Gawping at the royals has to stop

There’s actually been a hearty and hardy discussion going on there today about the future of the monarchy! You should check it out.

They need to stop,I'd say.

I’m not interested in responding to the weirdness posted above. No clue who you are and you’ve tagged me in multiple posts now on multiple threads as if you know me. I find it goady and unpleasant. I don’t feel the intent is an honest conversation. So thank you for leaving me alone.

AliceOlive it would be great if you would try and respond to the actual points I’ve made but never mind!

I’ve kept my comments very respectful and I’ve responded to quite a few other people on here this evening too so no need to feel wierd. I won’t post again.

I think the Royal Family board is best left to the Royalists really. Not a place for discussion. More unfailing worship.

I would prefer a Dutch style Royal Family. Not afraid of change, low key but can still do the pomp when necessary, swears allegiance tonthe oeople, rather than expecting the people to swear allegiance to them.

I have no idea who you are. Why do you keep posting at me? Running on about cheese and making weird comments that I don’t understand. It’s making me feel weird!

Despite being a Republican , I can totally appreciate that viewpoint ajandjjmum. There’s no doubt that, like many people of pensionable age, Anne puts the hard graft in. She’s certainly more deserving of medals than some!

But the Dutch and the Spanish both have royal families who also sometimes wear similar clothing. The Dutch also have a golden carriage.

@McDonnellsfriend789 'Princess Anne has never served a day in her life.'

That is where we basically differ. I consider that PA has pretty much served every day of her life - certainly her adult life - supporting her parents and now her brother in their duty. She takes her role very seriously, and those she meets seem to respect her hard work and knowledge.

No I’m not looking for “complete unfaltering consensus” on a subject where there clearly is none.

Monarchy is obviously a contentious subject!

I am asking respectfully if the minority Republican voices on a RF thread could be allowed to stand among all of the other views, preferably without any personal attacks in response.

And posters holding that minority view not being driven away by groups of pro-royalists rounding on them endlessly or using the reporting tool inappropriately.

I hope that is a reasonable request?

I don’t want to bore everyone with a back and forth but I really do mean it thank you.

@PrincessMee

A public forum allows anyone to voice their opinion.

Exactly, and a variety of opinions are expressed all over MN all the time, nonstop. It requires no bravery, particularly as they’ve provided the ability to name change at will.

I think some are looking for complete, unfaltering consensus with their own opinions, and become perturbed when they don’t get it.

@McDonnellsfriend789

"It depends on how one person observes the same event doesn’t it? And the influences they have encountered in their life that help them form that opinion. "

It's rather strange that your previous post ends with this when you clearly don't mean it as regards others. A public forum allows anyone to voice their opinion.

Don't you know that the nation owns all of that? My goodness 🙄

A serious reason for me, is that in this day and age, I don’t think any child should be exposed to the public in the way the royal children are and the way they have to grow up under the public gaze with public comment about Louis fidgeting or Charlotte’s hair.

Despite their parents best efforts to keep them away from the press; there are already Instagram accounts analysing their fashion, and newspapers employing lip readers to expose private conversations.

And that’s before you think of the psychological impact on a young boy realising that he is going to be king one day. Who else has their career determined for them at birth? In 2024?

Where is the consent in all of this?

We know that fame can have an incredibly corrupting influence on friendships and on one’s sense of self, especially in the young.

I think we need to ask ourselves what is lacking in us that “we”
need to admire photographs of these young children and follow their progress. Why is it necessary when it must all come at a cost to them, despite their privilege?

And maybe Princess Catherine wanted to dress up and have a day out but I can’t imagine that most people undergoing chemo would welcome the prospect; especially when under long camera lenses all of the time.

The whole thing makes me feel deeply uncomfortable.

You have a different dictionary from me as to how you define gawping.

You are perfectly reasonable to argue for a republic, but there are many other reasons for you to do so.

They have to be pretty brave to have their say tbh. I think we can all name a few really decent republican posters who don’t post on the RF boards any longer because they kept getting rounded on by groups of pro-royalists; every single thing they posted was quoted and picked apart. And, with the exception of one or two posters, it wasn’t done nicely at all and often descended in to personal attacks.

And then there were all the silly posts about cheese, done deliberately, I assume, to drown out other voices?

Just because someone has a different opinion about the RF doesn’t intrinsically make them a bad person.

To take a specific, hopefully non-controversial, example:

You could say that you admire Princess Anne for her hard work and riding that long route, in full uniform, at her age, in the rain, in public view, offering support to her brother. And that opinion would be valid.

But there is another pov, that despite being knowledgeable about the military and holding honorary appointments, Princess Anne has never served a day in her life. The medals and uniform she wears are worn as a form of courtesy. In effect she is dressing up and it is all faintly ridiculous.

It depends on how one person observes the same event doesn’t it? And the influences they have encountered in their life that help them form that opinion.

Both views are valid and should be allowed to be expressed.

I wonder if the younger royals - William and Kate’s age ish also think what the bloody hell are we doing, maybe they think it’s outdated and weird these days about their wealth and privileges and they are also curious as to why people want to see them and queue for hours to do it, must be a very weird, albeit a privileged life.

In the Netflix series The Windsors, William was portrayed as incredibly well meaning, earnest and hardworking. He had a “what the hell are we doing” moment and he and Kate organised a referendum vote as to whether the monarchy should be retained, and campaigned for the monarchy to be abolished. Much to the horror of the old guard!

Are you suggesting that the only alternative to Charles III is Cromwell II?
I like to believe there are other options…

Cromwell III (there was a Cromwell II- albeit not for long).

Perhaps if we hadn't insisted on replacing a King with someone who dressed, acted and had the luxurious trappings of a King but with a new title we'd have got further

That and a government spending more in debt that it could pay - perhaps a lesson for the next guys?

Gawping is what they're for, even when they ran the country, started wars and got executed, they dressed up so people could gawp at them.

Plus there are also tons of republicans on RF. They have their say, too.

It’s become a sport if it’s own. But most of us have a pretty thick skin, along with a great sense of humor. But thank you!!

I love it because it made me giggle. Move over here to the US! You can then have Biden and Trump, who’ve actually been elected and see what feels more humiliating.

Agree with all of this.