Yes, but according to EA's sources William is relying on others to fill in for him.
In 1984, following Harry's birth, Diana asked Charles to cut down on his Royal engagements in order to spend more time with his little sons. Charles complied. He did grow closer to his boys but the tabloids noted that he was performing fewer engagements.
Charles had fifteen engagements in one three month period in contrast to his sister, Anne's fifty six. The Express noted that 'Anne's peak of production 'has coincided with her brother's sizeable withdrawal from the Royal round because of his desire to spend as much time as possible with his children'.
So Charles's lesser number was due to his wife's wishes. There's been no such explanation coming from KP about William's low numbers.
AFAIK Charles and Anne were both full time royals during that time period. William (along with Kate/Harry) have yet to become full time. If any of current part-timers became full time and then had a reduction I could understand why there would be questions.
Yes, GracieGiraffe, let's look at facts, and expose the unfair hatchet job of EA.
1.When you compare Charles and William in the year they welcomed their 2nd child. William did 122 engagements in 2015, Charles did 93 in 1984.
William had a second job during this time. Did Charles?
William was a 'part-time', 2nd in line royal. Charles was a 'full-time' PoW.
William turned 33 that year. Charles turned 36 that year. hmmm.
Where are you getting this very inaccurate information?
This is from the London Times, O'Donovan's account for 1984.
Official visit, openings ceremonies, and other appearances 125.
Receptions, lunches, dinners and banquets 38.
Meetings including the Privy Council 17.
Number of days spent traveling abroad on official tours 36.
I got it from this 1985 article from People magazine.
"Yet the 23-year-old princess is a gadfly compared to Anne, the hardest working of all the Windsor children. She represented the Crown at 201 events last year, compared to 93 for Charles and 51 for Diana. One Palace insider was quoted as saying: "Anne works very hard and sees her sister-in-law picking up the glory. She's sick to the back teeth with it all."
If People lied about their numbers, then this is more proof that we shouldn't believe any of the information given to us from the media.
But you were quoting from it, were you not? Mr O' Donovan has been collating Royal engagements annually for years.
As Prince shirks royal engagements and pilot job, we ask: Where's Willy?
I'm beginning to think Will's spin doctors are continually scrambling to make it look like he's working.
CAA: Um, no, he can do royal duties. We've no problem with that at all.
Note: What does this mean? Well maybe it means he's working 160 hours so he can have a month off at Christmas or go to India. Oh, yes, of course!
"In the past we haven't seen him for weeks at a time.
"It's not as exciting as the RAF. There he'd run off and rescue people from the sea. Here he ferries people to hospital and sits outside for an hour. He looks bored out of his skull.
So now The Sun, of all papers, is forcing the Palace and the Air Ambulance Corps to respond to a magical talking dog (for heaven's sake!) and his figures pulled out of its spot by its tail. Let's all see what they do. Why ever would the Palace ever bother to respond to this when the grateful public who support Will and all he does, which poll after poll indicates?
Well both EAAA and Bond must comply to strict government guidelines and EAAA has already stated on the record William is a full and integral part of the team.
So it's either the word of the Sun's magical dog or a very highly respected air ambulance service.
the EAAA might have felt some pressure to make the statement they did. Now the question is will they say something about those 100 hours in the first 50 days of the year? They'd better find that magical talking dog and send him to the pound.
A tabloid that printed misinformation? Say it ain't so!!! Now as for Mr. O'Donovan, I'd trust his information.
From what I know of William (and yes, most of what I do know is from observing his public life and what the media chooses to inform me of), I honestly think that if he couldn't pull his own weight when it comes to his EAAA job, he would have left a while ago. This job is something he chooses to do and donates his wages to charity. He just simply isn't the type of person, IMO, that wouldn't care how his actions would affect others he works with.
The British press and British public are completely separate things. Show me any opinion poll that shows the public is unhappy with what William is doing.
I understand not everyone likes William for whatever reason but that goes for any royal.
And this whole thing with EAAA is ridiculous but it's ammo for William's critics.
EAAA says William is a skilled pilot who is an integral part of the team. And William is the only royal who works that we actually get to see work. I post articles in this thread anytime William is spotted on the job.
A new series about the work the royals do behind the scenes would be great. It's always good for people to gain some insight on the royals work.
William would had to get his schedule/ time off request approved by his bosses at the air ambulances. It's not like he was supposed to work on Christmas and called in sick.
Exactly. When my hubby worked shifts as a professional EMT, he would be scheduled for 24 - 36 hour shifts where he would remain "on station" for the entire duration of the shift. The schedules were planned out sometimes 2-3 months in advance so it was pretty easy to request certain days off for trips, special occasions and so forth. With William's other responsibilities most likely also being planned quite a bit in advance, it makes it easier to make sure there's time for everything.
When one person stated that they didn't see William for most of December, that is very possible. It could be that during the period of the end of November, early December, William got his hours in so as to be free for Christmas at Amner/Balmoral and whatever other engagements scheduled.
Do you honestly think that if His Royal Highness Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge asked his bosses at EAAA for time off that it would be denied whether it fitted in with anybody else's schedule or not?
If William is being treated as plain old john smith at work, then he would be denied time off if it was too short notice or they couldn't find cover for his shift. If he's not, then he's getting special treatment, using his status to get advantages other don't.
I am a normal person I can ask my boss for 2 weeks off if I do it with plenty of notice. Why wouldn't William be able to ask for specific dates off with plenty of notice. We already know of days he will have off such the April tour dates, June 10-13 for Queen's Bday and Trooping, June 30 July for Somme anniversary. So if he asks in March for May 2 off or July 22, he can get it off just I can get time off from my job.
As a Brit it always amuses me to come here and other royal websites to see Americans and Australians etc. say things like "what the British people want ix x, y and z!"
How kind of you all to enlighten us stupid people in these little islands! However should we decide what we think without you all here to tell us!