Due to fly to New Zealand in January, Prince William may not be as welcome as he would like. Through the country's freedom of information act, the £88,000 ($200,000 NZ) cost of the three-day trip has just been revealed to the public, amid considerable outrage.
Republicans are going to use the trip to further their request for a referendum, though it's generally accepted that now is not the time. In a recent poll, 48 percent of those answering were still in favor of a monarchy, with a record high 42 percent prefering a republic.
On the other side, the monarchy wants to present a younger, more relevant face to younger New Zealanders, who apparently lean more towards republicanism. Either way, large crowds are expect.
Meanwhile, on the Australian leg of the trip, there are already plots to embarrass the Prince by noting his support of England's bid for the soccer World Cup against that of Australia.
The trip originated with a request for the Queen, but she passed the baton to William, who is now certainly old enough to start training in statesmanship. The Prince and his household have made it clear that he doesn't want to become tangled up in politics. This may not be as easy as it seems. The trip may well be a test of all that Prince William has learned so far.
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Comments
"Statesmanship" for the royals consists solely of cutting ribbons, shaking hands and waving. How much training do you need for that? The Windsors are nothing more than a publicly-subsidised celebrity family.
The Queen and her family say they will continue to do their best to serve us while the monarchy is still part of our constitution. Yet I am being denied electoral representation by my local Labor MP, John Mickel the Speaker! The rule of law has broken down in Queensland and victims of systemic judicial corruption are being denied media attention and assistance. My complaints to Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley were ignored and my petition to the Queen sent to the GG who is incommunicado. Wensley’s brother, Robert Wensley QC, is one of the 4 judges involved in my judicial abuse complaint on severe school bullying, education discrimination and neglect. My corroborated complaint has been repeatedly swept under the carpet by the Parliamentary CMC. Coverage and further details: QLD Governor Silent on Judicial Corruption Claims Against Brother,Speaker Of Queensland Parliament Denies Bullied Schoolboy Electoral Representation, Prince William should not come to Australia on Australia Day
My husband & I follow the news quite comprehensively, & this is the first anti-Prince William's trip item we have come across. Our feeling is that many NZers will welcome his visit, while others may choose to ignore it (due to lack of interest.) Personally, we will be very happy to have him visit our country.
Jennifer Nash, you sound as though you suffer from "Querulous Paranoia" which involves a person who believes that they have been wronged by those in authority. Sufferers almost always file numerous legal petitions and incessant requests to those holding high office (The Queen, Governors-General, Bishops etc) in an attempt to find "justice" for their cause. Suffers usually manage to function well in society, except whenever they interact with the justice system. They will often become paranoid and resot to yelling incoherently. They almost always create their petitions in their own hand-writing, rarely using a PC or typewriter. Each interaction with the justice system makes them more and more paranoid and they start to make outrageous claims of conspiracy. These claim lead to officials dismissing their claims as non-sensical which in turn fuels the suffer's paranoia. Please, please get a hobby and make greater use of your life Jennifer Nash. You will be much happier for it.
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