Adorable.

[bigtree]

Adorable.

That's the best way to describe President Obama and the first lady's meeting with Prince George, the 2-year-old son of Prince William and Duchess Kate. The president thought so himself.

"I guess you all know why I came this week," he said Saturday during a town hall in London. "It's no secret. Nothing was going to stop me from wishing happy birthday to her majesty, or meeting George, who was adorable."

The Obamas met the young prince before having dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry at Kensington Palace on Friday. When they arrived, they found Prince George standing near the foyer and dressed for bed.

Peter Hunt @BBCPeterHunt
The rocking horse was a gift for Prince George when he was born from @POTUS and @FLOTUS

[tabasco]

1. Monarchs, even titular ones, should throw down the trappings of royalty

and get a real job. That is, if they have a shred of dignity, decency or pride.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Which does not detract from the OP of how cute that kid is. n/t

[narnian60]

5. +1

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. actually his father was a pilot in the RAF

a chopper pilot, who did more than a few rescues.

The British monarchy actually does have them actually serve. And they are not treated as special in the armed forces.

So there is that.

IN that sense the British monarchy has kept that sense of noblesse oblige that other royal families have not, On the other hand, every so often the Queen has to remind Parliament why they do not want HER OPINION on anything.

That is kind of humorous to watch, they make that mistake every five years, and they are still very popular with the British people and a tourist attraction from hell. Yes, there is a direct economic drain to the British economy that could not be repeated by them taking a regular job delivering mail for example.

[tabasco]

11. Big deal.

George AWOL Bush was a member of the Texas Air Guard.

Tell me the prince was granted no special treatment while serving in the military. Tell me he was granted no special consideration for getting into flight school - an extremely difficult thing for "commoners" to do. I would have more respect for him if he signed up for the infantry and served a few actual combat tours, not carefully protected from enemy fire. I would still expect him to throw down the trappings of royalty.

Do all RAF pilots get a huge paycheck and luxurious accommodations for life? Weird, huh?

The notion of royalty is abhorrent and modern nostalgia regarding it is stupid. Special privileges due to the accident of birth would be eliminated in a rational society. That's why I favor very high estate taxes - so that children of the-rich must become productive members of society and earn a living. And that's why I find the concept of royalty sickening. Humans society will not progress until we stop embracing royalty and stupid superstitions. The plutocrats who now rule the world want us to think of the charming good old days, when benevolent kings and queens ruled over a splendid utopia. So be a good prole and watch the TV and go gaga over the new royal baby. Millions of babies don't have enough to eat or a rocking horse from the president.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Unlike George, the prince actually served

that is my point. And he actually effected rescues, and unlike George his life was at risk a few times doing those.

And it is abhorrent but it is up to the British people, so as long as they want them, they will still be there.

Also right now we have a simulacrum of royalty in the US. With climate change and the wars to come, you will see strong me, even new forms of monarchy or dictatorship emerge. I will admit the age of democracy is coming to an end... I think it was Thudycices who said it does not last for more than 300 years. And climate change will bring it to a screeching halt. No I am not that hopeful,

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. Couldn't agree more.

[sarge43]

14. "....why they do not want HER OPINION..."

If the British monarchy still had any power, Maggie Thatcher would have been sent to The Tower.

About their service: Great great grandfather, George VI, was a gunny officer at the Battle of Jutland. Great grandfather, Philip, was in several battles in Pacific Theater, WWII, mentioned in dispatches. Great grandmother, Elizabeth, joined the Army as soon as she eligible, WWII. Grandfather, Charles, served in the RN. Great uncle, Andrew, was in the Faulklands War as a chopper pilot. Uncle Harry is currently on active duty with the army. Unlike some, they step up.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yeah Maggie was not a favorite of the Queen, and I am sure she has some choice words

in private of course, about the Panama Papers and the current Prime Minister.

As to the rest, yup, Why when they did not invite Elizabeth to the anniversary of the lading at D day that was a mistake, She would have been the ONLY vet of that war, among national leaders,

[sarge43]

19. My court spy hints that after the weekly meets the staff had to chip ice off the Buck House windows.

Yeah, that was an odd oversight.

[1monster]

10. It is my understanding that the adult royal children work very

hard for various charitable agencies raising money, making appearances, giving speeches, etc.

Are they worth the amount of money that the UK spends on h having a royal family? I don't know. That's up to the citizens of the UK to determine. But just on tourism value alone, they pull considerable weight.

Since Britain has had a monarchy for something over 1200 years (Egbert, 802-839) with a 20 year period when the monarchy was forced into exile by the Cromwell experiment, which the British people eventually rejected, I'd say it works for them and if they are happy with it, who are we to cavil? The United States decided 240 years ago to eschew a monarchy. That was our choice. The UK decided to stay with a monarchy. That is their choice.

[tabasco]

12. I'm sure they get regular evaluations just like common folk, have to put up with

assholes bosses, and have to worry about losing their job, which puts groceries on the table.

Anyone who is "happy with" the concept of monarchy is an imbecile.

[1monster]

17. Bitter much? My point is YOU don't get to choose for everyone.

If you are a citizen of the UK and don't like the monarchy, you have several choices: You can emigrate to somewhere that doesn't have a monarchy; You can start a political people's movement to do away with the monarchy; You can suffer in silence, or you can complain loudly and call people who disagree with you imbeciles; You can think up your own way of dealing with your disagreement with a monarchy.

If you are not a citizen of the UK, all you have is an opinion, and it doesn't count in the UK.

[tabasco]

18. Thank you, Mr. Obvious,

for that splendid rendition of "No Shit, Sherlock."

My ancestors already did what you so cogently suggested. They rejected the notion of monarchy and shed blood to start a new nation on the soil of North America, with the ideals of equality and liberty. We have a long way to go to attain those ideals, but some of us are still fighting. Some have found comfort in front of their TVs, 'ooohing' and 'ahhhing' over the new royal baby, who will never have to get a job, never go hungry, and never be a truly productive member of society.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. The Brits overwhelmingly want to keep them around

so they are doing a job. That is their business, not ours

[Bayard]

2. A beautiful child

Who looks like his father, and his father's mother.

[sheshe2]

3. KnR

The pictures are adorable. Thanks for posting, bigtree.

[jalan48]

6. Awwwwwwwwwwwww

[KT2000]

7. that little guy is so darn cute

and the president is so good with kids. William's Dad face is pretty cute too.

[TNNurse]

8. The President is good with kids

because kids have a sense about people until they are taught bigotry. Kids and dogs are good judges of character.