Queen hands over the reigns to Prince Charles - historic step closer to a new king

[Jesus Malverde]

Source: Mirror

It is being dubbed the “gentle succession” – as the Queen gradually begins to relinquish some of her traditional duties as monarch.

As she approaches her 88th birthday in April after almost 62 years on the throne, she has agreed to hand over part of her workload in a historic “job-share” arrangement with Prince Charles.

In a royal first, he will be taking on more head of state-style responsibilities as the Palace starts to make tentative plans for his eventual succession.

Courtiers yesterday described the softly-softly move as “wise” – and “just plain common sense”.


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queen-hands-over-reigns-prince-3039892#.UtyraHmttFQ

[sabbat hunter]

1. Given how long women live

in the royal family, Queen Elizabeth II could still live for another 10 years easy. But I can see why she would want to cut back on some of her duties, especially with Prince Phillip up there in years and frail.

I know she is going to Normandy, Italy, but I bet she will not go on the longer trips (like to NZ and Australia) and leave those to Charles, William and Harry.

[rpannier]

6. Given the amount of flack she took over 'snubbing' children at X-Mas

it's probably a wise move.
Normally she meets with children outside after Christmas services.
She took a drubbing for not doing it last Christmas.
The general consensus is she was too tired to do so. And at her age it's understandable.
At 88 the dog-and-pony show has to really tiring and irritating.
I don't blame her.

[longship]

2. Now if she can only keep him off the bubbly...

Just kidding.

[AngryAmish]

22. and his wife off the oats...

Jail them all.

[Jesus Malverde]

27. .

[RufusTFirefly]

3. Great! Good for her!

After all, Charles has worked really, really hard for this position, bested ruthless rivals in an incredibly competitive field, and overcome all sorts of insurmountable personal odds. It's a rags-to-riches story that should inspire all but the most cynical among us.

(Dabbing my eyes with a hanky.)

R. T. F.

[hibbing]

7. hehehe bloody damn right he has!

[Demit]

21. LOL!

[LiberalEsto]

33. Bonny Prince Chuckie nt

[DavidDvorkin]

4. "Reigns"?

I hope that was a clumsy pun, not bad knowlege of the language.

[Fridays Child]

5. Either way...

I got a kick out of it.

[dipsydoodle]

14. Just a play on words.

Not uncommon for the Mirror. The Sun is frequently even better.

Its a UK thing.

[TexasProgresive]

17. Contrived puns in headlines seem to be the norm

But it is one of my pet peeves. But this one escaped notice because it was posted here at DU. So many posts on DU have misplaced homonyms that my brain auto replaces the correct word - so reign becomes rein. Maybe some just want to rain on Charles' parade.

Could you site a sight, that would be a cite?
I went to the poles to vote.
You get the picture.

[dipsydoodle]

18. You've reminded me of this .

A Russian scientist and a Czechoslovakian scientist had spent their whole lives studying the majestic grizzly bear. Each year they petitioned their respective governments to allow them to go to Yellowstone to study these wondrous beasts.

Finally, their request was granted and they immediately flew to New York and then on west to Yellowstone. They reported to the local ranger station and were told that it was the grizzly mating season and it was much too dangerous to go out and study the animals.

They pleaded that this was their only chance. Finally the ranger relented. The Russian and the Czech were given cell phones and told to report in each and every day.

For several days they called in, and then nothing was heard from the two scientists. The rangers mounted a search party and found the scientists' camp completely ravaged. No sign of the missing men.

They then followed the trail of a male and a female bear. They found the female and decided they must kill the animal to find out if she had eaten the scientists because they feared an international incident.

They killed the female and cut open the bear's stomach... only to find the remains of the Russian.

One ranger turned to the other and said, "You know what this means, don't you?"

"Of course," the other ranger nodded. "The Czech is in the male."

[TexasProgresive]

20. Thanks for that.

I really like good puns. That is something I really like about J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter series. There are so many delicious puns hidden like Easter eggs Diagon Alley (diagonally) comes right at the beginning. Then there are the ones like Sirius and serious and Sirius can be a dog and Sirius is the dog star.

I got the Sirius bit right off but the Diagon Alley just escaped me until I heard it in an audio book. And these are just the tip of the ice burg of Rowlings plays on words. I know she has more money than Croesus but it would be fun if these newspapers could convince her to write their headlines.

[unionthug777]

24. really??

[Jesus Malverde]

29. LULZ...

The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.

They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.

Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.

It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.

Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

[3catwoman3]

32. Perhaps you will enjoy this.

I have a spelling chequer.
It came with mai PC.
It planely marks four my revue,
Miss takes eye can knot sea.

I've run this poem threw it.
And I'm shore your glad two no.
Its wonder full in every weigh.
My chequer tolled mi sow.

(I wish I could take credit for this, but alas, I saw it somewhere a few years ago. Still love it)

[TexasProgresive]

35. That's sweet. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

38. Very clever

[DavidDvorkin]

34. Maybe, but I've seen that error so often

that I assume it was an error, not a deliberate pun.

[dipsydoodle]

37. Yes but maybe allow for the fact

that even if it had been unintentional on the newspaper cover they'd have corrected it online.

[jberryhill]

8. He'll never top Freddie Mercury

Although it will be interesting to see him try.

Odd choice.

[joshcryer]

9. I literally had this same thought.

But I was serious, heh.

Not drunk or anything, but it was like "what about Freddie Mercury?" Had a double take.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

10. Charles III? Or didn't he say he would be George VII?

the last two King Charles didn't have much 'luck'

Or maybe it will be William 5th

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. Maybe the III will Chuck the monarchy.

[malthaussen]

25. Charles II did quite well.

Not his fault his brother was an idiot.

Now, his father is a different story.

-- Mal

[Wolf Frankula]

39. Chucky Jugears will drizzle under the name Karl

Isn't his real name Karl von Battenberg und Saxe-Coburg-Gotha? Camilla will be called the Bride of Chucky and change her name to Tiffany.

Wolf

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. If the freepers get too crybaby under Hillary we can send them to live under Chuck.

[MADem]

13. Love it when a UK paper makes an idiot-error in their headline! nt

[dipsydoodle]

15. Its a deliberate play on words

our tabloids do such things frequently by intent or as puns. If it was a spelling mistake then chances are only the Grauniad could have made it.

Example here from the Sun unless you think they don't know their own name

[MADem]

16. Every time I've seen that kind of thing, the 'quotes'--either single or double--were always

used to indicate the 'nudge-wink' that they weren't really all that stupid. The Mirror, though, isn't one of that monster Rupert Murdoch's assets--he may be a jerk but he usually does a better job in writing a smartass headline!

That doesn't look play-on-wordsy to me; it looks like someone used spell check and didn't read contextually! Maybe they meant it to be a play on words but it didn't work for me.

I guess it's that visceral feeling one gets when one reads a good pun--the good ones either elicit a smile, a chuckle, even a groan, but the ones that just fall flat feel like a grammar or spelling error...!

[DeSwiss]

19. That's nice.

- I understand she sent a little present to him to help with his first ribbon cutting in Ipswich next Thursday.



K&R

[iandhr]

23. Does she watch the Newsroom?

Remember when Jada Fonda tells Sam Waterston, "I am not convinced that Elizabeth Windsor is the worlds greatest mom"

[L0oniX]

26. ...but but but Prince Charles can't play guitar or sing!

[hrmjustin]

28. God save the Queen! Wish her the best.

[polichick]

30. Finally Chuck gets the job he's been training for forever!

[yurbud]

31. the next step is to elect the monarch--or just do away with it altogether

[Beacool]

36. Queen Camilla?????

If Charles becomes king, then that woman would also be queen.

Pardon me while I get sick. Poor Diana must be spinning in her grave.

[xxqqqzme]

43. When Charles becomes

king, Camilla will be known as Princess Consort similar in style to Prince Albert.

[Beacool]

45. Good to know.

I don't think that I'm the only one who can't stomach the idea of Camilla becoming queen, not after what Diana went through thanks to Camilla and Charles. If any wife of Charles should have been queen, then it should have been Diana.

[bamademo]

40. Bottom line. She is becoming senile and can't fulfill her duties. It's obvious to me.

[Yavin4]

41. "King of the Britons? I didn't vote for you!"

[freshwest]

42. A distillation of all the players at DU, and my 2nd most favorite skit. First is the Black Knight.

Yeah, it's sick but it's hilarious to me. I can't help myself. If I couldn't laugh I'd go mad.

[Jesus Malverde]

44. Watching that as a DU thread was so lulz thanks FW.

OMG...