Report: Prince Charles advises banning McDonald’s food

Associated Press ^ | Wednesday, February 28, 2007

[BenLurkin]

LONDON - Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald’s fast food was crucial for improving people’s diets, a British news agency reported.

Charles’s comments came while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, Britain’s Press Association news agency reported.

”Have you got anywhere with McDonald’s? Have you tried getting it banned? That’s the key,” Charles asked one of the center’s nutritionists, according to the news agency.

A McDonald’s spokeswoman called the remark disappointing. ”This appears to be an off-the-cuff remark, in our opinion,” she said on condition of anonymity, in line with company practice in Britain.

The Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s Corp. took steps last year to display nutrition facts on its packaging and vary its menu to counter charges that its food is unhealthy and contributes to obesity. There are 25 McDonald’s franchises in the United Arab Emirates.

Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is an active advocate of organic food. He set up a farm on his Highgrove Estate that does not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers in 1986.

The prince was in the United Arab Emirates with his wife, Camilla, as part of a tour of Gulf countries.

The United Arab Emirates has the world’s second highest number of diabetes cases per capita. One out of five people aged 20 to 79 already suffers from the illness, while 40 percent of the population is at risk for developing it.

[kalee]

Can we ban Prince Charles?

[macamadamia]

The same was said about banning smoking in California restaurants and offices too.


So what? That doesn't make Prince Charles' suggestion any less odious. It merely shows us how government can mainstream odious ideas...how muddled, fringe thinking can transform into government policy. You should find this kind of nanny-state thinking absolutely repugnant on a gut level.........unless you don't even profess to be conservative.

[exile]

When will they ban busy-body health police?

I've often wondered when England would wake up and take away the Royal's welfare. Since he's not qualified to do anything, maybe Princess Chuckie could get a job at McDonalds.

[SF Republican]

Your right, I agree with you now.

[GreenLanternCorps]

A few points:

1. The Prince is entitled to his opinion. It's just that, an (IMHO ill-informed) opinion. Sometime the Prince is right (architecture), sometimes he wrong, (McDonalds) and sometimes is wrong but at least puts his money where his mouth is (environmental issues).

2. As neither Her Majesty the Queen or His Royal Highness make government policy, it is nothing more than that, an opinion. Policy is not set by the Royal family, but rather by the government of the day. If, when the Prince becomes King, Parliament were to pass the "Eat At McDonalds Twice A Day Act", he could tell the Prime Minister it was stupid, but would still be bound to sign it.

3. If people want to disagree with the Prince, fine, but it is juvenile to continually attack his wife's looks. Too many people on threads like this take cheap shots at the Duchess of Cornwall instead of addressing the issue at hand.

4. My opinion on the issue at hand, HRH is being an idiot. There are a lot of factors more important than McDonalds in getting diabetes. Focus on the problem instead of a cheap shot against an easy target.

[Oztrich Boy]

A good example - the 10,000 degree plasma wrapped in pastry called the "McDonalds Hot Apple Pie".

Well, half of the product name is accurate

[PUGACHEV]

He need to get a job, seriously.

[Oztrich Boy]

Maybe they could settle with just outlawing the tractor-beams that McDonald's uses to pull people into their restaurants?

Good point. I always had doubts about the purpose of those ugly yellow shear-legs

[perfect stranger]

This from a nation whose favorite snack food is deep-fried Mars bars.

Speak for yourself. How many of them have you had lately? What is your definition of "favorite snack food"?