David (Rosemont) one for us: Fatherhood: the benefits of leaving it late - http://apps.facebook.com/theguardian/?fb_source=bookmark_apps&ref=bookmarks&count=0&fb_bmpos=2_0
Carol...they don't make the rules but what they do does have an impact...we're debating whether or not what PH did was harmless fun or a nail in the coffin of the monarchy...depending on your view you could say it gives fuel to the fire of republicanism and so maybe, for the royal family, it would be wiser to steer clear of 'free lunches'...
PS Would just like to add that I'm new here and so I don't know any of you. It's not usual for someone to just come out with HTF, not usually, and maybe you know Catharine very well but it doesn't make me feel very welcome and the fact that both you and Cate (and we don't know one another either) seem to think it's funny makes me feel uncomfortable...as I say...I don't know you or your sense of humour and so maybe I'm being over-sensitive but it's not very nice tbh
Mark, I would say none of those people are worth what they are paid. Saying they are paid X is no justification for the taxpayer picking up the annual civil list tab that includes all royals, plus a few other people who have never had a job in their lives and what they do is of no real earthly value. bankers walk away with bonuses for using, misusing or abusing our money, footballers and many others have an unrealistic value attached to them but no number of wrongs ever makes a right.
am laughing as I type...just read your comment Catharine! my comment...
1. life isnt fair...we could all have been born to a starving African/Indian family and not grown up...so we are already doing pretty damn well in comparison.
2. envy is a waste of time. We all have a chance in life to make something of ourselves..and if money is important...to make that as well. Plenty of Lord Sugars out there..born with no silver spoon but owning a shed load of them now.
3. There is no law to prevent the Royals accepting freebies...why not...? because they dont make the laws and the rules...so cant sway anyone...different to our elected MPs...(Tony Blair for instance who still managed to accept a huge number of freebies including holidays!)
Catherine those restaurants in London are rather exspensive these days.
Mark not feeling misunderstood or cross.
Life isnt fair...never has been, never will be....eejits get huge amounts of money for doing B all....and others who toil hard get b*gger all.....we are however, all old enough to get over that.....no one can help who they are born to or where they are born....fate decides that. Harry is a fit young man...has done a worthwhile job in the army.....he could have been swilling wine and living the playboy lifestyle and doing nothing else. I have no complaints regarding Harry.
Catharine what does HTF mean?
...apparently it was paid for by the hotel owner...so it was free...mmmmmm...well, maybe not...and that begs the question...why are members of the royal family allowed to accept 'freebies' ~ everyone knows they come with strings attached or create situations where blackmail is a real possibility.
@ Barbara - for goodness sake!
@ Cate and Mark R - agree ( as ever)
@ Carole - HTF do you know that? - (binge drinking not being an attractive chappy)
It could do Cate depends on what year the Bollinger is...HOW MANY bottles etc.
But the shoes ...possinbly with a matching handbag.
Please don't misunderstand me you are entitled to your views and have every right to air them, but it seems that your objection to Harry is due to what the press have said his weekend cost. They cleverly don't tell us who paid it, though! Many footballers & bankers earn FAR more money than Harry, waste it on high living on a far more scandalous scale, do nothing for the common man yet they escape your critism. Messi gets £520,000 a WEEK, or £74,000 per day. He could have paid your 60 grand in 19 hours. THAT's an imbalance!
...he's a binge drinker...a lot of people are...and may find himself in numerous situations like this if he continues...hopefully he'll not be flying helicopters if it becomes a real problem.
Like you Catharine...I think he's an attractive chap and I like how he conducts himself...usually (it can't be easy in the public eye 24/7 :)
Catharine, needs to know how to stand to attention as well! ;-)
Yes I have mentioned 60.000 pounds twice....A LOT OF money to me but I made it
for the goverment by working hard and going in the right direction. Would have been great
to have had that money when I needed it....and could be good now. Will it have paid for
a pair of royal shoes or afternoon tea at the Ritz?
Is that my lable Mark for believing that there is a great imbalance in the world
and I can not see how these vast amounts of money are justly sent and then received.
Like Brian I have never been in receipt of dole money and have paid taxes not only for myself
and my staff..plus capitol gains tax when I sold the restaurant to come here 60.000 pounds.
There are too many conflicting rules and money given to the wrong people for the wrong reasons.
Perhaps I am not a royalist because I expect something different.
When I was unable to work during cancer and after the op I got no financial help from the goverment.
It was share determination that the buisness survived and the goverment got that 60.000 pounds.
He's quite 'fit' though isn't he...... :)
Ooooh, and I share bog-all from anything and next year I'll be getting 40-odd quid a week from the UK in pension although I never registered a day of unemployment or any other burden to the state. I am not bitter, I just find royalty an anachronism in this day and age. Even if not my choice, politicians are always chosen by electors and those heads of state get a salary for decision making for right or wrong. Royals have a hard life attending official dinners, giving speeches and shaking people's hands. I wish my life was that tough!
Oooh, Barbara! A republican!The total cost of the activities of Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and Harry was £20.2 million, once official expenditure, private spending, taxpayer grants and capital costs were included. (2011). Prince Harry gets 50 grand a year as a soldier & shares just under 3 million with his brother from his trust.
Lionel Messi, footballer, was paid £27 million in the same year. He is one person & contributes b-all to the world!
Harry at least does more than play a game for his corn so let him have his harmless fun.
A very happy birthday David! And right, never get caught! Things were very different close to half a century ago - but we did them too (I hope you did David) only usually dared not get caught. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth but have lived a full (nearly) 64 years without hacking phones, being headlined by Murdoch's smut press or other pointless things, despite doing countless pointless things, and will probably meet my end with a great sense of fulfillment than Harry will ever have.