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Anorak News | Flights Of Fancy

Flights Of Fancy

by | 25th, June 2004

‘LOOK up in the sky. What is it? Is it a bird? Is it David Beckham’s penalty kick? No, it’s Prince Andrew.

‘Anyone know where the 6th tee is?’

We all know how much the prince loves to fly, but few of us realised until today that it’s British taxpayers who fund his hobby.

Not that we begrudge him his fun. The Prince is a man who works tirelessly to promote golf in an official capacity the world over.

In his line of business, speed is very much of the essence – and that often necessitates Andrew dashing to the golf course and moving between shots in a helicopter.

We only note that the Mirror says the Prince spent £315,000 from the public purse last year zipping around the world.

He deserves every penny, and it’s only right and proper that he has used RAF aircraft to ferry him up to Scotland’s Royal & Ancient Golf club, thereby allowing him to make up a foursome and present some prizes to members in his role as club captain.

And the £17,288 we spent on getting Andrew to the Caribbean last February, plus the £90,001 for an RAF BAe146 to shuttle him between islands as he went on a coconut fact-finding mission, is money invested in all our futures.

The Prince’s work represents genuine value for money, especially when the Mirror tells us that the Royals as a whole cost us a mere £36.8m to operate.

Alan Reid, Keeper of the Privy Purse, is correct when he says: ‘This year’s expenditure per person…amounts to 61p or less than two pints of milk.’

This is great value, a thought shared by the royal raspberry, the Mirror’s James Whitaker.

‘I find it unbelievable that ‘running’ our Royal Family costs just 61p for every man, woman and child in this country,’ says the beetroot one. ‘They’ve got to be the bargain of the century.’

And if you doubt that, Whitaker wants you to consider what else you could do with that 61p investment. This includes buying a packet of crisps, a choc ice and a small packet of doughnuts -collectively known as Whittaker’s lunch

‘Every country has a head of state,’ says Whitaker knowingly, ‘and I’ll fight anybody who doesn’t think she’s [the Queen] best.’

Well, for argument’s sake, let’s say, we don’t.

Come on Whitaker, let’s get it on. And we’ll even waive our normal 61p purse…’



Posted: 25th, June 2004 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink