William and Harry - I'm puzzled.

Prince Harry 'the Peter Pan of the Windsors'?

He's only 30, for goodness sake!

Yes. They were a class act.

merlot The last old meddlers were surely the Queen Mother and Ruth, Lady Fermoy and look at the disastrous mess that created.

I doubt William would have had an arranged marriage even if Kate Middleton hadn't been on the scene. All the old meddlers like Mountbatten are long gone so who would have done the arranging?

Very sad to have arranged marriages. One thing that William managed to avoid.Not that it pleased everyone.

Can't agree Leticia. George didn't but how his wife did . It has been said by some she wanted to marry Edward, she was chosen to marry him , he didn't want to marry her, she settled for number 2 but not before turning him down several times . If you have read Edwards auto biog you will have read the snippet where he referred to her . Quite sad really, all those arranged marriages

His SIL was vindictive because it put her husband in the throne- not something either wanted.

Since he would upset lots of people as he did, and would always be recognised and up for criticism I think he would be mad! Much better to stay and get the best as well as the worst.

Life could have been easier for Edward if it hadn't been for his vindictive sister in law and a vitriolic press . I wouldn't want William to walk away, we would be landed with Harry as future king, the Peter Pan of the windsors.

Helping yourself to other men's wives whenever you felt like it could be seen as a perk of the job don't you think?

I will amend that- he did opt out but he was still famous and constrained in what he could do. He was never a 'normal' person.

His mother's uncle never opted out of anything other than the throne- his life was ruined. He coundn't be a normal person. He got all the worst of it without even the perks!

There's really only one person in Prince William's position at a time. He can opt out if he really wants to. His mother's uncle did – quite late in the day.

Most people in his position have at least chosen it- and if they don't like it they can- unless they have done something notorious- opt out.

An underdog on this thread!!
How can you criticise someone when absolutely no one can come up with a decision that he can take that won't upset someone?!
I can take any decision I wish- no one outside my circle of people who know me can criticise it.
That gives me something that money can't buy. Money can't buy the really important things in life

The conversation got silly some time ago when Prince William was described as an "underdog".

I think this is turning into a silly conversation. Prince William's life can never be like ordinary people simply because of who he is, so whatever he does has to be tailored round his official duties, which in turn.is always going to give rise to criticism. Damned if he does and damned if he doesn't!

Leticia, you must know your question can't possibly be answered satisfactorily, and I'm with merlot about the various shades of 'normal'.

April, I think, POGS but I could be wrong.

merlot

Has he started already. I thought he began later this year?

A 'normal' Air Ambulance pilot won't be having time off to undertake an official overseas visit on behalf of his grandmother. I also doubt he'd be holidaying in Mustique.

There are various shades of normal. I think Prince William has found his kind of 'normal' with the Middletons and it's not necessary to try to find a parallel with the rest of us.

I think it is time that I left this repetitive thread.
I shall keep an eye on it- just to see if anyone answers my question- they haven't as yet.

There is no 'of course' - I may love it!

I could have been brought up from birth with a houseful of servants- it doesn't mean that I would like it. Freedom is more important to me - who is to say what others want?

I thought be particularly liked Anglesey because he could be normal. The fact that he wants to work for the air ambulance shows he wants to be 'normal'.