Boris, the rule of six sucks for large families

Firgas Esack - 28 Sep 20

I recently commented on Instagram following the @kensingtonroyal picture of the Cambridge family at Kensington Palace with Sir David Attenborough. My comment stated that the Cambridges are a family of five, Kensington Palace is a larger household, they invited in Sir David Attenborough and also his entourage plus photographers to their home – all of which actions were deviating from the cruel terms laid out by the government in the recent ‘Rule of 6″.

Don’t get me wrong, Sir David is a Ledge and – as many comments on my post retorted – “Don’t hate on them. It’s a lovely moment.” Of course, it is a lovely moment. So, in turn, would be any toddler receiving a shark’s tooth from an elder. But the fact remains; if I invited David Attenborough and a photographer to my home (with 2 adults and 4 children) I would get a fine.

When the Rule of 6 was announced, I remember watching Matt Hancock on BBC Breakfast denouncing the sacrifices he himself would have to make as a father of three. “We can only invite one grandparent at a time,” he said. Well, yes – but clearly a photographer would also be permitted. And a national treasure.

A few comments on my Instagram post suggested if the photographer was working, at social distance, this would be the same as being a party of six at a restaurant. Well, yes – of course, it would. Technically. And in all common sense, But legally, it isn’t, because Kensington Palace is their home.

My own family of six is usually extended to eight on a Monday after school. Our neighbour, who is a teacher at a local school that finishes slightly later, struggles with afterschool childcare for her twins, so we previously helped out. The girls are in the same class as my second son – so would have been exposed to each other’s germs all day anyhow, and we were happy to be helping a key worker out, yet now cannot. Furthermore, both adults in our family have had recent COVID tests with negative results, so it is even more frustrating.

I really do hope that the inconsistencies of this are even seen by one person and that the situation for larger families might improve. Until then, if you want to invite David Attenborough to your home, you could start by reaching out to his management here. 

Firgas Esack

I am a publicist working as part The Hoxby Collective. I have three sons, three dogs and I prefer my Martinis stirred, not shaken.

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