Buckingham Palace staff called to emergency meeting

[MADem]

Source: Queensland Times

QUEEN Elizabeth II's entire staff from across the United Kingdom has been summoned to an emergency meeting at Buckingham Palace today, according to reports.

Servants will be addressed by the Royal Household's most senior office Lord Chamberlain and Her Majesty's Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt in just hours.

The meeting, called suddenly at 3am local time (12pm AEST) and described as highly unusual by royal watchers, has sent Britain's rumour mill into a concerned frenzy.

There is speculation that the announcement is to do with either the Queen or her husband the Duke of Edinburgh's health.

Social media has erupted in panic with many offering theories ...The Mirror reports that even the most trusted of staff have been left in the cold as to what the meeting will be about.....

Read more: https://www.qt.com.au/news/buckingham-palace-staff-called-emergency-meeting/3173978/

---

Many seem to believe it's the Duke.

God save the Queen--she's tough and sane, and there's not enough of that in the world today.

[applegrove]

1. I think it is a hoax. Go to mediamass and look it up. It will not allow

me to link.

[MADem]

3. What will not allow you to link? MIRROR has it too, but people aren't loving MIRROR these days

because they're wingnuttish (though often they break stories or steal them first). I had no problem w/the Queensland Times link....

Here's the link, that caveat understood:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queens-most-senior-aides-call-10351987
Queen's most senior aides 'call ALL royal staff into emergency meeting at Buckingham Palace'
The Queen's most senior aides have reportedly ordered all staff from royal residences across the country to London, sparking frenzied speculation as to the reason behind the sudden request

[applegrove]

9. I find that I often can't cut and paste while on my cell phone.

[MADem]

13. You can't just poke the link and have it come up ? I can click a link on my "dumbphone!"

The story has finally washed ashore here...E! Online are the only ones awake, apparently....

http://www.eonline.com/news/848353/royal-staff-reportedly-called-to-buckingham-palace-for-emergency-meeting

[applegrove]

21. Nope. I poke on the link and sometimes the option to copy comes up,

sometimes not.

[QED]

2. Nothing on BBC's website.

[MADem]

7. They'll probably be last with it, as they're on the dole, as it were....

They'll want to cross every t, dot every i.

VOA is reporting it on twitter (while noting BBC is bringing up the rear)>

Link to tweet

SOMETHING is going on, and odds are, it's not good.

[Warpy]

10. It seems someone important to that family has become very ill,

or has been involved in a bad accident, or something. Chances are the BBC will be scooped by everybody else, especially media outside the country. One of the perks royalty seem to insist on (but were denied in Diana's case) is enough time to let something terrible sink in for a bit before the announcement is made.

[MADem]

14. Several speculations that it's Phillip.

He doesn't look so hot lately, but then again, he really does look damn good for 95....

[Warpy]

16. It could be either, neither one is a spring chicken

Seems really ominous with Parliament dissolved.

I hope it is a false alarm.

[MADem]

33. I hope it's "Harry's marrying THAT woman--here are the talking points!!!"

We could use some lighthearted gossip....!

[mwooldri]

47. Nor Sky or itv.

The broadcasters are usually my go-to, as they tend to be politically balanced.

[Stonepounder]

4. Lots of sources out of .au domains, but nothing from the BBC or the Guardian.

No reports in any of the US sources like NYT, WP, MSNBC, or CNN.

Not calling it fake news, but would like to see more authoritative sources chime in - one way or the other.

[MADem]

8. MAIL has it, too--another one people don't like, but they don't outright lie.

American news is asleep. BBC will not do anything until business hours tomorrow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4471696/Royal-staff-called-London-emergency-meeting.html
Queen calls her entire household to 'highly unusual' emergency meeting at Buckingham Palace today but mystery surrounds the reason why
Staff to be addressed by senior officer of Royal Household Sir Christopher Geidt
Fuelling rumours of announcement concerning Queen or Duke of Edinburgh
Staff from afar afield as Balmoral in Scotland have been called back to London


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4471696/Royal-staff-called-London-emergency-meeting.html#ixzz4g4lpBHNJ
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook


Australian news is carrying it, too. I don't think this is fake news, a hoax, or anything of that nature. I think something's going on, maybe with Phillip, hopefully not HRH.

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/queen-elizabeths-entire-staff-called-to-highly-unusual-emergency-meeting-at-buckingham-palace/news-story/f4713452396863eff2dc2a4dc7997215

[hrmjustin]

5. Well both were in good health today but her aides were being recalled from all over the country

tonight. I think they are waiting for the sun to rise before they announce what happened.

[MADem]

11. BBC will likely wait until the morning news. They'll want to get the story absolutely

correct, in the way the government wants it told...

Of course, morning's only a a short bit from now.

[Historic NY]

6. The PM was there today, Parliment has been dissolved as of midnight.

http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/03/theresa-may-visits-the-queen-as-parliament-dissolves-6614005/

[MADem]

12. I don't think they're recalling household staff over the dissolution of Parliament. nt

[Warpy]

29. That was pretty much automatic

to give MPs 25 days to campaign before the snap election May has called for.

Whether or not there's an illness or death in the family, shutting down Parliament has nothing to do with it and has been expected for some time.

[canetoad]

15. That Queensland Times

Always ahead of the pack on all things Royal.

Philip is 95 or 96 and presumably will drop off the twig soonish. This, however, is probably not that time. Say what you will about the Royals, they do protocol and the 'right' thing very well and announcing a death to the staff before telling Parliament and the Citizens is not how it's done.

[herding cats]

18. My shameful thought was of Trump representing the US at his first state funeral.

I do hope all is well.

[MADem]

27. He can't sit still in church (as he's proven already at St. Johns).

He'll send Dense Pence--"Hey Mike, youse do all that holy roller shit, mmmkay?"

[herding cats]

38. Good point.

I assume it will would be Pence, too.

[jberryhill]

19. According to twitter reports, they are announcing taking America back

[LeftInTX]

23. Yay!!! We can have healthcare!!

[Stallion]

24. Rev-it

nm

[Retrograde]

25. Even the parts they never "owned"?

It's one of my pet peeves as a Westerner: the British once had a claim on what is now a very small part of the US. Spain and France claimed much larger parts - and a third of the US used to be part of Mexico.

[canetoad]

39. I have it from sources

That they don't want it.

[elmac]

40. They can have it

I was thinking of invented a time machine & give England all of Washington's battle plans. The rev turned out to be a waste of time.

[47of74]

20. So far it sounds like Her Majesty and Philip are still with us.

Newshub said Buckingham palace has denied that either have died

News Now had this to say

"You could safely assume the Queen and Prince Philip are not dead," the palace press office told a 1 NEWS reporter in Auckland by phone this afternoon, about 4am UK time.

1 NEWS sources at Parliament in Wellington say they're not aware of any high-level contact from London regarding the reports that royal staff have been called to an emergency meeting.

This doesn't mean the reports are wrong, but that our Government doesn't appear to have been put on any sort of notice.

[MADem]

31. Camilla? That would be a bummer for Charles.....

Her father lived to be almost 90, but her mother died in her early seventies of osteoporosis (which took her mother, too). They've done a lot of work with that disease in recent decades, though.

It's a mystery. I'll admit I'm VERY curious as to what's going on.

[politicat]

22. Business Insider link (somewhat more reputable than Daily Fail or Mirror)

http://www.businessinsider.com/buckingham-palace-emergency-meeting-queen-prince-philip-2017-5

Per the BI, they called everyone, from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral, and the minor estates. So it's big. This is an all-hands meeting of the sort that doesn't happen in the Royal households.

A health or life emergency is most likely, but as an outlier possibility: Parliament is dissolved, and the Queen has (effectively one) absolute veto available to her. Any piece of legislation is hers to dismiss, up to and including dismissing and dissolving Parliament and calling for elections. Since Parliamentary elections are already scheduled and Parliament is out, she could throw a monkey wrench into the Brexit works. It would probably be her last act as Monarch, and would probably ensure the end of the monarchy as a ruling power, but that's been the reason to keep the monarchy -- to have at least one person who has the power to step on the brake, under the condition that it only be used as a last resort.

If that's the case, I can't imagine she would do so without consulting those in the line, but enough of them may feel it's worth it. And she may feel it's a fitting last act for her long reign, especially considering the legacy she got from her parents.

I admit, though, I've been worried about her. Her ankles have been terribly puffy for the last couple of years, and that's not good in someone her age.

[MADem]

26. They're calling in HOUSEHOLD staff, too, though.

It's a long haul from Scotland for something on those lines, that they could really manage by skype.

I fear someone's either gone or at death's door.

On the plus side for ER2, her mom had puffy ankles, and she lived to over 101, survived choking on a fishbone, and drank a fair amount of gin every day.

[politicat]

45. Well... gin.

It cures many ills.

I'm hoping that BBC 1 sounding upbeat is a good sign. Per the published protocol, they have playlists, and what I'm hearing isn't it.

My grandmother is 93, so between Lilybet and Philip in age and yeah, some puffy is normal, but edema is never great. I'd just rather *nobody* have a succession crisis or other crisis right now. I'm not big on monarchy, but I appreciate stability more than I was aware I did.

Household staff in the small hours is the worry. It does mean something, but it could be that something they expect to cause protest is in the air.

[mwooldri]

46. Doesn't sound like that the RATS has gone off.

RATS: radio alert transmission system.

But BBC staff know it as Royal About To Snuff-it.

If Auntie starts broadcasting "This is the BBC from London" without a station identification... thats the Rats kicking.

[politicat]

48. Yeah. I'm usually up til 1 anyway, so a live stream for an hour is NBD

Music I haven't heard, and their morning drive time is not nearly as irritating as US morning shows.

So far, so good.

[elleng]

28. BUCKINGHAM PALACE CALLS EMERGENCY MEETING, CAUSES SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY.

http://abc7.com/news/buckingham-palace-calls-emergency-meeting/1951192/

[Jane Austin]

30. Maybe she's going to abdicate

in favor of Prince Charles.

[MADem]

32. Maybe Harry's going to marry THAT woman!!!

I have to laugh at how the media and the tongue-waggers get so upset about Harry's escapades and amours....

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

57. Harry can do whatever he wants. ...

... He's far enough down the chain of succession that he's free from much of the nonsense.

[Staph]

36. No way she will abdicate.

She saw how the Duke of Windsor's abdication led to her father's death, from the pressures of the job. The Queen Mum despised Edward and Wallis for their frivolity and for their support of Hitler during WWII.

QE2 has been handing of a lot of her duties to other royals.

[MADem]

37. Will and Kate are moving back to London permanently.

He's done with the helo stuff and the country life.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/31/william-and-kate-s-london-return-and-the-making-of-a-new-royal-order

[muriel_volestrangler]

49. My guess is it'll be something staff related, eg Queen handing Sandringham to Charles

Someone moving out of Kensington Palace to give William more room, maybe selling Charles's country place - that kind of thing. Which could mean staff moving jobs and maybe redundancies.

[MADem]

58. Since Phillip often complained that he was treated like staff, owing to the fact that his wife

wore the crown in the family, that's close enough! The Aulde Retainer is retiring....

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

43. She's not going to abdicate,

and even if she were to do so, it would unfold in an orderly manner, not a middle of the night calling in of all aides and household staff.

I recently finished a biography of Charles, Prince of Wales, and buried in there is the exact rationale behind why she will never abdicate. She, of course, recalls, what a huge crisis the Duke of Windsor's abdication caused. And even though she is well past normal retirement age, she remains sharp. I believe she has already cut back on certain commitments, and has turned some things over to Charles, like attending a meeting of the Commonwealth countries a couple of years ago. She feels very strongly that for her do actually abdicate just because she's gotten old, sets a terrible precedent, and future monarchs could experience a lot of pressure to abdicate for relatively trivial reasons.

The explanation was so clear cut that I now understand. Before reading that I'd long wondered why she didn't just abdicate (retire) and kick back to enjoy life in her old age. Nope, won't happen. If she were to become incompetent in any way because of her age, such as developing dementia, Charles would become regent and take over her duties. But until she dies, she'll remain Queen.

[obamanut2012]

55. QEII would never, ever do that -- she will die with her boots on

Her sense of duty to her country and her title is astounding and real.

[technotwit]

35. Royal Emergency Meeting

Buckingham Palace emergency meeting asking all staff to hide silverware and valuables before Trump visit!

[Lunabell]

42. Bwahahahaha!

[Lunabell]

44. Totally stole this

and tweeted a similar version.

[Lunabell]

41. Reports on twitter have the Duke, dead.

We shall see. He is 95, after all.

[MADem]

56. Thank heavens he's just retiring. I'll miss his rude, crude, completely inappropriate comments.

He may be just a Prince and a consort, but he is the KING of gaffes--some of them are gut-bustingly horrific...!!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/prince-philip/9883276/Duke-of-Edinburghs-best-gaffes.html


David Miller (Eddie Mulholland)
When meeting a 60-year-old disabled man: "How many people have you knocked over this morning on that thing?" David Miller, a trustee of the Valentine Mansion in Redbridge, said he took no offence.

[nitpicker]

50. Buckingham Palace meeting 'not about health of Queen or Prince Philip'

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-39801908

(snip)
The BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt understands the meeting is not about the health of either the Queen or Duke of Edinburgh. Officials at the palace have not said what this morning's meeting, reported to involve all senior staff from across the UK, is about. Such internal royal meetings usually happen about once a year. Thursday's meeting will take place at 10:00 BST. It comes after the Queen and Prince Philip fulfilled official duties on Wednesday.
(snip)

On Thursday, the Queen and Prince Philip are due at a service for members of the Order of Merit at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace before hosting a lunch for those attending.

[MADem]

62. LOL--I suppose the fact that old Phil said "I just can't stand up anymore"

is viewed as more age, rather than health, related.

[laserhaas]

51. G-d save the Queen....Puhhlleeaassee

It amazes me how everyone bows down to oppressors

[MADem]

61. She's a figurehead, not an "oppressor."

Her ancestors might have been oppressors, but that's the heritage of that nation.

And not "everyone" amongst her subjects will even curtsy to her or are thrilled at their system of government. But that's a story for another day and we don't get a vote on that, anyway.

She was a helluva leader as a young girl during WW2--she did her bit and didn't complain. She provides a decent amount of "value added" to the tourist industry, too.

Frankly, if we could have QE2 as interim POTUS until we get this #Trumprussia crap sorted out, I'd consider that a better bargain. She has a brain and she's doesn't kiss the ass of dictators. I think she'd take better care of our interests, in the short term, anyway, than the Orange Putin Holster is doing.

[nitpicker]

52. Duke of Edinburgh to retire from royal duties

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk

Duke of Edinburgh to retire from royal duties

Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, to retire from royal duties in the autumn, Buckingham Palace says


6 minutes ago

From the section UK

(headline only this moment)

[avebury]

53. Prince Philip is stepping down

from public appearances as of somtime in August. He will complete appearances already arranged and then retire.

[csziggy]

59. Will this be before Dolt45 visits? nt

[avebury]

60. I would love to see how Prince Phillip treats

Dolt45. Phillip has never seemed to have a filter.

[nitpicker]

54. A bit more from The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/04/prince-philip-to-retire-from-public-engagements-says-palace

(snip)

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year. In taking this decision, The duke has the full support of The Queen.”

“Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually and accompanying the Queen. Thereafter, The duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time.”

“The Duke of Edinburgh is patron, president or a member of over 780 organisations, with which he will continue to be associated, although he will no longer play an active role by attending engagements.”