WI: Prince Charles dies in Chunnel car crash rather than Di

[I lurk therefore I am]

The contrast between Charles and Andrew as Naval Officers was noticeable and much remarked upon.

Charles went by the name Arthur Windsor, and was keen to be judged on how good (or otherwise) he was, and not on the fact that Mummy owned the firm. Very dedicated and with a lovely dry sense of humour. Could be a bit of a stuffed shirt at times; thoughtful rather than instinctive. Earnest is a good way of describing him. He was respected by those that knew him.

By contrast, Andrew always made sure everyone knew that his first name was "Prince". The tale goes about (I've no idea how true or otherwise it is, but it rings true - as do all the best urban legends) that when he joined his first ship, he introduced himself to the Captain with words to the effect: "I'm Prince Andrew, but you can call me Andrew." To which the inevitable reply (according to the story) was: "I'm your commanding officer. You can call me Sir." There was a reason he clocked up so many hours on anti-submarine detection during the unpleasantness Down South was that this got him away from the matelots, who universally loathed him.

Charles wanted to know what made the people working for him tick. Andrew couldn't care less about such lesser mortals. I always got the impression he regarded other people as "not real, just things that exist to further his well-being."

I hasten to add that this is my personal view, based on observations and the gossip that did the rounds. Other views may well be held by other people.

Any substance to the rumours that Andrew is not Phil the Greek's? I always thought he looked very different from the other 3.

I think Diana is very much a poster girl for "be careful what you wish for" - from what I'm led to believe, she set out from a young age to harpoon Charles. Only the reality did not meet expectation.

 

[David Flin]

Any substance to the rumours that Andrew is not Phil the Greek's? I always thought he looked very different from the other 3.

It's not the sort of question one asks either Liz or Phil.

Not and retain one's job.

As for siblings not looking alike; my brother looked very different from me, and my sister looks very different from either of us.

I think Diana is very much a poster girl for "be careful what you wish for" - from what I'm led to believe, she set out from a young age to harpoon Charles. Only the reality did not meet expectation.

She lived in a world of her own. She was abominable to those who worked around the place, and she earned her nickname "Fireplace". God knows what went through her brain, but she was a canny manipulator of the media.

Detestable woman.

 

[marktaha]

I think there's a younger sister.

But Andrew wouldn't go to Lolita Island if he becomes the heir that early.

Older sister Anne, younger brother Edward- next in line.

 

[marktaha]

I was CPE for Charles back in 1986. I got to see the various members of the family then.

Edward was decent enough, but the way I would describe him would be "easily led". You know how some people are described as "natural leaders"? The kind of people who seem to automatically default to becoming the driving force of any group they're a part of. Edward was at the other end of that scale.

That, I must point out, was the situation in 1986. People change. He was 22 then, and what he is now may be very different. However, this thread is predicated on stuff happening in the 1980s, so what he was like then is relevant.

CPE?

 

[tgifriday]

Older sister Anne, younger brother Edward- next in line.

males outrank females, anne is last in line after her younger brothers

 

[David Flin]

CPE?

Close Protection Escort.

Bodyguard, in layman's terms.

 

[marktaha]

Close Protection Escort.

Bodyguard, in layman's terms.

I'd be too.afraid to.work.for them- I'm a passionate monarchist so would be terrified of making a mistake.

 

[marktaha]

CPE?

Haven't really heard anything of him in years.

 

[goalieboy82]

i can see as for a Funeral, something like Lord Mountbatten meets the Queen Mum.

 

[Lalli]

Any substance to the rumours that Andrew is not Phil the Greek's? I always thought he looked very different from the other 3.

I know many siblings who don't look each others even if they are same gender. My father's brothers didn't look like each others and my mother's older sister doesn't look like her my mother and her younger sister. Yes, some are really same looking but not all.

 

[Jürgen]

I suspect that Andrew would stay a unpleasant human being, but if he becomes the heir most of his enablers will be removed and he will become a more serious person. From what I have heard as rumors in Denmark Prince Frederik and Joachim is pretty much Charles and Andrew just the other way around, but with Frederik being heir he has learnt to behave and avoid scandals.

 

[Dorknought]

God knows what went through her brain

…the passenger seat head rest?

 

[acgoldis]

More jokes along that line, albeit in poor taste.

How is Prince Charles different from Dodi Fayed?

Prince Charles drove Princess Di up the wall.
Dodi Fayed drove Princess Di into the wall.

 

[HRH the Duke of Puke]

Unlikely. For reasons unknown, the Queen's favourite child is, by a long, long way, Andrew.

As for Edward being next in line, well, that's an end to the Monarchy. It is left as an exercise for the reader to decide if that is a good or a bad thing.

Andrew is unpleasant. To be strictly accurate, was. I can't speak for the present as it's been nigh on 40 years since I was in that circle. Andrew was unpleasant and a nasty piece of work. Edward was weak and useless.

What were the following people like?
Prince Philip
The Queen
The Queen Mother
Prince Charles
Princess Anne
Princes William and Harry (maybe they were too young for you to get a good impression for them)

 

[Sekhmet_D]

More jokes along that line, albeit in poor taste.

How is Prince Charles different from Dodi Fayed?

Prince Charles drove Princess Di up the wall.
Dodi Fayed drove Princess Di into the wall.

I find it interesting and more than a little perplexing that in virtually all the conspiracy theories surrounding Di's death, NOBODY appears to have considered the possibility that, if it was an act of foul play, Dodi was the target rather than Di, with her winding up as collateral damage.

Even the elder al-Fayed does not seem to have entertained the notion that somebody might have wanted his son dead.

 

[CaptainCalvert]

I find it interesting and more than a little perplexing that in virtually all the conspiracy theories surrounding Di's death, NOBODY appears to have considered the possibility that, if it was an act of foul play, Dodi was the target rather than Di, with her winding up as collateral damage.

Even the elder al-Fayed does not seem to have entertained the notion that somebody might have wanted his son dead.

That's an interesting point. The hardcore conspiracy people will hold it up as proof of conspiracy because nobody was ever allowed to mention it for 25 years.
Dodi wasn't exactly a favourite person in Britain, although there was (and doubtless still is) a part of the establishment that was happy to overlook almost anything if the person was rich enough (decades earlier the Kray twins were quite well received in some circles for example).

 

[David Flin]

Prince Philip

Good fun to be around; a product of his time in terms of willingness to say what he thinks; adventurous - which made life for his CPE somewhat fraught. A nice man who sometimes makes you cringe. I should note that, for all the grumbles about him being racist, I - as mixed race - never had any problems with him in that regard.

The Queen Mother

Never really met her. No views.

The Queen

If one word could summarise her, it would be Duty. An amazing knowledge of the horses. Were she so inclined, she could have driven every bookmaker at the race track out of business. She really was good at spotting a winning horse. Usually even-tempered, although in private she could have a rough edge to her tongue in chewing someone out if they upset her. I like to think that certain PMs were on the receiving end. Wicked and delightful sense of humour, and a surprisingly good mimic of people's voices.

Prince Charles

In many ways, much like his mother. Lovely sense of humour, Duty personified (he was persuaded to marry for the good of the Crown rather than for love, and he stuck by that for a surprisingly long time, despite provocations). He chose to be Lt Arthur Windsor when serving in the RN, so that he could be judged on how good an officer he was, not on the fact that Mummy owned the firm. Surprisingly fit (he was able to complete the Commando course and win a green beret without any special considerations). Took the trouble to get to know the sailors under his command. I suspect that it was this that resulted in his setting up of the Prince's Trust (a charity to support vulnerable young people and help them get their lives back together). I would like to claim that he set this up as a result of meeting me, but that would be a lie, as he set it up the year before we first met.

He's a decent bloke.

Princess Anne

Perhaps my favourite of the Royals. Hard-working, and takes the trouble to understand the nature of whatever it is she's visiting. She's also bloody-minded enough to ask the difficult questions, in a polite way. She, like Charles, was surprisingly fit (she was, after all, an Olympic-level equestrian on merit). I've a lot of time for Anne.

 

[HRH the Duke of Puke]

Good fun to be around; a product of his time in terms of willingness to say what he thinks; adventurous - which made life for his CPE somewhat fraught. A nice man who sometimes makes you cringe. I should note that, for all the grumbles about him being racist, I - as mixed race - never had any problems with him in that regard.


Never really met her. No views.



If one word could summarise her, it would be Duty. An amazing knowledge of the horses. Were she so inclined, she could have driven every bookmaker at the race track out of business. She really was good at spotting a winning horse. Usually even-tempered, although in private she could have a rough edge to her tongue in chewing someone out if they upset her. I like to think that certain PMs were on the receiving end. Wicked and delightful sense of humour, and a surprisingly good mimic of people's voices.



In many ways, much like his mother. Lovely sense of humour, Duty personified (he was persuaded to marry for the good of the Crown rather than for love, and he stuck by that for a surprisingly long time, despite provocations). He chose to be Lt Arthur Windsor when serving in the RN, so that he could be judged on how good an officer he was, not on the fact that Mummy owned the firm. Surprisingly fit (he was able to complete the Commando course and win a green beret without any special considerations). Took the trouble to get to know the sailors under his command. I suspect that it was this that resulted in his setting up of the Prince's Trust (a charity to support vulnerable young people and help them get their lives back together). I would like to claim that he set this up as a result of meeting me, but that would be a lie, as he set it up the year before we first met.

He's a decent bloke.



Perhaps my favourite of the Royals. Hard-working, and takes the trouble to understand the nature of whatever it is she's visiting. She's also bloody-minded enough to ask the difficult questions, in a polite way. She, like Charles, was surprisingly fit (she was, after all, an Olympic-level equestrian on merit). I've a lot of time for Anne.

Thank you so much!

 

[New Cleo Genesis]

…the passenger seat head rest?

More jokes along that line, albeit in poor taste.

How is Prince Charles different from Dodi Fayed?

Prince Charles drove Princess Di up the wall.
Dodi Fayed drove Princess Di into the wall.

My understanding is that this one is very common, but eh:

Q: What do Princess Diana and a bottle of wine have in common?
A: Both come from from France in a wooden box.

 

[C. McKay]

Now if Edward is more of a follower, if he is young enough when Andrew is killed, could that be not such a bad thing? The Queen makes sure that he follows the right people.