[Closed] The Royal Family

What, specifically, about them 'holds us back'?

Serfdom never really went away.

Know your place..... Or be more French.

I get where you are coming from op.

Though to be honest, he/ they are just using the (rather good) cards they have been dealt and it's funded by the networks/ Netflix etc rather than the UK at large.

If it degrades the influence of the monarchy and further shows the utter stupidity of the institution then it's a win, win for me.

Without the house of lords the government can push through any amount of legislation and also many of the people there are there as a reward for a lifetime of service to the country.
I agree that its a bit of an old boys club and they totally screw the expenses, but I'd rather we have it than not.
Not everyone is a rabid tory.

As for the Royals, they're a huge tourist draw as some like the US really dig a deep history like the history they dont have. I think we get in about £50m from that draw alone, but without the royals there are other sectors that lose out.
It's the whole tourist package many come here for.

And lets face it, many of the problems we face today are the result of our elected officials in parliament.

And no one raises an eyebrow, while NHS staff get a paycut.

The royal family have absolutely NOTHING to do with pay rises or pay cuts to the NHS, that lies completely with parliament, and to try to make such a connection is frankly quite dumb.

And over here the Royals can go on masse to visit a sick old man while the rest of the poor people cant do the same for their relatives.

Mass? It was only Charles it was also within the current guidelines, the same guidelines for everyone.

And no one raises an eyebrow, while NHS staff get a paycut.

Do not understand.

It might help by first checking to see if you’re right about visiting sick relatives, realising you’re not the only who has made this wrongful claim and it has no effect on people’s thoughts of the laughable pay offer.

I used to be very anti-monarchy, tbh I'm more on the fence now. Not because I think I was wrong, I just don't think it's as important as I used to. I still basically think it's absurd in the year 2021 how rooted we are in breeding and establishment and class, though, and I don't think that there's any doubt that holds us back massively as a nation. Just look at the current government, Boris Johnston isn't equipped to run a medium sized Wetherspoons never mind a country but he floats to the top because he's posh and went to the right school.

I suspect that'll swing back once Charles is king- if there's one thing I can respect about the royalty it's what Liz has shown, that yes it's a life of ridiculous privilege but it's also a lifelong duty. Also, it's so tied into the residue of feudalism, the fact that these days you get to keep land just because it was your dad's but if you go back far enough your dad's dad's dad probably got it by stabbing some peasant in the guts, or later on just by being able to afford a lawyer...And today most people will be lucky to own a house because they're not allowed to murder anyone for it any more. The monarchy's a part of that problem but they're not the root or the total of it and it won't be solved so easily.

OTOH, we send £345 million a year to the royals, why not spend it on the NHS instead? 😉

dyna-ti
Free Member

As for the Royals, they’re a huge tourist draw as some like the US really dig a deep history like the history they dont have.

So people claim, but 10 million people a year visit Versailles and only 2.8m visit Buckingham Palace, Windsor and Holyroodhouse combined. Having had a monarchy is definitely a good draw but that's the thing about history, you don't stop having royal history even if you deposed your last king 200 years ago and tourists don't stop wanting to see the gold stuff. And frankly having them still around is probably more often an inconvenience to tourists than it is a benefit. We could strip our monarchy absolutely to the bone and it'd make no difference to that.

None of britain's top 10 visitor attractions are directly royal either.

Conversely I used to be more of a royalist Northwind,to a degree anyway. Your point about Versailles and the trappings of having had a monarchy are extremely valid.

The royal family are quickly becoming the ultimate celebrity family/ dynasty.

I bet letting tourists have access to Buckingham Palace and the other royal estates etc would generate far more income then brought in before Covid.

Searching for something positive to say about Brexit here but I'm hoping the future instability could at least make people question the "need" for the monarchy.

I'm not saying Brexit is worth it just to get rid of them though, nor the instability!

There's a lot wrong with this but I'll run with

I am watching

why?

why?

Because it will be interesting 😉 Isn't that why people normally watch things ?.

Poster boys and girls for lack of social mobility, shoot the ****ing lot of them!

I'd be fine with a similar sort of set up to somewhere like Sweden, where they have a King/Queen etc, but that's pretty much it. I'd happily have something like "A monarch and immediate family, and A palace (pick one, pass the rest to the NT), a budget of say £75-100million for staff, travel, upkeep and so on.." The rest, all the Dukes and Barons and Earls and whot-nots can go **** themselves.

Without the house of lords the government can push through any amount of legislation

Yep we need a 2nd house for legislation, just don't stuff it with losers from the "Upper-class twit of the Year" competition and various hangers-on. I save my biggest hate about the Royals for the press though TBH, while I'm no fan of any of them, compare and contrast  their treatment of Megan, who's crime it appears to be is that she could start an argument in an empty room, with her Uncle-In Law who's actually wanted by the FBI, because they think he can tell them a bit more about that time he ****ed a child along with his bestie.

Don't understand peoples obsession with the royal family. They serve no practical purpose or influence anything, they're just a bit of window shopping. And if you think they're privileged then you're wrong. Would you want to trade places with them? Having your life mapped in front of you from the day you're born? Its like a proper life sentence of the kind even the most evil rapists and murderers don't get.

I think they're a nice trinket and do serve us a useful purpose. The company I work for often gets them into service...they're probably the best sales people for GB plc than anyone. The yanks use their President the French their bribes and we lead with the Queen. Can reduce the breadth of the family the taxpayer supports, but I think there is and should be some space in our society and lives for a bit of tradition and nonsense just for the sheer hell of it.

There are much bigger and more important things to worry about than the Royal Family I really can't get too excited by them.

As for the Lords its an essential part of our democratic process and in my view they need to be politically impartial which is why I don't agree with them being voted in. There needs to be a good spread of political and non-political representation in the Lords to make a balanced view when they are overseeing the parliamentary process. The way it works today is not perfect, but it's as good as what they Yanks have where they vote in their upper chamber and in the case where there there is a dominance of one party then they just become an irrelevance.

Don’t understand peoples obsession with the royal family. They serve no practical purpose or influence anything, they’re just a bit of window shopping. And if you think they’re privileged then you’re wrong.

You couldn't post more inaccuracies if you tried with this opening section really.

I think they’re a nice trinket and do serve us a useful purpose

So do you think they serve a purpose or not I'm confused.

Also, it’s so tied into the residue of feudalism, the fact that these days you get to keep land just because it was your dad’s but if you go back far enough your dad’s dad’s dad probably got it by stabbing some peasant in the guts

When i get the "it's traditional" chat from a pro royal family i like to point out it would be traditional to take the crown by force.

The Royals tax payer funding is around 90 million a year from the sovereign grant which is derived from income from the Crown estates that are managed by the treasury. Its not massive compared to the brand they support.

To be fair to the current queen she does tend to cut them off when they go rogue, see Harry at the moment and to a lesser extent Andrew.

They are I the bracket of super rich a long with a lot of other people. Most of the others get far less scrutiny and do a lot less for the country.

As for the feudalism rubbish being spouted above, feel free to criticise all you want, this isn't Thailand.

Anyway I think Northwind hits the nail on the head, there are much bigger things to get in a froth about.

The royal family is a problem easily solved by a practice used throughout history - off with their heads!
Not really obviously but I would love to see them gone. I think they do a great deal of harm to this country, not least because the class system will never change whilst we've still got a royal family imo.

As for the lords, hasn't Jo Johnson been promoted to the lords? You know, Jo Johnson who held some minor ministerial role for a couple of years and who just happens to be the PM's brother. Says it all for me.

As for the press, I agree that sections of it have treated Meghan appallingly. Not least, yep another Johnson, this time Rachel with her description of Meghan having "exotic DNA". I am not sure what they are supposed to do about Andrew though. They can't keep banging on and on about him. I am not saying he has not got a case to answer - of course he has - but they've reported on him extensively, Emily Maitlis did a superb interview with him, but what more exactly can they do? They are up against the power of the palace, he's gone to ground, the press needs to move onto the next story because that's the way the press works.

I think it's far too easy to blame the press. It's the FBI that should be after Andrew but they have been blocked at every turn. I'm not even sure Harry blames the press for his mother's death really, at least not totally. It may be convenient to do so in public and I don't doubt he hates the press and apportions some blame to them but I think what he can't say/admit to himself is that the royal family had more than a hand in him mother's death. From pressurising Charles into a marriage he didn't want, to allowing Charles, a prince and future king, to have such a sense of entitlement that he thought he could treat Diana so badly, to taking her protection officers away from her... I am not saying Diana was perfect but she was treated appallingly by that family and I think Harry knows that.

I’m on the fence about the ‘value’ of the Royals as people but I think they serve a valuable role in our democracy.
When I see the shit show of presidential elections around the world and the second tier of government becoming a political blockage point then I’m quite grateful for our unelected-yet-powerless(ish) head of state and our House of Lords that can offer valid checks and balances to our law-makers.

The system is in no ideal but I’m not sure I like the alternatives any better.

It's interesting reading the comments. Couple of things that really spring out is that 1. the comments along the lines of "Mleh, they don't really do any harm, so what's the fuss" has been doing the rounds for aaaagess,  Articles in the times from the 1700's saying petty much the same thing (and for that matter, the other side as well) and 2. the Traditions argument is a bit bogus. most of the stuff you see today: opening of parliament, Birthday march pasts and so on are inventions of the 19thC.

Overall though, I think most folk have the same sort of mindset of all of our ancestors, "Yeah, they're a PITA, what are you going to do?"

**** me do they not have an ounce of dignity?

Well of course not, but then it got you sat in front of Oprah, so it served it's purpose perfectly it seems...

I like to think of the Royal family now a bit like a sort of semi-interactive soap-opera/advertising campaign... Just like the Gold blend couple or the Bisto family. Except the Windsors are selling the concept of a quaint little island bobbing in the North Atlantic full of posh people and their servants bustling about in stately homes. As a bit of a plot twist one's gone off to that there America with his new lady wife and he'll get up to all sorts, before it all becomes too much and he's got to head back to Blighty...

I can picture the scene now, Harry, Wills Charlie and the queen (and their various hangers-on) sat round a table set for Sunday dinner, theres an awkward silence, HRH pours some gravy over his roast, the familiar aroma of cheap, lumpy gravy wafts over him, He grins "Thanks Nan", she ruffles his hair, the tension is broken, and they begin their idle chit chat...

When I see the shit show of presidential elections around the world and the second tier of government becoming a political blockage point then I’m quite grateful for our unelected-yet-powerless(ish) head of state and our House of Lords that can offer valid checks and balances to our law-makers.

Nobody is saying overthrow parliamentary democracy, if anything it is to increase the democratic aspect by removing spongers and the unelected and retain a bicameral parliament. Plenty of other countries manage presidential elections just fine.

End Royal Family, take back Crown possessions into public ownership

Abolish House of Lords and have an elected upper House based on PR.

All MPs and upper House required to attend, woek 38 hours a week, no external business activities allowed including non exec.

Chatge the Toursits to sleep in the Royal bed Chambers.

That would be a start, then let's sort the descendents of William the Conqueror - Comrades assemble your pitchforks.

I don't understand the OP - Harry isn't really 'Royal Family' anymore - by relieving himself of all Royal duties and moving to California he has quite effectively distanced himself from them.

However I am actually pretty shocked that he has gone in front of a camera and sat there whilst his wife has levelled some pretty big insults at them and even using the patronising term 'The Firm' as a collective noun about the Royal Family. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way a Royalist but F me - she is one particularly nasty piece of spiteful work.

Then of course the Royals hit back with counter-claims of her bullying which seems a calculated move to weaken her position.

Ordinarily I wouldn't watch such a tv show but I am tempted to watch this one.

Northwind said most of what I believe although I would like to see the remaining hereditary peers and any of the life peers who got there by bankrolling political parties (or just following a party line for twenty years in parliament) or doing an already well paid job kicked out (There should either be a system by election where people choose their own interest group constituency or by appointment where the proposer has to publicly demonstrate the contribution the candidate has made to society).

If I am honest I would say that I believe that it is the Royal Family and hereditary peers who should be apologising for slavery (and while they are at it for the way they treated the majority of the uk population up to WW1), not because no one else is guilty but because they are the ones who chiefly benefited and continue to benefit from that trade and the system.

I don’t usually think of myself as particularly left wing but hearing families spouting the usual rubbish about the land being held in trust for the nation and how it is all held by charitable trusts rather than the families when they are the exclusive beneficiaries of these trusts does want me to start building barricades.

They can keep their big houses and sparkly hats, not even that bothered about the dosh but get them the **** out of our constitutional apparatus. Even just a symbol they justify heirarchy and deference that should have been eliminated decades ago.

The house of Lords? There are more unelected decision makers there than in the supposedly "unelected" EU parliament governing the whole of Europe. That's a ****ing disgrace. I have no problem with some sort of second chamber holding the Commons to account though.

The Royal family? They have reformed massively in my lifetime. The civil list is smaller in terms of who it supports, they pay more taxes, they employ a lot of people directly and indirectly with all the revenue and tax that generates, and the whole "Royal" and history thing is a big tourist attraction. Probably needs some more reform, but I'm not convinced they are a net drain on the nation's economy, though there's argument around how it's measured.

I think of them as harmless figureheads and don't understand why ardent royalists and republicans get so het up about it, to be honest.

I think of them as harmless figureheads and don’t understand why ardent royalists and republicans get so het up about it, to be hones

Well just for starters I don’t believe its a fair or desirable society where one is expected to bow and scrape, call “your majesty”, and sing a national anthem that’s just about someone, because of who they were born to. The illusion that they’re our betters by a fluke of birth etc is not what I believe in.
I don’t get why people don’t get so het up at being mugged off to be honest.

They serve no practical purpose or influence anything,

well that's not true is it

I think of them as harmless figureheads and don’t understand why ardent royalists and republicans get so het up about it, to be honest.

The problem is that between the Royal Family and the hereditary peers they own a huge chunk of the uk and as such have huge influence. A system so heavily influenced largely on who shagged Charles II nearly four hundred years ago, or who made an absolute killing (in what ever sense you want it to mean) out of the slave trade and the treatment of people in the uk who had little if any more rights than slaves, doesn’t seem like a good starting point for a modern democracy.

I largely work in the heritage sector. I’m not for tearing things down but perpetuating historic wrongs by keeping the status quo doesn’t seem right (Its funny how difficult it is to talk about this without sounding like a left wing student).

I think they should go and a lot of the arguments to keep them are at best suprious

The tourist draw is simply not true. If people travel to see the Monarchy then they are all going to be very disappointed as they wont see them. Sure they come to see the history and the buildings but the biggest tourist attraction in Europe is the Palace of Versailles and they got rid of it occupants hundreds of years ago!

The Crown Estate isn’t owned by the rf. It’s owned by the state and the rf get to keep a huge proportion of the profits for themselves. Abolition would see that money coming back to the treasury and being spent to benefit the country based on the elected government of the day.

I don’t understand why the family costs us so much. We are still funding Harry both directly and indirectly via Charles and we still pick up a huge security bill for them. Why are we funding so many homes for them. I don’t see why we have to fund them all. I get Buck Palace as the State figure head and Kensington Palace seems to provide more than adequate accommodation for the rest. But why all the others dotted around the country? Why does Charles Ned 2 state funded homes, plus another for his wife? Why do Billy and Kate need a place is Norfolk and London at our expense?

There are quite a few people on this thread who are Royalists in denial. I'll bet there at home now dusting their commemorative plates.
Is the Andrew & Fergie one your favourite?

However I am actually pretty shocked that he has gone in front of a camera and sat there whilst his wife has levelled some pretty big insults at them and even using the patronising term ‘The Firm’ as a collective noun about the Royal Family. Don’t get me wrong, I am in no way a Royalist but F me – she is one particularly nasty piece of spiteful work.

I think it is a generally accepted fact that Harry is actually quite thick. On that basis you shouldn't be shocked by anything he does.

This all started the other year when they went to Africa and, in between visiting orphanages, minefields and HIV programme, Meghan found the time to bleat to ITV about how bad her life is an people don't ask her if she is okay. She lived in a publicly funded palace with absolute luxury, married to a guy with inherited wealth beyond the imagination of 99% of the worlds population. Of course she might feel a bit sad, but through the interviews they both did, they exposed just how out of touch they are with everyone else in the world.

It is difficult to feel sorry for self pitying people when they are living/lived in absolute luxury on public funds.

Not in denial, I'm pro a Royal family, Other people aren't, which is fine, but as I said, there's more reform to be done.

I can't get wound up that some people own land or have other advantages to me just by lucky shagging. Some are in that position due to hard work or genius inventions, and I don't begrudge them that either. I might as well moan that some people are better cyclists or scientists than me due to genetic good fortune.

And we conveniently forget all the landed gentry who have gone bust, sold up, estates broken up and big houses demolished.

Given all the other societal issues we face and continually fail to address, the Royal family are a convenient squirrel like distraction. What they cost us is a drop in the ocean in terms of the NHS, social care, education, providing equal opportunity. Focus on the big picture, not the pantomime antics the media are feeding us while governments and opposition fail to address the things that directly affect the day to day life of millions in this country.

And if you think they’re privileged then you’re wrong. Would you want to trade places with them? Having your life mapped in front of you from the day you’re born? Its like a proper life sentence of the kind even the most evil rapists and murderers don’t get.

I hear this sort of bullshit so often.

So, I'm wrong in thinking that they are privileged? Never heard of a member of the royal family being called into the office to be told that their role has been made redundant, sorry but off you trot. Never having to worry about mortgage / rent payments. Never having to worry about unexpected bills. Guaranteed food on the table. Staff on hand 24/7. A choice of homes to pitch up in. Sounds pretty damn privileged to me.

Having your life mapped in front of you? They have a choice. Any member of the the royal family could just walk away. They *choose* not to. I think that it's fair to say that a good chunk of society has it's life mapped to a point. I have to work, otherwise I don't eat. My mum says, "Well they can just up and off where they want when they want". Neither can I. My choices are limited by time and money they same as most other people.

Regarding the last ridiculous line, there are members of royalty that get away with stuff us ordinary people never would.

Pizza Express Woking

The royals represent a belief in the established order of things.
That some are born into positions of wealth and power. And others are not.
That we shouldn't try to change things. It's just the way it is.
And that we should respect and celebrate those who are born into wealth and power.
It's a central tenet of British nationalism and one that I abhor.

I can’t get wound up that some people own land or have other advantages to me just by lucky shagging. Some are in that position due to hard work or genius inventions, and I don’t begrudge them that either. I might as well moan that some people are better cyclists or scientists than me due to genetic good fortune.

The fact you can't see the contradictions in this, for me is staggering. Still it's all just view points I resigned to the fact my views don't fit with the majority decades ago.

They can keep their big houses and sparkly hats, not even that bothered about the dosh but get them the **** out of our constitutional apparatus. Even just a symbol they justify heirarchy and deference that should have been eliminated decades ago.

I could accept this, if hunting them with dogs is out the question

Time to abolish this anachronism.

It is just a rallying point for nationalist ****tards anyway.

I propose a motion

And we conveniently forget all the landed gentry who have gone bust, sold up, estates broken up and big houses demolished.

Should we be having a whip around for them?

I live near Margam Park - maybe familiar to a lot of people who used to race. I've ridden and walked past that place so many times wondering what it must have felt like living in such obscene wealth, all the while with a view over the homes of the people who are making that wealth for you. Living shortened, squalid lives while you sit in your castle drinking fine wines and eating decent meals.

but F me – she is one particularly nasty piece of spiteful work.

Are you basing this solely on what you've read in the Daily Mail? It seems to me like a lot of media coverage of the Royals is pretty one sided. People like Nicholas Witchell doffing their caps to "The Firm", a phrase credited to Philip, and being highly critical of anybody that doesn't toe the line, just to save their own cushy positions.

It is difficult to feel sorry for self pitying people...

Sure I get that, but the press treatment of both of these kids (Meghan and Harry) is pretty nasty...

Certain bits of the press decided early on that Kate was going to be the "Goodie" and Meghan was going to be the "baddie" in their drama which was; largely, going on just in the fevered imagination of a couple of fleet street editors. To have to live with that when another member of the family is wanted for questioning about an actual pedophile ring is pretty rancid in anyone's book...

My main concerns if we got rid of them are who’s face would we put on money and more importantly how would we accrue extra Bank Holidays?

Other than that I’m pretty much ambivalent towards them. I think we’d be better off without them. I even think income from tourism would increase if we had empty palaces for folk to wander around.

Well there's even more rubbish being spouted on here than usual. To challenge a couple of the massive misconceptions being bandied about above.

The Royal family is funded from the sovereign grant (which replaced the civil list in 2012). It is set at 15% of the surplus income from the Crown Estates which are owned by the country and administered by the treasury, so most of the income goes into government coffers to fund garden bridges and Brexit. It's currently at 25% to fund repairs to Buckingham Palace until 2027 when it reverts back to the 15% figure. Even at the 25% figure is only about £80 million, in government terms it's peanuts.

Most of the Royal income is from private property / wealth like any other wealthy family an taxed in the same way. Is it fair so much wealth is concentrated with so few people, no, but it's not going to get resolved removing the royal family.

The House of Lords is actually quite a good moderating force on the commons, the fact it is unelected helps that. It does need reform but how that can be done without duplicating the lower house I don't know. Kicking out all the hereditary peers (which I'm happy to see happen, although they are in the minority) is going to remove their influence or wealth.

But hey let's not let some basic facts get in the way of a good baseless rant about how life's not fair.

If we really want to improve social equality there are much more significant things that need tackling.

Most of the Royal income is from private property / wealth like any other wealthy family an taxed in the same way. Is it fair so much wealth is concentrated with so few people, no, but it’s not going to get resolved removing the royal family.

Why do they need any help from the sovereign grant then?

Even at the 25% figure is only about £80 million, in government terms it’s peanuts.

It maybe peanuts compared to government spending but it's £80 million more than my family gets.

An inheritance tax set at 100% for anything over 5 million would sort out the problem of the landed gentry, but there's no way you could get anything that radical through parliament while we have a monarchy.

It's an outdated institution that has no place in modern society. When the queen dies that should be the end of it.

I think it is a generally accepted fact that Harry is actually quite thick. On that basis you shouldn’t be shocked by anything he does

Of course he is, neither of his parent were the sharpest knives in the box. Same with billy, same stock, equally thick and useless. The only difference is that his wife wanted the quiet idle life of luxury

It maybe peanuts compared to government spending but it’s £80 million more than my family gets.

This. It is completely unjustifiable and has been for a hell of a long time.

What is monarchy but colonialism persisting?

Couldn't care less about any of them, especially the whole Harry & Megan thing. If you want to go just bugger off.

However I get the impression that this current batch of Royal scrutiny by the press is a smoke screen to distract us from Brexit/Covid failures of our government.

However I get the impression that this current batch of Royal scrutiny by the press is a smoke screen to distract us from Brexit/Covid failures of our government.

Another reason to get rid of the distractions then?

But hey let’s not let some basic facts get in the way of a good baseless rant about how life’s not fair.

If we really want to improve social equality there are much more significant things that need tackling.

At least one person agrees with me.

We could get rid of the distractions. But they'd be replaced by other distractions. What we need to do is deal with the bigger issues first.

I've got no problem with people wanting to abolish the monarchy or redistribute wealth, but some of the nasty personal comments made by a minority on this thread don't come across well.

I think an unelected House of Lords is a very good thing. I would in fact like to see it given more powers. And in return for those powers I'd like to see the system for appointing members changed so governments of the day can't pack it with their own appointees. A non-political House of Lords if you will.

We could get rid of the distractions. But they’d be replaced by other distractions. What we need to do is deal with the bigger issues first.

Such as?

I seemed to recall that most of the payments to the Crown goes on paying for the upkeep of the Royal Palaces (in particular Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle) and the staff employed there. It should also be noted that Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the State and not by the Royal family - so in effect the State is maintaining its own properties.

Such as?

Well, as previously suggested health, social care, education, the justice system. All of which will swallow £80 million or whatever it is in about 39 seconds.

Much bigger issues. But if it would help, we can get the Royals to act out the current pantomime in squirrel costumes.

We could get rid of the distractions. But they’d be replaced by other distractions. What we need to do is deal with the bigger issues first.

Maybe multitask and get rid of a distraction to show one is serious about the other areas you listed which all seem to revolve around inequality. Start with getting shot of something which celebrates and worships inequality.

Tbh the only hysterical ranting seems to be coming from stumpyjon.
I hope he’s not a close relative of idleJon, they seem quite ideologically opposed 😉

Copa sums it up exactly. Nothing to add to that.

Pizza Express Woking

Hehehehehehehe 😉

Time for a proper rethink of the system.
When you and your wife die everything reverts to the nation to be fought for in the ring or via a lottery.
And that means everyone.
Goodbye fancy colleges and hello gladiator school!

squirrel costumes.

the trouble with the royal family is the only viable option is french/russian solution, otherwise like a bad penny they will return (see 1660).

the trouble with the royal family is the only viable option is french/russian solution

Think of all the tourists that’ll bring in, the old royal fam love to support tourism - win for all!!!

Couldn’t care less about any of them, especially the whole Harry & Megan thing. If you want to go just bugger off.

Wish the British press would just not give them the publicity then their "value" would be diminished. Even better if the American press did the same & they had to go out and earn an almost proper living 😒

Wish the British press would just not give them the publicity then their “value” would be diminished. Even better if the American press did the same & they had to go out and earn an almost proper living 😒

The press/telly whatever and them have a symbiotic relationship. They (press and them) need each other to to evolve into a parasitic relationship with the masses. They will then suck brain juice of the people dry with a straw and turn people into zombies. Fairly normal nowadays. Their existence are based on absorbing the energy release from the people and when the energy being sucked is not enough they have to come up with something else. Problem is they are not innovative and highly predictable. Oh well ...

Sack the spongers.

Are you basing this solely on what you’ve read in the Daily Mail?

Interesting to note who it is who actually owns the daily mail, and the circumstances around his financial matters. The home for example, worth about £40 million but he avoids taxation like capital gains tax amongst other things.

I dont see why they have to be more equal than everyone else
surely there are better things to spend taxpayers money on
All those palaces when theres so many homeless and people that cant afford the rents, and massive estates where noone can go, for grouse shooting by the very rich etc, doesnt make much sense to me
Although if there was no monarchy probably plenty of rich others would want to do the same