In spite of these austere time lets give the Queen a new yacht

Batsy

Wave of support for new Royal flagship: Plans for £80m vessel to mark Diamond Jubilee receive cross-party backing

By James Chapman, Tim Shipman and Laura Freeman

18th January 2012
Daily Mail

Plans for a privately-funded new national flagship to be used by the Queen won strong cross-party support last night.

The £80million project, designed as a modern-day replacement for the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia, was backed by more Government ministers, as well as senior Labour figures.

The Daily Mail revealed yesterday that David Cameron is backing our campaign for a new national yacht, funded entirely by corporate sponsors and individual donations, to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.


How the magnificent new vessel could look

Backers of the project are to launch an appeal for funds, arguing a vessel with state apartments for royal use, plus room for 220 youngsters doing maritime training and science projects, would be a fitting way to thank the monarch for six decades of service to her country.

As with other national institutions, such as the National Gallery or the Royal Opera House, blue chip companies or philanthropists would have their names attached to particular parts of the ship in recognition of their contribution.

Support is also being sought from across the Commonwealth, with £10million pledged from Canada.

Rear Admiral David Bawtree, who is leading the project, said: ‘The jubilee lends itself to a national appeal.

Obviously, we will use established means of fundraising and if someone wants to put their name on a particular cabin, then that’s wonderful.

‘There will be designated trade and exhibition days when companies can hire rooms and space for specific events – following proper protocols, as with any Government trade initiative.

‘But, needless to say, it will be entirely different when the ship is on royal duty.

‘There will be no question of sponsorship on those occasions.’

Last night, a number of politicians and military figures voiced keen support for the project.

Tory defence minister Gerald Howarth said: ‘I think it’s worth the nation thinking about how it might pay tribute to Her Majesty.

‘Of course times are constrained, but this privately funded vessel would not become some gin palace for the royals. It would promote Britain around the world and have a great deal of other ancillary uses.’

Former Labour minister Kate Hoey said her party’s voters would support plans to create a new royal yacht.

‘Of course it shouldn’t come from public funds but I’ve absolutely no doubt we would get the money from private donations,’ she said.

‘I have always thought one of the worst decisions Tony Blair took was to get rid of the last royal yacht. Whenever foreign leaders saw it they wanted a symbol like that.’

Liberal Democrat Andrew George, a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group, said he would back a yacht as long as there was a viable business plan to ensure that it was used regularly.

He said: ‘Providing it is a UK-built vessel and it is put to good use, I would be supportive.’


Julian Brazier, the Tory co-chairman of the group, said it was a ‘great idea’, adding: ‘I support the idea of getting it sponsored by the people who will see the most benefit, which is British businesses.’

Lord Hurd, former Conservative foreign secretary, described Britannia as ‘a real asset to the British taxpayer’. He said: ‘She was not a grand or pompous ship but practical and very British. I very much hope that a worthy replacement can be found.’

Former Tory Cabinet minister John Redwood added: ‘We need a yacht for diplomacy and trade promotion.’

Digby, Lord Jones, a minister of state for trade under Gordon Brown, said the project should be seen ‘as a vital investment in the future of British trade’, adding: ‘Other countries welcome our engagement and our commitment to free trade and an open market. The Royal Yacht, docked in ports around the world, stood for that.’

Former Labour trade minister Lord Davies of Abersoch said: ‘Wouldn’t this be a wonderful project to show the world how serious we are about showcasing our strengths?’

Former Labour security minister Lord West of Spithead, who also served as First Sea Lord, lent his support to the campaign, and Falklands Taskforce Commander Admiral Sandy Woodward also said he ‘fully supported’ it.

He said: ‘From Trafalgar to the Falklands, Britain’s global influence has been built on our strength at sea. This bold, imaginative project can only help to reinvigorate our standing in the world.’


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2088113/Plans-80m-Royal-flagship-mark-Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-receive-cross-party-backing.html#ixzz1jpEFLsIW

A spectacular flotilla reflecting Britain’s maritime heritage has been assembled to celebrate the Queen’s 60-year reign, organisers of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant announced today.

The 1,000-boat tribute will feature vessels from down the centuries on the River Thames, a seven-mile long procession of Dunkirk little ships, historic vessels, steam boats, tugs, Dutch barges and passenger ships.

It was also announced that the Prince of Wales will be the pageant’s patron and have a key role when the event is staged during the extended Diamond Jubilee weekend in June.

At the centre of the procession will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh aboard the Pageant's flagship, a modern Thames cruiser called The Spirit of Chartwell, which is being converted into a barge and decorated for the occasion in red and gold.

It is also likely to carry the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Originally the Queen was to travel in the Gloriana, the hand-built Royal Rowbarge, but security and health and safety issues proved too complex.

Music is an integral part of the celebrations and pieces commissioned for the event will receive their world premiere on special musical barges.

Classical music, Bollywood anthems, Scottish tunes, English folk songs and military marches are some of the performances that will be staged on the river.

Downton Abbey composer John Lunn was commissioned with nine other film composers to create a new movement using the original titles of Handel’s Water Music for inspiration.

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy has written the words for a new song with music by composer Orlando Gough which will be performed by singers from across the Commonwealth.

Around 3,000 vessels applied to take part in the waterborne celebrations with pageant master Adrian Evans praising the high quality of those who came forward.

He added: 'I thank everyone who has responded so enthusiastically to this unique event.

'We have a wonderful collection of vessels, a wide spectrum of every type of craft from humble kayaks to magnificent tall ships, with rowed shallops, oyster smacks, steamers, cutters, cruisers and barges.'

A Battersea Park Jubilee Festival curated by Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway and artist Clare Patey will feature a village green, 1952 bandstand tea dance, outdoor cinema and other attractions.

Speaking about Prince Charles’s involvement, a Clarence House spokesman said: 'The Prince is very supportive of the whole concept and is very much looking forward to it.

'He’s taking an interest in it and will be playing an important role on the day.'

The pageant will take place on Sunday June 3, and journey down river from Putney to Tower Bridge. It will travel under 14 bridges, feature 20,000 people on the water and take 90 minutes to pass any given point.



Read more and see the pics: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2088304/Thames-Diamond-Jubilee-Pageant-2012-What-Queens-flotilla-look-like.html#ixzz1jpIWSvpP

Wibbs

summerskin wrote: »

I'm a normal Brit. I am not a royalist, wish we could get rid of the whole monarchy.

However, while they're there let's make some money out of them. They are great for tourism, and if you put Lizzie's new yacht on the banks of the Thames you'd get americans and japanese spending a fortune in the surrounding areas, generating money for the economy.

The royals cost each british person 62p a year in taxes, but make hundreds of millions in terms of boosting tourism..

This. It's a good investment for the UK. Though I'm not a royalist by any stretch of the imagination, you have to hand it to the queen of England as far as service and consistency in that service for a bloody long time. She has pretty much never put a foot wrong(unlike other members of that family). The whole Diana thing was about it and TBH I suspect she thought it a bit OTT and would blow over and she was dead right. It was soap opera histrionics that blew out just as quick as that candle in the wind. She barely gets a mention now. Their queen makes a fortune for the UK, her royal trips are as much, nay more about business as anything else. Her schedule I wouldn't wish on anyone, nor the close attention. Sure she's grown up in it, but so have others who went a bit screwy. And at her age? Her trip here was one of many that year and whatever she's eating I;ll have some of it please. Ditto for Philip. She's a helluva advertisment for old people (and drinking gin and chowing on venison).

As for British people being mostly royalist? Look I'd put good money down that the majority of posters here would be too if that's what they grew up with. We were running around cap in hand to the cassock for long enough. Pretty much everyone here with a catholic background had grandparents and great grandparents that were pretty full on catholics. I remember the 70s and that was near the arse end of all that guff and when the pope showed up a million people walked to the phoenix park to see him and that was just in Dublin. Even the telly was chockablock with priests and the like spouting off. Rare enough was a Late Late show that didn't have some cleric or other. Rare was the family who didn't sport at least one priest or nun, especially in rural areas. People are all too quick to claim "well I wouldn't believe in that shíte" but history and recent history at that proves them wrong or at least naive.

Still, out with the lot of them. As long as they drop Kate off at my house on the way..

I call shotgun on Pippa then. Painters radio et al.

partyatmygaff

getz wrote: »

are you under the impression that the british tax payer paid for the queens visit to ireland?,i dont want to upset you but

No, I know who paid for the Queen's visit to Ireland. I was talking about the previous 58 years worth of "tours" and extremely expensive "diplomacy".

Batsy wrote: »

The 60 years of service she has given her country as Head of State.

By doing what exactly? Being herself? Visiting her "realms" and talking to her "subjects"?

Not to mention the service of her country before she became Queen when she served in WWII.

Are you for real? There are/have been hundreds of thousands of WW2 veterans who are far more deserving of the privileged live she and her family lives. They earned it. She didn't.

In fact, her military "career" as far as i'm aware was her being made a Colonel of the Grenadier Guards at the age of 15 and her being a truck driver on mainland Britain for the auxillary territorial service where she was somehow made the equivalent of an Army captain in five months. A military career i'm sure a "commoner" would have never experienced nor be commended for.

The new Royal Yacht is to be privately funded by those people and organisations around the Commonwealth who wish to do so.

And, despite what many people on here think, the yacht will not be a royal plaything, something for them to use just for leisure. Like the previous Royal Yacht, the Britannia, the yacht will be considered as a floating British Embassy and will be used by the Queen to undertake engagements around the world. It will be used for her to conduct affairs of state whenever she is on the yacht to travel to other countries on royal engagements.

"Royal Engagements"...

Such as? What exactly does she do that merits the position of herself and her family in Britain? Why can't any other British person or even someone who just so happens to not have been born in her family do such supposedly important diplomacy work?

Fratton Fred

Solair wrote: »

Well, if you consider that the UK is currently running a budgetary deficit of > 10.4% of GDP and has a rapidly spiraling national debt, buying the Queen a yacht should be *very* low on the agenda.

That >10.4% figure also *excludes* any support that was required by the banking sector, which is essentially off-balance sheet.

The last figures available show that the UK borrowed £146bn last year for day-to-day Government spending and its total Government debt is hovering at around £1 trillion.

If anything, she should be voluntarily making serious cut backs to her lavish lifestyle and ensuring that she is not a burden to the tax payer.

Despite all the babble on here, the UK is in a pretty bad fiscal position at the moment and not all that different from Ireland in many respects. It's just less hamstrung than we are by Euro rules so, it can sweep a lot of it under the carpet by printing money and inflating its way out of some of it. That's already starting to be very noticeable as consumer prices rise, as the UK doesn't really make very many consumer goods anymore.

The uk made 1.35m cars last year, 8 out of ten of them where exported. An industry that is worth £23bn.

Are they not consumer goods?

The UK economy is a lot stronger than you give it credit for. The recoovery will not come from quantitve easing, it will come from the depth of industry that a country needs to pull it out of recession.

Unlike Ireland with an economy based on a industry that managed to build enough stock for the next 20 years in one go. Unfortunately most of that stock is of such poor quality it won't even last that long.

Freddie59

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The uk made 1.35m cars last year, 8 out of ten of them where exported. An industry that is worth £23bn.

Are they not consumer goods?

The UK economy is a lot stronger than you give it credit for. The recoovery will not come from quantitve easing, it will come from the depth of industry that a country needs to pull it out of recession.

Unlike Ireland with an economy based on a industry that managed to build enough stock for the next 20 years in one go. Unfortunately most of that stock is of such poor quality it won't even last that long.

And what, pray tell, is this "depth of industry" that you speak of?

Interesting to read:

"indeed we export more to Ireland alone than to Brazil, Russia, India and China combined."

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/osbornes-flawed-export-strategy

So ye're more dependent on us than ye like to admit. "Great" Britain my hole.:D

ejmaztec

Freddie59 wrote: »

And what, pray tell, is this "depth of industry" that you speak of?

Interesting to read:

"indeed we export more to Ireland alone than to Brazil, Russia, India and China combined."

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/osbornes-flawed-export-strategy

So ye're more dependent on us than ye like to admit. "Great" Britain my hole.:D

The blog only covers a total of 22% of exports, unless I'm completely missing something.
16% to PIIGs
6% to BRICs
78% to the rest of the world, which must mean that the PIIGs individually, aren't all that significant.

oppenheimer1

The queen has enough personal wealth to buy and run her own yacht if she wants one.

Anyway the royals have a history of lavish waste in times of austerity, the queens own wedding in post war Britain, and the royal wedding of 1981 and 2011. While the ship itself might be paid from private donations, it will be staffed by persons paid by the UK taxpayer.

oppenheimer1

partyatmygaff wrote: »

"Royal Engagements"...

Such as? What exactly does she do that merits the position of herself and her family in Britain? Why can't any other British person or even someone who just so happens to not have been born in her family do such supposedly important diplomacy work?

Quite.

Prince Andrew has has courted controversy in his diplomatic role and caused great difficulty the foreign office. Thats the problem with hereditary positions, sometimes questionable intelligence (possibly due to generations of inbreeding) and are impossible to remove.

nice_very

Yahew wrote: »

You are expected to read the OP, and most of the thread. The very first post mentioned liz.

as I said, I didnt read all the thread.... I know a few females of that name..


WHICH LIZ ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Spook_ie

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Quite.

Prince Andrew has has courted controversy in his diplomatic role and caused great difficulty the foreign office. Thats the problem with hereditary positions, sometimes questionable intelligence (possibly due to generations of inbreeding) and are impossible to remove.

Rather like the TD families in Ireland then?

Irish politics has been dominated by family dynasties since the foundation of the State. Many of the country's current leading politicians are the latest in the line of family members to pursue a career in national politics.

Just look at our Cabinet for example. Both the current Taoiseach Brian Cowen and his immediate predecessor Bertie Ahern have had at least one family member in the Dail. Mr Cowen won the 1984 by-election caused by the death of his father Ber Cowen, while Mr Ahern's brother Noel Ahern has been a sitting TD since 1992.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan is the brother of junior minister Conor, and both are nephews of Mary O'Rourke. They are sons of former Tanaiste Brian senior, and the grandsons of Patrick Lenihan.

Current Tanaiste Mary Coughlan is the daughter of Cathal Coughlan and the niece of Clement Coughlan, who served between 1980 and 1983. Mary Hanafin is the daughter of FF stalwart Des Hanafin and is the sister of Senator John Hanafin. Minister for Gaeltacht and Rural Affairs Eamon O Cuiv is the grandson of former Taoiseach and President Eamon de Valera.

According to our findings, 37 of the current 75 Fianna Fail incumbents in the Oireachtas have or have had at least one family member also serve in Leinster House.

Twenty-two members of Fianna Fail have more than one family member, with three having three or more other relatives, who were national politicians.

Nine current Fianna Fail TDs are the grandsons of former TDs. They are Niall Blaney, Dara Calleary, Niall Collins, Eamon O Cuiv, Jimmy Devins, Brendan Kenneally, Brian and Conor Lenihan and Tom McEllistrim.

Sixteen members of Fine Gael have or have had relatives serve in Leinster House.

They are Deirdre Clune (whose father Peter Barry and grandfather Anthony Barry served); Richard Bruton (brother of John); Joe Carey (son of Donal); Simon Coveney (son of Hugh); Michael Creed (son of Donal); Michael D'arcy (son of Michael); John Deasy (son of Austin); Olwyn Enright (wife of current TD Joe McHugh and daughter of Tom); Joe McHugh (husband of Olwyn Enright); Charles Flanagan (son of Oliver); Enda Kenny (son of Henry); Gay Mitchell (brother of Jim); Denis Naughten (son of Liam); Kieran O'Donnell (nephew of Tom O'Donnell); Billy Timmins (son of Godfrey).

Showing that the proliferation of political dynasties links back to the Civil War, only six elected members of the Labour Party have had any relations in national politics and only one of the Green Party has any family history in politics.

The Labour Party members involved are Nessa Childers (daughter of Erskine H and granddaughter of Erskine); Ciaran Lynch (brother-in-law of Kathleen Lynch); Kathleen Lynch (sister-in-law of Ciaran); Ruairi Quinn (cousin of Feargal); Sean Sherlock (son of Joe); Brendan Ryan (brother of Sean) and Mary Upton (sister of Pat).

Ciaran Cuffe is the only Green TD with any dynastical links, and even then it is only a distant one. He is the grand-nephew of Patrick Little, who was a Fianna Fail TD between 1927 and 1954.

Dr Maurice Manning, chancellor of the NUI and politics lecturer, says that the high number of family dynasties is fairly typical of political systems across the world.

"It's very typical and it's quite a normal thing, many sons see politics as a family business. They will have an advantage starting off. If they don't deliver they get dumped. While a large number do come into politics, many others do not follow their parents into politics given the huge sacrifices involved and the insecurity of the position."

Dr Manning said that the high number of dynasties in FF and FG is a result of the length of stay in politics of the first generation of politicians in both parties.

"The first generation in FF and FG survived for a long time in Irish politics so it's not surprising that they became family seats almost. It's not the same for Labour or the Greens, who obviously came much later," he added.

later12

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

The queen has enough personal wealth to buy and run her own yacht if she wants one.

Anyway the royals have a history of lavish waste in times of austerity, the queens own wedding in post war Britain, and the royal wedding of 1981 and 2011. While the ship itself might be paid from private donations, it will be staffed by persons paid by the UK taxpayer.

This is what I find so bizarre about the public patronage of royalty in the 21st century.

i live, breathe and work among Londoners broadly antipathetic to the Royal Yacht. And yet when someone raises this, or similar, issues among my British friends, the response toward the royal family is of mockery or derision.

Yet, read boards.ie,and one would be of the opinion that the British are widely in favour of the yacht idea.

What's the problem here? Is it that some British posters feel uncomfortable expressing dissenting opinions where they are used to expressing defensive opinions, or what?

Spook_ie

later10 wrote: »

This is what I find so bizarre about the public patronage of royalty in the 21st century.

i live, breathe and work among Londoners broadly antipathetic to the Royal Yacht. And yet when someone raises this, or similar, issues among my British friends, the response toward the royal family is of mockery or derision.

Yet, read boards.ie,and one would be of the opinion that the British are widely in favour of the yacht idea.

What's the problem here? Is it that some British posters feel uncomfortable expressing dissenting opinions where they are used to expressing defensive opinions, or what?

It's like someone telling black jokes, if they are black it's acceptable if they're white it's racist, so if you're on Boards.IE they are gonna be outraged.

Personaly it's their queen, their country, their money, why care?

phurryphace

Yes....anice new yacht for Betty

Resi12

Britain's dire economic climate means that a large-scale celebration is required to lift the country's spirits.

I love how this is worded, it sounds almost like a dictatorship:


"Let us give gifts to our great leader so luck will shine upon us!"

later12

Spook_ie wrote: »

Personaly it's their queen, their country, their money, why care?

Well, personally because I live under the same democracy as "them" but I disagree with the constitutional role of their monarch, to whom I would owe allegiance should I, for some reason, formally claim British citizenship.

Spook_ie

later10 wrote: »

Well, personally because I live under the same democracy as "them" but I disagree with the constitutional role of their monarch, to whom I would owe allegiance should I, for some reason, formally claim British citizenship.

I don't wanna get into the area of republicism, but if you're living there and presumably paying taxes there and presumably receiving benefits there and presumably voting there, then presumably you should be accepting their constitution, or are you a terrorist looking to overthrow the UK government?

Nodin

Spook_ie wrote: »

I don't wanna get into the area of republicism, but if you're living there and presumably paying taxes there and presumably receiving benefits there and presumably voting there, then presumably you should be accepting their constitution, or are you a terrorist looking to overthrow the UK government?

You realise theres a sort of middle ground.......

Batsy

partyatmygaff wrote: »

By doing what exactly? Being herself? Visiting her "realms" and talking to her "subjects"?

The Queen has many different duties to perform every day.

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Other duties are carried out away from the cameras, but they are no less important. These include reading letters from the public, official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss daily business and her future diary plans.

Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her 16 realms.

In front of the camera or away from it, The Queen's duties go on, and no two days in her life are ever the same.

MORNING

The Queen's working day begins like many people's - at her desk.

After scanning the daily British newspapers, The Queen reviews her correspondence.

Every day, 200-300 (and sometimes many more) letters from the public arrive. The Queen chooses a selection to read herself and tells members of her staff how she would like them to be answered.

This enables Her Majesty personally to see a typical cross-section of her daily correspondence. Virtually every letter is answered by staff in her Private Secretary's office or by a lady-in-waiting.

The Queen will then see, separately, two of her Private Secretaries with the daily quota of official papers and documents. This process takes upwards of an hour.

Every day of every year, wherever she is, The Queen receives from government ministers, and from her representatives in the Commonwealth and foreign countries, information in the form of policy papers, Cabinet documents, telegrams, letters and other State papers.

These are sent up to her by the Private Secretaries in the famous 'red boxes'. All of these papers have to be read and, where necessary, approved and signed.

A series of official meetings or 'audiences' will often follow. The Queen will see a number of important people.

These include overseas ambassadors and high commissioners, newly appointed British ambassadors, senior members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces on their appointment and retirement, and English bishops and judges on their appointment.

Each meeting usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes, and usually The Queen and her visitor meet alone.

The Queen may also meet a number of people who have won prizes or awards in a variety of fields such as literature or science, to present them individually with their prize.

If there is an Investiture - a ceremony for the presentation of honours and decorations - it begins at 11.00am and lasts just over an hour. The Queen usually meets around 100 people at each Investiture to present Orders, decorations and medals.

The Queen will often lunch privately. Every few months, she and The Duke of Edinburgh will invite a dozen guests from a wide variety of backgrounds to an informal lunch. Occasionally, the guest list may consist of far fewer people, such as a newly appointed or retiring Governor-General and their guest.

If The Queen is spending the morning on engagements away from her desk and other commitments, she will visit up to three venues before lunch, either alone or jointly with The Duke of Edinburgh.

On a regional visit, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh lunch with a wide variety of people in places ranging from town halls to hospitals.


AFTERNOON

In the afternoons, The Queen often goes out on public engagements.

Such visits require meticulous planning beforehand to meet the hosts' requirements.

And The Queen prepares for each visit by briefing herself on whom she will be meeting and what she will be seeing and doing.

Royal engagements are carefully selected by The Queen from a large number of invitations sent to her each year, often by the Lord-Lieutenants (The Queen's representatives in counties throughout the United Kingdom).

This helps to ensure the widest possible spread and to make effective use of The Queen's time.

If the engagement is outside London, her journeys are often by air using a helicopter or an RAF aircraft.

The Queen carries out around 430 engagements (including audiences) a year, to meet people, open events and buildings, unveil plaques and make speeches.

Such engagements can include visits to schools, hospitals, factories, military units, art galleries, sheltered accommodation for elderly people, hostels for the homeless, local community schemes in inner city areas, and other British and Commonwealth organisations.

The Queen regularly goes out for the whole day to a particular region or city. If the visit is a busy one, or if it lasts more than a day, then The Queen will travel overnight on the Royal Train.

The Duke of Edinburgh will often accompany The Queen on such visits; when this happens, they will carry out some engagements jointly and others separately to ensure that the maximum number of people and organisations can be visited.

The Queen may end the afternoon seeing a number of Government ministers in a meeting of the Privy Council.

EVENING

The Queen's working day does not stop at the end of the afternoon.

Early evening may see a meeting with the Prime Minister. The Queen has a weekly meeting alone with the Prime Minister, when they are both in London (in addition to other meetings throughout the year).

This usually takes place on Wednesdays at 6.30 pm. No written record is made of such meetings; neither The Queen nor the Prime Minister talk about what is discussed between them, as communications between The Queen and the Prime Minister always remains confidential.

At about 7.30 pm a report of the day's parliamentary proceedings, written by one of the Government's Whips, arrives. The Queen always reads this the same evening.

On some evenings, The Queen may attend a film première, a variety of concert performances in aid of a charitable cause, or a reception linked to organisations of which she is Patron.

The Queen also regularly hosts official receptions at Buckingham Palace (usually with other members of the Royal Family), such as those for the Diplomatic Corps and The Queen's Award for Industry.

Her Majesty may also hold receptions ahead of overseas visits. In 2007, prior to attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh gave a reception at Buckingham Palace for Commonwealth Africans living and working in the United Kingdom.

Other receptions mark the work of particular groups in the community, such as those recently given for members of the British design and music worlds.

The Queen has numerous private interests, which can coincide with her public work, to complete her working day.
Her Majesty also attends the Derby and the Summer Race Meeting at

Ascot, a Royal occasion. As a keen owner and breeder of racehorses, she often sees her horses run at other meetings.

As owner of private estates at Balmoral and Sandringham, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh oversee the management of the estates which are run on a commercial basis. She takes a close interest in all aspects of estate life, particularly in the tenant farmers and employees who live and work on the estates.

Through her public and private work, The Queen is well-briefed and well-known. She has met many more people from all walks of life both in this country and overseas than her predecessors.

This takes time and effort. Often, one of the last lights on in the Palace at night is The Queen finishing her 'red box' of official papers.

http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/HMTheQueen.aspx

Spook_ie

Nodin wrote: »

You realise theres a sort of middle ground.......

like a terrorist not planning to overthrow the government you mean?

Batsy

In fact, her military "career" as far as i'm aware was her being made a Colonel of the Grenadier Guards at the age of 15 and her being a truck driver on mainland Britain for the auxillary territorial service where she was somehow made the equivalent of an Army captain in five months. A military career i'm sure a "commoner" would have never experienced nor be commended for.

Princess Elizabeth was not promoted to any actual rank within the Army. She only had honorary titles. She was an honorary Second Subaltern and then she was an honorary Junior Commander.

She's also the only surviving Head of State in the world today to have served in WWII.

Her husband,Prince Philip, also served in the War.

Why can't any other British person or even someone who just so happens to not have been born in her family do such supposedly important diplomacy work?

Because it's the job of Queen Elizabeth II, our Head of State, to do that.

Nodin

Spook_ie wrote: »

like a terrorist not planning to overthrow the government you mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_the_United_Kingdom

later12

Spook_ie wrote: »

I don't wanna get into the area of republicism, but if you're living there and presumably paying taxes there and presumably receiving benefits there and presumably voting there, then presumably you should be accepting their constitution, or are you a terrorist looking to overthrow the UK government?

.....lol

Fratton Fred

Freddie59 wrote: »

And what, pray tell, is this "depth of industry" that you speak of?

Interesting to read:

"indeed we export more to Ireland alone than to Brazil, Russia, India and China combined."

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/blog/osbornes-flawed-export-strategy

So ye're more dependent on us than ye like to admit. "Great" Britain my hole.:D

Depth?

Oil, gas, finance, services, manufacturing (nuclear generators apparently) automotive, electronics, you name it.

A lot goes to Ireland because we share several common things, like driving on the left and similar tastes in music, food and dress.

What that blogg shows is a worrying lack of export to the growing BRIC countries, that's all.

What's Ireland's biggest export at the moment, people?

ejmaztec

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Depth?

Oil, gas, finance, services, manufacturing (nuclear generators apparently) automotive, electronics, you name it.

A lot goes to Ireland because we share several common things, like driving on the left and similar tastes in music, food and dress.

What that blogg shows is a worrying lack of export to the growing BRIC countries, that's all.

What's Ireland's biggest export at the moment, people?

I haven't heard back on my sums in post 217 yet.:(

Judgement Day

Jeez - how did I miss this thread but I'm too tired for a rant now. Personally, I would prefer to see the money spent on watchtowers, landmines and barbed wire for the Scottish border.

partyatmygaff

Batsy wrote: »

Princess Elizabeth was not promoted to any actual rank within the Army. She only had honorary titles. She was an honorary Second Subaltern and then she was an honorary Junior Commander.

Why was she honorary anything? What did she do to give her that honour? Being born in to a family living a privileged state-funded life who are artificially inflated to the top echelon of society is not merit to receive honorary titles and positions in a country's military. Least of all at 15 years of age.

She's also the only surviving Head of State in the world today to have served in WWII.

"Served" indeed.

Her husband,Prince Philip, also served in the War.

So did millions of other British people. Funnily enough, they don't live anywhere near as privileged a life as him and his family. All because they weren't lucky enough to be born in the "special circle".

Batsy wrote: »

The Queen has many different duties to perform every day.

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Other duties are carried out away from the cameras, but they are no less important. These include reading letters from the public, official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss daily business and her future diary plans.

Wow. Is this really the best you can come up with?

So the reason she and her family deserve to be treated to such ridiculous inheritable luxury and status is because she attends ceremonies and receptions and visits places in the UK?

I'm glad to hear she does the UK the great service of "reading letters from the public and official papers and notes" and the incredibly demanding and important job of getting her private secretaries and staff to organise her daily tours and visits.

Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her 16 realms.

So she more or less receives news from the people who actually serve and work for their country. What a hard-working person...

The Queen's working day begins like many people's - at her desk.

After scanning the daily British newspapers, The Queen reviews her correspondence.

Every day, 200-300 (and sometimes many more) letters from the public arrive. The Queen chooses a selection to read herself and tells members of her staff how she would like them to be answered.

So she sits at a desk, reads newspapers and a letter or two of 200 letters and then gets her staff to write replies?

This enables Her Majesty personally to see a typical cross-section of her daily correspondence. Virtually every letter is answered by staff in her Private Secretary's office or by a lady-in-waiting.

The Queen will then see, separately, two of her Private Secretaries with the daily quota of official papers and documents. This process takes upwards of an hour.

Every day of every year, wherever she is, The Queen receives from government ministers, and from her representatives in the Commonwealth and foreign countries, information in the form of policy papers, Cabinet documents, telegrams, letters and other State papers.

These are sent up to her by the Private Secretaries in the famous 'red boxes'. All of these papers have to be read and, where necessary, approved and signed.

She reads "Official Papers" and signs them. Why? Why does she need to sign anything and what merit has she that gave her this position of "Official Paper"-signer?

A series of official meetings or 'audiences' will often follow. The Queen will see a number of important people.

These include overseas ambassadors and high commissioners, newly appointed British ambassadors, senior members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces on their appointment and retirement, and English bishops and judges on their appointment.

Each meeting usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes, and usually The Queen and her visitor meet alone.

"Your Majesty, I have -with great difficulty- managed to restore relations with country X after Prince Philip's recent comment which was unfortunately taken with offence by the people of country X"

"Good work Ambassador. Care to have lunch with me tomorrow? "

The Queen may also meet a number of people who have won prizes or awards in a variety of fields such as literature or science, to present them individually with their prize.

If there is an Investiture - a ceremony for the presentation of honours and decorations - it begins at 11.00am and lasts just over an hour. The Queen usually meets around 100 people at each Investiture to present Orders, decorations and medals.

How does this serve the nation and more importantly why is she of all people tasked with this? What (besides her parents) gives her any merit to present awards to anyone?

The Queen will often lunch privately. Every few months, she and The Duke of Edinburgh will invite a dozen guests from a wide variety of backgrounds to an informal lunch. Occasionally, the guest list may consist of far fewer people, such as a newly appointed or retiring Governor-General and their guest.

You finally got me. Elizabeth II must be working herself to the bone for Britain what with her "Official Paper" reading, tours, parties, adhoc chats and private lunches. :rolleyes:

If The Queen is spending the morning on engagements away from her desk and other commitments, she will visit up to three venues before lunch, either alone or jointly with The Duke of Edinburgh.

On a regional visit, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh lunch with a wide variety of people in places ranging from town halls to hospitals.

How arduous.


Anyway, there's no point replying to the rest of your post. There is absolutely nothing in there that gives her any merit to make her or her family worthy of their status and state-funded luxurious lifestyle. In fact, calling the leisurely reading, chatting and dining she does "service" is an insult to the "common" men and women of Britain who do great work for their country.

Monarchies and all this "Royalty" nonsense really does bewilder me. How can anyone possibly stand for it? It's completely indefensible.

oppenheimer1

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Why was she honorary anything? What did she do to give her that honour? Being born in to a family living a privileged state-funded life who are artificially inflated to the top echelon of society is not merit to receive honorary titles and positions in a country's military. Least of all at 15 years of age.


"Served" indeed.

So did millions of other British people. Funnily enough, they don't live anywhere near as privileged a life as him and his family. All because they weren't lucky enough to be born in the "special circle".



Wow. Is this really the best you can come up with?

So the reason she and her family deserve to be treated to such ridiculous inheritable luxury and status is because she attends ceremonies and receptions and visits places in the UK?

I'm glad to hear she does the UK the great service of "reading letters from the public and official papers and notes" and the incredibly demanding and important job of getting her private secretaries and staff to organise her daily tours and visits.


So she more or less receives news from the people who actually serve and work for their country. What a hard-working person...


So she sits at a desk, reads newspapers and a letter or two of 200 letters and then gets her staff to write replies?

She reads "Official Papers" and signs them. Why? Why does she need to sign anything and what merit has she that gave her this position of "Official Paper"-signer?


"Your Majesty, I have -with great difficulty- managed to restore relations with country X after Prince Philip's recent comment which was unfortunately taken with offence by the people of country X"

"Good work Ambassador. Care to have lunch with me tomorrow? "


How does this serve the nation and more importantly why is she of all people tasked with this? What (besides her parents) gives her any merit to present awards to anyone?

You finally got me. Elizabeth II must be working herself to the bone for Britain what with her "Official Paper" reading, tours, parties, adhoc chats and private lunches. :rolleyes:


How arduous.


Anyway, there's no point replying to the rest of your post. There is absolutely nothing in there that gives her any merit to make her or her family worthy of their status and state-funded luxurious lifestyle. In fact, calling the leisurely reading, chatting and dining she does "service" is an insult to the "common" men and women of Britain who do great work for their country.

Monarchies and all this "Royalty" nonsense really does bewilder me. How can anyone possibly stand for it? It's completely indefensible.

In fairness, that does sound fairly arduous for someone her age.

However living in a gilded cage probably does help.

Fratton Fred

I was listening to a discussion on newstalk this evening about the closure of the embassy at the Vatican and I was thinking, what possible justification could there possibly be for having an embassy at what is just the HQ of a global enterprise that sells religion.

No Irish people live there, there is no financial trade between the two "states" and there never will be.

There does however appear to be a lot of fuss over this and I really really do not understand why, it is an outdated sexist elitist regime yet for some reason people are wetting their knickers over the simple closure of an expensive embassy.

But then, I suppose I don't get it because I'm not an Irish catholic.

partyatmygaff

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

In fairness, that does sound fairly arduous for someone her age.

However living in a gilded cage probably does help.

It's not as if she started off life as an old woman. She's been Queen for the vast majority of her life.

Judgement Day

partyatmygaff - Are you English? Do you pay taxes to the British Government? I could, perhaps, understand your outpourings against the Head of State of Ireland's nearest neighbour if this is the case. If not, I fail to understand why you're so bitter about the spending of UK taxpayers money on the Monarchy. I doubt any message boards in the UK debate the Irish Presidency.