To say nothing of being a god on the side.
She had an abdominal operation and took a while to recover. There is absolutely no mystery or weirdness about this at all.
But the Royal Family as an institution has made a habit of keeping her extremely visible (e.g. photo opportunities hours after giving birth) so the contrast when she has to take time off is very marked, and that plus the base level of gossip that goes with the territory means people try to fill the void, often with nonsense.
As it happens, some Army press officer just put their foot in it and annoyed the Palace:
So it’s still a case of wait and see, surprise, surprise.
Now does that get you a year and a day in the Tower, or is he going straight to the block?
No invites to Palace garden parties, and the boss’s OBE isn’t guaranteed. There may be an early re-posting to some less glamorous base.
A stern look with a disappointed, “Tut, tut. Not cricket, old chap. Not cricket at all.”
There is a society or association of virtually every industry in virtually every country. The retailer’s association, the car manufacturer’s society, the real estate developer’s club, etc.
The purpose is simple. To bad together to promote the interests of that industry to whatever entities regulate them. And to, where possible, meet and collude against the public.
“All professions are conspiracies against the laity.”
― George Bernard Shaw, Major Barbara
Hmm. You know, my daughter has been watching a lot of Peppa Pig lately, and Daddy Pig works in Concrete, and seems to have a strange amount of influence because of it. Maybe there’s something to that British Concrete Society…
Years of playing Civ 4 have burned this quote (which played when you researched Guilds) into my mind:
“People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public.”
It the UK affiliate of the Illuminati.
fnord.
I thought that was the Royal Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things.
Additionally, Prince Charles - having actually read the room - thinks that the royal family itself should be smaller. Elizabeth had cousins who were working royals. Charles is not wheeling out Princess Margaret’s children to cut ribbons. And its doubtful that unless he has to, William will have Andrew or Edward or Anne’s children do much.
If I had to guess, she had a hysterectomy. Mine took six weeks to recover fully from before I was 100% on running to the grocery store and lifting bags of groceries out of the car. And my duties do not include standing for hours in heels without shifting my weight, gracefully squatting/bending over to greet small children, or kicking a soccer ball all while looking good and behaving well.
Their archenemies are the Villiage Green Preservation Society.
–Adam Smith
I don’t disagree with your contention, but a side effect of a much smaller active royal contingent (even while everyone is healthy and of vigourous years) will be a lot less fewer ribbons being cut or charities with royal members on their fictive boards of advisors.
A smaller active royal contingent is also one that does a lot less of the pomp & circumstance stuff. Which is really the key to a lot of their public legitimacy.
Like Gorbachev, Charles III may be unwittingly unleashing the forces that undo his own institution. Charles’ ill health simply emphasizes the changes coming, and perhaps, unlike Mr Gorbachev, means he won’t live to see the denouement he has catalyzed.
Perhaps. The other European nations with royals have smaller royal contingents and still have legitimacy. Its part of the national identity. The royal family has been undergoing change since WWI - and will continue to change - the rate seems to be picking up right now. But that doesn’t mean it will necessarily disappear. Even if Britain would get rid of the remaining pomp - the red boxes, the opening of parliament, there would still be a family, that family would still - if THEY chose - be visible as ribbon cutters and active in charitable causes, whose weddings would be media events and who we would follow what they wore, with enough personal wealth to do so. (I think its really unlikely to disappear, as there is still someone claiming to be Tzar of Russia).
(The royal family most likely to disintegrate is not England’s, but Japan’s)
This deserves a link. (for those Dopers whose knowledge of the sacred canon may be incomplete.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFrdqQZ8FFc
(2 minute Monty Python sketch)
He’s King now, y’know.