Something Weird Is Going On With The Royal Marines (Part 2)

Hoist anchor and set a course for Dramatopia, mateys, because it appears that the Captain General saga is far from over.

I love mess

In Part 1 of what is shaping up to be an ongoing series, I put forth a theory that some major behind-the-scene dramatics are going on with respect to the leadership of the Royal Marines. Recent events have only further convinced me that, in the immortal words of esteemed American chanteur Yung Joc, IT'S GOING DOWN.

Today's Daily Mail published a weirdly fervent article about the appointment of the Queen's new equerry, a Royal Marine by the name of Major Tom White. Of course this event is newsworthy in it's own right, as this Marine will serve as the Queen's "eyes and ears." However, the tone of the announcement is, in a word... weird. Major White is no doubt deserving of the lavish praise heaped upon him, but such effusiveness a little unusual coming from a military source.

Odder still are the repeated references to Harry stepping down as Captain General, since the equerry post has nothing to do with Harry and is not even necessarily held by a Royal Marine (in fact, Major White will be the first). So why does this article repeatedly draw a link between Harry's departure and Major White's appointment? Oddest of all, the article contains this rather vivid characterization of the Marines' reaction to Harry's exit:

[Harry] walking away was a huge disappointment. The Royal Marines have felt they’ve been handed from pillar to post but this is a proud moment.

Between all this dramatic verbiage and the repeatedly drawn link between Harry's scarper and Maj White's promotion... well friends, my Spidey Senses are a-tinglin'.

The drama is out there... I feel it...

There's one more odd thing about this story, but this time we have to look to the negative space. Recall from Part 1 that around the time of the Farewell Tour, Anne was tipped to take over as Captain General. However this Daily Express article made clear that at 70 and with 15 extant appointments, she wasn't willing to take on a new role. Recall also that William was tipped in her stead, and military brass were clearly mounting a pressure campaign through the press to get him to take on the role.

Well guess who's not mentioned in the new Daily Mail article? (Hint: William.) And guess who is? (Hint: Anne.)

I conclude from this that William has refused to take on the Captain General post. Perhaps he doesn't want to fuel a brothers-at-war narrative in the press; perhaps he is concerned for his personal relationship with Harry; perhaps he is simply lazy, if you buy the Duke of Dolittle narrative. But who knows, really? No matter what William's motive, this would mean a double-snub for the Royal Marines by the BRF.

Handed from pillar to post

Therefore, reading between the lines, I think this equerry appointment is an effort to placate the Marines and smooth over ruffled feathers. That would explain all the fuss and botheration over a routine staff handover. "Sorry my feckless grandchildren can't be bothered to perform the basic duties of their positions. Here, have an equerry position instead!" And wouldn't that just be a classic QEII conflict resolution method?

In the final accounting I think this saga bodes poorly for the future of the monarchy. Captain General of the Royal Marines is an extremely important position, and a prestigious one at that. If William isn't motivated to do the high-profile glamorous jobs, he's unlikely to take on the unglamorous day-to-day scutwork of being Sovereign.

Thank God (for now, at least), for Princess Anne!

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