Prince Andrew is a knob apparently..?
 

Recently spent some valuable bar time with some ex-Navy flyers who - despite expectations - proved to be a formidable force for drunken comarardiere <ed - check spelling>.

Turns out that most who have met the Charlie back up plan regard him as being a somewhat childish knob with a thin skin and an odd attitude.

Not wishing to judge from a too small sample I invite others views...


Cheers

WWW

Have met him on many occasions, indeed was at Leeming whilst he was undergoing his Bulldog course. Always found him perfectly reasonable, no probs at all.

To the Tower with the treasonous Welsh one.....!!

I have flown with him, and when he undid my intercom to plug in his own (which had static apparently) whilst sitting in `my` seat, therfore isolating me totally from my crew; I thought he was a knob.

Sits in silence thinking "How am I going to resolve this one then" concluded in direct speach probably unbecoming royal protocol, but nevertheless achieving the objective.

Have to say though that for all his silver spoon lifestyle, I would not swap an iota of mine for it.

Landed on two golf courses we did, obviously pertinent use of Taxpayers money.

I was once at Ballykelly Tizwas (Refuellers to the uninitiated) when Royal Lynx landed and closed down. HRH walks into portacabin and looks over shoulder of SAC refueller reading the days rag. Headlines reflect Fergies adventures of a toe sucking American. He cooly reflects on how times have changed if you need to read the Sun/Mirror etc to find what ones wife is doing that day, and puts the kettle on. I nearly thought he was a normal human being at that point.

Anne on the other hand may well have a down to earth mouth on her but she strikes me of being the rightfull HM designate over her brothers. How can a male line to the Crown still be valid in these PC tree hugging days, constitution or not.

DofE thinks its funny when downwash blows away the headress of the reception comittee, and HM has been known to chuckle about it also.

'H' was on the jumpseat of a '10 going into a certain aerodrome once, his mum was in the back. The aerodrome had a very tricky turn off, if you missed it, there was an extremely tricky 180 deg turn on the runway to be done. At least one '10 had gone onto the grass trying...

Captain mentions this to 'H' on the final approach. "What happens if you miss it?" he asked. "Well, sir, I guess that I'll just have to offer my reignation to your mother" came the reply.

"Hang on a sec" says 'H', wherupon he unstraps and nips out of the flight deck, only to emerge again shortly afterwards with a grin on his face and straps back in.

"She says she'll accept!" announces 'H'.

Fortunately they made the turn off!

I met most of the royal pack when working in london for a few years...Out of all of them I would say he was probably the one I would least trust with a sharpened spoon...oh, as an after thought, Zara has a lovely...pair of eyes!:8

A friend of my brother served with Andy on a couple of ships - he was not popular with the seamen in his division or with his fellow officers. Nor was he considered the sharpest tool in the box.

In the navy it is traditional for a officer to supply his division with a few cans to celebrate the birth of his new sprog - Andy didn't, He also allegedly gave a Leading Seaman a "push" when he congratulated HRH on the new addition to the Kraut/Greek faction, which was covered up, the leading hand "suddenly" found himself transferred a long way away.

One story I heard was that after arriving aboard Invincible he was invited to play Billiards in the Billiard room. They ran him all over the ship until someone pointed out the pointlessness of having a table on a ship.

I had the unfortunate experience of meeting/working with him on a couple of occasions and although I agree he was in a difficult position and not everyone is going to be his 'mate', he did not make life easy for himself with his attitude. Bit of a smart arse really. By all accounts, believe it or not, Charles was hell of a lot better when he was there.

On the same "joint" syndicate at staff college years ago. Yes he has a reputation, but if you give as good as you get, I found he was quite approachable and human. He can't stand toadies!

I had the chance to work with Prince Andrew on a few occasions, and found him bright, inquisitive and cheerful. I was truly impressed that he was without airs - I have met US corporate types with 1000 times more imperiousness than he showed. He didn't seem to cater to those who fawned, quite the opposite.

Good dinner and drinks one time, with a very convivial atmosphere which he lead, good stories and conversation (some relating his personal flying miscues, always a sign of a healthy aviator, ego firmly in check).

Good fellow, I think.

I'd be more interested in defining "knob" when the total basis for kicking off a thread is second hand rumour and innuendo . . .

I met "H" on several occasions during STANAVFORLANT in 1990 and found him easy to speak with and at least as pleasant as the rest of us. Despite having 2 escorts with him when he visited our ship he made us feel at ease and his input to planning meetings did not influence decisions any more than other Officers of equal rank. I have met plenty others throughout my career who would have people believe they were members of the Royal family. As an afterthought, Her Majesty was equally as pleasant when I spoke with her at B Palace and Prince Charles was an outstanding guest when I escorted him through NFTC in Moose Jaw. Thumbs up to the whole family. They have a tough job.

I've met a number of Royals over the years:

Princess Margaret - totally self-centred.

Prince Charles was a genuine, if tortured individual - very pleasant, down-to-earth, and a man who was truely interested in you and your job [used to meet him regularly at the Yeovilton greasy spoon]. Couldn't stand sycophants.

Duke and Duchess of Gloucester - warm, knowledgeable and a real pleasure to speak with.

The Queen Mum - THE most fabulous Lady that ever walked the face of the Earth...

Prince Philip - never met him, but he visited the families of those deployed for Gulf War One - my wife & son were impressed by his sincerity and down-to-earth attitude; rank was totally irrelevant. He apparently told the Staish to bu**er off an leave him to talk to the families in private!

The rest I haven't met, but I wouldn't have the Royals job if my last breath depended on it.

Oh, and WWW - stop fishing for dirt - you will alway find those who are pi**ed off, have a score to settle or who have a monk on....

'H' came across very well when he had to do an impromptu live interview just after the Windsor Castle fire. In a lumberjack shirt and pullover he just answered the questions in a down to earth manner without any pretence.

I was told that when Charles had just finished doing his mountain flying course at Valley, the staish told him that there'd be small gathering in the mess bar that evening. In he came, saw his course mates in the corner and was within inches of his first pint - when in bounced the staish to escort him through to a private gathering of local big wigs and other good-for-my-next-promotion sycophants. Apparently the look on Charles' face of utter depression spoke volumes.....

I'm sure they are all very nice people, but having never met any of the Firm I cannot say.

However I really don't understand it when people describe the 'jobs' they do. This is a complete misnomer. From my humble observation of their public duties, their 'job' is to appear at functions and say a few words - if I had unlimited resources and time to spare, I'm sure I could do the same - we all could.

(These comments obviously do not apply to the case of actually deploying to the South Atlantic and doing sticktime, in Andrew's case.)

I know quite a few "knobs" in the armed forces. Should we start naming them all here? Now, where do I start......

That's the 'visible' side of the Firm!

Princess Anne is one of the busiest members of the Firm; howver, much of what she does is rarely of sufficient interest for the Daily Chipwrapper to bother reporting!

Queen Mum was a real plaesure to meet. I won't hear a word spoken against her!

But as for Queen-to-be Camilla...... Hmm:(

Touring innumerable factories for a living is well tedious, I used to have to do it. One widget production facility looks just like another and trying to maintain an air of interested politeness while actually bored fartless is not an experience I'd like to endure almost daily.

As to H, met him a couple of times and he seemed OK to me, FWIW.

Yes - attempting to feign interest whilst bored fartless can't be easy. Never forget the Most Boring Photo Ever in Air Clues about AMSO visiting some stackers' paradise. It was captioned: 'The Air Marshal inspects the storage racks'.... :rolleyes:

I vowed to do better as editor of our station magazine!

Back to thread - the Firm are only human after all. So they can't really be expected to be perfect all of the time!

As opposed to a 'chopper'. Or a 'cleaver'...??

Seriously, dear diminutive Druidic Putorius Vulgaris, I would venture to suggest that a slight amendment to your topic title would perhaps be in order?

Else it might be off to the Tower for a bit of choppy-choppy, I fear...?