William the not so charming

[Gemsheal]

This verbal kerfuffle of W's is a prime example of my firm belief that royals should show up, smile, look professional, and even look sympathetic - but, shut themselves up after saying "thank you for your hard work."

[Zazoo]

Posted just now.

Robert Jobson@theroyaleditor
William on Ukraine “Everyone is horrified by what they are seeing. It’s really horrifying. The news every day, it’s just, it’s almost unfathomable. For our generation, it’s very alien to see this in Europe. We’re all right behind you. We’re thinking about you. We feel so useless”

Robert Jobson
@theroyaleditor

I am simply saying what he actually said. Not correcting anybody. They will have to change their online posts when they see and hear what he said.

Video
https://twitter.com/Lizzi...;t=zc2BSKFtqtOE66xhCL0xcw

Posted just now.

Robert Jobson@theroyaleditor
William on Ukraine “Everyone is horrified by what they are seeing. It’s really horrifying. The news every day, it’s just, it’s almost unfathomable. For our generation, it’s very alien to see this in Europe. We’re all right behind you. We’re thinking about you. We feel so useless”

Robert Jobson
@theroyaleditor

I am simply saying what he actually said. Not correcting anybody. They will have to change their online posts when they see and hear what he said.

Video
https://twitter.com/Lizzi...;t=zc2BSKFtqtOE66xhCL0xcw

If this is his quote then is slightly better that I thought, but personal opinion is that although he may not experience all the wars in recent times. He is to be a head of state of a country that is extremely diverse and yes some of his future ‘ subjects’ are people that have fled these wars.
In general i see, me included, somehow a more violent reaction to this war from Europeans  because is in our backyard and our lives are directly influenced, and while countries rally, rightly so to help Ukrainian refugees, we forgot that south Europe is overwhelmed with refugees from the Syrian,afghani etc wars that recently happened. Just an observation not a judgement.
@Maria I search it but I can’t find anything on greek or international news about crete what happened?

[Maria]

Nothing happened to Crete. I have unfortunately mixed it up with Cyprus.. where there has been a conflict for many years. We have had minor violent conflicts, major violent conflicts, various terrorist groups both of political, nationalist and religious kinds. Different European countries have and are participating in UN-lead or US-lead wars. Those living in eastern Europe know of the Russian threat especially, those in the south know especially about the many fleeing from Syria, Afghanistan and various countries in Africa. If you cannot look at the European reaction to Russia invading Ukraine and see the significant difference, I don’t know what to say. Perhaps research European history a bit because it’s not just William reacting like this.

[Paulina]

I think something that makes the current situation even more nerve wracking is that in basically a week these things were on the table for overturning: 500 years of Swiss neutrality and Swedish and Finnish possible membership in NATO.

With the Yugoslavia breakup, also in Europe, the conflict didn’t really spill over to neighboring countries. Refugees did, yes.

This is an invasion and does seem eerily with parallels to when the Soviets went capturing birding countries to form the Iron Curtain.

And somehow worse now.

I think William is simply more aware of the world and what’s going on now. He’s older. When Yugoslavia was warring, he was a cosseted royal kid in an insular world of aristocrats dealing with his parents very public breakup and not terribly long afterward, his mother’s very public death.

I’ve been watching great British castles and warring for land and dominance and resources has been going on for a very long time.

William will have to learn what he can or should express publicly versus privately because the most seemingly innocuous comment can create an international incident. Granny has been a master of discretion, herself.

[Maria]

Germany decided to end the policy on military intervention and are raising their military budget. All of Europe cheered. That says it all.

[Paulina]

Yes, Germany! I knew I was forgetting something. That’s HUGE.

[Pomme]

Germany decided to end the policy on military intervention and are raising their military budget. All of Europe cheered. That says it all.

Exactly.
A policy they diligently adhered to since ww2.

Recent European warfare was 'local'.
Atrocious, yes. Ongoing, yes.

But none of the factions/countries involved threatened to attack any country (outside the prime aim of the conflict) that opposed them, none threatened to use nuclear weapons, vacuum bombs  or chemical weapons. None of them was interested in world domination.

Russia was a threat that always loomed in the east, with its huge nuclear arsenal. I grew up with that threat. We were always weary of Russia, and in now way felt it could be a trustworthy ally.
After the Soviet Union crumbled, many things stayed the same. It was just different people pulling the strings and racking in the billions. There was never real freedom, free press, democracy (well, not in the ways 'the West' defines it, many different interpretations of democracy in our part of the world...).

Putin is KGB and grew up in Soviet times. No matter what he pretends to be, he embodies the worst of the totalitarian, dictatorial, power hungry aspects that defined the Soviet Union.

Knowing that he doesn't like opposition or defeat, the risk of this war turning into a multi-country conflict is huge. And the parallels with 1933 and beyond are striking.

[Zazoo]

If I can been honest with you there is a weird feeling in Cyprus right now. There is a resentment about how Europe had handled our situation then and how it continues handles it now. Cyprus is one of the countries that is very much entangled with Russia, for better or for worse. And we are preparing to enter another economical turmoil, being small country etc.Also because unfortunately we saw too much war around us being so close to middle east and hosting so many refugees at times we became so used to it .That doesn’t mean that we don’t sympathize  with the Ukrainian, or any other refugees or that we are not outraged with the Russian politicians.
I understand why it’s deferent, what brought us here and the implications.
Just voiceing an opinion, sorry if it came wrong not my intention

[Lady Willoughby]

If I can been honest with you there is a weird feeling in Cyprus right now. There is a resentment about how Europe had handled our situation then and how it continues handles it now. Cyprus is one of the countries that is very much entangled with Russia, for better or for worse. And we are preparing to enter another economical turmoil, being small country etc.Also because unfortunately we saw too much war around us being so close to middle east and hosting so many refugees at times we became so used to it .That doesn’t mean that we don’t sympathize  with the Ukrainian, or any other refugees or that we are not outraged with the Russian politicians.
I understand why it’s deferent, what brought us here and the implications.
Just voiceing an opinion, sorry if it came wrong not my intention

This is why I just can’t quit RD. I love getting perspectives from all around the world Zazoo. I appreciate your post.

[Hester]

So glad to see William’s actual words rather than what appears to be a confection by who knows who.

His actual words one more time:  “Everyone is horrified by what they are seeing. It’s really horrifying. The news every day, it’s just, it’s almost unfathomable. For our generation, it’s very alien to see this in Europe. We’re all right behind you. We’re thinking about you. We feel so useless”

[Paulina]

If I can been honest with you there is a weird feeling in Cyprus right now. There is a resentment about how Europe had handled our situation then and how it continues handles it now. Cyprus is one of the countries that is very much entangled with Russia, for better or for worse. And we are preparing to enter another economical turmoil, being small country etc.Also because unfortunately we saw too much war around us being so close to middle east and hosting so many refugees at times we became so used to it .That doesn’t mean that we don’t sympathize  with the Ukrainian, or any other refugees or that we are not outraged with the Russian politicians.
I understand why it’s deferent, what brought us here and the implications.
Just voiceing an opinion, sorry if it came wrong not my intention

This is why I just can’t quit RD. I love getting perspectives from all around the world Zazoo. I appreciate your post.

Me, too, Zazoo.

[Cordelia Fitzgerald]

If I can been honest with you there is a weird feeling in Cyprus right now. There is a resentment about how Europe had handled our situation then and how it continues handles it now. Cyprus is one of the countries that is very much entangled with Russia, for better or for worse. And we are preparing to enter another economical turmoil, being small country etc.Also because unfortunately we saw too much war around us being so close to middle east and hosting so many refugees at times we became so used to it .That doesn’t mean that we don’t sympathize  with the Ukrainian, or any other refugees or that we are not outraged with the Russian politicians.
I understand why it’s deferent, what brought us here and the implications.
Just voiceing an opinion, sorry if it came wrong not my intention

This is why I just can’t quit RD. I love getting perspectives from all around the world Zazoo. I appreciate your post.

Me, too, Zazoo.

Thanks for your post, Zazoo -- and everyone who shared how this is affecting them.  I too have had my perspective broadened enormously from this board and like you all, I'm so thankful for it.

[Cordelia Fitzgerald]

William will have to learn what he can or should express publicly versus privately because the most seemingly innocuous comment can create an international incident. Granny has been a master of discretion, herself.

Definitely this (and what you said, Gemsheal).  He's a nearly middle-aged future head of state who should be more educated than anyone when it comes to recent political events in Europe.  While the full context of his statement does not belong in this thread (mea culpa), he has to, and needs to be, more careful.

But I am glad to know that the added editorializing in the article was just that...editorializing, and he didn't actually reference Asia or Africa.

[Lady Liebe]

I really don't consider that editorializing. JMHO.

I, speaking only for myself, am very very tired of persons parsing another person's comments, be they a celebrity, royal or plain ole common folk for what they consider hidden meanings and then being offended by things that were not said.

The ones putting words, and by extension hidden meanings to other people's remarks should also be very careful of what they do.

Soon no one will say anything for fear of its being misconstrued. It's an insidious way of controlling people's speech.

My ire is not with Will. It's with whoever extrapolated and decided Will meant something he did not say.

[Paulina]

Well said LL.