A compassionate gesture from Prince Charles

[question everything]

First, I really have not followed the events and intrigues of the royal family in the U.K. I don't understand why many in this country do. Haven't we fought to establish a Republic, to rebel against the British monarchy?

I have never watched any of the TV programs: the Royals, the Crown, the Windsors, the Mountbattens, etc.

I did watch the funeral of Princess Diana because it was such a shock. She cared about land mines, she hugged AIDS patients when many would keep their distance. And I remember the young princes walking behind her coffin, with an envelope address to Mom on top. And the queen bowing her head when the procession passed by her. The queen, "they" said, does not bow to anyone.

And, of course, the cracking voice of Elton John singing Candle in the Wind

And, yes, I watched the movie the Queen with the great Helen Mirren. There was a part when "Tony Blair" admonished everyone saying that this is how the queen had been raised and more... Someone at the theater in Santa Monica actually applauded..

Thus, I did not watch the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But there was a clip that I did see. Meghan Markle was walking alone in the church. Her estranged father was not there. (Do fathers still "give away" their daughters?)

And then Prince Charles left his seat and joined her, giving her his arm and led her to the altar to meet her groom.

I thought then, and I think now, that this was a compassionate and loving gesture.

[pennylane100]

1. I am not a fan of his but that was a wonderful gesture.

[Moostache]

2. No dog in this fight here...don't really care either way.

But Charles is like many of us - part good, part bad, constantly trying to stay on the moral path but he does so under constant scrutiny and with a 700 year or so "tradition" on his back the whole time.

It is possible for good people to have bad moments and bad people to have good ones. Sometimes in the same few minutes...at least I know I can be that way.

Since I do not get to walk in his gilded loafers or attend state functions or live with cameras and media recording and picking apart my missteps, I will abstain from judging him or the royal family for being ignorant fools...however, they really should start getting a little better at this "modern monarchy" thing pretty soon or risk going from ignorant to just stupid.

[Goodheart]

3. That's very nice. Still....

Abolish the monarchy.

[question everything]

4. This is for the Brits to decide, no?

[Goodheart]

7. Who said otherwise?

[Maru Kitteh]

5. I don't think a single thing happens in a royal wedding that was not approved and

rehearsed.

[Earth-shine]

6. It was announced in advance that Charles would walk Meghan down the aisle.

I was in NY at the time doing a lot of driving. It was mentioned on WINS news radio for days, hour after hour.

(WINS:You give us 22 minutes, we give you the world.)

Her own father was somehow unavailable (injury?), and so they needed a father figure.

Charles stepped up.

They made a big friggin deal about this at the time.

[MustLoveBeagles]

8. It was a nice gesture

[Hekate]

9. Yes