[Closed] Thank you Ma'am

She wants to get herself down DFS, they've got a sale on.

Jesus Zippy!!!! Its a bit early in the day for that!!!!

For Gods sake think of the children!!!!!!!

So why do those chairs exist?

I'd imagine most of the them are ceremonial and/or symbolic?

They don't look the kind of chair where she could curl up with some hot chocolate to watch Countryfile.

They don't look cheap...

Somehow this doesn't quite convey the same gravitas, respect or symbolism.

[img] [/img]

What do they symbolize?

The chairs have been around for a very long time, so the actual cost per year will be pretty small. It's like owning a land rover. Expensive initially but, after you've owned it for 40 years, it works out quite reasonable.

Or something.

Anyway, I'd rather have the Queen in place than a politician and picking on William for driving a helicopter is hardly fair. It's a very worthwhile job and it's not like he's doing some little scrote out of a place in employment.

[i]What do they symbolize[/i]

Our eternal battle against the adoption of American spellings of English words.

This bloke started stirring ...

[img] [/img]

The chairs have been around for a very long time, so the actual cost per year will be pretty small. It's like owning a land rover. Expensive initially but, after you've owned it for 40 years, it works out quite reasonable.

The rooms they are in look like they might cost a bit to heat to prevent the chairs getting damp and mouldy...

jivehoneyjive - Member

What do they symbolize?

Posted 6 minutes ago # Report-Post

Please don't have a theory...

I seem to remember Christopher Hitchens calculated that Charles manages to compress his glad handing etc to about 3 days per month. Leaves a lot of time for sitting around or being on holiday.

Just to pre-empt JHJ's theory - I bet that those chairs were early prototypes for this one....

[img] [/img]

[i]The rooms they are in look like they might cost a bit to heat to prevent the chairs getting damp and mouldy[/i]

and they'd all be demolished to save money if we had an elected head of state?

and they'd all be demolished to save money if we had an elected head of state?

We could open them up to paying visitors... should do wonders for the tourist trade.

The Hermitage in St Petersburg is a pretty s****y museum...

Edit: Not forgetting the worlds #1 tourist destination, France, has the Louvre and Palace of Versailles...

I'm willing to bet that the Queen knows not to take the piss unlike, say, MPs that have claimed for duck houses or union officials earning a lot but living in council houses.

As it has been said before, I think there are worse alternatives than having the Queen as a head of state. Far worse.

What do they symbolize

Not sure I want to get into a discussion of symbolism with you JHJ.
I'm sure you have your own theories.

Instead here's a picture of a democratically elected head of state sitting down on a not-cheap chair.

[img] [/img]

In a not-cheap room that any mason would be proud of

[img] [/img]

I'm willing to bet that the Queen knows not to take the piss unlike, say, MPs that have claimed for duck houses or union officials earning a lot but living in council houses.

How much are you willing to bet?

I'll happily bet my bike...

What bike is it?
Does it have a seat?

I'm a huge fan.
At her age she should be putting her feet up.
She works incredibly hard and is loved by millions.
I was once asked in America if I'd ever met the queen. The person asking the question was really disappointed and wanted to know everything about her.

Congratulations Mam.

I like Stanhope's take on it

😉

She works incredibly hard

She doesn't. She does do stuff but it's not like she's out tarmaccing is it?

Well, that is to say for 89 she does damn well but she's had a lifetime of ease in preparation

Is Jeremy Vine being ironic or idiotic?

Is Jeremy Vine being ironic or idiotic?

Just in general?

Playing the sex pistols

Bunnyhop - Member
She works incredibly hard

Could you give us a sample of this incredible hard working day? 😆

Imagine wanting to go out on your bike. But no, hang on a minute you have to meet the president of some country, that's been organised possibly a year in advance.
It is hard work standing around for hours at her age, performing duties, not really having your own life.
All imo off course.
I've met someone that works with the queen and they say she's one of the hardest working people she's met.

What bike is it?
Does it have a seat?

A few to choose from~ depends what's being offered in return...

Under the circumstance, the Evil Sovereign seems like a decent initial bid.

Mk1 853/725
Old Style Pikes with upgraded Dual Flow/RCT3 damping
SLX brakes
Mavic EX721 rims with your choice of Alfine or Hope Rear hub

Saddle is a Tioga Spyder knock off... not the comfiest, but when all is said and done, I don't do as much sitting around on my arse as some.

Offer is there if willard is indeed willing to bet, though as I've said, there are other bikes available if that doesn't tickle his fancy.

I'm off to spend the afternoon volunteering in Oxfam, so won't reply until this evening.

Perhaps your mates a right idle get?

Edit: Evil Sovereign - chapeau, sir

Oh, is today the day we celebrate her not dying for longer since her dad died than any of the other ones?

I'm willing to bet that the Queen knows not to take the piss unlike, say, MPs that have claimed for duck houses or union officials earning a lot but living in council houses.

She's got a gold hat with a massive diamond on it!

gonefishin - Member
Over absolute monarchy? you sure?
Well as the topic here referred to the constitutional monarchy that we have in the UK rather than an absolute monarchy I didn't think it necessary to elaborate on that point. I suppose I should have made special allowance for the spectacularly hard of thinking.

Imagine wanting to go out on your bike. But no, hang on a minute you have to meet the president of some country, that's been organised possibly a year in advance.
It is hard work standing around for hours at her age, performing duties, not really having your own life.

That would be my argument for abolition. William clearly wants to live in a cottage on Anglesey and fly helicopters, but he can't.

Bunnyhop - Member
Imagine wanting to go out on your bike. But no, hang on a minute you have to meet the president of some country, that's been organised possibly a year in advance.
It is hard work standing around for hours at her age, performing duties, not really having your own life.
All imo off course.
I've met someone that works with the queen and they say she's one of the hardest working people she's met.

They could abdicate.

That would be my argument for abolition. William clearly wants to live in a cottage on Anglesey and fly helicopters, but he can't.

I'd quite like to live in a cottage on Anglesey and fly helicopters. If we abolish the monarchy can I go too?

that's been organised possibly a year in advance.

Also, in the above circumstances, she should've gone out her bike yesterday.

I don't get the "it's better than an elected head of state" argument.

What you're saying is that someone randomly chosen by accident of birth is always going to be better at the job than someone who's got there by merit, elected presumably because people think they'd be a good choice.

Is this another way of saying that the electorate is stupid, so can't be trusted to choose the head of state?

JHJ, sadly I don't gamble (my earlier post was a figure of speech), but the possibility of going from a Malt2 to a Sovereign is tempting. Alas, I suspect we will never be able to find out the true cost of parliament's piss taking (proven) against HRH's (alleged on your behalf, denied on mine).

Well done your for volunteering though.

Imagine wanting to go out on your bike. But no, hang on a minute you have to meet the president of some country, that's been organised possibly a year in advance.
It is hard work standing around for hours at her age, performing duties, not really having your own life.
All imo off course.
I've met someone that works with the queen and they say she's one of the hardest working people she's met.

Imagine, I want to go out on my bike. But no, hang on a minute the CEO is coming up for a meeting at which I have to present a report.

The argument about not being able to "have her own life" is a pure nonsense. Do you really think that she doesn't have adequate relaxation / downtime scheduled in? when has she ever had to juggle late / early meetings with school runs / partners job? She's never had a single day's worry in her life. One of the hardest working people she's met? Nice work if you can get it.

Abolish the monarchy. Sooner the better.

The new Glasgow hospital thing is annoying too. A hospital paid for by Scottish taxpayers which was, without consultation or even any formal meetings, renamed after the queen at a cost of £100,000.

I'm sure she didn't ask for the honour - point is, no-one else was asked either, it was just assumed that it should be done.

I don't get the "it's better than an elected head of state" argument.

What you're saying is that someone randomly chosen by accident of birth is always going to be better at the job than someone who's got there by merit, elected presumably because people think they'd be a good choice.

Is this another way of saying that the electorate is stupid, so can't be trusted to choose the head of state?

Ben - you are obviously right, but....

[img] [/img]

I'm purposefully assuming all you loonball monarchists would accept rule under an absolute monarchy if the operchancity arose.

Of course not.

Would all you loonball "real" democratic republicans accept an Absolute Democracy where no one was in charge, we just sent random punters off the street to represent us on the international stage, and every single decision that the country makes was put to a mass public vote?

What you're saying is that someone randomly chosen by accident of birth is always going to be better at the job than someone who's got there by merit, elected presumably because people think they'd be a good choice.

Pretty much.

Someone who has been trained from birth for a lifetime in public office and serving her country.

Versus someone who got to the top because they really really wanted the power and might only have four short years to make as much money and "social change" as possible before they can disappear and blame it all on their successor.

Could you give us a sample of this incredible hard working day?

http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/DayInTheLife/Queensworkingday.aspx

[i]The Queen has many different duties to perform every day.

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Other duties are carried out away from the cameras, but they are no less important. These include reading letters from the public, official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss daily business and her future diary plans.

Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her realms.

In front of the camera or away from it, The Queen's duties go on, and no two days in her life are ever the same.[/i]

Continued:

http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/DayInTheLife/TheQueensworkingday/Morning.aspx
http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/DayInTheLife/TheQueensworkingday/Afternoon.aspx
http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/DayInTheLife/TheQueensworkingday/Evening.aspx

Don't forget she has to reign 24/7 as well.

I expect that takes it out of you after 60+ years.

Christ! Listening to the nauseatingly sycophantic toadying from the House of Commons really is vomit-inducing

[url= http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-sick015.gi f" target="_blank">http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-sick015.gi f"/> [/img][/url]

From the current crop of politicians who have the look/charisma of being the first British president? 😯

Do you really think that she doesn't have adequate relaxation / downtime scheduled in? when has she ever had to juggle late / early meetings with school runs / partners job? She's never had a single day's worry in her life. One of the hardest working people she's met? Nice work if you can get it.

I wouldn't want to do her job thanks.

I am proud to be British and today, proud to have her as queen.

Versus someone who got to the top because they really really wanted the power and might only have four short years to make as much money and "social change" as possible before they can disappear and blame it all on their successor.

Which is what we've got at the moment with the PM and political parties. This is just about replacing a hereditary monarch who we're all supposed to bow down before with an elected head of state to open hospitals and meet foreign dignitaries and the like.

That list of the queen's duties is a big part of what I object to, by the way:

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Fine, great, a bit of pomp and circumstance when opening a shopping centre is fine.

official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors

This is where I have the problem - no-one elected her to do this stuff. She shouldn't be getting anywhere near the running of the country. Figurehead, fine. Ruler, definitely not fine.

she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her realms.

[u]Her[/u] realms? Bollocks to that.

I wouldn't want to do her job thanks.

Maybe she doesn't want to either.

I'd quite like to live in a cottage on Anglesey and fly helicopters. If we abolish the monarchy can I go too?

Yes: learn to fly, then apply for the job. Selection by ability.

If you want to be the monarch, however, tough.

Get rid of the lot of them, no need for a President above the Prime Minister. Cameron can lead the country until Corbs takes over in 2020

[quote=binners said]Christ! Listening to the nauseatingly sycophantic toadying from the House of Commons really is vomit-inducing

I suggest you don't then.

HTH.

I really enjoy undoing my trousers after a big dinner.
The Queen can't do that.
Ps .I know she doesn't wear trousers.

Get rid of the lot of them, no need for a President above the Prime Minister. Cameron can lead the country until Corbs takes over in 2020

Do you think Cameron would have been available to open the new Borders-to-Edinburgh railway today? Because [url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-34177585 ]that's what the Queen was doing[/url].

I'd rather our elected leaders focused on running the country and left the ceremonies and pomp to someone much better suited to it.

Do you think Cameron would have been available to open the new Borders-to-Edinburgh railway today? Because that's what the Queen was doing.

And if she'd not been there, would everyone have sat around just looking at each other?

I'd rather our elected leaders focused on running the country and left the ceremonies and pomp to someone much better suited to it.

Better suited to cutting a ribbon? So, almost anyone with opposable thumbs?

GrahamS - Member
Get rid of the lot of them, no need for a President above the Prime Minister. Cameron can lead the country until Corbs takes over in 2020
Do you think Cameron would have been available to open the new Borders-to-Edinburgh railway today? Because that's what the Queen was doing.

I'd rather our elected leaders focused on running the country and left the ceremonies and pomp to someone much better suited to it.

https://republic.org.uk/what-we-want

Do you think Cameron would have been available to open the new Borders-to-Edinburgh railway today? Because that's what the Queen was doing.

I'm kind of assuming that was ironic! All that irrelevant bobbins should be the first to be struck off the list of stupid jobs that didn't need doing in the first place.

For me the monarchy is giant symbol of inequity. We live in a society where we try to instil a culture that every man and woman, provided they have the capability, can strive for any role in society. We continue to attempt to break down class divides and we bemoan the number of privately educated people that end up at Oxbridge and in the top paying jobs. As a nation we think we stand for equality and fairness. Yet right up there like a massive belisha beacon shining out for all the world to see is some old dear born into a divine right to be head of state and her idiot son waiting in the wings to take over. A huge symbol to every child that no matter how hard you strive, there will be some things you will never be good enough for. To the rest of the world a giant symbol of our archaic system of governance.

Yet those in the most underprivileged positions in our society with seemingly the most to be peeved about when it comes to equality seems to be her most ardent supporters. Those with barely a pot to piss in are the first to stand on the street and wave a plastic union flag whist shedding a tear as she trundles past giving them a condescending wave. I am baffled by my fellow British subjects.

Given the opportunity I'd happily be the person who got to press the button to eject the lot of them into space (you'd have to get the whole lot of them - leave one behind and the canker would grow again) not because I dislike them personally but because I think the nation would be better for it. I appreciate I would be the most vilified man alive if I did it though. Cruel to be kind and all that.

Which is what we've got at the moment with the PM and political parties. This is just about replacing a hereditary monarch who we're all supposed to bow down before with an elected head of state to open hospitals and meet foreign dignitaries and the like.

I have no idea why you think that would be any different to just having the PM as head of state?

You get exactly the same problems: someone who is power hungry and only in the job for a short period. Basically anyone who actively wants such a job probably shouldn't get it.

I suppose you could rectify these issues by making it a lifetime term, and selecting the candidate at random. But then that wouldn't be much different from a monarch.

I'm kind of assuming that was ironic! All that irrelevant bobbins should be the first to be struck off the list of stupid jobs that didn't need doing in the first place.

Absolutely, what are all these people doing celebrating and having a nice day out to see the Queen today?

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

They should all be busy working for the betterment of the [s]U.K.[/s] .. sorry..
the Allied Republic of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Previous Empires.

As I said - people are weird. Seeing the Queen and imagining it was a fun thing - odd. But people seem to have an equally nice day out at a shopping centre. I suspect some people as just easily pleased idiots. I've met the queen to talk to and everything - it wasn't all that.

To be fair, in that top photo only one bloke appears to have noticed that the Queen is there - but look how excited he looks! 😀

I don't get the "it's better than an elected head of state" argument.

What you're saying is that someone randomly chosen by accident of birth is always going to be better at the job than someone who's got there by merit, elected presumably because people think they'd be a good choice.

Is this another way of saying that the electorate is stupid, so can't be trusted to choose the head of state?

And presumably, by extension, can't be trusted to choose the government. Down with this sort of democracy thing!!

Have you ever read the comment on YouTube?

If we had a [i]real[/i] democracy then those people would have a say in important decisions that directly effect our lives.

Scary!

Versus someone who [s]got to the top because they really really wanted the power and might only have four short years to make as much money and "social change" as possible before they can disappear and blame it all on their successor.[/s]can be booted out if we don't like them

FTFY.

She's done a good job of everything except the heir, and if she hangs on just a wee bit longer we can end the entire royalty thing on a high

Have you ever read the comment on YouTube?
If we had a real democracy then those people would have a say in important decisions that directly effect our lives.
Scary!

Well, now you point it out...

Actually, if you don't like the look of any of Elizabeth's heirs, there's plenty of precedent for just getting rid of them and getting someone else in. You could almost call it traditional...
William Rufus: Killed in a hunting “accident”
Edward II: murdered
Richard II: deposed, murdered
Edward V: deposed, murdered
Richard III: Killed in battle fought to depose him
Henry VI: deposed, possibly murdered
Charles I: Deposed and executed
James II: Deposed
George V: euthanized

With apologies for any I missed.

Cant we just get rid of the scrounging gits who cost us a fortune ,flog their bloody great houses to Arabs and save a fortune ?

...can be booted out if we don't like them

That system must be why we end up with such likeable politicians?

Cant we just get rid of the scrounging gits who cost us a fortune

I'm guessing you didn't watch the CGPGrey "cost of the royals" video posted earlier?

I like the way the media interviewed all the loyal subjects who turned up to cheer to see what we all thought

I have no opinion on her but the institution and her political powers shouls be removed
The UK moves slowly by about the middle of this century we may be like 18 the Century democracies.....fingers crossed anyway.

thanks aracer and toys it works great

Herman Melville in Moby Dick on the coronation of kings and queens:

"It is well known that at the coronation of kings and queens, even modern ones, a certain curious process of seasoning them for their functions is gone through. There is a saltcellar of state, so called, and there may be a caster of state. How they use the salt, precisely--who knows? Certain I am, however, that a king's head is solemnly oiled at his coronation, even as a head of salad. Can it be, though, that they anoint it with a view of making its interior run well, as they anoint machinery? Much might be ruminated here, concerning the essential dignity of this regal process, because in common life we esteem but meanly and contemptibly a fellow who anoints his hair, and palpably smells of that anointing. . . . But the only thing to be considered here is this--what kind of oil is used at coronations? Certainly it cannot be olive oil, nor macassar oil, nor castor oil, nor bear's oil, nor train oil, nor cod-liver oil. What then can it possibly be, but sperm oil in its unmanufactured, unpolluted state, the sweetest of all oils? Think of that, ye loyal Britons! we whalemen supply your kings and queens with coronation stuff."

😀

She's been an outstanding Monarch and Head of the Commonwealth.

With the talk of a Republic it's worth noting when the Australians had a vote it was conclusively in favour of retaining the Queen as head of state. Any such vote in the UK would be even more supportive. Personally I think we'd be better off with the Monarch having greater powers, we'd have more consistent centrist government as a result

55 v 45 is conclusively ?

conclusively
Also found in: Legal, Wikipedia.
con·clu·sive (k?n-klo?o?s?v)
adj.
Serving to put an end to doubt, question, or uncertainty;

Its about 25 % to little hence the debate still rumbles on

Still I am sure she admires your noble support and excellent maths

thanks aracer and toys it works great

I'm all in favour of tradition when comes to odd numbered charles

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28066081

None of his has any place in a modern democracy. It's ludicrous.

Well I went to see her to today. The new railway is a really big deal for us who live locally and it felt like an extra special day having her here to open it.

She went of to Bowhill afterwards for a private engagement, perhaps to ride some of the cracking singletrack in the woods.

Well I've just checked back and it seems my gamble has failed to pay off... I was hoping for some over eager bravado and some carbon exotica coming my way, but willard doesn't want to play...

Nonetheless, I'm a sporting man

Here is one of the reasons I was more than happy to lay my bike on the line:

[url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/queen-tried-to-use-state-poverty-fund-to-heat-buckingham-palace-2088179.html ]Queen tried to use state poverty fund to heat Buckingham Palace[/url]

With the talk of a Republic it's worth noting when the Australians had a vote it was conclusively in favour of retaining the Queen as head of state.

Jammers - you are funny, old thing - could you talk us through how having the very epitome of engrained hereditory anti-meritocratic, unacountable, anti-democratic privilege, that would have us all as subjects, or possibly serfs, as opposed to citizens, having more power, somehow give us a more centrist government?

Would it be to finally counter the rabid left-wing, almost communist ideologies we've been ruthlessly ruled by for decades now? If so, then a ruddy great Huzzah!!!! About time too!!

😆

It's been one of those days that comes along every so often - a royal "occasion". It's a curious thing for a citizen of a republic (and more than happy to be one, not a subject) to see the sheer amount of obsequious forelock-tugging that goes on amongst normal people who find themselves feeling inferior by virtue of the fact that they entered the world through a different birth canal. I can never quite figure it out (to be fair with some of the posters here, I can) but it's quite entertaining to read some of it.