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Or, the people of New Orleans ... ?
Posted on 10/31/2005 1:11:44 PM PST by caryatid
LONDON -- Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, will visit hurricane-hit New Orleans on their first official overseas jaunt since marrying in April, the prince's office confirmed Monday.
Charles' Clarence House office would not reveal the exact timing or itinerary for the flying visit, although the couple are expected to meet emergency workers and residents in an area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
The 56-year-old heir to the throne, his wife and a wardrobe full of dresses jet off Tuesday on a tour designed to celebrate trans-Atlantic ties, promote Charles' environmentalist causes -- and test reaction to his new bride in a nation still smitten with the late Princess Diana.
"This is Diana country," said Lisa Stewart, a member of a band of devotees called the Diana Circle U.S. "We love Diana still."
Charles and Camillla, Duchess of Cornwall, begin the week-long tour on Tuesday in New York. They also will visit San Francisco and Washington, where they will dine at the White House with President George W. Bush and his wife Laura.
In Manhattan, the royal couple will unveil a memorial to victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Visits to farms, markets, schools and museums will give Charles a chance to highlight issues close to his heart -- organic food production, the environment, education and classical architecture.
Aides hope the prince's first official tour of the United States since 1994 won't be eclipsed by memories of a visit in 1985 -- when a radiant Diana danced with John Travolta at a White House dinner.
"For a long time the (British) media has regarded the States as Diana territory," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine. "But there's nothing to suggest Camilla won't get a warm welcome."
The prince's office says the trip is intended to recognize "the importance of the relationship between the two countries and their common bonds and shared traditions."
It is also part of a careful palace plan to win acceptance for the duchess, long reviled in the British press -- and among Diana-philes -- as the woman who broke up the royal romance. "There were three of us in that marriage," Diana told a television reporter in 1995.
Charles and Diana divorced in 1996; Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris the following year.
Since then, a careful series of joint milestones has helped soften public attitudes toward the prince and Camilla, whose relationship began more than 30 years ago, before either was married.
The couple's first public appearance together was in 1999; the first public kiss in 2001. In April they married in a civil ceremony. A poll at the time suggested almost two-thirds of Britons supported the marriage.
In deference to Diana, Camilla did not take the title Princess of Wales, and she has made it clear she wishes to be known as Princess Consort, not queen, when Charles takes the throne -- although experts say she will, officially, be queen.
The 58-year-old duchess has discarded a sometimes frumpy country style for designer dresses and extravagant hats since stepping into the limelight. British newspaper reports said that she was taking 50 dresses on the tour and that 40 staff would accompany the couple. But Charles' office said the true size of the entourage was 16, and stressed the duchess' clothes were paid for from his private income. Officials would not say how many dresses Camilla was taking.
The tour begins Tuesday with a visit to the World Trade Center site in New York, where the couple will dedicate a memorial garden to British victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. There is also a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and a reception.
In Washington, the couple will have lunch and dinner with the Bushes at the White House.
Charles' office would not say whether the prince planned to raise the issue of climate change, which he recently called "the greatest challenge to face man." Bush's refusal to sign the Kyoto accord on greenhouse gas emissions has angered many environmentalists.
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What the hell does that fop and his consort expect to do in NO?
Haven't they suffered enough?
The residents should play that song "Battle of New Orleans" when they arrive.
Send him to Pakistan to visit earthquake victims.
And leave him there.
Look for a Heineken?
Hasn't New Orleans been punished enough without this??
You forgot the eye rolling alert.
I was about to call him a fop as well. I suppose he will effetely pose on the wreckage and blame global warming and American oppression of Islamists. Of course his jet-setting entourage couldn't be contributing any "greenhouse gasses" could they?
We already whupped your predecessors in New Orleans once, Prince. Don't make Gen. Honore go all Andy Jackson on ya.
Sorry, still a newbie ... just mastered posting images ... LOL
Prince Charles should avoid appearing in the same sentence as "dresses."
Come on, be nice. I have met him a few times. He is a nice guy with some misguided notions and values.
But what do you expect after a full life of everything at your fingertips, all the money in the world and your only roll in life is to wait for your mother to die.
Thank you for the opportunity to clarify that. ;-)
Please; nobody throw this woman beads ....
This can only be driven by sick, morbid curiosity. They should not be allowed in. What a couple of warped pinheads.
I agree. Why don't they just pose for a few pictures in Washington and go back home?
Some of us are ignorant when it comes to the lingo (or maybe I'm the only one) so please define "fop". Should we assume the traditional meaning (persnickety, prissy, metrosexual type) or is it an acronym?
Wow. Someone stupider than the Prince of Wales.
Over five years real military service -- including helicopter pilot, fighter jet pilot, and Captain of a mine sweeper.
Plays extreme sports for recreation: polo (one of the world's most dangerous sports), alpine skiing, riding the hounds, shooting, etc., etc.
Dedicates himself to serious causes, when he could simply live the life of an international playboy. Disagree with him you may -- he's wrong on a lot of issues -- but, give him credit for diligence.
Fop -- or just another victim of the media?
Blue blood = O2 deprivation
Do you think people have too much time and money on ther hands ... ? LOL
What's Barmy Prince Charlie going to do -- put tampons in the dikes to stop the leaking?
Although I spent five years in England, I'm not much of a Royal Watcher. But I think the Prince to whom you refer is Andrew, who was indeed a Naval Officer and flew a helicopter during the Falklands Campaign.
Charles will never be the King of England
TEll the tampon and the tampon holder to go back to england.
Chuck,
Do not forget your harlot when you leave. She would wind up working one of the live shows.
I've alway given him a break and often thought he was being treated poorly.
Unfortunately, on this trip to the US all I've heard so far is that he disagrees with everything American.
He could surprise me on his trip to New Orleans, but I'd bet that he won't be complementary.
I found this at: http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2000/01/24.html
Word of the Day for Monday January 24, 2000 fop \FOP\, noun: A man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance; a dandy.
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Fop comes from Middle English fop, foppe, a fool.
oh how bloody nice of them,bless their royal undies--Is this after they tell us how we must treat the poor old muslims of the world??another "pet" project of the dopey royals..treat them like dianna did--F-um
why?
Clinton is a "nice guy", too, according to some.
Doesn't mean I want him living next door to me or visiting my city after a disaster.
"I say, my Homey, do you have some Grey Poupon old chap?"
The Prince of Wales appears like a "blue" version of George McGovern or John F. Kerry.
I know His Royal Highness slightly - he briefly attended the same school as me in the mid 1960s and when I went into the Royal Australian Navy, he was serving in the Royal Navy and through a mutual friend we made contact.
His service was fairly brief, and certainly nothing spectacular. But it was genuine Naval service. He did his duty and he has done his duty to his country and to the Commonwealth all of his life in many different ways.
Those who call him a fop - well, I was in Sydney in 1994 when a man ran at him firing a starting pistol - and none of us knew that it was a starting pistol. He heard the shots. He must have known that there was a good chance his life was under threat. And he calmly, bravely, stood his ground, without flinching until his bodyguard shouldered him aside. I've seen a lot of courageous acts in my life - and that matched any of them.
I've looked for images online, and only found a couple of small ones.
Incidentally - in that last picture, two of the three men trying to grab the assailant are the Premier of New South Wales and the Australian of the Year. Prince Charles' police bodyguard can be seen pushing the Prince back, having previously put himself between the Prince and the assailant, but besides that, there hasn't been much movement from security. And, rather embarassingly, you can see a number of military and senior police officers still seated.
This man is no fop. But he has to live a certain life. Duty demands it of him.
His politics are, at times, lamentable certainly. But his dedication to his nation and his duty as he sees it are not.
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