prince william : there is not much wriggle room left for me to find my own path

[BessieWallis Warfield]

I've always thought the minor royals were the lucky ones. They benefit from the wealth and privilege that comes with being a royal but with far less of the expectations and with much more freedom to choose their own life path. I'd much rather be Madde than Victoria or be Athena instead of Christian.

Paperbird, that is so true!       The Athenas of the world have won the birth lottery in a big way, IMO. 

[tgb]

I will be quite honest and confess that I can see why it must at times be hard to be the future regent so in some ways I understand why they whine (and also: come on! Charles and William barrly squeaks next to Fred - you've got to give them that ). Yes, they live an enormously privileged life and yes, people dote on them and serve on them their entire life - but there's also a lot of pressure on them, CONSTANT attention and also very little room to freely choose over what they want to do with their life. In a certain way they're slaves of the cercumstances they're born into. And yes, that might be a bit .. sugery to look at things that way. I can't help thinking though that I wouldn't want to give birth to a child who had to be in that position. I'd much rather be a minor royal at least.

Agreed. I think it would be horrible to be assigned a job no matter what my skills or desire for it. And to be fully dressed out and made up at all times or else, and paraded in front of people like an object, all while smiling, smiling, smiling...It would be a great honor to represent the best of one's country at all times but I'd rather be my relatively poor, free self!

[willywonka85]

Their future and the future of their children is assured for the most part. They can meet whomever they want, vacation wherever they want, and live in sumptuous historic homes that the rest of us can read about in history books or on TV.

They will never be evicted(unless the peasants revolt! ) They will never try to make the spaghetti that was Monday's dinner stretch all the way to Wednesday because $$ is tight. They will never worry about school tuition or if they can afford a vacation this year.

But, this is not at all the case.  The monarchy could be abolished next year for all anyone knows.  Why do you think all the royals employ the PR consultants and advisors?  Nothing is guaranteed when you role is reliant on the fickle opinions of the general public.  In performing public engagements, the royal family are essentially campaigning to try and satisfy most of the public, and so secure the future of the institution for a bit longer.

I think that William would prefer not to be King, but, equally, he knows it's his duty.  He has said that he WILL fulfil his duty.  I think the same thing could be said of QEII and George VI.  William's very much regarded as the future of the monarchy, there is a huge weight on his shoulders.  If I were him, I would not want to go down in the history books as the sovereign under whom a 1,000 year old monarchy collapsed.  It's easy to say well if you don't want to be king just give it up, but he would be betraying his family in doing so.  He'd also be dropping his brother in it, which I don't think William would want to do to him.  It would be incredibly selfish to turn to Harry and say, I don't want this gig so it's over to you.

His path has been decided from the moment of his birth.  He wouldn't be human if he didn't strain somewhat against the limitations of that.  That's why he very much tries to be n control of his life and to do things his way.  I think in saying there's very little wiggle room he means that the Queen has set the bar incredibly high.  She's going to be almost impossible to follow.  I think it's a compliment to her.

[paperbird]

It's easy to say well if you don't want to be king just give it up, but he would be betraying his family in doing so.  He'd also be dropping his brother in it, which I don't think William would want to do to him.  It would be incredibly selfish to turn to Harry and say, I don't want this gig so it's over to you.

I think in every oldest child there is a little sense of duty and protectiveness of your younger sibling. As a fellow 'oldest', I just know there is no way William would want to give an unenviable job to his brother at all, but especially when it is expected of him in the first place.

[willywonka85]

I agree, paperbird.  I genuinely think William and Harry are close; how could they not be with the warzone that was their childhood?  When Edward VIII abdicated, he not only changed his brother's life forever, but also the life of his little niece Elizabeth.  Who knows what she might have done if her uncle hadn't chosen not to do his duty - if he'd married a suitable woman and had children.  I wonder if the Queen thinks about that?

P.S your avatar made me spill tea all over my keyboard.

[Princess Tia]

Forgive the American reference but, PaperBird's avatar reminds me of THE PICK episode on Seinfeld.  A for PaperBird and a for WillyWonka--thanks for the giggles.

[BessieWallis Warfield]

I didn't notice Paperbird's Avi till now.  DAMMIT - why didn't I think of that first!!!

[Vava]

Yeah, I wouldn't want to be Willy......

[TLLK]

It's easy to say well if you don't want to be king just give it up, but he would be betraying his family in doing so.  He'd also be dropping his brother in it, which I don't think William would want to do to him.  It would be incredibly selfish to turn to Harry and say, I don't want this gig so it's over to you.

I think in every oldest child there is a little sense of duty and protectiveness of your younger sibling. As a fellow 'oldest', I just know there is no way William would want to give an unenviable job to his brother at all, but especially when it is expected of him in the first place.

[Cloaked]

It's easy to say well if you don't want to be king just give it up, but he would be betraying his family in doing so.  He'd also be dropping his brother in it, which I don't think William would want to do to him.  It would be incredibly selfish to turn to Harry and say, I don't want this gig so it's over to you.

I think in every oldest child there is a little sense of duty and protectiveness of your younger sibling. As a fellow 'oldest', I just know there is no way William would want to give an unenviable job to his brother at all, but especially when it is expected of him in the first place.

  Paperbird and Willywonka85.
And   Maria too.  I agree with you all.

I do think that William is expressing a great compliment to his Grandmother's dedication.
He is doubting that he could meet her example.  He is stating that the barre is very high.

[paperbird]

Agreed. I think it would be horrible to be assigned a job no matter what my skills or desire for it. And to be fully dressed out and made up at all times or else, and paraded in front of people like an object, all while smiling, smiling, smiling...It would be a great honor to represent the best of one's country at all times but I'd rather be my relatively poor, free self!

 

The financial security that would come with being a royal would be wonderful and it is the one thing I envy about their lives, but to me, my freedom is worth more than any amount of money.

I'd rather have to watch my money carefully and reuse the same handbag over and over again like I do now but have the freedom to make my own decisions on how to live my life and not be chased everywhere by the paparazzi than have a lot of money and trinkets but have my entire life decided for me and having no privacy at all.

[Vava]

so true, Paperbird.....

Willy's life, with all the paps and electronic technology, will be invaded even more than his mother and father's was, I suspect.  It's a prison term -- FOR LIFE.  I can see why Harry knows it may be difficult to find a bride.

[Emma Rose]

I understand why he feels that he is limited in life choices, but in his position he has vast resources to develop and implement programs and charities to help the British people. How many people in the world can develop a large scale program to encourage education and job training? Not many. Especially not the average person. There really are a lot of issues that Will could become involved with, as Charles did with organic farming, and make a big difference.
He could look at things from the perspective that he has been given great resources along with the opportunity to use them in ways he feels are best.

[paperbird]

I see both sides of it.

He is one of the most privileged people in the world, with more opportunity than we could dream of, but he is still human, and for that, I can understand him having moments where he wishes he was just a regular guy, born into a normal family in the suburbs. We all have moments where 'the grass is greener' and long for a life we wish we weren't born into. I know I sometimes wish I was born a millionaire's daughter!

[katerzzz]

Will, Will, Will....
Find your own path? Ha! You're not supposed to have one.....by fate of birth you were born into this family who are, for want of a better term, the richest benefit scroungers in the UK. Your path was laid out for you when you were conceived: if you were a girl, great, you'd be the perfect little princess who'd marry some rich so-and-so in a private wedding which none of us would have to watch or be subject to, you would go on, live your life, 'wriggle' around in the world, perhaps stay working for Granny, or go out and find your own job, you would, by being a girl, find your own path. Then you would die and people would say "Oh, you remember King Charles' daughter? That one? She died." "Really, oh, well, she kept herself to herself I guess."
BUT, you were a boy. And, more to the point, the OLDEST boy. Directly in-line to inherit the throne. If you were in Harry's position I could perhaps justify you wanting to 'wriggle' and 'find your own path' as you would know that someday you wouldn't have to worry about being King anymore because your brother's stick thin wife has finally managed to fire out a sprog, you could then go and do as you wished and always remain the 'spare'.
But you are the HEIR, Will, the HEIR. That means that you ARE going to be king. Preferably later rather than sooner. How DARE you say you want to find your own path! That, IMHO, is a massive kick in the teeth to all the other young people in the UK (myself included) who have to find their own path's, not by choice as you are doing, but out of fucking nessecity. You will never have to work in your ENTIRE life (unless you call meeting and shaking hands work like your wife does) whereas I'm probably (since I'm still a student and as such am in dreamland about career prospects) gonna end up in a job that I can't STAND, where I'll loathe going to work every day and do it to try and keep a roof over my head and food on my table. Even if you don't wander out and shake people's hands for a couple of months, that's not gonna get you in trouble with rent or bills, because you will never have to pay them. Buying something you like in a catalogue won't be a problem for you, whereas for everyone else in the country, they might save up for months for it. How dare you say you want room to wriggle and find your own path?! You don't need to! Everyone else has to in this country! You don't! Man up, stop whinging and be fucking grateful! Life is a lottery and some people are born into the poorest families, others, like yourself, are born into rich, old families. 99.9% of us are grateful for what we have, however much we may or may not have.
FGS.