Harry and Meghan

[Derek Smith]

Repairing shoes; remember that? We had cobblers before they started posting on the internet.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance had one bit that reminded me of my father. An oversized control lever was made to fit via a bit of padding from an alloy can.

My father could repair anything with his tin of WD40 - not a spray can, wasted too much oil - and a bit of wire. Cutting along the grooves in a dynamo. Such joy.

I've got a recovered recliner. I've got a gate-legged dining table that was a wedding present, and we're celebrating 50 years this September. (Still got the original wife.) We loaned it to our kids when they started out. It's now used as a sewing table by my wife for, guess what, repairing clothes.

Youngsters tend to have a different point of view. A year or so ago I went into a specialist mobile phone cover shop and asked for one for my Moto G, the original model. The person serving seemed shocked. I was offered a generic one.

I've got a 12-year-old laptop. I've got a 13-year-old car. Yet I'm patronised by my grandchildren because I don't understand about limiting waste. It's what they are taught at school.

I've got the same desktop computer I've had since 2000 or so. It's the Trigger broom scenario, but it limits waste. It's now used as backup storage.

If kids want to know about recycling and avoiding throwing stuff away, they should see their grandparents.

[Sway]

popeyewhite said:

Around here the first thing sub thirties do when they move into their first property is concrete the front lawn for a driveway. Gardening is a rare hobby as it doesn't involve the internet or mobile phones and can involve effort, dedication and creativity.and the discomfort of being outside in inclement weather.

I bought my first place at 23. A three bed bungalow on the coast, with decent sized front and back gardens.

They simply weren't a priority. I used to pay a mate £30 every few months to batter it down and clear it.

Then, I actually started wanting a nicer garden to enjoy. Lots of mistakes - and wasted time and effort, but we got there.

Moved last Feb, into a place that hasn't had anything done to it except basic maintenance for the 15 years since it was built - I'm absolutely bloody loving sorting the gardens out. Even to the point I was planting bulbs in the pissing rain and doing edges/slate chips/bark mulch - two weeks before Christmas...

God, I'm getting old. I'm only 37!

[Sway]

SpeckledJim said:

Losing the half-in half-out position they were aiming for is a big defeat.

Within a couple of years he'll be more famous for being Prince William's slacker brother than anything else.

I think Meghan had correctly calculated that the endorsement value of a working-and-serving prince is miles higher than an over-privileged and under-talented reclusive jolly-boy, which is what he's quickly going to become, in perception terms.

The Queen knew that, and rightly said 'in or out, sunshine. I'm not having you representing me and Cialis. Choose.'

I think I'm in agreement.

The bit that really came through in his speech - he really didn't see the loss of military titles/positions coming...

[Robertj21a]

popeyewhite said:

Around here the first thing sub thirties do when they move into their first property is concrete the front lawn for a driveway. Gardening is a rare hobby as it doesn't involve the internet or mobile phones and can involve effort, dedication and creativity.and the discomfort of being outside in inclement weather.

........just waiting for the 'Snowflake' reaction....

[MC Bodge]

This thread has become a parody of itself.

At least the veneer has come off now. It's openly about nostalgia.

[Willhire89]

Sway said:

- he really didn't see the loss of military titles/positions coming...

I fear there is quite a lot in his future which will come as a surprise - to others not so much

[Mothersruin]

Willhire89 said:

Sway said:

- he really didn't see the loss of military titles/positions coming...

I fear there is quite a lot in his future which will come as a surprise - to others not so much

I'm guessing he's currently reflecting on how the actual fk did he get in this position.

It would be interesting to go back and draw up a timeline to find out when he went full 'tard, just before the event horizon of this total clusterfk, the actual point he could have nipped this in the bud, suffered a wee bit of grief for sacking her off but ultimately would have had a normal, all things being relative, existence for the rest of his life.

Edited by Mothersruin on Monday 20th January 12:15

[kev1974]

Ayahuasca said:

So will their children go to school in the US, Canada or UK?

Depends which one has custody by the time Archie is old enough?

[Mothersruin]

kev1974 said:

Ayahuasca said:

So will their children go to school in the US, Canada or UK?

Depends which one has custody by the time Archie is old enough?

In that case, Beverly Hills 90210...

[Robertj21a]

kev1974 said:

Ayahuasca said:

So will their children go to school in the US, Canada or UK?

Depends which one has custody by the time Archie is old enough?

So, the US then.....

[majordad]

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

[Mothersruin]

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

He served, plenty only do three years and sack it off, he's an idiot for many reasons but there's no blame there.

[JuniorD]

I'm sure that now the cord is cut he will be even more in the media's eye. I also think they must know that their status and celebrity will net them a load of dough so they should be able to make millions its all managed well. Then when they divorce in 5 or 6 years he can truly be his own man again.

[SpeckledJim]

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

And the £30m wedding. Spent to make them (even more) world famous and useful as representatives of GB PLC.

All just a nice day out for the Beckhams now.

[SpeckledJim]

MC Bodge said:

This thread has become a parody of itself.

At least the veneer has come off now. It's openly about nostalgia.

You should refuse all requests to participate. It's beneath you.

[Sway]

Mothersruin said:

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

He served, plenty only do three years and sack it off, he's an idiot for many reasons but there's no blame there.

I didn't think anyone 'normal' got that level of training and personal investment in skills unless they were locked in for far longer than he served?

[SpeckledJim]

Mothersruin said:

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

He served, plenty only do three years and sack it off, he's an idiot for many reasons but there's no blame there.

Yes and no.

The unknown person whose place and training he took would likely have given longer service. That person, whoever they are, didn't get that golden opportunity that they had worked for and deserved.

If they had, both they and the nation would have likely got much better value from the investment made in them.

[Mothersruin]

SpeckledJim said:

Mothersruin said:

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

He served, plenty only do three years and sack it off, he's an idiot for many reasons but there's no blame there.

Yes and no.

The unknown person whose place and training he took would likely have given longer service. That person, whoever they are, didn't get that golden opportunity that they had worked for and deserved.

If they had, both they and the nation would have likely got much better value from the investment made in them.

Perhaps, maybe, could have etc...

You maybe right, perhaps...

[SpeckledJim]

Mothersruin said:

SpeckledJim said:

Mothersruin said:

majordad said:

All that time and money spent training him at Sandhurst and later as a heli pilot and he chucked it in early. Total waste of resources, it was all just for his benefit.

He served, plenty only do three years and sack it off, he's an idiot for many reasons but there's no blame there.

Yes and no.

The unknown person whose place and training he took would likely have given longer service. That person, whoever they are, didn't get that golden opportunity that they had worked for and deserved.

If they had, both they and the nation would have likely got much better value from the investment made in them.

Perhaps, maybe, could have etc...

You maybe right, perhaps...

We'll never know, of course, because we come this way but once.

What's the average service given by someone given the same training and role as Harry? And what kind of difference does that amazing opportunity make to their life?

I've no idea, but I do have a guess....

[Coolbanana]

Obviously a lot of PH'ers have first hand experience of life as a member of a top tier Royal Family and the positives and negatives it brings in order to arrive at the judgements they have now decided upon.

If anyone here truly believes Harry will give a toss about what he loses when compared to what he gains then they are really out of touch with reality.

Brand Managers and the like are already clamouring at his door and if he wants it, he can make far, far more wealth than he would had he stayed as he was. But who says he wants or needs more than he already has stashed away? He now gets to proceed on his terms rather than to a strict, regimented diary and gets to meet and endorse only those he really wants to. He has far more freedom now than he was born into and expected to fulfil.
Lost some titles? Sure, some will go with a sense of loss but soon overshadowed by the aforementioned freedom to have greater choice in what he does.

It's dead easy it seems for some to harp on about the apparent luxuriant lifestyles of the Royals, be hugely jealous, begrudge them it, and then bleat about how they would relish the chance to do the job and how 'daft' Harry is to walk away from it when they speak from absolute ignorance.