BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!

Subject: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 11:27 AM

I find this fascinating.... I'm not sure exactly why-


WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge prepare for their first royal visit to the United States in December, the royal family would like to remind journalists to dress appropriately for royalty.

In an email sent to the Washington press corps, the royal press office reminded journalists that despite being in the United States, a country that has not been under control of the British monarchy for 238 years, they must dress appropriately in the presence of the royals.

   "Journalists wishing to cover Royal engagements, whether in the United Kingdom or abroad, should comply with the dress code on formal occasions out of respect for the guests of The Queen, or any other member of the Royal Family. Smart attire for men includes the wearing of a jacket and tie, and for women a trouser or skirt suit. Those wearing jeans or trainers will not be admitted and casually dressed members of the media will be turned away. This also applies to technicians."

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 12:16 PM

Exactly how it should be when TRH's grace the fuzzy-wuzzies and redneck hordes with a visit. Could you also practice speaking English properly and spelling correctly before the visit please. 😜

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,gnu... sans cookie ???
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 12:22 PM

"... should comply with the dress code on formal occasions..."

The cheeky BASTARDS!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 12:25 PM

Yet the Queen wears ridiculous hats everywhere she goes, and has, on occasion, been sighted wearing a ludicrous metallic headpiece encrusted with jewels.



OK, so I'm no royalist...

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: MMario
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 02:07 PM

I would hope that the press would extend the courtesy of dressing appropriately WHENEVER they are intending to do a formal interview, no matter whom they are interviewing.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw Mr Casual
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 02:33 PM

I don't give a flying fart how anyone dresses as long as I don't catch sight of their hairy bollocks or saggy tits (delete as appropriate). Even then... And it isn't up to any self-appointed powers-that-be to decide what dress is "appropriate". Keep your blunt instruments of control to yourself!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 02:35 PM

I am at times the scruffy photographer because the subject I need to photograph is in a zone that is messy. But when I photograph special events I dress accordingly. This isn't rocket science.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Jack Campin
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 03:02 PM

Why can't the visitors be required to dress like any other unemployed new immigrants to the US? McDonalds have uniforms to fit anybody. Probably even baseball caps to fit heads that big.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 03:16 PM

Oh, and we'd be grateful if y'all drove on the correct side of the road during the visit. If you could ask Bubba and Wilba to lose some weight so the photo opportunities shaking hands with peasants could be used in respectable publications, that would be nice too.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Rapparee
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 05:27 PM

I think that all visitors to my country should dress correctly in their native costumes. As these folks are coming from Perfidious Albion I would expect them to either dye themselves woad blue and/or wear red coats. Alternately, they may dress in their alternate native attire.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 05:43 PM

" Could you also practice speaking English properly and spelling correctly before the visit please."

*grin* Even Southern members of Congress? That's asking a lot.

We really don't speak 'English', anyway... we call it that for convenience, but it's obviously a blend of 15 to 40 different sources, with a general structure based on English. (If I notice correctly, many IN England, Scotland and Wales don't sound...or spell... very much like their Royal Majesties.... how would we poor fuzzies & redneck hoards even know where to start? ☺

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 05:48 PM

What is to be done when the royals are wearing jeans?

This enquiring mind wants to know.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 09:54 PM

What is to be done? Take LOTS of pictures... for blackmail. ;>)

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 21 Nov 14 - 10:28 PM

"Smart attire for men includes the wearing of a jacket and tie, and for women a trouser or skirt suit."

Is it because I'm human,or is it because I'm American that I'm plotting how to obey these rules and flout them at the same time. How about a red and green suit jacket with a blue and yellow striped skirt? Or perhaps a grass skirt from Hawaii...

For men, how about a jacket, tie, moccasins and Plains war bonnet?

I'm so glad I'm retired and don't have to act like a grown-up anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 12:16 AM

Specifics aside, I'm not sure why ANY member of staff working at a formal affair of ANY kind would assume it was appropriate to dress casually?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 02:05 AM

LOL BillD! It's time we sent a gunboat up the Nile - that'd make these damn colonials get into line and do as their superiors tell them!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 03:43 AM

You know who will be squirming most at this protocol shit? The Royal couple.

When Her Maj came to our local hospital, we had an equerry and various security officers turn up and tell us what we were going to do, say etc. As the figurehead bloke back then, I got it both barrels. However, our medical director said anybody visiting the wards who goes near more than one bed is either bare below the elbows or doesn't go near beds, treatment rooms, sluice rooms etc. (She might not want to go in such places but her protection squad might.).

The compromise was that she waltzed through a couple of wards and we found a few more mobile patients to meet her in a day room. The protection squad had the infection control induction and all was well. She was more than happy and knew more about infection prevention than I thought, as she told us our requests were sensible. (Obviously her people had mentioned it to her.). She made a point of gelling her hands entering and leaving the two wards, and so did her people.

Mind you, the point of mentioning this was the dress code we were given. I wore a suit when I was there anyway, so did my senior team day to day. No change there. However, despite what you see in films, doctors do not wear white coats, but either normal clothes or scrubs. I noticed a few junior doctors in jeans that day where they don't normally. "Smash the system!" I thought....

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 08:03 AM

The only royal visit I ever endured close up was in Halifax in 1976, at the crappy old fleet hospital where I received my trade training. HRH the Duke of Edinburgh was in naval uniform as were his equerry and aide; his body guard wore a nice suit and (presumably) an even nicer gun; the hospital administration officer wore the only uniform he possessed that wasn't shiny in the seat; and us skivvies wore what we always wore: hospital workdress and varying degrees of attitude. The patients, as usual, swanned about in Canadian Forces-issue dressing gowns (blue corduroy, rather nice).

System firing all right ...

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 09:40 AM

Hope no-one was wearing one of those incomprehensible back-fastening hospital gowns that are always too small and leave your arse sticking out behind....

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 09:53 AM

i generally think people who are wearing suits are untrustworthy and probably lying. maybe royals are keen to avoid hearing any comments about ouremperors' new dress sense

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 10:05 AM

Last time I had a hospital check-up they gave me two of those gowns, one for the front and one for the back. Nothing stuck out that shouldn't. If you were only given one you were short-changed.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: frogprince
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 10:23 AM

"Smart attire for men includes the wearing of a jacket and tie, and for women a trouser or skirt suit. Those wearing jeans or trainers will not be admitted..."

That's clear enough; the men are expected to wear clothing above the waist, and the women are expected to wear clothing below the waist.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 10:25 AM

I dunno Achmelvich. I wear a suit when I am working (was.. I have been trying this retiring lark this summer and getting bored with it) and always have since leaving the tools. I find the ones I distrust are .. Err.. Distrustful people. Most of us like to think we are beyond stereotyping and discriminating on such weird assumptions.

That's twice in two days you have put irrational thoughts on screen. Did you know you hit the submit button?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 11:10 AM

Please feel free to keep them. For a thousand years them and their kin have been sponging off the state and the labours of the working men and women of these islands and beyond.

After you've had them for a while we'll send the rest across, including that science-hating, interfering old throwback Charles who can come and undermine the democratic principles of someone else's country by writing secret letters to your corrupt politicians.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 06:57 PM

I think they ought to visit the Sioux...or Apache...or Shoshone...or Yupik...or....

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 07:17 PM

...or the north pole, preferably naked. I mean, why bother real people with them?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Nov 14 - 09:07 PM

My folks came from Hanover in Germany, as did their folks. I'm in line for The Throne, if a bunch of others would kindly move away from it. If they do I promise to let anyone sit on it who isn't wearing dirty diapers or picking their nose. Or I just might sell the thing. I've got enough chairs at my house now.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 04:36 AM

Royalty does not use foreign words such as diapers.

Your claim to the throne is null and void, peasant.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 06:52 AM

"Royalty does not use foreign words such as diapers."

Our royalty are foreign. I passed Coburg a couple of weeks ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 07:41 AM

Funny? They have been born here since George II I think?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 07:57 AM

Phil The Greek was born in Corfu, but I suppose he's only guilty of Royalty by association.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 10:00 AM

"They have been born here since George II I think?"

Does the country you're born in decide your nationality? It's a tad more complicated than that.

My mate was born in Germany. Does that make him German? He wouldn't say so. Spike Milligan was born in India but was not Indian, Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar, Audrey Hepburn in Belgium, Eddie Izzard in Yemen.

The great thing about personal identity is that you can't pin it down to simply where a person was born. The Royals are Germans.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 10:13 AM

Not that the fact they're Germans makes a blind bit of difference in all honesty. It's not about nationality (we're all mongrels on these islands), it's about the fact they're part of a thousand year old feudal system that was forced upon the people of this island and is perpetuated by our corrupt and somewhat dim, myopic and greedy politicians.

So let the Americans keep them, send the others away and we'll have finally got shot of some of the biggest thieving benefit scroungers of all time. Yay!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 10:18 AM

Ok. A couple of hundred years?

Billy Connolly thought he was Scottish but turns out his ancestors were Indian, and even since the last British monarch was foreign.

Knockabout fun but in reality you can't demonstrate Britishness more than referring to the Royal family. A sizeable percentage of British people can't go back as far as they can. Mind you, I was recently amused by finding my Mum's side came over in 1066 and have a coat of arms etc and a square in Kensington named after one of them that was an MP. My Dad's side appear to be Scottish farm workers going back a couple of hundred years but other than a liking for haggis, I couldn't or wouldn't consider myself Scottish!

👻

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 11:11 AM

Oh. My. God.

Someone likes, actually likes haggis.

Do such people actually exist? Or is he pulling our legs? Although, after enough Scotch, I suppose some people might eat anything if they were offered enough free drinks afterwards.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 11:34 AM

Haggis is wonderful. Mincemeat with cereal and allspice, basically.

I like to get a McSween haggis, spilt it open and lay it out in a casserole dish. I then put a layer of finely sliced spring onion and top with a mashed potatoe with mustard. (When I have been watching too many cookery programmes, I pipe the spuds, making nice twirls.). Take out of the oven after 20 mins and sprinkle grated parmesan and put back for five mins.

Possibly the best alternative take on cottage pie you can ever think of.

To be fair to you, I once had what was called haggis on the menu in Boston, when I was over, and that was no haggis. If your experience was that type, no wonder you'd not like it. Good haggis is to die for.

Ask Her Maj. McSweens have a Royal warrant to supply it to her.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 11:35 AM

Years ago I made a joke suggesting the Scottish games would be more fun if they ate the caber & threw the haggis.

Then I discovered the haggis hurling (Google it) is rather common.... (I don't think that caber eating has caught on, however.)

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 11:50 AM

McSween's is indeed beautiful haggis. People who say they "don't like haggis" remind me of that Guinness ad from years ago which said "I've never tried it and I don't like it".

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 12:11 PM

Oh yessssss! McSween's Haggis! The food of the Gods - bring it on! 👍👍👍👍

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 12:22 PM

I'll pipe one in next Wednesday for you.

Or probably forget. The thought is there though. (Parkins butchers, Epworth and Crowle are McSween agents by the way.)

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 01:41 PM

They could try a traditional American dish, like muktuk or buffalo hump.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 02:07 PM

Being of Scottish descent, can I get canned haggis at my local Trader Joe's?

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 02:17 PM

traditionally. don't americans serve up a diet of lead to their enemies throughout the year, disney at holiday time and lead again in school term time?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Charmion
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 02:21 PM

One of my old boyfriends was in Gagetown for a visit by HRH the Prince of Wales, circa 1974. (That was Chuck during his "Action Man" phase.) HRH toured the training area and joined the troops for supper. Offered the full range of the field kitchen's many and varied delights, the Prince had a peanut butter sandwich with mustard on it.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 23 Nov 14 - 02:38 PM

musket - folk in suits just seem to have something to hide or be trying to impress, why do guys in court always wear a suit? - defendants and lawyers. politicians, newsreaders, military etc. people in offices wear suits to be smart and give the impression that they are, i don't know, more efficient, more important, more successful, more stylish than their contemparies - or just to fit in. or to do what the boss tells them to. of course, there isn't a great deal wrong with that but it all seems to me a bit false, unnecessary. when in a situation where a suit may be considered necessary,we are all just folk struggling to get by , trying to not make it too obvious that we don't really know what we are doing. now of course there are many good people who wear suits whose only 'crime' is an excess of the compulsion to conform but isn't it depressing to see all males ('top' women too but mostly it's the blokes) looking identikit -what are they hiding? i'm well aware that i am irrational at times - but i don't mind, will happily submit to that. nobody's perfect

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 02:09 AM

Wardrobe full of suits for sale.

We can't have decency, respectability and making the effort somehow look respectable now, can we?

I recall a council nearby starting a Friday "dress down" day. The Chief Exec got into a hit of trouble with the unions for suggesting social services take the opportunity to dress up.

Suits suit roles same as overalls do. Suits suit me for that matter. They hide my beer gut.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 02:29 AM

would the queen have given you the same respect in a onesie?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 03:59 AM

I doubt she notices one way or another. She crams the next five mins into her head and then has to make way for the next five mins, with someone whispering in her ear.

I doubt I shall lose sleep over the fact that according to the photos, both times I have been presented to her, I was wearing the same suit despite them being four years apart.

Princess Anne shook my hand whilst I was wearing dirty overalls though, when she came to our pit for a look round. I remember at the time, wondering why we have such a weird concept as royalty, but since then, my balls have dropped. I tend to feel sorry for them instead.

I do however fully agree with what became a bit of a consensus in Australia when they last looked at republicanism. "The present system has to be better than someone who actually wants to be head of state."

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 05:01 AM

If we didn't have the royal family, who would we have as head of state? Blair? Brown? Cameron?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 06:11 AM

Exactly.

Amazing how many science fiction novels show a Utopian society where the head / chairman / President etc of the world / galaxy whatever is chosen at random or by working out who least wants to be there.

I notice that those who speak of her "powers" overlook that whilst many world leaders are the heads of state, it is our Prime Minister, an elected (ish..) bloke who does the business and debates at EU, G20 and Willesdon Primary School.

The cost? Well, since the likes of Buck House have been opened for visitors and some of her other official residences are used for government conferences, I see it as an advertising budget for UK PLC. We may or may not be fascinated by them, but Johnny Foreigner loves them. On a pure business angle, the oil sheiks would be throwing investment in Frankfurt, but they throw it at London. When I was selling industrial equipment made in Italy, a competitor stuck Union flags on the side of their Taiwanese equipment and for a while, wiped their arse with us in Asia and USA.

The Royal visit to the "cousins" will result in trade deals and jobs. Always does.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 06:14 AM

Dunno, but we'd pay them a lots less than the thirty-odd million quid, plus extras for hangers-on, that this lot get, and, presumably, we'd be able to pick someone who we at least suspected might have a brain.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:14 AM

What the flying fuck do you want someone with a brain for? That WOULD be dangerous...

Mind you Steve, don't fall for the £30million figure. It's a bit like saying that a teacher costs us their classroom's share of lighting, heating, rates, maintenance and councillor expenses for the LEA.

Funnily enough, I'm not a Royalist by any stretch. I'm not even "British" in my outlook for that matter. Nationalism repulses me at every level. But other than a trimming of the herd, (I accept the civil list has shrunk lately, but not enough,) we spend less on our head of state package than most other countries. We possibly get more back too. How many contracts do France get on the back of Hollande? Can anybody name the German President? Who goes to Italy to see where the President lives?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:33 AM

Musket has done every job that has ever existed.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:35 AM

Billy Connolly found out that he has some Indian ancestry on the recent Who Do We Think We Are prog. Not quote the same as not being Scottish. Though Musket is right. We all know they have lots of foreign ancestors (and I am not a royalist myself) but of course the Royals are British.

For a start claiming they aren't British means you have to completely ignore maternal sides of the family. William's mother Diana Spencer comes from a British aristo family - as does the Queen's own mother. Are we really going to seriously suggest that someone born in this country to a British mother, who's family has been here for many centuries, isn't British? That would be absurd!

So what is meant is that the royal lineage isn't British. However that doesn't stand up to scrutiny either. One way some people say that the Royals aren't really British is because they were called the House of Saxe-Coburg (spelling?) prior to changing it to Windsor. What is in a name though? Suggesting that the child of a British man is British because the child has a British name but that the child of a British woman is not British because said child has a foreign name is absurd. Victoria was the monarch and the Royal House took on her husband's name because of convention – but it didn't actually stop her or any of her children being British!

Then some will say that Victoria was of the House of Hanover anyway so was already a German and not British. Again this is absurd as her family line had been back in this country for generations and indeed out of more than a thousand years or so the family royal lineage has only been out of this country for several generations. When the exiled Stuarts were passed over for Sophia of Hanover (George I's mother) they weren't passed over for some completely unrelated foreigner. Sophia of Hanover's mother was Princess Elizabeth Stuart of Scotland the elder sister of Charles I of England and Scotland. Elizabeth was born in Scotland and brought up in Scotland then England. Had it not been for her sex she would have been monarch rather than Charles I anyway! Indeed the whole idea that the royals aren't British seems to hinge on sexist ideas that if your father has a foreign name then you and your descendants are Johnny Foreigners until the end of time!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:44 AM

We're all mutts, even (especially) the royals.

And we're all immigrants, emigrants, or descendants thereof.

Why deny to the royals the freedom of movement and association that we claim for ourselves?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:56 AM

Wonder how much the President and his entourage cost the US. Anybody know?
I would be surprised if it's less than the Queen costs us.
And at least she has no power over her people.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 08:46 AM

Shaking hands with the Queen isn't a job. Shaking hands with you, maybe would go on my CV. One doesn't get many opportunities to mingle with the proletariat. It would be nice to say I had empathy with whatever angle you are coming from, (fucked if I know.)

I haven't had a job as such since 2003, thinking on.

You know what I haven't done? Sat whinging and nursing the shoulder chip of low esteem.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 09:08 AM

Yebbut we have to pay for a prime minister, his entourage, security, etc., AND the bloody royals! As for the 30 million-plus we pay these benefits-scroungers par excellence, er, just remind me - who just happens to be one of the richest people in the world? As I type this, thousands of low-paid public service health workers are just finishing a token strike because they haven't had a rise for four years and the government has once again overruled their pay review body which had recommended a princely increase of one per cent. I know which lot are more use to us. The royals wouldn't know, as we pay them to not have to use the services of people like that.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw debunking myths
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 09:30 AM

As for the royals bringing in tourists, this old chestnut, routinely trotted out for decades, has no substance behind it. Not one royal attraction comes in the top ten list of visitor attractions. See visitbritainshop.com for that. You can't show that any tourist coming to the UK wouldn't come here but for the royals. It's pure guesswork. You can make the assertion, I can make the opposite assertion, and we're firmly in flying spaghetti monster territory. I have nothing against anyone holding the deluded view that the royals are a "good thing", but, if you really want to bother making points in favour, at least make sure they are not groundless.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 11:55 AM

They would be even richer if the monarchy was abolished. Brenda's income comes from the Crown Estate from which the treasury takes a far bigger bite than they would get is she paid tax.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 12:24 PM

And, without wishing to get overly seriarse on a thread about appropriate threads, surely we should be talking about what's right and what's wrong instead of looking for expedients about how much money Buck House makes, etc., and whether they make oil sheikhs a bit better disposed towards us.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 12:56 PM

a bit of low self esteem might give us a break occasionally , Ian. personally i had the benefits of a quaker upbringing, and from the age of eight understood that i was the chaff that would be separated from the wheat and burn eternally in hell.

and also from the sermon on the mount - judge not less ye be judged - that includes akenaton......

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 01:49 PM

i queued for ages to get a look round the palace of versailles - this was after the revolution but seemed to be a very popular attraction. i'm sure there are plenty of places (palaces) owned by the royals now that would be interesting for future tourists and locals to investigate. though there is no way i would pay -again-for the privilege

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 02:48 PM

That'll save me a fortune on central heating costs too Al.

I judge judges, just like you do duck. I especially like judging those who see sections of society as second class and blame victims of rape for being drunk. The last time anybody in Western Europe tried the idea of rounding up gay people and subjecting them to invasive clinical procedures just for being gay, they were judged too. Nuremberg if I am not mistaken.

Don't worry Steve. You need a head of state so the pensions of those who moan get paid each month. Stock markets and government bonds love us, yet only because Frankfurt, where the intelligent money would go, doesn't. Me? I used to exploit every marketing advantage I could and boy, did I sell UK PLC, especially in Middle East, Pacific rim etc. It helps pay the bills.

No, I'm neutral on this. If I slip in any direction, it is concern about what we would replace them with and how that would sell.

We are a republic already. Constitutional monarchy is republicanism. (Is that a word?)

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 05:24 PM

I see that, as usual, the topic has drifted from how to dress in the presence of royalty, to royalty in general and the intrinsic value of having it at all. Not living there, or even having visited, I am not at all qualified to debate costs, culture, pedigree or system of government....

However, because OF the long and complex history of Britain,(with some of my own family having roots there) I am in awe of the scenery, architecture, pageantry and cultural eccentricities. Genuine 'pubs' with local ales! I have had various folk bring me bottled samples, and have savored some amazing brews... on tap could be even better.
I would love to BE a tourist for a few months sometime and just walk in some of the places I have seen images of.... the famous and the obscure. If that means keeping those palaces, stately homes, gardens and monuments...etc. 'available', I would hope that it continues to be profitable AS tourist draws.
   I often 'drive' around England or Scotland in Google Earth just to see places mentioned in folks song and legend.... and in old British TV shows. I believe that Britain has been documented better than any place on earth.
I 'might' enjoy a live show of changing of the guard, but there are countless videos & images better than I'd likely get. I'd rather explore the art in some of the 'open' homes and take in the not-so-common views of the areas they are situated in.

Whatever the relationship is of "Constitutional monarchy" to the values of having the ambiance available, I hope it is maintained. If I never manage get there, I can still enjoy the place(s) in other ways.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 05:29 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z2M_hpoPwk

god save the queen

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 06:17 PM

I don't think whether the monarch remains Head of State or not would have much affect on our roads, stately homes, gardens etc etc though Bill. Or the beer and traditions etc. Bit of a red herring. Or even the palaces for the most part. The main palace in Scotland (ie Holyrood House) is a tourist attraction in its own right and would remain so were the monarch not Head of State. London is a massive world city and tourist attraction in its own right.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 06:58 PM

Sadly, the monarchy, along with all it's hangers-on (without whom we probably wouldn't be having this discussion), won't be going away any time soon. However, if Wingnut gets a couple of decades under his belt he'll almost certainly bring the whole thing into serious disrepute. At least the Queen knows she's a bit thick and tends to keep her gob shut. The cheeky Greek hubby of hers, less so, but they do keep him well sidelined. Charlie Boy hasn't a bloody clue, and he sticks his head above the parapet far too often for royal comfort. He'll do a far better job of turning the royals into a laughing stock than any of us sour-faced republicans ever could. It could get quite entertaining, but it still won't be entertainment worth thirty-odd million a year.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 06:59 PM

It's its. Small print on iPad, not illiteracy.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:03 PM

Bill D - come to England - you can kip on our sofas. we'd love to show you the place. bus fares are very cheap - give yourself enough time - you could see the lot!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:13 PM

Well, thank you Al! I have has 2-3 offers in last 5-6 years, but I seriously doubt I'll manage. I have seen a large part of the US, and my wife traveled extensively in Europe before we met.... it was hard to decide where to go, so we started a family instead.
Retirement on a fixed income leaves fewer options.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:14 PM

Hello? I'm being deleted. Anyone care to tell me why?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw, undeleted after all
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 07:16 PM

No I'm not. Something a bit odd happened there. Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 08:17 PM

I am royalty because my father said I was descended from Irish kings (well, so is almost everyone) and it is OK if you wear jeans around me.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 08:51 PM

This is getting really silly. The thread is being decimated by a presumed royalist mod. First it was chopped, then stuff came back, then it's gone again. Being leaned on by the monarchy mafiosi, are we?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw, demented
Date: 24 Nov 14 - 08:53 PM

No, it's back again. I'm going to bed. I may be gone some time.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 01:23 AM

The empire strikes back!

It isn't mods Steve. The establishment has cunning algorithms woven into the Internet. That Tim Berners Lee? 24,794th in line to the throne.

Bill. If you did get the chance, you would find it fascinating to compare with your image of here. I know I still get that buzz when in The USA despite having spent more time there than is strictly necessary. The snag is, your place is so ruddy huge, so varied and so unlike the clichés..

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 04:32 AM

"You know what I haven't done? Sat whinging and nursing the shoulder chip of low esteem."

Good point. I have to say Sir Musket, I admire your unquestioning self-confidence in your opinions, and your dogged refusal to entertain the view they might occasionally be flawed. I've never been an alpha male I'm pleased to say.

Bill D - I agree with Sir M and think you would find it fascinating here. Things are always different when you see them first hand and while the stately piles of the aristocracy are certainly worth a look as ever it's the smaller things that I think you'd find most interesting, the nooks and crannies of the towns and villages.

As for pubs, get over here asap to sample them, they're being closed down at a frightening rate. Our session pub is due to shut in February, parts of it are 14th century and the owners, the execrable Punch Taverns won't spend a penny on upkeep. There are astill good pubs to be found, but even the most spit and sawdust ones are in danger of gentrification. Ugh.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 04:34 AM

Blessed are the meek for they shall inhibit the earth.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Stu
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 06:34 AM

Blessed are the clique for they shall overestimate their worth.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 08:09 AM

Blessed are the Muskets cos they get laid.







Trust me, nothing else matters.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 10:07 AM

one of my relations was once confused with Lord Lucan. in fact a retired Scotland Yard detective got a book deal and wrote and published a book, proving that he was Lord Lucan.

However Uncle Barry wasn't Lord Lucan.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 10:17 AM

Musket, you either don't know or are ignoring a significant
difference in roles between the Queen (and the President, in the US) and the PM.

There is an interesting anecdote from WWII times, that tells
of a ceremonial international banquet attended by Churchill and
Roosevelt.

It seems that Churchill complained (perhaps with tongue in
cheek) to Roosevelt that the protocol officer(s), in planning
the occasion, had seated Churchill in a less-preferred seat
than Roosevelt's at the table.

The story is that Roosevelt replied something like, "That's because
I'm the Head of State as well as Head of Government, whereas your King is the head of State and you are only the Head of Government."

Apocryphal? I don't know, but it does somewhat illustrate the two
roles.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 10:17 AM

Bloody cops. They'll do anything for a result.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,#
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 11:15 AM

"Royalty is coming! No jeans!"

I got an extra pair for the guy, but what size is the gal?

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Musket
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 11:38 AM

Uncle Dave. If you read what I put, I said that the PM is not our head of state but as we are effectively a republic, he leads for us with other world leaders. My point being that whilst my compatriots complain with a degree of justification over the cost and inferred influence of royalty, the Republic they crave for exists and the supremacy of Parliament has been thus since Charles II.

Churchill was second fiddle to your President on ceremonial issues but equal in negotiating with Johnny Foreigner.

Incidentally, both Churchill and Cameron were / are fairly high up on the "in line to the throne" list. I recently found that my Mum's side are too, but male succession & all that. I'm a peasant. Which fits because Dad's side were Scottish if you go back 150 years.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Jean
Date: 25 Nov 14 - 04:22 PM

Unfair!
#Maternity size Large.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,#
Date: 26 Nov 14 - 10:38 AM

Gotcha. Put 'em up at a nudist camp.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars
Date: 26 Nov 14 - 12:16 PM

I hereby offer forthwith, this evidence, that the royal family, and in particular our blessed and illustrious queen, is a great asset to the tourist industry of this beloved kingdom?...............ie, the gift shops in Central London are full of monarchy tat, which I assume sells to tourists from all over the globe. In fact, a stroll round Westminster and southwark is likely to evidence people and languages from numerous lesser kingdoms.....no, I am not being serious there...but maybe !.                                             If you should ever venture over here , bill, we might well be able to help as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Charmion
Date: 27 Nov 14 - 12:00 PM

Without the royals, whatever would the fine china people do for excuses to issue "collectible" dust-catchers?

The amount of royalty-themed crockery in Canadian china cabinets is impossible to estimate, but I'll bet that, if laid edge to edge, the Chuck 'n' Di plates alone would circle the earth half a dozen times.

Mind you, as a card-carrying citizen of this Dominion (my first passport even identified me as a British subject!) I consider myself entitled to take my morning arthritis pill with tap water sipped from an official Edward VIII coronation beaker. It's heritage, doncha know.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: gnu
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 04:59 PM

Indeed, Charmion!

Now. Whot's with this?!

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: olddude
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 05:12 PM

No jeans just tshirt and Bermuda shorts

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: olddude
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 05:14 PM

According to some pics I heard published Kate sometimes wears nothing at a pool

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 05:37 PM

Mercy! Some colonials seem to have never heard of "royal protocol"..... I expect that LeBron James has ruined his chances of having a royal baby named after him.. ☺

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 05:50 PM

"dress appropriately in the presence of the royals"??????????

I'm quite a fan of Miss Piggy, but my answer to that is FUCK OFF.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 06:08 PM

There was an item on UK TV (can't remember which channel) this morning about Will and Kate 'happening to meet' Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who were described as US royalty. News to me. I don't know if anyone was wearing jeans, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: frogprince
Date: 09 Dec 14 - 06:30 PM

My gawd; it's a wonder God didn't strike L. James dead on the spot, like with the guy who absentmindedly touched the Ark of the Covenant when it looked like it might tip off the cart !!!

(Headline news, my ass)

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,achmelvich
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 03:04 AM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-19922678

i would guess her maj had her fist experience of denim and general hairiness on this visit to my old uni.(though 3 years before my time there) the image you may remember at 2.37 in the accompanying film

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 12:22 PM

Beyonce and Jay-Z "royalty"? OMFG.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: J-boy
Date: 10 Dec 14 - 10:25 PM

You guys crack me up.

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 12:39 PM

I wouldn't know what you mean.

Unless, that is, someone around there wanted to see everyone's underwear...

Subject: RE: BS: Royalty is coming! No jeans!
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Dec 14 - 01:37 PM

I see that teh Montana legislature has taken note.