Could the princes' future wives continue working?

[Hans-Rickard]

This is really something that they to work out. If they don't find a solution, there won't be many women/men who are willing to start a relationship with a Prince/Princess. Especially if they are not expected to become the regent couple.

We can't expect every woman and man with a good education, a good job and with lots of plans and dreams for the future to give up everything just because of a marriage and only represent and attend things for the rest of her/his life.

Reforms are needed here ! If not we'll probably never see for example Prince Harry or Princess Charlotte married.

 

[Skippyboo]

It probably won't be a problem for Charlotte because there isn't a expectation for her husband. She isn't the heir so her husband would not become a Prince and be required to do Royal engagements. He is going to be like Tim. Occasionally accompanying wife but not all the time.

The problem is usually with women who marry Princes because they get the title and thus the expectations.


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[Countessmeout]

It probably won't be a problem for Charlotte because there isn't a expectation for her husband. She isn't the heir so her husband would not become a Prince and be required to do Royal engagements. He is going to be like Tim. Occasionally accompanying wife but not all the time.

The problem is usually with women who marry Princes because they get the title and thus the expectations.


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I wouldn't be surprised if Charlotte's husband is given a title. With the change in succession, the British monarchy is finally starting to catch up with the continental royals. If Charles gets his way to slim down the royals, there will be a need for Charlotte and her husband to step up. Anne's first husband was offered a title, like Margaret's husband, but he turned it down. I am not sure if Tim was. Even with Harry and his wife, there will be very few people to fill royal duties. I don't see Will having some of his grandkids only being Mr and Miss.... It was okay for the queen who had three sons and six grandchildren from them,and her cousins.

 

[Skippyboo]

There is a big difference in becoming HRH Prince and becoming an Earl. Philip had to give his career up when the Queen became Queen. Earl Snowdon, Mark Phillips, Angus Ogilvy and Tim Lawrence all married Princesses not in direct line and all had careers.

I don't think William would have a problem with Mr and Miss grandchildren. He married a woman with no titles. His closest paternal cousins Peter and Zara have no titles.


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[Countessmeout]

The difference is Charlotte is directly in line. And unlike her Aunt, only has one brother. Beyond what ever roll Harry had, Will will nothave an abundance of cousins and children and so on to take on royal duties for him. It wasn't a problem for Anne's kids to have no titles and be private citizens, there were three other siblings who produced six other grandchildren who could fill royal duties.

I am not saying Will would have aproblem with his daughter marrying a commoner as he did.That would be hypocritical to say the least. But I do think he will assure his daughter and her line have some title, and her husband will have some roll. Even when Tim entered the family, times were different then now. With the change in succession and the move towards equality, I see the roll of daughters slowly changing in the BRF as time goes on. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time of at least Charlotte and George's kids, a husband takes the wife's titles fully like in Sweden, ie Danniel becoming HRH Prince Daniel.

 

[Skippyboo]

Daniel became a Prince because he married the Crown Princess. Chris married Maddie and didn't become anything because she wasn't the future Queen.

Charlotte isn't a future Queen unless something horrible happens to her brother.

When Peter and Zara were born, none of the Queens other grandkids were born and Anne's brothers weren't married yet. Only Charles was engaged to Diana when Zara was born. There wasn't a guarantee that there would be Royal grandkids. The Queen didn't make Mark a Prince or his children HRHs Prince and Princess.


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[Hans-Rickard]

Daniel became a Prince because he married the Crown Princess. Chris married Maddie and didn't become anything because she wasn't the future Queen.

Charlotte isn't a future Queen unless something horrible happens to her brother.

When Peter and Zara were born, none of the Queens other grandkids were born and Anne's brothers weren't married yet. Only Charles was engaged to Diana when Zara was born. There wasn't a guarantee that there would be Royal grandkids. The Queen didn't make Mark a Prince or his children HRHs Prince and Princess.


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Chris was offered to be H.R.H Christopher Prince of Sweden Duke of Hälsingland and Gästrikland (as was Jonas Bergström too) but he said no to titles because he wanted to continue his business career and earn his own money wich wasn't possible with royal titles.

Wasn't Mark offered an Earldom but he and Anne decided together that their children shouldn't get any hereditary titles so he said no ? Atleast that's what i have heard

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Then for Charlotte I'm guessing the same thing may happen, the man she marries will be given the choice, either go the route of Daniel, Chris, Mark, or Tim. George's wife won't have the choice which can be sad if she had a career like Sophie or no big deal if she did nothing worthwhile like Kate.

 

[Alison H]

I don't think it helped that Sophie's job was in public relations, which, by its nature, involves a lot of networking and trying to impress people and who-you-know-not-what-you-know stuff. If she'd been in a different sort of job, it might have been easier, but it's unfortunate that she was working in an area which lent itself to that nasty "fake sheikh" stunt pulled by one of the tabloids. I did feel so sorry for her - people are quick to criticise the royals for not earning their own money, but Edward and Sophie both tried working in ordinary jobs and they got criticised for that as well.


If George VI had lived to be, say, 75, which would have been a more usual lifespan for someone of his generation, Prince Philip would have been in his early 50s and maybe ready to retire from the Navy anyway. I don't think he had any intention of giving up his career when he was only 31, but he had no choice once his wife became Queen.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

They need to work this out for the future. It ain't right that a Peince who are not expected to become King like Harry for example can't marry someone he is deeply in love with just because she doesn't want to give up all her dreams and plans.

It is one thing if you marry a regent or a heir to the throne but to be expected to give up all your dreams and plans when marry someone further down in the Line of succession won't work in the future. Then i think there will be lots of unmarried Princes.

 

[miss whirley]

The Edward/Sophie situation was a rare case. Prince Edward’s film company posted losses every single year of it’s existence. And Sophie wasn’t doing much better herself.

It didn’t help that the tax payers spent 2 million dollars renovating The Wessex home while both were claiming they had no intention of ever being working royals. If they wanted to be private citizens, their home should be privately funded, grumbled the press and public.

I think Harry’s wife would have no problem having a private career provided that she has a financially successful one(unlike Edward and Sophie). In fact, I think it would be a smart idea. Right now there is too many working royals. The budget is tight. Heck, the Cambridges probably won’t be needed for another 5-10 years. Harry probably won’t be needed for another 10-25 years. That’s why him quitting the Army because he found desk jobs boring, was such a shock. Everyone assumed he'd follow The Duke of York and The Duke of Kent steps and have a long military career then retire in his 50’s to perform duties on behalf of The King. Now he’s going to have to find a job to keep him occupied for the next couple decades. During those decades his wife can either have a career or she can be a stay-at-home wife/mother. Either way, I can’t see her doing more than 50-100 engagements per year during that time. With the royals having a much longer lifespan than in previous generations, the younger royals have been backlogged.

 

[Queen Claude]

I think that this is an interesting discussion when we've also had discussions about the role of royals who are not in the direct line of succession. IMO the woman Harry marries should be given the choice as to whether she wants to be a working royal, heck even Harry should be given the choice if he wants to be a working royal, or the extent he wants to be a working royal, given that when William's children are older he may be subject to kind of debates that are now going on regarding Charles' siblings and the Queen's cousins. Harry's children will be the Beatrice and Eugenie of their generation, and if I were their parents and knew that they will grow up surrounded by / immersed in this very interesting family business but not allowed to join the business as adults, that would be a factor in my decision on being part of The Firm, especially as a full-time working royal.

If you really want to know what I think, I think that any child or grandchild of the monarch who wants to be a working royal should be allowed provided that they will held accountable for how they carry out their duties. Conversely, I think that any non-heir apparent and his/her consort can choose to not join The Firm or be part of The Firm on a limited basis. I think that ultimately it will work itself out because I think that the current situation with the youngest senior royals - William, Kate and Harry not being full-time working royals is very likely reoccur in subsequent generations and the BRF will not have the bench strength it currently has.

The streamline idea is not a good one IMO and is an overreaction to a "problem" that is on the path to resolving itself with a lower birth rate and will ultimately resolve itself with, dare I say, the dying out of royals who were enlisted to take on royal work to assist the Queen Elizabeth who ascended to the throne at a young age due to the early death of her father.

 

[Osipi]

It remains to be seen what happens when Charles ascends the throne. If I had to paint a scenario, it would be seeing William invested as the Prince of Wales and in that role, taking over more and more official royal duties representing King and Crown with Kate doing the same. With this happening, there will be less room in the royal planning calendar for W&K to focus on their own foundation and their personal patronages and charities. This is where Harry, I believe, will shine like a bright amber topaz and head up the foundation and its charitable organizations. Perhaps his wife would feel she'd like a career working for the foundation itself. Harry is at his best out and among the people and it suits him more than the responsibilities of other royal duties such as performing investitures and such.

This is not to say that W&K would totally abandon all they hold near and dear to them. Its just that most likely their time and energies will be required for other things moreso than Harry. I do think we're going to see Harry very much as William's "right hand man" in things as William gets closer and closer to ascending the throne.

 

[miss whirley]

This is not to say that W&K would totally abandon all they hold near and dear to them. Its just that most likely their time and energies will be required for other things moreso than Harry. I do think we're going to see Harry very much as William's "right hand man" in things as William gets closer and closer to ascending the throne.

I very much disagree. I don't think Harry will be a full-time royal for another 25 years or so. I think Harry and George will become full-timers at around the same time, thus George will be his father's heir and "right hand man". Who do you think the press will be more interested in, a 28 year old future King or a 57 year old brother of a King? It's unfortunate for Harry and his wife that they were born during a time with too many royals, and the modern desire to only have a moderate-sized royal firm. They will get lost in the cracks so to speak. But they will have more opportunity to shine than the York Princesses, so that's something.

 

[Skippyboo]

We see this now with Charles and the Queen, but it isn't all encompassing of his time. Charles has plenty of time for his own interests and charities. I would think, we would see some thing similar with Charles and William. William and Kate doing the long haul foreign tours and attending a leaders funeral. The stuff Charles does now. While Charles and Camilla focus more on the UK. After waiting so long for the throne, Charles isnt going to delegate the majority of the work to William. He is going to do the red boxes, meetings with PMs and ambassadors.

George will have to get trained for his future role as King. That has to come from his grandfather and father. By the time they are adults, the focus will be on George, Charlotte and future siblings not middle age Harry.


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[Osipi]

I very much disagree. I don't think Harry will be a full-time royal for another 25 years or so. I think Harry and George will become full-timers at around the same time, thus George will be his father's heir and "right hand man". Who do you think the press will be more interested in, a 28 year old future King or a 57 year old brother of a King? It's unfortunate for Harry and his wife that they were born during a time with too many royals, and the modern desire to only have a moderate-sized royal firm. They will get lost in the cracks so to speak. But they will have more opportunity to shine than the York Princesses, so that's something.

I, also, think its very possible that Harry will not be a full time working royal for the "Firm" until it becomes quite necessary that he does. As we've seen time and time again, Harry out and among the crowds no matter where he is, he generates warmth, charm and charisma and I don't think this is going to fade with age or marriage. I just think he will be the 'go to" guy for attending charity functions for the Royal Foundation and all that encompasses as W&K will most likely have other responsibilities to attend to for the most part. I don't see his popularity waning either and the future Duke and Duchess of X are going to be a much watched couple even as they age and their children followed much like Beatrice and Eugenie are today.

Even though Harry has left the military, I don't think we'll see the military leaving the man for a very long time if ever. I think a lot Harry's focus in the future will be military related especially in the wounded and sick service personnel department for the rest of his life. Depending on the woman he marries and what her interests are, I think she'll be given the freedom to adapt and adjust to royal life just as Kate was and find her own niche to where her interests lie.

 

[miss whirley]

If you think the ageist British press will show 51-year old Harry the same interest and enthusiasm that he gets now then you are quite the optimist! Over the next ten years Harry will be at the height of his popularity, after that it will be all downhill. If he avoids scandals and idleness, he won’t be the next punching bag like the once extremely popular and charismatic Princess Margaret and Prince Andrew. He’ll instead be ignored like the very charming Princess Alexandra, who was quite the star in her day.

His wife won’t fare much better unless he pulls a Prince Albert of Monaco and marries a young beautiful woman while he’s in his 50’s and just entering the full-time royal fold. Then she has a chance to be a star. The British Press loves nothing more than an attractive, young women they can stalk, over-analyze, and dehumanize. With her husband being a full-time royal they’ll have full access to her.

 

[cepe]

that last piece about a young female royal is sadly true.

But a young wife wont have to fill that role - Princess Charlotte has that chance.

Unless the world turns on its axis and we all become reasonable, even tempered and charitable human beings, the UK press will continue to be the animal it currently is.

So much as it would be appropriate for a royal woman to continue to work once she works the BRF, it wont happen. There is no half way house, although William is trying to forge that at the moment (and how many of you complain about that!). The only hope is if they do charitable work but that means the charity has to be 100% beyond reproach. and that includes not asking "friends" for help - all accounted for.

Frankly Id pack up and go home. The press would have a story and Id have a bit of a life (not all of a life because the press would track me forever)

 

[miss whirley]

that last piece about a young female royal is sadly true.

But a young wife wont have to fill that role - Princess Charlotte has that chance.

Unless the world turns on its axis and we all become reasonable, even tempered and charitable human beings, the UK press will continue to be the animal it currently is.

So much as it would be appropriate for a royal woman to continue to work once she works the BRF, it wont happen. There is no half way house, although William is trying to forge that at the moment (and how many of you complain about that!). The only hope is if they do charitable work but that means the charity has to be 100% beyond reproach. and that includes not asking "friends" for help - all accounted for.

Frankly Id pack up and go home. The press would have a story and Id have a bit of a life (not all of a life because the press would track me forever)

That's assuming Charlotte meets their beauty criteria. If not, she will be given Duchess of "Pork" and Princess Beatrice treatment. They will play her against Harry's very beautiful and young wife in this scenario.

 

[Pranter]

I think Harry will shift into more of a full time royal role after Charles becomes King. Charlotte and George (and any other siblings) won't be doing that for another 20 or 30 years.


LaRae

 

[miss whirley]

Interesting. Right now there is 12 full-time royals, and 4 part-time royals if you count Tim, 5 when/if Harry marries. That is a lot of royals. I think Charles and the government would like to see about 8 during his reign though they won’t force anyone to retire, and William and Catherine will be promoted long before Harry. I have trouble imagining 8 or more royals dying over the next 10 years to free up space for Harry unless there’s some sort of tragedy like a balcony collapse during Trooping. There isn’t room for Harry. If we assume all the royals live to around their mid-80’s, or in some cases longer, Harry and his wife won’t be needed until William’s reign.

 

[Curryong]

If Charles intends, as it seems he does, for his own family to be in the limelight in the next reign then that will include his sons and daughter in law(s). We saw the order on the Jubilee barge and Jubilee balcony appearances. Palmer was told by the Palace contacts only very recently that the Royal family is going to be streamlined and it's not known whether Charles's siblings will continue to work full time for 'the Firm'.

Harry will be needed when Charles will become King and will continue to be needed into William's reign. The elderly cousins of the Queen will be pensioned off I think in the next few years. We don't know what Charles's plans are for his siblings' futures in the Royal family, but the idea that he will allow them to shine at the centre of the Royal family at the expense of his own son will not be happening in my view.

It certainly won't be the case that Harry will be warehoused as a full time Royal until his nephew George becomes full time as well. How do we know when that will be? If George follows his father's path he may be in his mid 30's before that happens. Charlotte may not wish to take on Royal duties, may have a career that she loves, might marry early and have several children, we don't know what's going to happen.

I've always said that I can't see Harry's wife working in private business in Britain. There are too many imponderables, bosses wanting doors opened for the firm, press intrusion, problems with security, possible promotions, etc etc.

If she was an actress or dancer she would have to retire. Too many snide remarks about "HRH got this role/part because...." The BRF would regard such a career as problematic as well. Plus she will be needed in the new streamlined Royal family, as would any business woman. Things have progressed in the BRF but not to the extent of the King's daughter in law working in private enterprise. The woman concerned will make that decision when she marries, and really, Royal life is what the person makes of it.

 

[camelot23ca]

that last piece about a young female royal is sadly true.

But a young wife wont have to fill that role - Princess Charlotte has that chance.

Unless the world turns on its axis and we all become reasonable, even tempered and charitable human beings, the UK press will continue to be the animal it currently is.

So much as it would be appropriate for a royal woman to continue to work once she works the BRF, it wont happen. There is no half way house, although William is trying to forge that at the moment (and how many of you complain about that!). The only hope is if they do charitable work but that means the charity has to be 100% beyond reproach. and that includes not asking "friends" for help - all accounted for.

Frankly Id pack up and go home. The press would have a story and Id have a bit of a life (not all of a life because the press would track me forever)

I agree that it will continue to be practically impossible for someone who marries in to the core royal family to carry on with their career. Sadly, this is especially true for the women.

That is, unless the woman's career happens to be the 0.1% of careers that would be the perfect match for royal life - director of a non profit or an especially feel good charity might cut it, but even then the finance side of things would need to be immaculate; heaven forbid the non profit's accountants miscalculated their taxes or they employed someone who turned out to be unsavoury in any way!

 

[Skippyboo]

Even as director of a charity, the Royal spouse could be accused of trading access for monetary donations. Anything that requires money for services such as PR, event planning, private law, etc would probably be out. The military would be a okay profession.


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[Curryong]

Well, I believe that Harry won't be warehoused and, along with William and Kate, he will be a full time Royal in his father's reign, and in the Queen's last years his duties will be increased. (As for Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent, both have had serious health problems in recent years, so it's not me suggesting jettisoning them, but may be themselves retiring.)

We'll see who is correct. You have your opinion and I have mine and I won't be changing my mind!

And yes, I distinctly remember Andrew when young, and I can remember Margaret as a young and single woman. I've been a Royal watcher for a very long time, both in Britain and Australia. I'll just observe too, that Charles has had only two children to bring into Royal life. The Queen had four, and that makes a great difference.

Anyway, this is not the thread to debate this, as this is about Royal spouses' careers. There are threads devoted to Charles's reign. I don't believe that Harry's wife will be allowed to have a full time private career, as she will be needed in the BRF and have posted on that.

 

[miss whirley]

Well, I believe that Harry won't be warehoused and, along with William and Kate, he will be a full time Royal in his father's reign, and in the Queen's last years his duties will be increased. (As for Princess Alexandra and the Duke of Kent, both have had serious health problems in recent years, so it's not me suggesting jettisoning them, but may be themselves retiring.)

We'll see who is correct. You have your opinion and I have mine and I won't be changing my mind!

And yes, I distinctly remember Andrew when young, and I can remember Margaret as a young and single woman. I've been a Royal watcher for a very long time, both in Britain and Australia. I'll just observe too, that Charles has had only two children to bring into Royal life. The Queen had four, and that makes a great difference.

Anyway, this is not the thread to debate this, as this is about Royal spouses' careers. There are threads devoted to Charles's reign. I don't believe that Harry's wife will be allowed to have a full time private career, as she will be needed in the BRF and have posted on that.

It doesn't make a difference when Charles' siblings will be living longer than earlier generations. Hence, the overflow of royals. When William is King, Anne-Andrew-Edward-Sophie, will likely still be doing duties. Sophie is closer in age to Catherine than she is to Camilla. Remember that press story that says Lady Louise calls William her "uncle" even though he's her cousin. That says a lot.

I think this topic is very relevant to Harry's wife's career. If she isn't needed by the firm as a full-time royal then of course she will have more opportunity to have a career. The topics go hand in hand. That's like saying debating the Queen's health isn't relevant to when Charles could become King.

I also won't be changing my mind.

 

[Curryong]

We don't know when William will come to the throne, just as we don't know how long Charles's siblings will live.

We were swinging way away in this debate from anything to do with Harry's future wife's career. If Harry's going to be such a minor Royal according to you, then why are we all debating whether Harry's wife has a possible career in business etc? You've made up your mind both he and she will be minor royals, (in spite of Harry being a king's son and another King's sole brother) working away from the BRF, so probably the thread should be closed!

 

[miss whirley]

We don't know when William will come to the throne, just as we don't know how long Charles's siblings will live.

We were swinging way away in this debate from anything to do with Harry's future wife's career. If Harry's going to be such a minor Royal according to you then why are we all debating the possible career of Harry's future wife. You've made up your mind both he and she will be working away from the BRF, so probably the thread should be closed!

The thread is named "Could the princes' future wives continue working?'. If Harry and his wife aren't needed by the firm for another 20-25 years, then why can't his wife continue working? That's like saying to Beatrice and Eugenie, "ladies, the firm doesn't need you, at least not for a very long time, but you can't continue working your private-sector jobs, either!". That would be silly.
If Harry's wife wants to work - let her, if she wants to be a stay-at-home mom - let her, if she wants to be a socialite - let her. You're right that I've already decided she "can" work if she wants too. The bigger question for me is,"will" she?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

In the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg there are plenty of HI&RH's, HRH's, HH's and HSH's who have to earn their own money. In former monarchies as France, Germany and Italy, there are a plenty of HI&RH's, HRH's, HH's and HSH's who have to earn their own money as well. So the answer on the question will be: yes, future spouses to royals can earn their own money.

Also in the UK we have seen this: see Sir Angus Ogilvy, the spouse of HRH Princess Alexandra who was a businessman. We have seen the Earl of Snowdon, the spouse of HRH The Princess Margaret, who was (and is) a professional photographer, and architectural designer and even an inventor (owning patents). We have seen it with HRH Princess Michael of Kent who is an author and an interior designer. The Earl of Harewood, spouse of HRH The Princess Mary, The Princess Royal was -beside exploiting his large estate- also an entrepreneur, investor and local councillor. HRH The Prince George, The Duke of Kent worked as a civil servant at the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

The idea that Princes and Princesses do nothing and that money automatically grows upon them is just a myth.

 

[Curryong]

The vast number of the people you pointed to, Duc, were males who married royal women who were not in near direct line to the succession in the BRF. I know that Kings sons and grandsons like the Duke of Kent and William of Gloucester had careers. So have William and Harry.

We have already discussed, however, with the British tabloid press the way it is, and the way the public views senior members of the Royal family, how very difficult it would be for the married-in wife of a senior Royal to make a living in the private sector. Sophie was a perfect example. The attitude towards this sort of employment for the wives of senior royals is not the same in Britain as it is in continental Europe. That may be regrettable, but it just isn't.