Prince Andrew, Duke of York Current Events 7: Feb 2015 - Sep 2022

[JessRulz]

Arms of The Duke of York​

Welcome to The Duke of York's
Current Events, Part 7

Commencing February 11, 2015​

The previous thread can be found here
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[Dman]

Royal Central @RoyalCentral · 20m 20 minutes ago
The Duke of York will attend the World Innovation Summit in Qatar next week.

 

[Rudolph]

Qatar gets two British royals in five days

 

[Mermaid1962]

Yes, interesting. I wonder whether the plans were make without each prince's office being aware of the visit of the other one? Given the way communication is between the different offices, I'd expect not.

 

[Dman]

Queen makes Prince Andrew a vice-admiral:
The Duke of York has been promoted to the rank of vice-admiral, according to the latest Royal Navy appointments published in the London Gazette. The notice stated: “Her Majesty The Queen has graciously agreed that: Rear Admiral His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG GCVO ADC be promoted Vice Admiral with effect from 19 February 2015.”
Queen makes Prince Andrew a vice-admiral | The Times

 

[royal rob]

Queen makes Prince Andrew a vice-admiral:
The Duke of York has been promoted to the rank of vice-admiral, according to the latest Royal Navy appointments published in the London Gazette. The notice stated: “Her Majesty The Queen has graciously agreed that: Rear Admiral His Royal Highness The Duke of York KG GCVO ADC be promoted Vice Admiral with effect from 19 February 2015.”
Queen makes Prince Andrew a vice-admiral | The Times

Ok I know I will be told that this fair etc. but really vice admiral for what ? Is he still in the Navy ? It's this type of thing that makes the average person angry ..as always IMO


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[Rudolph]

Its for his birthday. Andrew turns 55 on the 19th

 

[Roslyn]

Oh.My.Goodness! Is this for real?

People have been predicting we would see some sort of "reward" dished out by his mummy to show her support for her favourite little boy after the latest Epstein-related scandal, and they haven't been disappointed. If this is truly a coincidence, I find it hugely amusing. First he's circulating cute family snaps on the social media, and now this. The timing is priceless!

 

[cepe]

Ok I know I will be told that this fair etc. but really vice admiral for what ? Is he still in the Navy ? It's this type of thing that makes the average person angry ..as always IMO


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ALL members of the Royal family hold these sort of honorary ranks - few examples

Princess Royal:
Admiral and Chief Commandant for Women in the Royal Navy
Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Lyneham
(never served in any of the military, by the way)

Countess of Wessex
Royal Colonel of the 5th Battalion The Rifles

Earl of Wessex
2003: Royal Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry
2006: Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
2007: Royal Colonel of 2nd Battalion, The Rifles
2008: Honorary Air Commodore of Royal Air Force Waddington
2011: Royal Honorary Colonel of the London Regimen

And if you are angry - then direct it at HMQ - she hands these out.

 

[royal rob]

Its for his birthday. Andrew turns 55 on the 19th

Oh ha ha. What would you like for your birthday ? Oh a vice admiral would be nice .
It might be what has happen for a few hundred years but I can't stand to see royals standing with a row of medals unless they are active in the forces now


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[Iluvbertie]

Andrew is still a serving officer but not on active duty anymore. That is the same for Charles and Philip - they never left the 'lists' but simply stopped being 'active' and thus available to be sent on military activities. William is also no longer active but is still a serving officer - while Harry is still active.


The Queen has often given family members awards like this for birthdays etc. What do you give someone who basically has everything? You can give them a promotion. Remember she made Philip 'Lord High Admiral' for his 90th birthday.

 

[royal rob]

A promotion for doing nothing if Charles does makes changes when he becomes king I hope this is one of them.
In my mind it's an insult to the ones that are risking their life's and getting life time disabilities IMO


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[Roslyn]

A promotion for doing nothing if Charles does makes changes when he becomes king I hope this is one of them.
In my mind it's an insult to the ones that are risking their life's and getting life time disabilities IMO

I agree. This might have been seen as just fine in the past but I think that today most people don't think the Royals should get promotions for doing nothing, years after ceasing active service. Do other retired officers get promotions? I don't think so. I hope Charles puts an end to it.

The honorary appointments are a different thing; they are more like a patronage and they serve a purpose.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Charles won't be putting an end to it as he knows that his next promotion, in all likelihood will be to Commander-in-Chief.


He will also likely have to promote Harry past about Colonel or Major as I can't see Harry making General on his own merits and of course Charles will also need to promote William from his current rank of Colonel (he left the army at Lt or Capt but is now Colonel - as he was at the time of his wedding of course).

 

[Roslyn]

In respect of Charles, am prepared to concede that the UK monarch should be Commander-in-Chief since it sort of goes along with being Head of State. But otherwise I think this system stinks. It shouldn't surprise me though, because historically commissions could be bought; this is just an extension of that system.

If Harry can't manage to scratch up the points to be made a General on his own merits, why should he be made one? Why is William a Colonel when he left the army at a much lower rank? He did nothing to earn it. These are rhetorical questions; I'm not really seeking answers.

I shouldn't allow myself to get so worked up about this, but why should these people get this special treatment and these promotions and hifalutin titles when they have done nothing to deserve them other than be born to the right parents.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The beauty of having an hereditary system is that people get titles etc for simply being born of the right parents while the rest of us have to earn this titles.


A sound reason for a republic where merit is the only way to earn a title/rank etc. but in a monarchy the monarch can issue any titles/ranks etc or people can inherit them regardless of their qualifications to actually do the associated work.

 

[cepe]

Am I missing a point here? These are Honorary ranks and speaking as someone with links to the military, they like having royal honorary Colonel/Admiral/Air Commodores etc.

As for medals (of topic but in response to a comment) my husband has some including 3 he calls "routi-gongs" - stuff you just get for being there long enough or for a special event, ie jubilee. That's what the royals get. They dont get active service medals unless they have been in it - and that only applies to Philip, Andrew and Harry.

EDIT: Last comment may also apply to Duke of Kent

 

[Mirabel]

Oh.My.Goodness! Is this for real?

People have been predicting we would see some sort of "reward" dished out by his mummy to show her support for her favourite little boy after the latest Epstein-related scandal, and they haven't been disappointed. If this is truly a coincidence, I find it hugely amusing. First he's circulating cute family snaps on the social media, and now this. The timing is priceless!

The timing is unfortunate, to say the least.
It does seem that, whenever Andrew makes a misstep, the Queen comes up with some mark of favor.
I understand it, he is her son, but the timing is not good. Andrew should lie low until the Epstein scandal abates.

This sort of thing angers the public and looks bad for the RF.

 

[Roslyn]

Am I missing a point here? These are Honorary ranks and speaking as someone with links to the military, they like having royal honorary Colonel/Admiral/Air Commodores etc.

I see a big difference between the Honorary ranks and the promotions the Queen's sons, etc., get just because of who they are. I thought I'd made that clear in an earlier post but perhaps I edited it out by mistake.

I fully understand why servicemen would like having the Royal Honorary Colonels, etc. and I think it's a good idea. But the lines are blurred when one of the sons is in the military to start with. The objectional element enters when they retire with their earned rank but are later given higher ranks they haven't earned. The fact these are Honorary ranks is conveniently overlooked in those circumstances and they strut about wearing all their extra braid as though they are perfectly entitled to it, and I wouldn't be surprised if they think they are.

 

[royal rob]

In respect of Charles, am prepared to concede that the UK monarch should be Commander-in-Chief since it sort of goes along with being Head of State. But otherwise I think this system stinks. It shouldn't surprise me though, because historically commissions could be bought; this is just an extension of that system.

If Harry can't manage to scratch up the points to be made a General on his own merits, why should he be made one? Why is William a Colonel when he left the army at a much lower rank? He did nothing to earn it. These are rhetorical questions; I'm not really seeking answers.

I shouldn't allow myself to get so worked up about this, but why should these people get this special treatment and these promotions and hifalutin titles when they have done nothing to deserve them other than be born to the right parents.

I agree and I'm trying to not get angry about it as well. I know it's what happens so maybe it's the timing or maybe lately I'm seeing things in a different light. But I think it's just wrong, very wrong.
Not that the Queen gives a dam what I or anyone else thinks, and maybe that's why I'm so angry.


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[Roslyn]

I agree and I'm trying to not get angry about it as well. I know it's what happens so maybe it's the timing or maybe lately I'm seeing things in a different light. But I think it's just wrong, very wrong.
Not that the Queen gives a dam what I or anyone else thinks, and maybe that's why I'm so angry.

Though she's wearing another of her hats as she merrily promotes her son, that's our Queen, and our Head of State doing this.

 

[sndral]

I've been expecting Andrew's mommy to give him a new honor just like she did last time he was in hot water back in 2011 when she made him a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
This turning a blind eye to Andrew's many transgressions makes me admire Queen Mary even more, I'm sure she loved her son David, but she chose to support her second son when David refused to put duty before personal gratification.

 

[Iluvbertie]

In 2011 The Queen also gave the same award to Edward and he hadn't done anything outrageous. I suspect that The Queen had planned these awards in advance and decided to ignore other events and go ahead anyway. She knows that Charles won't be giving her younger sons any more gongs so she is going to give them all she can in the time she has left.

 

[Curryong]

I've been expecting Andrew's mommy to give him a new honor just like she did last time he was in hot water back in 2011 when she made him a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
This turning a blind eye to Andrew's many transgressions makes me admire Queen Mary even more, I'm sure she loved her son David, but she chose to support her second son when David refused to put duty before personal gratification.

I thoroughly agree, Sndral. For Queen Mary duty to one's country came before everything. This is the worst possible timing and as an Australian monarchist I am in despair over this move. Could'nt the Queen's advisers have suggested a postponement?

 

[Dman]

It's no surprise Andrew has received a promotion like this. I wonder how people are going to act when The Queen gives the Duchess if Cambridge some honorary military appointments?

 

[royal rob]

I thoroughly agree, Sndral. For Queen Mary duty to one's country came before everything. This is the worst possible timing and as an Australian monarchist I am in despair over this move. Could'nt the Queen's advisers have suggested a postponement?

I'm feeling the same I can't defend this to my friends that want a republic because it's just so very wrong
I wonder if anyone did advise a postponement and it wasn't listen too



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I can still only see in the times any chance they could be wrong ?


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[ROYAL NORWAY]

I agree that this was not the right time, but calm down.

From The Times.
A royal source said it was a standard Ministry of Defence promotion that related to the rank the duke would have reached had he stayed in the navy.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “This was approved by the Queen in line with long-standing convention covering military promotions for members of the royal family.”

The duke, who served in the Falklands War as a helicopter pilot, left the Royal Navy in 2001. Since the allegations about him — which he strongly denies — surfaced in the US, he has continued his work with training, technology and entrepreneurship.

 

[Lumutqueen]

People will use anything to have a go.

 

[royal rob]

People will use anything to have a go.

Not sure what this means


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Well twitter is going off about this some are very funny all very interesting


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Dickie Arbiter
So The Duke of York is now a Vice-Admiral. His brother in law Tim Laurence became one on merit working his way up through the ranks


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[muriel]

Qatar gets two British royals in five days

Yes, interesting. I wonder whether the plans were make without each prince's office being aware of the visit of the other one? Given the way communication is between the different offices, I'd expect not.

Indeed there will be 2 BRF visits in two weeks, but the purpose and scope of the two visits are very different. Andrew is visiting for a specific event. Prince Charles' trip, at the behest of the government, is really, IMO, about engaging select M-E governments in this time of change. He made a very similar trip around 2 years ago once there was regime change in Qatar as well.