British Royal News 2020.

[Oh_Caroline]

I believe that Mr O’Donovan generally includes everything so I went with that method.  But year in the 8-12 range...so more than 4.  Plus I was feeling nice when I corrected the totals.

Mr O’Donovan really is a sweetheart.  I dread the day when he’s not doing the totals.

[CyrilSebastian]

I like Mr. O'Donovan's large picture of the Royal Wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

[Ellie]

Garden parties all canceled this year.

It tells me indeed my fears are the truth: large-scale events and gatherings are a thing of the past - forever. This will never end.

[luvcharles]

Large scale events are not a thing of the past.

Tomorrow in Sydney 12,500 people will be at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the cricket test between Australia and India. They will have close to 40,000 in Brisbane in a week, but Sydney can't have a full house, as was planned a week ago due to an outbreak that has seen about 200 cases, none in hospital.

I would have been there but I live in one of the 'banned suburbs' although I haven't been anywhere near any of the named places I still can't attend).

They are expecting crowds of around 50% capacity at the Australian Open next month, assuming the outbreak doesn't grow. That will mean in the vicinity of 25,000 a day.

We have already had sports events with 40,000 plus people and New Zealand have been having full houses at sports and other events since June. This has happened because both countries enforced strict lock downs and closed our internal borders i.e. no travelling between states with exceptions for those who live on the border and work in the other state. The people also took the lock down seriously and were prepared to put up with the pain for a short time period rather then put their individual rights above the good of the nation. 

This picture was taken at the third State of Origin match in November 2020 with about 49,000 people in the stadium in Brisbane: https://au.sports.yahoo.c...l-pandemic-094214834.html How many cases resulted - ZERO.

Click the images to get the one of the crowd (there are two - one of a batsman who has literally just been crowned the world's best test batsmen this week and one of the crowd) https://www.dawn.com/news/1597927 showing the state of events in New Zealand ... this is normal for NZ in summer. This wasn't the test I was watching today but last week.

I was watching the cricket from New Zealand today and on day 3 of the test they had 1000s of people sitting around the ground, no masks, mixing, running and simply enjoying a normal summer's day. This image was taken three days ago at the Christchurch test - https://www.rnz.co.nz/new...-vs-pakistan-live-updates.

We, Down Under, have no intention of not having the mass events we had in the past. We will do what is necessary and then when we have this under control we will go about our business as normal with crowds of 50,000 to 100,000 at sports and other events.

Perth had a New Year's Eve as per normal - http://newyearseveblog.com/nye-perth/ This is a link to the planned events, which took place.

[Ellie]

You're on an island and you and those in NZ will never be able to leave, nor will people be able to visit.

Large-scale events, or even normal events like weddings, funerals, are a thing of the past for the most part. This has no end date - probably for a reason because governments really love this stuff. Absolute power and control? Who cares if we kill millions and cause so much poverty, despair (like the many I know who have committed suicide due to lockdown), and so on, we have control and power. We can be like authoritarian governments that pushed for this, like China, where rights and freedoms are anathema.

It's been almost a year, and there is no hope, vaccines or not, imo. I will be floored if we ever see royal events in public again like weddings, Trooping the Colour, or if us plebeians are allowed to travel and enjoy our lives again or maybe attend a wedding or a funeral without distancing and masks (which, many have stated, will last for years).

Lockdowns are not necessary. They never are. Never will be. The costs are too great, and they do not work, but that is the only thing governments know how to do. Double down, so they are not accused of 'doing nothing'. It's also great for their poll numbers. If you think living in a police state where you need permits to leave your house, like they did in Victoria, or in the UK where people are beaten for protesting and now protesting is illegal under the Coronavirus Act, I don't know what to tell you. It is disgusting, and anathema to being human. If our individual rights and freedoms do not matter then what is the point? I am sickened by this thinking.

Monarchies won't last much longer if this keeps up.

[Maria]

The topic here is the BRF. Not corona. Don’t go there, it’s quite annoying to be confronted with the topic when you want to distract yourself from the world situation and still get the topic smack in your face

[luvcharles]

Sorry Maria - I had a brain freeze and was coming back here to try to remove the post. Please remove both my posts. They are clearly in the wrong thread.

[Antevorta]

Well, the Army is keeping up hope.  Tickets are officially on sale for Trooping!

https://qbp.army.mod.uk/queensbirthdayparade/


TROOPING THE COLOUR REVIEWED BY MAJOR GENERAL C J GHIKA:
SATURDAY 29 MAY 2021

TROOPING THE COLOUR REVIEWED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF KENT:
SATURDAY 5 JUNE 2021

TROOPING THE COLOUR REVIEWED BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN:
SATURDAY 12 JUNE 2021

[Oh_Caroline]

I like how they're inviting the 2020 ballot people to finish their bookings this year.  Personally, I'm expecting this to be cancelled/scaled back as there's really no way they can enforce social distancing not only on Horse Guards but along the entire event route.  Good on them for keeping up hope but it's probably a fool's errand.

[Gemsheal]

Just to say that Tom O'Donovan's study is everything you'd hope it would be

Good gravy, that is one dedicated monarchist!   (And my husband thinks I'm bad, with a few measly books and magazines.)   

This photo reminds of an old story about QE II.  -- Back in the late '60's, there was a young man who would stand in front of the gates of Buckingham Palace every single day when she was in residence, just waiting to see the Queen drive out.   One day, one of the LIW made a slightly derogatory remark about him as the royal car drove past.  QEII responded (I'm sure tongue in cheek):   "You are speaking about my only loyal subject."         

[Lady Adelaide]

The court shared two photos of the Queen and Charles enjoying a walk in the grounds of Frogmore House

[onar]

That's absolutely lovely!
They both look very well and it's always nice to see them out and about like regular people!

[Emac0914]

That's absolutely lovely!
They both look very well and it's always nice to see them out and about like regular people!

It is great to see them both out but for a walk, why does stuffed shirt Charles always have to look SO formal?  Seriously, a tie, dressier pants and shoes, and although beautiful, fhe camel coat?   Realize its a photo op and he’s visiting the Queen but a shirt with sweater (no tie), less formal shoes and coat??  I recognize the mindset and culture but they're out for a walk!  Even the Queen looks comfortable, casual for her at Windsor.  Loosen the hell up some Charles and stop looking like such a snob!

[luvcharles]

This is Charles being comfortable. He is rarely seen in anything simple because he isn't comfortable unless dressed in a shirt and tie (my father was the same ... always wore one and whenever my mother tried to get him to go without a tie he simply didn't feel dressed).

[Princess MS]

This is Charles being comfortable. He is rarely seen in anything simple because he isn't comfortable unless dressed in a shirt and tie (my father was the same ... always wore one and whenever my mother tried to get him to go without a tie he simply didn't feel dressed).

Yes given the world he grew up in and his age this is what he was comfortable in ... I don’t recall my father in jeans .... he was tailored trousers even after hours and weekends ...