Royal family's reputation as high as ever

It would seem that the renaissance of the British royal family is complete with a recent survey showing that their popularity has never been higher.

The last couple of years have worn a purple hue as far as the royal family are concerned with the newest generation firmly establishing themselves in the hearts and minds of the nation. A majority of people polled believe Britain is a better place with the monarchy in place and that the country would not be better off as a republic. This is perhaps no surprise with all of the recent scandals involving our politicians.

This is all a far cry from the aftermath of Princess Diana's death when the future of the Windsor's was cloudy to say the least.

It is perhaps difficult for younger royal watchers to imagine a time when ever the Queen was open to criticism but, such was Diana's popularity, the apparent shabbiness of her treatment at the hands of the senior royals, caused people to question the Queen's actions and for her own personal popularity to take a bashing.

It could be said that Charles' personal popularity has done miraculously well to rebound in the way it has. Despite his alleged cruelty towards and/or disdain of Diana, his subsequent marriage to Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, appears to have rejuvenated his standing in the eyes of the public. Most seem to have a measure of sympathy for him now, realising that the choice of Diana as a wife may have been partly foisted upon him. In retrospect it's easy to see that the pairing of Charles and Diana was less than ideal.

Of course time is a great healer and the public forgave the Queen long ago for any wrongdoing on her part. She is as revered as ever and is, quite properly, regarded as an inspiration with her unstinting commitment to public duty. She is still seen as the most popular member of the royal family. Even the Scottish nationalists want to retain her as Head of State should they gain the independence they so desperately crave.

However, it’s not Charles or his Mother, or the Duke of Edinburgh with his inappropriate sense of humour, who are responsible for the most recent surge in the popularity of the royal family. Credit for that sits fairly and squarely in the laps of Wills and Kate and, to a lesser degree, Prince Harry.

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, trails only the Queen in terms of public popularity, although Prince William and Harry are also highly regarded by the people, with those of the same age taking a particular interest in their lives.

William and Kate are, despite their place in the royal family, seen as a fairly normal couple, not that different from the rest of us. They lived in a modest house on Anglesey whilst William did his duty as an RAF helicopter pilot. They shopped and ate locally endearing themselves to the locals. They come across as a modest, grounded couple who are very much in love.

You can see these places on P & P Tours exclusive escorted Will and Kate Tour which encompasses their life on Anglesey as well as other key locations in their life, including the university where they met, the chapel in which they were married and the hospital where Prince George recently came into the world.

Harry is more of a wild card but that seems to work in his favour. He too has done his duty in the military, serving in Afghanistan. His well-publicised antics in Las Vegas and the stories of him partying with beautiful women only appear to add to his popularity as a 'jack-the-lad' or loveable rogue type figure, to whom young men, and women, can relate.

Academics would account for the rejuvenation of royal popularity differently, citing a national need to embrace, no celebrate, an institution that sits above the mundane ups-and-downs of normal everyday life. The flamboyant and ostentatious Jubilee celebrations of last year set against the current austerity echo the national desire to properly celebrate the coronation of the Queen during the post-war recovery, in amongst a similar period of belt-tightening. When life is unsure and the nation is in flux, doubtful of its place in the world, the monarchy is something to hold on to, to treasure, as a symbol of our greatness and difference from other countries.

When Queen Victoria graced the throne Walter Bagehot wrote that the British people required more than mundane, dreary logic. "People yield a deference to what we may call the theatrical show of society" he wrote. "The climax of the play is the Queen".

In an age when we apparently can't trust our elected representatives, our public servants and our captains of industry, we seem to grip more tightly to what the royal family represent - stability, a sense of duty, integrity and an example of what it means to be British. It seems the Windsors will be with us for some time to come.

As well as the William and Kate Tour, P & P Tours offer two other private escorted tours, the Princess Diana Tour and the Royal Family Tour. The popularity of Princess Diana remains undimmed and our exclusive tour takes in important aspects of her life and the places she enjoyed spending time. The Royal Family Tour takes in a number of royal residences such as Buckingham Palace, Kensington palace and Windsor Castle.

So whether you are a die-hard royalist, a Diana fan or follower of the new generation of royals, P & P Tours has a tour for you. We can even put together a completely bespoke royal tour, one that caters to your exact needs - just contact us and see what we can do for you.

 

A must for royal fans

William and Kate Tour... Princess Diana Tour... Royal Tours

I'm pleased as punch and very proud to announce that P and P Tours are now offering a new and exciting service, that of exclusive royal tours.

After a fairly long period of nothing but controversy, the royal family, that jewel in the UK's crown (no pun intended), is currently enjoying a real purple patch in the nation's affections. Avid royal family followers had already taken the princes, William and Harry, to their heart, even before Princess Diana's death. Now, with William married to the beautiful Kate, a fashion icon in her own right, and with the birth of their first child, Prince George, and Harry possibly looking to settle down himself, royal family fans have never had it so good.

The recent christening of Prince George and the subsequent massive public response shows that the young royals are set to remain in the nation's hearts, popular like the elder generation who still perform their public duties so diligently.

The Queen, a traditional monarch to her bones, is still regarded with extreme fondness by the vast majority of her subjects and, whilst Charles may be seen as something of an odd-ball, the Duke of Edinburgh is always good for some humour, even if sometimes it's not appropriate. Andrew and Edward may not generate headlines like they did a decade or two ago, but the next generation have stepped forward.

All this means that the royals are rarely out of the newspapers and off our screens. They're always news and their lives are endlessly fascinating. To some, the royal family is an anachronism, an outdated, privileged relic of our nation's past. To others they represent the best of this country and are nothing but beneficial..

Whilst we've always been able to visit certain royal palaces and other building notable for their royal connections, P and P Tours is now offering, for the first time, exclusive Royal Tours, private escorted tours that will bring together the grand homes of the beloved royals on single tours, and also take you to the other, lesser known haunts of our favourite royal family members.

P and P Tours can now offer you private escorted tours relating to Will and Kate's life, both in London and on the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales, where the couple lived and Will worked as an RAF helicopter pilot. You'll be able to visit where they lived, worked, shopped and enjoyed a meal, all in one enjoyable tour.

Whilst Will and Kate, and of course little Prince George, understandably dominate the royal headlines, their remains a deep and enduring love of, and fascination with Diana, the so-called Queen of Hearts. Sixteen years after her sad death she still holds a special place in the consciousness of the nation, as seen in the recent film that portrayed the last two years of her life.

Diana touched the lives of many people and PandP now provides an elite private tour that will take in some of the places in which she lived, such as Clarence House, some of her favourite shops, cafes and restaurants as well as key locations from her, including the church where she was baptised, St. Paul's Cathedral where she and Charles were married and, of course the Diana memorial on The Serpentine.

And, with another exclusive, PandP Tours are hopeful of being able to present a special guest speaker who knew Diana well and who will be able to offer precious insights into her life and personality.

There are of course many royal palaces and PandP Tours also offers a private escorted tour that visits the principle locations relating to the royal family including Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and many other sites - it's a must do tour for fans of the Queen and the rest of the Windsor's.

As always, here at PandP we will ensure that your private chauffeured tour is tailored to your precise needs.

So, check out details of our three exclusive royal tours and book your place soon: