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Prince William to share Queen's duties: Treasury document reveals secret plan...
Mail on Sunday (UK) ^ | 12th December 2009 | Glen Owen

Posted on 12/12/2009 4:02:00 PM PST by naturalman1975

The Queen is to hand over a substantial part of her public duties to Prince William to help him prepare for the day when he becomes King, according to a confidential document obtained by The Mail on Sunday.

Secret papers reveal that plans to ease the strain on the 83-year-old monarch and her 88-year-old husband, Prince Philip, are at an advanced stage.

The disclosures come despite months of denials from the Palace that the Queen was planning to step back from her official work in favour of her 27-year-old grandson.

The information is contained in a briefing note written by Chancellor Alistair Darling’s Treasury officials about new financial arrangements for Prince Charles and his sons.

Key paragraphs, disclosing the reason for the changes, are blacked out.

But this newspaper has obtained an uncensored version of the document which confirms that the Queen is grooming William as a ‘Shadow King’.

One blacked-out line states that ‘the Princes [William and Harry] will increasingly incur expenditure when undertaking engagements on behalf of The Queen’.

Another censored section, stressing the key role for William, says that ‘from next year, it is expected that HRH The Prince William will spend a significant part of his time on official engagements . . . we need to put the necessary provisions in place in anticipation of that’.

The leak will add to speculation that the Queen believes William, rather than Charles, represents the best long-term interests of the monarchy, and will raise new questions about the timing of William’s long-anticipated engagement to his girlfriend Kate Middleton.

The breach of secrecy caused alarm at the Palace last night, with a senior Royal source expressing concern that the private details had been leaked in ‘unredacted’ - the official term for uncensored - form.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: princecharles; princewilliam; royals
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To: Dionysius

Well, there is a book out titled EUROBIA.


41 posted on 12/12/2009 5:16:11 PM PST by Achilles Heel
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To: Dionysius

“Camilla will look stunning in a burqa.”
PRICELESS!


42 posted on 12/12/2009 5:18:33 PM PST by WellyP
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To: naturalman1975

I am not an iconoclast, but I can’t see what purpose is served by the monarchy, since, AFAIK, not a syllable has been uttered by any member of the royal family about the killing of the unborn, the horrors of the National Health, the Muslim invasion, or anything else that is wiping England from the face of the earth.


43 posted on 12/12/2009 5:24:17 PM PST by Arthur McGowan (In Edward Kennedy's America, federal funding of brothels is a right, not a privilege.)
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To: Twotone
Yes, but Mum interfered in the relationship. I always thought it was wonderful that he truly loved her. It wasn’t just a fling. He got stuck with Diana. Things would’ve been better if he’d been allowed to stay with Camilla from the beginning.

I don't recall their entire relationship, but I seem to remember that he met her when they were both in their early twenties and that she married soon thereafter. Perhaps she didn't pass Royal muster.

I have to take issue with you that he "got stuck with Diana." I think Diana got taken, in that she truly fell in love with Prince Charles, but he was quite apparently still involved with Camilla: those wedding gift cuff links inscribed "Fred and Ethel." Their inappropriate relationship should have been broken off completely, but it wasn't, and worse yet, it was conducted behind Diana's back.

From everything I've read, I think both Prince's William and Harry are fine young men and Diana would be prpoud. Furthermore, I think their Father has raised them well. I think he's been much more hands on with his sons than his father was with him.

I like the Royals and I enjoy following their lives. I only wish Diana were still among the living.

44 posted on 12/12/2009 5:28:24 PM PST by onyx
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To: Verginius Rufus

Even more interesting!

I realize that the various and sundry wars across the centuries muddied the Royal blood in a number of odd ways; the ultimate example in my mind is Queen Victoria’s Grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II...

Have any of you folks read any of Bernard Cornwell’s novels about early England, the Napoleonic Wars (Richard Sharpe), or even his version of the legend of Arther (the usurper...)?? Great reading, and he always bases his novels around verifiable historical events, places and battles. It really is fascinating reading...


45 posted on 12/12/2009 5:32:36 PM PST by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts....)
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To: naturalman1975

I’ve thought the Prince of Wales might not become king, but if he does it would be short duration due to age issues as you have suggested.

I would think that the Queen would want William to be married before he becomes king. At this point he’s not engaged and people are wondering when he’s going to put a ring on Kates finger.


46 posted on 12/12/2009 5:44:12 PM PST by Halls (Jesus is my Lord and Savior)
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To: naturalman1975

The Constitutional Monarchy has much to recommend it, though its not suited to the government and people of the United States. Far better to receive a national honor from the Sovereign or one of her family than to bear the indignity of receiving it from a complete political hack and their criminal hacks.

I think that the Prince of Wales appears to be a bit of an odd duck, but no wonder. I think that were he and I messmates, I might have a different opinion. But, given the current state of the Monarchy and the role of the press and pubic opinion in shaping how its portrayed to the public, I think that it would be best for the Commonwealth if his time on the throne were limited. William seems well suited to play the proper role on stage, provided that he makes the right marriage choice.


47 posted on 12/12/2009 5:48:17 PM PST by centurion316
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To: naturalman1975
I've waited my whole life to see a monarch of England crowned. As I understand the coronation ceremony, it is truly a spectacle to behold, and carries with it traditions that date back to the days of Edward the Confessor.

It will make the Royal Wedding look like a dress rehearsal.

48 posted on 12/12/2009 5:48:35 PM PST by IronJack (=)
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To: sinsofsolarempirefan
As soon as he becomes King, every dominion except Britain itself will become a republic...

What's this? First I've ever heard of it, if it's true.

Are you saying that the United Kingdom will officially break up when (and if) Charles becomes King?

Elaborate, please.

49 posted on 12/12/2009 5:49:34 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: autumnraine

First of all, the Prince does not particularly approve of cap and trade. That’s one proposed model - it’s not what he supports. What he advocates is more people voluntarily making choices that limit pollution, which is something he does do himself. And he advocates that the wealthy do more (including people like himself) because most people aren’t free to do so. He’s taken steps to make his own businesses more environmentally friendly proving that you can run a profitable business on that model (the profits go to charities).

He’s no hypocrite on this. He’s spent a considerable amount of time, money, and effort, practicing what he preaches. As I say, I don’t agree with him on the issue of climate change, but he does take it seriously.


50 posted on 12/12/2009 5:54:52 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: angcat
Prince Charles was also a horses ass towards President Bush and our war on Islamic terror.

When?

The Prince has visited British troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq on a number of occasions. He routinely attends ceremonies honouring British troops who are fighting in those theatres, and who have died in those theatres.

The Prince despises terrorism in all its forms - he lost one of his closest friends and mentors to Irish terrorists. And he has been nothing but supportive of British military action in the current war, including those actions in support of the United States.

I've no idea what you are referring to with regards to President Bush either, but I admit something might have happened there that I don't know about - but I pay attention to what the Prince says on matters military.

51 posted on 12/12/2009 6:02:11 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

Thanks for your additional insight.


52 posted on 12/12/2009 6:02:20 PM PST by PAR35
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To: autumnraine
You are a friend of Prince Charles? Wow!!

I was at the same school when he was sent to Australia at the end of his schooling. We met again through his brother, the Duke of York, when I was serving on exchange to the Royal Navy.

The reason I assumed he was being passed over was for marrying his mistress after a divorce.

It isn't a factor. If Diana, Princess of Wales, was still alive, marrying Camilla (now the Duchess of Cornwall) would be problematic, but as Diana is dead, the Prince of Wales was considered to be a widower, not a divorcee when he remarried. There is no constitutional or religious impediment to Charles becoming King. Even if there was, those rules could be 'massaged' in many cases, but there isn't an issue.

53 posted on 12/12/2009 6:06:21 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: Politicalmom
Great. A man who shows ever sign of being a Muslim convert to become King of Britain.

The Prince is a loyal and devoted member of the Church of England and has no desire nor intention of converting to Islam. It amazes me that a few comments he's made in the past that expressed a desire for friendly relationships with the Islamic world, including those significant parts of it associated with the Commonwealth of Nations, are spun by certain people into a suggestion he wants to be a Moslem.

54 posted on 12/12/2009 6:08:32 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: hoagy62
From what I hear...Charles is a Muslim sympathizer and notoriously “green”, that is, he is a supporter of the global-warming hoax.

He is not a Moslem sympathiser. He is an environmentalist - a reasonably passionate one, although nowhere near the extremist some people try to paint him as, and yes he does believe climate change is real, and he's spent a great deal of time talking to experts before reaching that conclusion - far more time than I have, or I suspect most of its other critics have. I don't agree with his position, but it's honestly held and it's based on a lot of time and effort researching the issue.

Besides the whole Camilla thing.

Which is actually quite a bit different in reality from the way it's often depicted in the press. The Prince of Wales loved her in the 1970s, but was not permitted to marry her, and tried to put duty to country before personal happiness. He didn't completely succeed in that - but there was fault on both sides in that marriage, both of them found their roles impossible to carry out perfectly.

55 posted on 12/12/2009 6:12:37 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/oct/30/20051030-115534-6734r/


56 posted on 12/12/2009 6:13:17 PM PST by angcat ("MERRY CHRISTMAS")
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To: Politicalmom
Great. A man who shows ever sign of being a Muslim convert to become King of Britain.

Stand tall America. President Hasan Obowma is your leader


57 posted on 12/12/2009 6:13:42 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (Life is a tragedy for those who feel, but a comedy to those who think. - Horace Walpole)
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To: bwc2221
Prince Charles is but another fraud who jets around the world with his entourage, leaving a huge carbon footprint, while exhorting others to cut back.

The Prince of Wales avoids 'jetting around the world with an entourage' whenever he can. You don't hear about that much though, because when it's done it's done in secret. But senior royals travel by regular passenger service far more often than most people realise (there have actually been articles about how new airport security rules are going to make this harder to do, just this past week in the newspapers). When he travels overseas on offical trips, for both diplomatic and security reasons, he does tend to travel by private jet. Like it or not, he is a target for terrorists and so are those accompanying him, and if he travelled openly on a commercial aircraft, all the other passengers would also be put at greater risk.

Given the U.K’s financial problems, I question how much longer it can afford the useless royals.

The Royal Family generates far more money for the British economy than it costs. If you include the Crown Estate in the equation, hundreds of millions of pounds a year more, but even without that, there's a surplus. And, far from being useless, they have an important constitutional role that can't just be eliminated. The British government could not function without the Royal Family without massive constitutional reform. It's not impossible to do it, but it wouldn't be cheap or simple.

58 posted on 12/12/2009 6:18:12 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: bert
Is it not possible that Charles is in agreement.

Basically, no.

Charles might prefer not to be King. But his greater desire is that William should be given as much chance as possible to live as close as possible to a normal life before the throne falls to him. Charles will take the crown, even if it's only for a few years, just to spare his son from having to completely subvert his own life to duty a few years longer.

59 posted on 12/12/2009 6:19:59 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

I been reading UK Sunday Mail tonight NM yeah I think what happening right now give Prince William some experience before he become King


60 posted on 12/12/2009 6:20:52 PM PST by SevenofNine ("We are Freepers, all your media belong to us, resistence is futile")
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