Last weekend, the British papers had several stories about how the Boris Johnson government was using the Royal Family as props to discourage Scottish independence. Scotland has already had one referendum vote on Scottish independence and it didn’t pass, although it was closer than the Windsors and Tories would have liked. Since then, the independence movement has gotten stronger and more popular, and it’s likely that another referendum vote will be held next year or 2023, at least that’s what Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says and wants. So the Windsors have been happy to be used by the Tory government and people are blatantly talking about how Prince William and Kate’s Scottish mini-tour was supposed to be part of the larger royal “charm offensive” to show Scotland that they should stay in the UK.
The problem, as always, is that William is an idiot and the royal family is pretty stupid too. On the last day of Will and Kate’s Scottish mini-tour, the media outside Holyroodhouse Palace (the official royal residence in Edinburgh) noticed a curious visitor: former prime minister Gordon Brown, who has launched an anti-independence movement in Scotland.
The Duke of Cambridge and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown reportedly hosted a ‘secret meeting’ at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh where they reportedly discussed Scottish Independence. Gordon Brown has been open about his views on Scottish Independence and recently announced that he has launched a campaigning movement to ‘save the union’
Channel Four news reports how Kensington Palace confirmed to them that the meeting today took place and that the Duke of Cambridge was “listening to community views on the issue of independence.”
An SNP source also reportedly told the channel that “The Duke’s secret meeting with Gordon Brown would appear to be evidence of coordination between the unionist campaign and the Royal Family.”
It is unclear at this point exactly what was discussed in the ‘secret meeting.’
Chanel four reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy has also made claims on social media that Royal officials ‘tried to stop the news channel from airing footage from outside Holyrood Palace’ filmed while they were investigating the ‘secret meet up.’
The journalist claimed on Twitter: “Gordon Brown, who’s just launched a campaign to save the Union, just had unpublicised meeting with Prince William. Only politician save Nicola Sturgeon met on Royal visit to Scotland. So sensitive #C4News prevented from airing footage shot from outside palace gates!
“Kensington Palace have said we were stopped from airing the footage we filmed of Mr Brown in the grounds of Holyrood Palace – not because of sensitivities – but because they claim #C4News was trespassing. Our team were in public place outside gates.”
Just so we’re clear, the timeline was: reporters notice that Gordon Brown was driven into Holyroodhouse Palace and they got footage of it, which they began to air with the story that Brown was likely meeting with Prince William. Kensington Palace then tried to shut down the media by claiming that the footage was illegal (it was not). Then KP confirmed the meeting and tried to put a bow on it by adding the meeting (after the fact) to the Court Circular.
It should also be noted that this was not William going off and doing something stupid on his own. William does not have the clearance to do something like this without authorization from his family, from the courtiers and likely from the Johnson government too. My guess is that Downing Street suggested it to Buckingham Palace and BP was happy to politicize Billingham the Dull. And that’s exactly what this is: royals wading into politics, and royals happily being used as anti-democratic props for a right-wing government.
Kensington Palace have said we were stopped from airing the footage we filmed of Mr Brown in the grounds of Holyrood Palace – not because of sensitivities – but because they claim #C4News was trespassing. Our team were in public place outside gates.
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) May 27, 2021
Prince William met secretly with Gordon Brown at Holyrood Palace today to discuss Scottish independence. In what would be a clear breach of their political neutrality, Royals seem to be working with the unionist No campaign. #C4News were asked not to broadcast photos of meeting. pic.twitter.com/6jqX4p109X
— Phantom Power (@PhantomPower14) May 27, 2021
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
I don’t know whether to applaud you or shout at you for your photo choice.
It’s his best look!
always sublime!
Dying at the header photo choice.
Don’t strain, Wills, it’s not healthy.
Showing his true self, I’m afraid
This is what you get when you send a boy to do a man’s job. The family spent so much time hiding his flaws and throwing his brother under the bus, he never really got the chance to develop the strength of character and work ethic required for his role. That’s why everything he touches always turns to dust.
That photo haha yikes
I laughed out loud as soon as I saw the header pic and my kid wanted to know what was up.
Very elegant.
I came here to laugh, top pic is too funny. She is ruthless with photo choices and I love it.
If they can’t be politically neutral, then what even is the point of them? You might as well have a president!
They have always been political:the queen has been outed for meddling with certains laws to hide her wealth,she was also named in the Panama papers,Jersey…and Chuck was known for his spider letters or writing when he was writing to govt members to influence them about environement and other ,Bea was seen partying at Tory headquarters when they won…I just don’t believe they are apolitical
I don’t believe they are either, but they’re meant to be – it’s part of the point. If they can’t even manage that one requirement in return for their ludicrous privilege and wealth then they might as well eff off and become private citizens.
The environmental thing I can’t complain about. I wish we had more people on board with it (although given his multiple castles it’s a little rules for thee but not for me).
Edward said thank god the Tories got in
They’ve never been politically neutral and it shows. I’m just happy this tour has blown up in his face. The RF must be under a Ms Celie type of anti Midas curse. Everything Baldilocks touches turns to dust.
I dunno – I’m completely anti-monarchy, but I see this as part and parcel of the monarchy’s role actually. They stand for the United Kingdom – of course they’d be anti Scottish independence, and they’re meeting with a former PM not a current one.
Any Scottish peeps on here? Can you weigh in?
I have family in the UK & Scotland and they seem to be on the fence about another Referendum. Some are for independence mainly the younger generation and many are against.
Honestly, this enrages me. The primary driver of the increase in support for independence is the Tory government and its members’ callous disregard for just about everything outside enriching themselves and their mates at the country’s expense, and holding up an antiquated social order and class system that only benefits them. I’ve long thought the monarchy should be abolished and while I’m not pro-independence for its own sake, and I vote Green rather than SNP, I definitely do not want to be part of a country that sees the royal family as untouchable and the Boris Johnson government with all its racism, sexism, ignorance, incompetence and downright nastiness as a good thing. If we weren’t seemingly stuck with the Tories forever (thanks Labour!), I wouldn’t be pro-independence, but I can’t really see any other way out. And the idea that William is weighing in on these issues behind the scenes with what I doubt is any sense of tact or restraint or even cursory knowledge is just sickening.
I’ll just add: I do think there needs to be another referendum and fairly soon. Things have changed hugely since the first one, and the fixation on Yes/No is poisoning public and political discourse, so another referendum and then whatever the answer, that’s it. Over and done with.
Thanks Jane for your explanation ..but why do you think England love so much the tories and are so apathetic about their politics?
Brielle, factually speaking there is no majority for the Tories in England… unfortunately the opposition to the Tories is fragmented and disunited, they cannot form a coalition to oppose them.
British general elections are based on the ‘Fist Past The Post’ system, meaning the constituencies go to the person with more votes: so if 40% votes for a Tory but the remaining 60% is split in 3 other candidates, Tories win the constituency and the MP (Member of Parliament) elected will be the ‘winner’. The other votes get chucked out. There is no proportional representation at UK general election level, only Scotland has it for their own Parliament.
So imagine a big chunk of new Tory-voting English people are also Brexiteers, which more or less are like Trumpsters, I.e. they are part of a cult, and you understand why many Scots want to be rid of the antiquated election system propping Westminster up and the Trumpster-like fan base who voted for Brexit and now the Tories.
As a Scot living in Glasgow, from Edinburgh, I am all for independence. In 2014 I voted yes, but I wasn’t completely certain, this time I am actively participating in the yes campaign. The ignorance and contempt the Westminster Government shows to the Scottish people is offensive at best.
Another question for Scottish peeps. Is Brexit strengthening the move for independence at all? From the way some papers report on it, Brexit has done wonders for the UK, but I thought Scotland wanted to remain in the EU if I’m not mistaken. How is everything going?
JT, I live in northern England, in what is called the Red Wall (core voting base for Labour, whose colour is red) now turned Tory because they got ‘Brexit done’, which is an oxymoron as it only achieved ruin for farmers and fishermen, who…. are mainly those who voted for Brexit and the Tories. You couldn’t make some of this stuff up.
Brexit is a longterm economical disaster and officially nothing negative gets reported in the media (hence you don’t see it publicised as it’s against Tory propaganda) but I personally know several people who are, or about to be, ruined by Brexit.
The fact this stuff isn’t reported has more to do with lack of press freedom rather than Brexit being a success. Take into account that some of the Brexit effects were hidden by the pandemic effect on the finances of the UK.
@alpine what is going on with the local community papers? Like I know the big tabloids are what sell the most and also is unfortunately what the BBC, ITV, and news programs seem to use to report on, but aren’t local papers in addition to the Guardian and Independent also responsible for reporting this info? Have they not been doing this, or have they been doing it but people just don’t engage with them so few people know how bad Brexit is bc of this ?
@Alpine Thank you for your explanation. The press over there is insane. I can’t believe that the Brexit aftermath isn’t being reported. That’s the actual news.
Please do continue to share the local perspective with us here on CB.
For the political junkies here: the 2014 vote was the first time 16 year olds were allowed to vote, there was a 900-odd page Referendum document available to to public to sketch out issues issues like currency, EU membership, North Sea oil and armed forces (fun fact: that is 900-some odd pages more that the Brexit referendum had available!) and the vote was sorta close, not a landslide, more like the Brexit vote.
You just had your own country swayed by nativism into leaving the largest single market in the world and losing the freedom of movement – and Scotland now has the the Golden Ticket to get back in? And you send in Prince William and Catherine? And Gordon Brown who, sorry, but I really assumed was no longer with us.
I think Brexit has done wonders for EU countries, providing wealth and jobs because companies are moving to the mainland.
I heard from Sheffield family there are market shortages and long lines. Is that true?
The tv show Outlander makes me one for Scottish Independence and I’m not even Scottish. I never realized that Scotland had such a uniquely it’s own identity before The British just came in and forced them into it.
When Henry VII had his eldest daughter Margaret marry the Scottish king James IV of the house of Stuart in 1503, some courtiers raised objections. If the male line died out, Margaret or her Scottish descendents would rule England.
He told them not to worry, as England, being the more powerful country, would dominate anyway.
A century later, after the death of Elizabeth I in 1603, this indeed came to pass. Margaret’s great-grandson James VI of Scotland became James I of England as well. It still wasn’t one kingdom, as they were two kingdoms ruled by the same person from the Stuart line, but England quickly became the center of power, with royals spending the great majority of their time there. Just over another century later, the kingdoms were officially united under Queen Anne, the great-granddaughter of James VI.
And Henry VII had been right in his prediction: England was dominating and dictating.
Im an EU citizen living in Edinburgh, early 30s and will most likely vote no, but I will wait until I can go over the new white paper. While I do think that leaving the EU was a mistake I dont think joining it again as Scotland can fix that. What’s done is donw, we just have to find the best way forward.
Kaiser, I’m at work and I really didn’t need this picture popping up. I’m pretending to be all professional and important and that picture of Baldingham made me spit my tea across my work desktop screen. LMAO
I LOVE that they are being called out for this ‘breach of political neutrality’ and by the incompetents in the team who didn’t find a better way of keeping this secret than driving GB in in front of the press then trying to censor the footage.
Amateur hour.
Have they climbed back into the clown car for the return to London yet.
Tsk, tsk, how political of them. So I guess that sham of an excuse is exposed. I hope Scotland 🏴 goes for independence and a place in the European Union.
Tsk, tsk indeed. Yet they came down on Meghan for asking people to vote. What a bunch of BS. This is as political as it comes and I hope people begin to see the hypocrisy of it all.
Can you imagine if Meghan or Harry had anything to do with this? They would be calling for their heads!
@L84Tea, Meghan and Harry would be on the other side of the issue so of course they would be calling for their heads.
My first thought too!
I hope to have our Scottish friends back in Europe soon!
It’s so hypocritical and I think people realize that – this wasn’t an innocent meeting “oh let’s see how things are going.” this was a meeting that was not meant to be public knowledge and that was specifically to discuss Scotland staying part of the UK.
Although part of me laughs because…William is who you sent for this meeting? did you think this was a chance for him to use his spy training and be covert and secretive about it?
Lol, that’s probably how they talked him into it: you get to be a super-secret spy, ffk! It’ll be cool!
Me thinks William was a mere messenger, but as alwayshe was sloppy and got caught. I’m thinking they’re bribing this GB guy for his “no independence” campaign. There’s no way a Scotsman would sell out to the English if there was nothing in it for him.
Clearly he failed his spy training, because he had Gordon Brown come in through the front gates in the daytime.
Babs
For certain a bribe was offered.
@beaniebean well no one ever said he was a good spy, lol.
but its obvious that the meeting was not meant to be public knowledge because they didn’t want footage of him driving in to be aired and the RRs are scrambling to cover it up with a few different excuses at this point (he was just meeting with him the same as Nicola Sturgeon, he was meeting with him for their foundation – well which was it?) They obviously weren’t going to smuggle Gordon Brown in during the dead of night. But the shady behavior towards the press coverage, the lack of photo ops from this meeting, and the unclear reasons for the meeting – yeah KP was scrambling.
I know — why anyone would think WILLIAM is the right person to go to bat for any sort of political issue is beyond me. He doesn’t exactly strike you as intelligent, well-read and politically savvy.
Babsorig, Gordon Brown is a Scottish Labour politician who was UK’s Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, and he is hated big time in Scotland due to the ‘vow’ (Google that and you will understand). He is also considered a turncoat….
I don’t think he was bribed, he is trying to stay relevant and he is thirsty for publicity.
It’s also curious bc Gordon Brown wasn’t even invited to the royal wedding back in 2011, when he was also an ex Prime minister. The only reasons royals are now getting chummy with him are for their own self interest. Scotland being independent also will cost the queen millions
https://twitter.com/bigpatmcaleenan/status/1398140890443661314?s=21
As far as I am concerned, the Scots are very welcome to join us in the EU again.
Perhaps I’m being selfish, as I love that visit that wonderful country and like to do so without hassle.
LMFAO at that header photo. He looks like he’s about to launch across the table and rip that woman’s throat out.
This is his reaction with she was FLIRTING with him. 😆😆😆
I will say this again: royals being politically “neutral” is an utopia. It doesn’t exist because they are here to preform the governments agenda. And at the moment that is a tory government so automatically they take a political stance.
It’s not just a utopian ideal, it’s a flat out lie. Only Meghan and Harry are expected to remain utterly neutral no matter what. The rest cheerfully meddle in the day to day running of government, Old Brenda’s lawyers freely scrutinising upcoming bills to save her ‘embarrassment’, Charles black-spiders letters all over the shop, Wiglets pulls a serious face over early years (as if any serious change could occur without political will and structural reforms), PaedoAndy uses immunity to wriggle out of accountability, and the lot of them have consorted with the House of Saud at one point or another, even after Khasoggi.
They claim to be neutral but aren’t. They serve whatever and whoever is in their best interest so that they can keep their massively entitled positions and wealth.
One of the biggest lies (and there are quite a few) that’s put out about the BRF is that they’re “politically neutral”.
I would say “they’re not supposed to show preference for one political party over another” but it’s quite obvious (unless you choose not to see it) that the royals are Conservatives with a capital C.
They can’t be neutral because their existence is political. When they have control over whether laws that affect them come before parliament, or are negotiating with the government to get more money to fix Buckingham Palace, or are traveling to foreign countries and meeting with heads of state on behalf of the UK government – those things are all political. There’s no way around it.
Saying they werent political may help to ensure their survival, but its always been a lie.
@ Becks1, Yes!!! You can dress up a pig in all of the most fabulous fabrics and jewels, but in the end it’s still a pig!!
Brown is pretty unpopular in his own right – the comments pages on the Guardian are rarely complimentary about him – so to twin him with PWT, patented rage machine who is either in histrionic narcissist mode or looking as though the sky has fallen in, is pretty bloody stupid. Still, given all of Cummings’ recent revelations about Bloody Stupid Johnson and his amazing Media Machine, it’s par for the course with this government.
Well nobody said the RF or their handlers were intelligent and Gordon Brown plotted for years to get his boss’s job and when he did, he was crap at it. That family seems to form alliances with pretty daft people. The charm offensive was never going to work.
The royal rota has been sent out by KP to clean up this mess. They are all using the same talking points that William also met with Nicola Sturgeon who is pro-independence. The difference is she’s the First Minister and Brown holds no public office.
Exactly. Im no expert on scottish politics but why didn’t he meet with the leader of the opposition? Why meet with someone who holds no public office and who’s campaigning for remaining in the union?
Meeting with the First Minister isn’t political because she represents Scotland. There would be no non-political reason to meet with an opposition member. Maybe they thought it would be ok to meet with Brown because he’s now a civilian? But that would be splitting hairs and it clearly didn’t work.
Yeah, the RR’s are scrambling to cover up this meeting. The invisible contract in motion.
Chris Schitts was out here lying with his whole chest. But what’s new…
I was pretty shocked to read people’s reactions to boatwreck’s comments about this latest train wreck. People see and know far more than I thought about the RF and it seems they are pretty pissed off with them.
95% of the Roysl 🐀 are white English people, so of course they’re out in full force to defend a fellow Englishman.
I remember a certain journalist conjectured that Harry and Meghan were urging people not to vote for Trump and now the same journalist is currently straining his neck to explain why William met with a retired politician pushing the pro-Union agenda in Scotland. They have already admitted that the Queen is pushing for a charm offensive in Scotland, so why lie today about the reasons for this meeting?
I love when the rota rats tie themselves up in knots to explain away another of Baldy’s missteps. Every Thursday without fail, he just keeps tripping over his own shoelaces.
It’s also different in that his meeting with Sturgeon was published whereas he attempted to keep his meeting with Brown a secret. He was trying to hide a political meeting. That is a huge problem.
Which is why I don’t buy the meeting was for charity excuse. If it was then the RRs would have known about the meeting prior to it happening like all their other scheduled events. They came up with this charity thing at the last minute. And they never would have objected to the news channel airing the footage had the meeting solely been about charity.
They added the Brown meeting to the court circular after the news got out, but it originally wasn’t in there. Then the reporters were spinning it like it was always an official event, which is a lie. They always lie to protect the royals, just like Meghan said.
“The problem, as always, is that William is an idiot…” This says it all.
YUP! But the real problem is, he was told he was the smarter, more intellectual brother and he believed it,
All this talk about William being ready to be future king .. For god’s sake, the guy can’t even keep a secret meeting secret
He looks like a naked mole rat.
He looks like a Penis With Teeth, and the transformation is becoming more marked with every week. Never have I seen someone’s looks decline with such rapidity! Clearly the nastiness riddling his insides is writ large on that big-toothed mug of his. Hideous.
In another universe, where acquired social status doesn’t matter, Kate is positively giddy at the thought of dumping this ingrate.
I really do think the stress of Harry leaving is eroding him skin cell by skin cell. I think Will knows deep down he doesn’t want this job and he can’t handle this job, and Harry leaving foiled all of his plans of sitting back and coasting by. He looks really unwell to me, both physically and mentally.
Ok, that (and naked mole rat) made me laugh and reach for the brain bleach at the same time. I hate to be fair to him, but the BBC have a more pleasant version of that first photo. But I agree about his deterioration – he can’t help having those features or losing his hair or being dead behind the eyes, but it’s his expression that’s become hard and nasty.
Not just Harry leaving – Jason Knauf, Will’s partner in fun and games during the Harry and Meghan era, is also in the process of checking out. That’s a loss for Will of two significant people who, in addition to their previous involvement in his life, have the ability to walk away, while he is for all intents and purposes, trapped. And with Kate.
Much of Will’s life the past several years appears to have been centered around trying to control, and then sticking it, to Harry, with Jason’s assistance. Will probably doesn’t know what to do with himself at this point, and it’s showing.
Not only is Baldimort utterly useless and lazy, cc Keen Doucheness as well, but the topper photo could be used for anger management campaign or a campaign for abstaining people around the world!! My god, I need to clean my eyes with bleach!! Baldimort, you in trouble now….not only did the two of them commit crimes with their trash train tour, but they have certainly failed miserably at their charm tour!! Scotland will probably vote for independence solely based on their actions this year alone!!!
But I love that they were caught red handed, and may I add I am loving the big plate of karma too!!
A Scottish person on Twitter called him an Alopecian anal bead and I laughed so hard. 😂
@Chica, I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from busting out laughing at that! Oh Lord!! 😀
If anything, if I were Scottish, this would push me even harder for freedom.
: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEDOM!
That’s precisely what a lot of Scots are saying on Twitter.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if this, along with the covid choo choo tour, were one of the factors towards achieving independence for Scotland? I know they have other, very serious issues to contend with, but it seems like the royals are always running roughshod through their business. And literally during Scotland’s lockdown. William actively working with Brown, with Tory approval, is just so damn awful. What a way to end the charm offensive.
It’s just such an insult to have Willy speak on this subject. It’s salt on a wound.
It’s almost as if Miss Karma has it in for him. A barely tolerated tour imposed on the poor Scots blowing up in his face. My only worry is that the press will dig up some non-story on the Sussexes to cover up this farce.
It’s such a rich, white, colonizer, RF thing to do to be like “well we could try to get the independence people on our side and try to get them to change their minds but instead we’ll just attempt to ride roughshod all over them, silencing them, intimidating them, meeting secretly behind the scenes with their opponents in order to crush them! They will BE FORCED to stay whether it’s what they want or not!” Just Ugh. They, or at least Kate, were getting quite a lot of sympathetic coverage, even on here people were like “oh poor Kate, she’s really putting the effort in, she’s really working hard at this, doing her job by smiling and looking interested!” But now all that previous “work” they did is seen as slimy and gross and just a coverup for coming to Scotland to meet with Brown secretly so they can force England and the RF’s will on the Scottish people. “Mwahaha, we didn’t ACTUALLY like beach yachting and fish and chips, it was just all part of our dastardly plan, you stupid peasants!” Thanks, Will, you blew it. However many hundreds of thousands of pounds spent by the Scotts for your tour and however many thousands of taxpayer pounds spent on Kate’s new wardrobe to bribe her to come here was all for nothing. Now everyone is mad that THEY had to pay out of their pockets for you to come here as an “apolitical symbol” and meddle and plot in a Machiavellian way in THEIR politics for your benefit.
I love how you say it, because that’s what it is, right? ‘anti-democratic props’. they want to hold their position because why shouldn’t one arm of the government maintain control through bloodlines rather than the choice of the people.
I just knew they would add this to the Court circular to give that meeting legitimacy. Maybe they should have been more careful with their shady meetings and not told the media they were trespassing in a public place.
Mess.
People on Twitter were defending it because of it being on the court circular. But it was for sure added to the court after the meeting? Is there a screenshot? Sorry, it’s confusing. I think it’s just the RR twisting things that’s getting me confused.
It was added after the meeting, which is typical of the CC, it records their past engagements, but I can’t tell if it was added after the outcry over the meeting or not.
Hmm thx becks1, was trying to figure it out if they technically had plausible deniability, which I guess they do. But obv 2 and 2 makes something even if the rota will deny deny deny.
I saw a lot of Cambridge fans on Twitter saying “Oh this was just foundation stuff nothing to see here” but if it was, why hide the footage? Why ban an entire channel from using it? Why not let them air a 10 second clip or so if there’s nothing to hide? It could have well been foundation stuff but the secrecy is not exactly helping, is it?
And I know people are tired of the Sussex comparisons, but if they had a secret meeting with an ex PM and then banned an entire channel from airing said footage of the meeting, the same rota reporters defending the Cambridges would be creating conspiracy theories about the Sussexes and would raise hell about how freedom of the press is being breached, how Meghan (because she would be the one who takes the most blame) is a dictator, it would be discussed to death on morning shows etc etc
Yeah, if this was a legit meeting, that we were always supposed to know about, I think we would have gotten some kind of photo op, as a way to show that William is working with “big” names. The fact that it was covered up indicates to me that people weren’t supposed to know about it.
If it was for the purpose of charity, they would have said so. They would have not barred the media nor prevent them from airing legally acquired footage.
William is veering ever closer to a person who dictates a lot to the media. For a royal, he is comfortable wielding that political power that they love to pretend they don’t have. They do the bidding of the party in power and the government acquiesces to them in return. They give access to the media and they get favourable coverage in return. No one is holding anyone accountable.
That’s another good point: if it was truly for foundation purposes, why not just say that?
The main deranger account that defended the meeting by saying it was a charity meeting with Brown’s wife present (also a black fishing account) seemed to show its hand in terms of how connected it was to KP because only an insider would have known that Brown’s wife was there since it was not reported by the media originally.
I remember when that blackfishing Twitter account was promoting a fake award Kate got from that site that goes hard for the Middletons and against the Sussexes. Was the award for mental health? If you googled it, nothing came up. That’s when I knew that Twitter account was fake. Arbiter and Palmer also promoted that fake award.
It’s really weird that KP is trying so desperately to Astroturf their own squad for Kate.
Luckily KP seems to shoot themselves in the foot with such tactics. Now we know it definitely is one of their own sock puppet accounts. In fact, someone on Twitter outrightly said so. I’m sure Schillings is keeping a close eye and when the time is right BAM!
Do we know his wife was actually there?
My guess is that William and Gordon Brown met privately, either before or after a meeting between William, Kate, and the Browns, so that the bigger meeting could provide cover.
But its just a really bad look, especially since I don’t think this meeting was announced ahead of time like some of their other events were. And then obviously being so shady about not wanting the footage aired. If it was just an above board normal meeting, what’s the issue with the footage? One of the Kate derangers on Twitter insisted it was because it was a “private” meeting, but even if it was private (albeit on the CC), what’s wrong with footage of a former PM arriving at Holyrood to meet with the Duke of Cambridge to discuss charity and their foundation?
The court circular added the visit after the tweet went out about the meeting and added that Brown’s wife was there. But the news reporter had never mentioned her prior to the court circular post and that was after the black fishing account put out the excuse that it was for charity and that she was there so of course it couldn’t be a meeting about Scottish independence.
They have the absolute worst PR instincts. To threaten and bully a news channel, make up a lie that they were trespassing, and insist that the footage not be aired just screams “We got caught being naughty!” They are constantly doing the wrong thing. Their instincts are just awful. Bluster and bullying and fear tactics are some autocratic dictator level ish and they’re just leaning full into that image. They’re so incompetent. They can’t think on their feet. The way they react in the moment to things ALWAYS make them look 100x worse and more guilty and blows the story up into something huge when they wanted to minimize it in the first place.
It’s the only news station that is reporting this cleary. The others conveniently don’t report that Brown just launched an anti independence campaign. The invisible contract is more visible than ever.
I love that William is being dragged for this. Karma has been coming for the RF and I’m here for it.
I am furious about this and I’m stuck in an entirely different former colony. I hope independence for Scotland 🏴 happens in my lifetime and the commonwealth truly ends, and African and Caribbean nations trade among themselves for mutual benefit and improved stability. #AbolishTheMonarchy
No Kate, the lynchpin, peace-maker, secret weapon, at the meeting? Does TOB even know he is a puppet?
She’s on the CC for it, which is interesting, right?
Does she automatically get credit for it since it was umbrella’ed under the tour?
Well, the crisis managers certainly have their work cut out for them. Somehow I don’t think political interference was on their list of messes to deal with.
Those crisis managers are probably pulling their hair out by now. How could William and the palace be so damn stupid as to march Brown in through the front door? Surely they could have been more covert about this? The RRs defending this is just blowing the invisible contract in the water; they might as well just come out say it at this point. I would quit because the royals are stupid and they don’t listen.
I see there is talk this morning about Simon Case (ex Willie Aide) being a plant to try to sway Johnson toward a second lock down. Lets not pretend this is the first time PWT tried to influence government.
So encouraging people to vote is highly political. But a secret meeting plotting to subvert democracy is a noble cause. OK, then…
William is a “charm offensive”? I think they got that backwards. Offensive charm, sure.
Haha! Comment of the week.
Once again Billy’s authoritarian tendencies show up and make a mess. Had KP not tried to block the footage of the visit to be aired then the story wouldn’t be half the big deal it is becoming. And then their story of it being for the foundation might actually be believed. But trying to hide footage is never the sign of a transparent meeting.
What a bunch of butter-fingers. Every single solitary opportunity to use some common sense slips right through their hands. Every.Single.Time.
What? What? What? You’re not trying to create a “false narrative” with their completely innocent and totally romantic Scotland tour? Are you? The birthplace of all the loves…probably greater than any loves evah.. Cause William would nevah do such a devious, underhanded sort of thing…..the fact they added it after the fact is just a clerical error, right, Bueller? *crickets*
I didn’t pick up on it until today, but William’s “false narrative” from the BBC statement is him cosplaying H & M’s lawyers response to the bullying allegations and their use of ‘false narrative’.
Could this meeting have any effect? I assume they both said yup I against Scotland independence, but what then? Were the bj admin and rf just letting brown know they support him?
The royals aren’t a symbol of empire they are the empire. They can never be politically neutral.
So FFK stepped on a rake that show he is not fit for purpose. And the RRs cleaning up the mess. I hope they are getting ripped for this AND reminded how they would have put the Sussexes on blast for similar acts. I bet the SM accounts are locked.
omg that pic of william looks so scary like jack Nicholson in The Shining
He even had the Jack Nicholson smile (Heere’s Johnny) with that elderly woman in that photo op from a few days ago.
How secret a meeting was this if he was driven through the front gates during daylight hours?
The issue is that there were news people standing outside on public property, but they were prevented from filming William arriving to meet Brown. If there was nothing to hide, why not just let the news people do what they do? As in report news? There are tons of videos out there of royals arriving to meet various people. Why in this case were the news cameras blocked?
I cant imagine that Sturgeon is happy about this secret meeting! It is also noteworthy that the Scottish media is not about that life of being silenced. It is refreshing to know that independent media still exists somewhere in the UK.
Again they’re finding their base is the UK right and they’re just going to go with it. I deleted the BBCNews app on my iPad and I looked on the BBC news app on my phone, this story was so buried and the BBC is now deleted on all my devices. As many have said, they’re truly a party paper/broadcaster etc.
The BBC is so partisan, happy we stopped paying the licence fee 3 years ago.
I thought everyone had to pay a fee to the BBC each year? They called it a license fee?
I hope Scotland goes for independence if the is what is best for the country. I would personally like see them do it, but I do not live there but have Scots ancestry so it’s not up to me. I also think the monarchy is over when it’s William’s turn. I can not see him being able to fulfill the duties and keep the people willing to pay so much. But other awful English monarchs have sat on that throne, so who knows.
Poor “Vanilla” William and Kate are finding out what we have been saying for the longest….outside of the Brits, NO ONE CARES. The RF,RR and the British media can hype them up as much as they want but outside of the Brits most see them as BORING. The RF doesn’t get it. It’s a new day and a different time. Charles is screwed and so is William. Their hypocrisy has been demonstrated over and over again. Of course they are political. Of course they lied about the meeting with Brown. The fact that the Brits believed they could send William/Kate to Scotland and by just their presence the Scots would declare loyalty to the UK is just laughable and so insulting.
I totally get what you’re saying, but it’s possible you mean the English when you say Brits? Non English people like the distinction to be made when the term British is applied. This is from my experience living in the UK, I welcome corrections from others. Great Britain is an umbrella term for Scotland, Wales and England. Add Northern Ireland and that makes the United Kingdom.
But yes, absolutely, the RF appeal does appear to wane within the UK, as one moves out of England. Unless everyone can be brainwashed into uniting behind them as a counterpoint to hating the Sussexes.
They really think people are just awed by their mere existence. These people are dull and unimpressive in every way. They aren’t smart. They’re aren’t dynamic. They aren’t even anything to look at. And even with all the pomp and stolen jewels, they still can’t even pull off glamor. Imagine what a typical Hollywood star could give if they had the royals resources. Even with all those stolen jewels, they still don’t dazzle. They’re oatmeal and white bread. The fact that they still think people should revere them is a joke.
It really just shows why they’re so desperate to get Harry back into the Firm. William is a disaster on his own. Kate’s a mess herself, so she’s no help. There is no more Good King Harry for him to feed off of. Everything everyone liked about William has turned out to be nothing but an assumption that he was great like his mother and brother. No more of Harry’s gifts and talents for the public to assume William has as well. No more of Harry’s light shining for the public to assume is also emanating from Baldy. He all out there on his own, an unlikeable, bumbling, arrogant fool. And he has nowhere to hide.
This x 1000. I’ve been saying for years that the only thing William ever had going for him was that he was Diana’s son. First it was looks and being Diana’s son, but then 50% of that fell off into the Thames somewhere and floated away. Being Diana’s son was all he had left, and even that is now being exposed as nothing but some DNA that trickled down. He didn’t inherit one ounce of Diana’s charisma, nor humanity, and it’s now on full display.
Yep. He was “Diana’s son” so folks had a soft spot for him because of their admiration for her. And then be was “Harry’s brother” so folks assumed that be too was charismatic, caring, and hard working. He’s alone for the first time in his life and people are finally seeing exactly what he is. Barely a year after Harry left and the facade created for him by the Firm and the rota ratchets is already crumbling. And the rota ratchets are being called out big time for the “royals can’t be political” double standards, and not just by the sussex squad. It’s glorious to see.
What a photo! LOL.
Well at least now we know why kate the Great was allowed to shine and looked extra pleased for this tour: she was the decoy for Williams political machinations behind the scenes. Disgusting.
William the statesman
@athena i was going to type the exact same thing before seeing your comment 😂
https://mobile.twitter.com/BurnerRoyalty/status/1398282009244487683
Exactly. This is how the company “yes man”, Harry, held this organization up for a whole decade on his back. He did many many mini tours just like this, all highly successful. Now he’s gone and we’re seeing the disaster William is. Harry really was the key to the kingdom.
still want to know , what is gods name was William telling this elderly woman,that he made such a frightening face to her.
She told him she was going to kiss him.
Was this the event where Kate exclaimed how she needed to watch her back because this is what goes on when she’s not there (or something along those lines)? 🌹
Bad , ill advised move William, Scotland and de Scottish people will not appreciate u with your billions, getting your nose into their country and business………….your an uneducated idiot
It must be so painful having a “conversation” with any Windsor. These people have the intellectual curiosity of farm animals.
Talk about what? I doubt Willnot can string a coherent political discussion together. Dude doesn’t read. Probably just sitting there talking rubbish in circles as long he gets to be King.
Exactly. I bet Gordon Brown was counting off the minutes until it was all over.
It’s like to know what they talked about with Obamas! Will tried to sound Smart and Cathy was smiling and saying „I hear you too live in a very nice house!”
These people are lucky they were born last century. a few hundred years earlier and they’d all lose their heads with antics like this.
In any case I’m thoroughly enjoying the death throes of the British monarchy
Let’s just state the obvious. Bill and Cathy are terrified the kingdom is shrinking and there will be less taxpayers to fund their pointless lives. The youth has already expressed their desire to get rid of the monarchy. At the very best, Bill and Cathy will have just Wales and England to “rule over,” if they ever even take the throne.
But the most hilarious aspect of this all is that Bill’s staff is stacked full of Brexiters who demanded sovereignty from the EU but now is trying to tell Scots they don’t have a right to their own sovereignty.
It’s Catherine!! /sacrasm/
I mentioned this bellow, but last time one of the conditions of the referendum was that the queen would remain head of state and the royal family will retain all titles. Its not really how the financing of the RF works here…they’re not paid per capita.
The UK papers dragged Meghan everywhere for encouraging Americans to exercise their right to vote—which is the most agnostic thing to suggest since it’s what democracies are based on!
William literally meets with a politician to push an agenda that would directly benefit his family/the Crown AND gets Kensington Palace to prevent journalists from reporting on it. If silencing the media isn’t some Communist Russia/dictator behaviour, then I don’t know what is.
The BRF will experience the wrath of Karma for all the atrocities they have committed over the centuries with the most recent being what they did to Diana, Harry and Meghan. I hope that the past few months have been the beginning of their end.
There is so much to this story that just angers me.
First off, I’ve always felt like England was the abusive husband in the marriage between England and Scotland. I’m not a Nicola Sturgeon fan but the current neglect from England in Scotland is untenable.
Secondly, the plan from England here is clearly to be as boring as possible. If Baldy is dull as hell then Gordon is the God of Dull. So what? We put Scotland to sleep and hope they sleep off the thoughts of independence? Good luck with that.
Let’s hope this Royal thumb on the scales of public policy decisions comes back to bite them in their entitled Bee-hinds. Independence for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The monarchy needs to be moth-balled.
this header pic sent me.
It seems to me that Scotland has plenty of good reasons to want independence but I cannot imagine what William’s word salad argument AGAINST independence/pro-Union could possibly be. I mean besides “uh union” and “tradition” and “but my kid will one day inherit my title here”. I can imagine whomever he speaks to laying a good groundwork of economic and domestic issues and him just going “it’s just bad yah, and uh yes we have a very long tradition with Scotland, it’s uh obviously very special to Catherine and I, and the crown of course it’s a very important part of the Commonwealth, my children understand how special it is , and or course we are very concerned about the future of Scotland, particularly for the people and the economic side, we are very eager for diplomatic solutions and getting down to what needs to be done for this not to happen, but uh, yes it would be very bad all around.” Like just tossing a big buzz-word word salad.
I hope Scotland and the rest of the Commonwealth of nations reject the monarchy. The royal family’s existence is unjustified. Reject the monarchy.
It is interesting to look back at 2016 in particular before the vote. The who and why is apparent and William and the Middleton’s are the latest employees.
It is simple if the UK can leave the EU, then Scotland can leave the UK since there was a majority that voted remain. They appealed to the EU and was told that they became a part of the union with the UK so they will have to leave with them but they are welcome to return on their own.
This is the main reason, majority of the Scots prefer to be a part of the EU where democratic services are just that, not operating expenses on an income statement.
How can ‘William the RF’ charm the majority of Scots to settle? when they think that their lives would be better served as European?
A smart person would have understood this especially since as ‘future monarch’ should and must be apolitical.
Why is he being enabled? To be continued….
Note: William is due to expérience what he expected Harry to endure for the rest of Harry’s life. Most likely Scotland will vote to rejoin the EU and the ongoing fingerpointing will continue.
I hope William enjoys being a scapegoat since that is his new designation from Rothemere and Murdoch.
Harry is busy with his mental health service.using his story to encourage others to seek help, he is not in the running to be king. Harry life is build on another purpose. both heirs are dependent on the people and countries to keep their titles. they scared countries will be seeking independence after the queen dies.Scotland is seeking independence now. by the time Charles/ William becomes King they might not have many countries to be king off. Charles want a slimmer monarch ,and it might just be that , only a few countries to be king off, till later the few other countries remaining might also seek independence .if Scotland becomes independent ,the queen will lose a lot of money by paying huge taxes for the places they own in Scotland. Charles and William are not good examples of being human, guess in time people will say why will they want Charles/William to be king of their country when he abused his children mother and now bullied his son Harry and his wife/son out of the country . what kind of king will he be to people that are not blood related to him..
I dont think the royal family vary in a lot of people’s opinion on Scottish independence. Certainly doesnt in my own. Even at the first referendum the case was made that the Queen would remain head of state. Instead of independence I would rather the UK became federalised and England forms their own parliament to decide on issues relevant to them. Then Westminster could deal with federal issues. But if the choice is only a yes or a no then I’ll be voting no unless the case for yes is a lot stronger than last time.