Will you watch the Royal marriage?

Should be a couple of campaign medals in there, but also as a royal they both are in numerous 'orders' - probably tomorrow be able to get a good still photo and try and identify the lot if you want - maybe you have a decent photo already - google strangely doesn't seem to yet?

 

thanks Lou - that picture of Prince Charles in your article link would take some deciphering for the medals - anyone want a go?

edit - just seen I may possibly be eligible for the Golden Jubilee medal, never thought about it before, will have to look into it.

 

I've worn out my searching hand today - you're doing all the work Lou, thanks

 

Most of the time, when I see a Royal, or some African "President" with hardware hanging from their chest, I get offended as I know that at least some of that hardware is just fake. With that said:

I don't know much about Price Charles

Prince Andrew not only flew a helicopter in the Falklands War, but on a nightly basis, his helicopter missions were that his craft was bait for heat seeking anti ship missiles. He deserves his medals.

Prince Harry served quietly in Afghanistan until a newspaper outed him. He deserves his medals.

Price William flies a rescue helicopter for their equivalent of the Coast Guard. No doubt he's seen some interesting duty. He deserves a medal.

 

He was a good Naval officer in the 70s, and has done his stint albeit without any actual combat that I know of, that wasn't his fault. - while it's hard to comment about the value of or justification for some of the more 'ceremonial' medals, Prince Charles has at least earned the right to wear some, and the rest don't matter much.

 

It's funny that there are more American journalists granted temporary visas to cover this Royalist bash than there are English journos! For a nation that threw away the monarchial connection centuries ago, the number of gossip columists and women's magazines that are agog at this 'event' is amusing to say the least. Americans were robbed of their own home grown Royal dynasty when John and Robert Kennedy were both killed, (...."Here's to the New Frontier. Camelot in smithereens!"...(Guy Bannister, from the film "JFK").

Seriously though, I like the idea of our armed services holding allegience to the Monarch. Most republics inevitably have their military people splitting into factions, and particularly when a civil war is happening. Having our servicemen loyal to the Crown as the Commander in Chief guarantees that the Army, Navy and Air Force will not turn against the people should we ever be stupid/desperate enough to engage in an internal conflict. And for my money, republicanism is just an exercise in pointless paperwork, anyway.

 

Well, I watched it from start to finish, and she was absolutely gorgeous. Pleased the weather held off and it mostly went without a hitch. Went to my local pub last night (which was decked out in Union flags and red/white/blue bunting) and enjoyed the Royal Wedding party.
God bless 'em.

 

There was a wedding? Who got married? Sorry, but I was to busy at my job, to care.

News isn't national anymore, and hasn't been for some time. With most network news being broadcast world-wide, you have to cater to everyone, and not just the nation where your headquarters is. That being said, did CNN really need to send 100+ people to cover the royal wedding?

Umm,

and

Seem awfully similar...
Neither oath guarantees "that the Army, Navy and Air Force will not turn against the people..." In fact, both make it plain that the armed forces are tied "lock, stock, and barrel" to the whims of their "leader" and not the "public"

so, thanks, but, no thanks, I'll stick with:

 

Think of how different the American Civil War would have been if the United States Army was not split, with officers like Robert E. Lee following the Monarch and staying as one unit, rather than facing officers with the choice of the Federal service or service with their state forces against the Union.

Look at the number of African republics that have dissappeared once the military begins to split into factions after a coup, rather than having allegience to a commander whose involvement in the political interests of the day is nothing at all.

And as for the Oath of Loyalty to Adolf, that wasn't worth the time it took to utter it. The Officer Corps of Germany has used this as an excuse for their inaction in removing that bastard politician from power. Their allegience to the Weimar Republic and to the State all dissappeared as well, making the utterence of their oath to Hitler as a cover for their lack of intestinal fortitude in removing him from power. Of course, the Generals were bribed, not just with money, but with estates and other booty from occupied Europe. German records have on file a thick sheaf of papers from a general called Heinz Guderian, complaining that the lands and housing given to him were "...not grand enough" for a person of his obvious importance and stature withimn the army itself.

Bribes at the top for the generals, bullets for the other ranks and one mark a day? No wonder the German military imploded!

And I'd rather swear allegience to an organisation with hundreds of years of tradition behind it than some elected politician with their own agenda as to how my life is to be used in the service of the state, thanks very much.

Presidents and politicians come and go, but the Monarch is there for life so he/she has to please the conservative element. A lifetime commitment from the Head of the Services also engenders a certain commitment, sometimes from life, from the servants of the Monarch himself. The British army further achieve this with personal allegience to THE REGIMENT, some units having records of service that go back almost as long as the Monarch has been in power, (or more). This also encourages a 'family' atmosphere, with sons of grandsons of serving regulars coming into the same regiment, year after year and for many generations, further emphasizing continuity of tradition and a general family feel. No such luck in most Republican military.

Simple choice. You either want tradition and continuity rather than pandering to the whims of the latest elected idiot in power. No contest. Tradition will win, hands down, every time.

As I said before, politicians come and go.

 

The oaths are never intended to guarantee anything, they are merely a simplified contract by which any actions of members of those armed forces can be measured to see if they are right or wrong. In the same way an oath to tell the truth in court does not in any way guarantee it always happening, it just provides for the justice system to take action when it proves that this oath has been broken.

 

One of the decorations mentioned that Prince Chas got--the Knight of the Most Noble Order of Garter? Does that mean he got that one for cheating on Princess Diana?

 

Just means he can cheat on his taxes

 

Volga, we had two chances at a monarchy. George the III who we walked away from and George the I who turned it down. There was serious talk of elevating Washington to the station as our first king. We American's like our royalty at a distance, preferably with an ocean between us

 

There were a massive spate of burglaries at the same time while people were out - we had two houses broken into in my street and apparently wasn't just here - so some people gained out of it. Had the police round all morning looking very overworked.

 

Ahhh, yesss, the priviledged rich. I HOPE he doesnt make King.

 

Actually, we DID have some Royalty here. We had Duke Wayne (aka) "John Wayne" and Duke Ellington, Count Basie, King Vidor, whom are a few I can think of off the cuff ;-))