A waste of public purse funds or what?

[Gladys]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2573436/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-After-1m-palace-refit-Kate-hates-colour-scheme.html

This really doesn't bide well with me. If I need to decorate, I have to pay for it and I believe so should The Cambridges. The maintenance of the building as a national treasure is another thing but adding personal taste and decor choices really should be separate from that. I'm glad to read (if it is true) that the redo will be at their cost.

[Gladys]

Now, this takes the biscuit and yes, I am jealous. I'd love one holiday anywhere. They're off to NZ in 3 weeks time but then that is ' work '. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2575239/Wills-Kate-jet-second-honeymoon-Maldives-minus-George.html

[Gladys]

It does seem others feel as I do as we live in an austere time. Kate did set out well in down scaling her privileged position choosing to wear High Street clothes and not having a lady in waiting etc. The choice in having this exclusive break blows all of that out of the window. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2579675/Is-wise-couple-want-change-perceptions-royal-privilege-stay-grotesquely-flashy-resort.html

[Gladys]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2664060/Your-bill-refurbish-Kates-palace-4MILLION-New-kitchen-nursery-bathrooms-quadruples-cost.html
I said about this ; its is why I started this thread. Kate didn't like HER choice of decor of the Palace rooms and blamed it on her pregnant state. Now it is costing the public purse £4million which just awful. Kate- wear your high street fashions in an attempt to be ' normal' but in actual fact you've become spoilt. You have the power of the public in your hands to confirm the monarchy but this refurbishment on a refurbishment whilst you were on a tour of NZ and Australia is greedy and spoilt stuff. My opinion.

Louis XV1 or such- lost his head for this extravagance because his nation was starving- his Queen who was Marie Antoinette, wanted her riches ; her palace. etc etc.They both lost their heads.

[rebbonk]

Rather rubs our noses in it doesn't it?

Royal credibility has had several knocks over the years, and recently has started to recover; but this will set it back again.

As regards the Royals being 'normal', never in a million years. Maybe the Froggies did have the right idea. - Off with their heads!"

[Gladys]

No doubt you'll have heard and or read about the Cambridges £4m spend on Kensington Palace? What they are not divulging is the fact that the make over of Apartment 1A is the second one in a year as mentioned before because Kate didn't like the first choice she made. She's now dubbed ' 2 kitchens Kate ' I do actually completely understand why there are 2 of these in the set up. As a Mum and young wife from ordinary beginnings- she'll want to cook the odd breakfast for her family , or teach William how to spoil her with breakfast in bed. William apparently likes to make curries from the days as a student when they did just that for fellow close friends.She'll want to prepare meals for Prince George as any Mother does. However, I am sure this will not become the chore it eventually does for the rest of us. The main kitchen will be to provide cuisine for the many formal dinners that will be held in the time to come.

[Gladys]

Uugh ! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2673507/Ripped-gleaming-38-000-kitchen-Duchess-Cambridge-Prince-William-didnt-want.html

The article says that the £1.5m refurbishment of Amner Hall will, 'mostly be funded by the Royal Family's private purse' How much is ' mostly' ?

[rebbonk]

As usual the tax payer is being taken for a mug. Whilst I have nothing against the Royals per se, I really do think it time that they managed their public image better than they do. I dread to think what will happen once Phil and Betty are no longer with us.

[Gladys]

I totally agree with you, Rebbonk. Whilst I may seem not to be a Royalist, I actually am. It is Phil and Betty who have striven so hard to be frugal and non opulent which makes them more favourable. Betty's Mother actually moulded this into her daughter during the War. ( It didn't work too well on the late Madge who was spoiled ) I have to say- Betty's Mother's debts speak another story but at least she tried in the face of the public purse. Betty is said to have settled those her self. The younger Royals as in Bill and Kate started out well but Kate is showing another side of late which is marring the good opinion of her that was won. This is of course my opinion so I am not speaking for anyone else. Kate does her duties for charities well but this is nothing short of opulence.

[Lex]

Charles is the only member of the Royals I have any time for, apart from the Queen herself. For me, Diana ruined the Royal family; she was just an attention seeker, who - if certain rumours are to be believed - was hardly in a position to criticise Charles.

[Gladys]

Lex, I do like Charles and I am surprised I now forgive Camilla in accepting her as a Royal.I like her; she and he go well together. It was and is all down to the ' Firm ' that it all went wrong. They told Phil and Betty what should be and how to be and sadly because of the time P&B listened to them. Charles should have been allowed to marry Camilla back then. (Camilla who should have been able to get divorced easier and quicker) It is simply about virginity- she wasn't and so... Diana was a sad situation in the time when virginity for a King in Waiting was uppermost. She was a daughter of an Earl. She posed no blood mixes for the incest thing that could provide a sad line of children with problems. She was so very naive and didn't understand. I really do believe she loved her Prince whom she actually still called' Sir ' on her Wedding Day. She's only met him 14 times before they married. She was a puppet and her Father should have been horse whipped for doing this to her. Charles didn't love her. He did his family duty and abided by the ' Firm ' to do what was deemed right. It was actually very wrong and I don't think they'll ever do it again. Diana was a victim of that. Waity Katie was a virgin when she and Bill took up at Uni aged 18'ish between them- so as he was her first and only- no problem with the modern 'Firm '.

Well, this blows that one out. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2674480/SEBASTIAN-SHAKESPEARE-Duchess-Cambridges-love-makes-altar.html