Poor old Prince Charles. There he is blathering away about GM foods when he could be doing something far more useful that would also make him a little more popular with his subjects.
I refer of course to his conspicuous absence from the Olympic Games in Beijing. One of the key ceremonial roles of monarchy is to express the nation’s sympathy to people who have suffered a major disaster or to demonstrate support for our sporting heroes or anyone representing the country on the world stage.
The kings of Spain and Sweden managed it so why couldn’t he? He could have called in on the rowers, cyclists and sailors for a few well-timed photoshoots and then moved on to the main stadium to congratulate Queen of the Track Christine Ohuorugu.
With Britain for once bringing in a bucketful of medals he would have had that rare delight of being associated with success and celebration instead of his usual doom-laden vapourings about the state of the world.
He doesn’t realise that he’s always followed the wrong model for the British heir to the throne. Ever since the future George IV got into a few scrapes 200 years ago the public have expected their Prince of Wales to be a bit of a lad, a regular guy doing the things they like or wish they could do and in the process give them a bit of entertainment. They don’t want gloom and despondency or preaching from on high.
Hugh Laurie, playing the Prince Regent in the Regency series of Blackadder, expressed it best when he declared in every episode: “I’m a roisterer and a rogerer”. If only Charles had realised this decades ago. Bit late now unfortunately.
3 Comments
The Queen will give a reception to the Olympic team. Isn’t that a higher class than prince Charles?
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and other members of the Royal Family were in Beijing. Prince Charles had made it clear in advance that he would not go to Beijing and confirmed this stand after the riots in Tibet and the Chinese suppression of the Free Tibet movement. Prince Charles deserves praise to be firm in his refusal to kowtow to the Chinese.
Charles is a complete waste of space.
Prince Charles is a great advocate of our British principles, we need him because nobody one else (including yourselves), will propose that there is a purpose in presenting honesty and humanity to enhance our ability to live in peace with each other .