The Duke of Edinburgh and Radio 3

[Sydney Grew]

I may break the habit of a lifetime and watch the Queen's speech this year out of sympathy for her. They must be having a horrible Christmas.

It seemed rather unnecessary for Her to have delivered it from a standing position. But perhaps that was Her own idea - showing respect for Her subjects or something of the kind.

[Stunsworth]

If nothing else it gives us an indication of just how fawning Nick Witchell will be when one of them finally pegs out.

[VodkaDilc]

Having just heard the Queen's speech I am left wondering whether she is positively the last person in the country to rhyme "often" and "orphan". How will future G&S audiences understand the plots when such confusion is essential?

PS I see that the younger royals (Wills, Harry, Kate) did not visit the DoE yesterday. Are we surprised? Wouldn't most 20-somethings prefer not to spend Christmas Eve with an ill, elderly curmudgeon?

[VodkaDilc]

It's always puzzled me why the royal family are never seen at the Proms, in fact I do wonder what their interests are when it comes to the arts. They have the time and money to indulge. However, I may break the habit of a lifetime and watch the Queen's speech this year out of sympathy for her. They must be having a horrible Christmas.

I remember seeing Charles at a performance of War Requiem in about 1971. My Welsh companion insisted that we went to see him leave so that we (she) could boo him. He had recently been invested ("imposed" is how she described it) as Prince of Wales.

[Stunsworth]

Having just heard the Queen's speech I am left wondering whether she is positively the last person in the country to rhyme "often" and "orphan"

You're forgetting Brian Sewell. He makes the queen sound common.

[salymap]

I shook hands with the DoE at a rehearsal given by Ruth Gipps about a hundred years ago. He was a young Naval Officer, I replaced my boss, who never forgave me because he sent me in his place and was furious that he had'missed out'. I sort of curtsied, muttered something, that was that. He seemed nice but showed no interest in the music rehearsed that I could see.

[Serial_Apologist]

When members of the "Royal Household" were announced to be visiting Prince Philip in hospital on yesterday morning's news on 4, one of the commentators - might have been Humphrys - remarked, "How unfortunate - he hates having visitors"

[vinteuil]

I am left wondering whether she is positively the last person in the country to rhyme "often" and "orphan". ?

... well, doesn't often rhyme with orphan? - it certainly does here (and has done so for the last sixty years... )

[Lateralthinking1]

Interesting to see the Queens Speech being produced by Sky. It will be next year too as it is now on the rota which was introduced early this year (BBC - 2, ITV - 2, Sky - 2).

In 2006, Prince Philip spoke about what he called Mr Murdoch's "anti-establishment attitude".

[Serial_Apologist]

Interesting to see the Queens Speech being produced by Sky. It will be next year too as it is now on the rota which was introduced early this year (BBC - 2, ITV - 2, Sky - 2).

In 2006, Prince Philip spoke about what he called Mr Murdoch's "anti-establishment attitude".

[John Wright]

... well, doesn't often rhyme with orphan? - it certainly does here (and has done so for the last sixty years... )

Yes, I'm Scottish but living in middle England, and here it is 'offen' so yes to me it does rhyme. My old family think I'm posh because I don't say didnae, wouldnae nor the classic Scotticism 'wouldnae could' !

[Warwick]

One of the endless clips of the Duke of Edinburgh being shown and reshown today on the television news channels shows him being presented with a pair of headphones and asking whether "these things can still get Radio 3". This, the sycophantic commentator tells us, is "an example of his sparkling wit". That's a matter of opinion, but I did find myself asking whether the DofE is a R3 listener - surely not! He does not come from a family noted for its cultural interests.Anyone got any evidence?

Are we very cultural because we listen to Radio 3 Vodkadic?
I can't speak for the younger generation of the Royal family, but HRH Prince Charles is Patron of the Royal Shakespeare Company and like myself, has had a life long love of the Bard. He frequently attends perfomances at the RSC Stratford upon Avon. Met him there briefly too.

http://audioboo.fm/boos/511217-hrh-the-prince-of-wales-60-minutes-with-shakespeare

.

[salymap]

The really musical members of the Royal Family seemed to be three late members, The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and, most of all, Marina, Duchess of Kent IMHO.

[BBMmk2]

I did hear that the DofE is a Radio3 listenrer! Not sure iof he is a member of FoR3 though!! I hope he makes a full recovery very soon and is back to his normal self!!

[Serial_Apologist]

Back to his normal self???

That said, I do remember, in 2005, during an interview on Radio 3, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies - then new to his role as Master of the Queen's Musick - stating that the Queen had vociferously voiced to him her disappointment at the way in which the media had presented herself and Prince Philip as cultural philistines. PMD said that he had been totally convinced by her sincerity and commitment to high standards in the arts in general. He did go on to say, mind, that given the philistine status accorded the arts in terms of education and subsidy by successive governments of both hues, he himself felt comfortable that the presence of the Royal Family did at least offer some sense of continuity in the maintaining of high standards.

From that interview I concluded that Sir Peter had been living out in the back of beyond for far too long.