A Question for all my British Friends

[turnsouth]

So I was watching the news this morning, and the Prince and the Duchess are visiting Canada, and it got me to wondering something.

The US, and its media are enthralled and in love with the Royal couple (which I feel is a wonderful thing, it's great to see my country look to my family's homeland as a shining star once again ).

My question is: Who is behind it?

I mean, everything about their marriage, and their honeymoon tour has been a masterwork of public relations. There must be a person or organization behind their great success as ambassadors to all things British, isn't there?

Would it be:

• The Queen Herself?
• The Prince?
• Someone else of the Royal Household I don't know about?
• Perhaps Parliament?

Anyone have any ideas?

[AimlessWanderer]

Off the cuff I would say "The Palace". There will be a whole team of PR folk, diplomats and other unseen parties co-ordinating their every move. This won't just apply to this couple or even this visit either, but the whole family.

No doubt The Queen will be part of the decision making process, as will the couple themselves, but I would imagine it will be the Royal Family's "advisors" who are behind most of it. For example the route taken to the wedding was supposedly a dry run for the Queens funeral which is apparently reviewed every year, by the Queen herself with her aides and advisors. This occasion gave the guys behind the scenes to dry run cameras, security and everything else involved in a State funeral. (macabre eh?)

There is however a very good chance I could be talking out of the wrong orifice though - pure guesswork really. This is just based on news reports where "The Palace" issues statements about X, Y & Z. I shudder to think how many people are sat in darkened rooms going through all the ins and outs of State visits to ensure everything goes as you have described.

[Chako]

Here is an insight on the current Canada visit.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/06/17/hail-to-the-chief-organizer/

[Screwtape]

Yes the Palace PR machine is massive, I've done some events work for a few venues with by Royal Appointment status and there are always a few familiar faces production managing them. However I do like the idea that the Queen herself sits at a desk in her slippers drinking a sherry and writing an itinerary for her family each night. 

As another note and from a media source I am aware that the Diana Funeral was probably planned originally for the Queen Mother but as Diana passed unexpectedly they used what they had on file. 

[turnsouth]

Here is an insight on the current Canada visit.

http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/06/17/hail-to-the-chief-organizer/

That is very interesting. Combining that with Al's views on it, I can't help but think that the whole thing is indeed a carefully crafted plan by the Queen herself (or at least Her taking the advice of a very, very good trusted adviser or advisers)

It just seems that there are too many things that have changed over the last few years, that could not have happened without the Queens approval.

Take for example the Royal Couple's premarital cohabitation. Nothing was ever said by the Queen about it (at least not that I have heard) and yet the Palace was able to "play" the media like a master plays a rare violin. Where in all you ever heard about their relationship (at least here in the States) was how wonderful it was (it does help to see that they are obliviously very happy together, when seen in public).

I think back 30 some years ago, when Lady Diana was photographed in a dress, in the sunlight, not wearing a slip. The way the media played it up, you would have though that the world was going to end. The Prince did an excellent job of squashing the event with His witty words, but the Palace seems much more adept at preemptively handling the press now.

[turnsouth]

However I do like the idea that the Queen herself sits at a desk in her slippers drinking a sherry and writing an itinerary for her family each night. 

That's near the same image that I have always thought

[kirk13]

Its more than just the wedding,its been the 2 princes military service too(one is a rescue pilot with the RAF when hes not on Royal tours...World Cup bids...Kissing forign a**e/the ginger one's{when was there a ginger Royal again?Maybe a tudor?} photo oppertunity,oh sorry tour of duty in Afganistan).

It just feel manifactured!Max Cliffard anyone?(For those of you not in the UK,hes a spin doctor/publisist extrodanare who make a good go of making Satan the Pope/Archbishop of Canterbury)

In fairness,the Queen Herself is a credit to this country,Prince Philip was a propper sailor before taking up His Royal duties(mentioned in dispatches at the Battle of Mattanpan no less),and even Prince Andrew served in the Falklands campaign.

All said and done,the money that we the tax payers,contribute to the Royals would have let us keep HMS Ark Royal,the Harrier force,or smurf knows to help our service men and women,or in medical research et al.

Sorry not quite sure where the rant came from
 

[turnsouth]

Sorry not quite sure where the rant came from

No worries 

In fairness,the Queen Herself is a credit to this country,Prince Philip was a propper sailor before taking up His Royal duties(mentioned in dispatches at the Battle of Mattanpan no less)

My friend Tony (now passed) served with Prince Philip in Africa. He use to say the He was "quite the regular bloke", and never thought highly of Himself. He said that other than the fact that there were always two body guards with Him 24/7 you would never know who he was.

[J-sews]

A friendly reminder folks before anyone gets too passionate about this subject: Multitool.org is not the place for political rants, debates, or even discussions.   (from past experience, they just never seem to turn out well)

Thanks!

[nuphoria]

The "Family" organise these things

[Sparky415]

MIB

(Men in Bowlers) 

[Screwtape]

David Icke has a lot to sat about who sets the royal agenda

http://www.davidicke.com/

I'll let you search the site yourself for the bit about the Royal family, best read with tongue firmly in cheek 

[turnsouth]

A friendly reminder folks before anyone gets too passionate about this subject: Multitool.org is not the place for political rants, debates, or even discussions.   (from past experience, they just never seem to turn out well)

Thanks!

Sorry Bob, I guess I never really thought of the subject as a political one (dumb Yank)

Off I go then, all done here

[J-sews]

A friendly reminder folks before anyone gets too passionate about this subject: Multitool.org is not the place for political rants, debates, or even discussions.   (from past experience, they just never seem to turn out well)

Thanks!

Sorry Bob, I guess I never really thought of the subject as a political one (dumb Yank)

Off I go then, all done here

Not to worry TS, it seems to be going well enough at this point. (I just thought I'd best remind everyone to keep a damper on it)

[cerbera147]

Yes the Palace PR machine is massive, I've done some events work for a few venues with by Royal Appointment status and there are always a few familiar faces production managing them. However I do like the idea that the Queen herself sits at a desk in her slippers drinking a sherry and writing an itinerary for her family each night. 

As another note and from a media source I am aware that the Diana Funeral was probably planned originally for the Queen Mother but as Diana passed unexpectedly they used what they had on file.

I would say that sums it up 

Probably the best PR people in the world work here; sometimes they certainly need it 

I was very impressed to see him land the helicopter on the water, didn't know that was possible 

I'm not a Royalist / Monarchist but I think he'd make a good king 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Its more than just the wedding,its been the 2 princes military service too(one is a rescue pilot with the RAF when hes not on Royal tours...World Cup bids...Kissing forign a**e/the ginger one's{when was there a ginger Royal again?Maybe a tudor?} photo oppertunity,oh sorry tour of duty in Afganistan).

It just feel manifactured!Max Cliffard anyone?(For those of you not in the UK,hes a spin doctor/publisist extrodanare who make a good go of making Satan the Pope/Archbishop of Canterbury)

In fairness,the Queen Herself is a credit to this country,Prince Philip was a propper sailor before taking up His Royal duties(mentioned in dispatches at the Battle of Mattanpan no less),and even Prince Andrew served in the Falklands campaign.

All said and done,the money that we the tax payers,contribute to the Royals would have let us keep HMS Ark Royal,the Harrier force,or smurf knows to help our service men and women,or in medical research et al.

Sorry not quite sure where the rant came from

One small point if I may.... while military guys may not have the safest occupation, they are rarely put in harm's way without a good reason.  This goes for all military people, regardless of background.  It simply does not make sense to spend the lives of your troops, your most valuable military resource, for nothing.  Planes, tanks, guns and bombs are useless without people behind them, so you conserve your people whenever possible.

The prince may have not been right in the thick of it, but that's not necessarily because everyone needed to keep him safe.  Certainly that's a large part of it, but I'm pretty certain that the other guys in his unit were top level cadets with great careers ahead of them, and no one would want to waste these men either, which is exactly what would happen if they saw any serious action, as the bad guys could deal a huge blow by either capturing or killing a member of the Royal Family.

In short, there are a lot of eggs in that basket beyond Prince Harry that were well worth keeping safe, and they were likely to have been specifically targeted over another, similar unit because of it.  While they were kept safer because of the prince, they were also in greater danger because of him.

Def

[kirk13]

A friendly reminder folks before anyone gets too passionate about this subject: Multitool.org is not the place for political rants, debates, or even discussions.   (from past experience, they just never seem to turn out well)

Thanks!

My apologies for any offence I may have caused