banquets of fish and chips and the like. I just hope certain younger royals don’t find all this recession spirit a bit too much like hard work...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/11/27/do2707.xml

[GiaModel60]

wow REPUBLICAN!

[drezzle]

"Very often when she’s at home she’ll be happy to have leftovers. She’s careful with money and always watches the pennies"

The Queen has a budget for Christmas presents and won’t spend more than £50 a time on festive gifts for the family, even ordering staff to save the wrapping paper so it can be re-used.

Prince Philip has a similarly conservative outlook. She and the Duke of Edinburgh never swap presents and he is wont to drive around in a London taxi, powered by environmentally-friendly fuel, and he wears trousers that he bought 30 years ago.

Rather than buying a new gown for a banquet in the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, she had one whipped up from some gold, silver and grey brocade she had been given while on a Middle Eastern tour more than 20 years ago. Her palace officials dubbed the move “credit crunch couture”.

Ever since the Queen invited Sir Michael Peat to be Keeper Of The Privy Purse in 1990, the royal household has undergone huge cutbacks. Within five years royal spending had been halved, saving the taxpayer £37million a year. “He went through the place,” remarked one courtier, “like a hot knife through butter.”

---------------------------------------------

The royal family = thrifty.......frugal........!   

[Fabulous Fake]

Something's up.

Yet again The Torygraph's reporting is completely out of 'character'.

[Kate]

Very funny!!!

However, as pointed out, THe Telegraph is the lap newspaper of the Royals... I wondered what is up, also!

Regarding Harry and William doing a small portion of public engagements... WHY not? IMO, the only reason William is in the army for 7 years is to fill in time and to keep Kate at arms length, until she finds a new interest!!
I would be there with bells on, if I could go and see Prince Harry doing a public engagement...

[Miz Busybody]

Even though I've supported William and Harry being able to go to school and start their military careers  without being unduly burdened with royal engagements, I've never understood why they couldn't take on a few appearances.  In my 20s I spent six years working myself through two college degrees; I held down a half-time job and volunteered most weeks in a shelter (of course, I wasn't bar hopping as I had no money).   Now I work full-time as a professional and still find time to volunteer every weekend (I still don't bar hop but go to movies, concerts and theater productions often).  I thought the motorcycle trip was embarrassing: two rich boys on an adventure with pricey security in tow.  Now, I guess they can brag about completing their adventure    .  They could have just donated the money outright to a cause and generated publicity instead of making it a so-called fundraising event.

[Trudie]

Well I for one think it is about time that Charles and Andrew listen to their mother and cut out the lavish lifestyle both enjoy. Charles talks about being green but where IS HIS HYBRID TOYOTA? or any ordinary HYBRID the hypocrite. Andrew needs to learn exactly what the automobile is for and stop taking flights within driving distance of where he is to be. The only one I have respect for economy wise is Anne who is totally showing women how to dress by recycling old clothes and has done so for years.

[scooter]

I love the Queen , but since I heard her son Charles gets 7 eggs cooked in the morning to get to choose the one he likes best at the time, I so cannot take this seriously    
I know those eggs don't cost much compared to his usual expenses, but it is a matter of attitude how to deal with resources... imho

note: I really believe HM means what she said, about urging her family members to spend less money. 

Yes...remember the books by his long time valet Stephen Barry, who talked about how Prince Green Anti Global Warming, sent his the valet on the Prince's jet from the Queen's Flight back to the other side of Canada to pick up his toothpaste squeezing devise? This is the part that annoys me about Camilla needing to take the enormous cruise around the Greek Islands. Dont preach at me if you are not prepared to live it. Or is it only for us commoners?

[Miz Busybody]

re: stories by Stephen Barry...30 years ago there was a lot of waste in the royal family.  I remember Princess Margaret and Prince Phillip using the royal ship pretty much as a personal yacht.  Ever wonder why Princess Margaret attended so many "independence" ceremonies in the Carribbean?  It allowed her to have vacations at tax payers' expense.  Even today,Princess Anne arrives sometimes by helicopter; it maximizes her schedule.  In the last year or two, things have improved and will improve more with public scrutiny.   The story about Prince Charles' eggs has been around for years; I wonder if anyone can verify that he gets 7 eggs cooked every morning (and even if it is so; the cost of a dozen eggs is minimal in the larger scheme of things and boiled eggs can be used in other dishes).

Certainly Prince Andrew's job as a trade ambassador  should be investigated.  He himself has benefited from hob knobbing with oligarchs (didn't a Russian billionaire buy his estate for millions above the asking price?) but has the nation benefitted?  Surely the government can publish a report showing "value for money" if indeed he has value.

[Monika]

Yes...remember the books by his long time valet Stephen Barry, who talked about how Prince Green Anti Global Warming, sent his the valet on the Prince's jet from the Queen's Flight back to the other side of Canada to pick up his toothpaste squeezing devise? This is the part that annoys me about Camilla needing to take the enormous cruise around the Greek Islands. Dont preach at me if you are not prepared to live it. Or is it only for us commoners?

Yup.  Right up there with having an aide drive from Highgrove to KP to fetch a favorite pen that was not packed for the weekend.     

[Trudie]

Last year the Queen saw this looming and cancelled her diamond wedding party, What a shame that Cammy saw to it that he had a second lavish bash produced by Fawcett at Highgrove given the fact that The Queen had a party for him the day before?

Also Princess Eugenie on her gap year is traveling and staying in 5 star hotels as was broken that just before the Taj Hotel was taken over she had stayed there and left just before the siege. I suppose the York's have not yet gotten that all important memo from the Queen to scale back or their self-entitlement means they just don't care.

[GiaModel60]

backpacking in a 5 star - ridiculous i bet zara wouldn't be that  bad

[The Chocolate Princess]

I believe one who makes a good job should be paid good. But do all the royals make a good job?? maybe...

I think it is very unfair of the other royals to be such a bad example here in regards to the Queen. She really tries hard to live this demure economical simple life and with one of Charles'/Camillas/... lavish foolishness they undo all her efforts. 

[Kuei Fei]

Just as the Queen Mother felt that the bombing of Buckingham Palace meant she could look her subjects in the face,

Actually it was a comment that endeared her because the people felt she ( :notworthy:The Queen Mother ) shared in their pain and loss, even if it was a palace. It showed that she felt embarrassed that she hadn't suffered from the Blitz. Brainless twit.

re: stories by Stephen Barry...30 years ago there was a lot of waste in the royal family.  I remember Princess Margaret and Prince Phillip using the royal ship pretty much as a personal yacht.  Ever wonder why Princess Margaret attended so many "independence" ceremonies in the Carribbean?  It allowed her to have vacations at tax payers' expense.  Even today,Princess Anne arrives sometimes by helicopter; it maximizes her schedule.  In the last year or two, things have improved and will improve more with public scrutiny.   The story about Prince Charles' eggs has been around for years; I wonder if anyone can verify that he gets 7 eggs cooked every morning (and even if it is so; the cost of a dozen eggs is minimal in the larger scheme of things and boiled eggs can be used in other dishes).
Certainly Prince Andrew's job as a trade ambassador  should be investigated.  He himself has benefited from hob knobbing with oligarchs (didn't a Russian billionaire buy his estate for millions above the asking price?) but has the nation benefitted?  Surely the government can publish a report showing "value for money" if indeed he has value.

Prince Andrew also hobnobbed with dignitaries like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes (I am being entirely sarcastic). Seeing as to Hollywood creates all sorts of jobs I'm surprised people feel such pique .

[GwenCat]

How much do you think she saved by giving all the staff coasters only??

[fawbert]

Ever wonder why Princess Margaret attended so many "independence" ceremonies in the Carribbean? 

Because Her Majesty the Queen with the full backing of Her Majesty's Government invited her to do so.