Gawping at the royals has to stop

This

I wish someone would ask them "What the point of them is?"

Or ask them why they feel the need to release family photos on their birthdays?

And of course, they are perfect. They can't just be a normal family. They have to be seen as perfect by the media.

I can't imagine what it must be like to be them.

And you know the best thing about my life. I may not have much money but I have control over my destiny. My choices. I don't feel this sense of duty to have my life mapped out.

George will probably be King. Maybe he would like a regular life. But Kings can't do that.

His life has been mapped out since birth. So people can obsess over them.
And imagine Charlotte - and how her life is mapped out

I’m anti-monarchy for many reasons, one of which is because like the OP, I feel sorry for kids born into the line of succession. But I don’t think that disparaging the regulars on the RF board is ok tbh. Any chance that could be avoided?

But yes, republic all the way for me !

@Triestre The abolition of the monarchy would help other more scary things the left has in their agenda.

What? Like proper democracy. [clutches pearls] the very thought! This bunch of parasites sit at the apex of the class system in this country. Get rid of them and then start dismantling the hangers on as well.

Maybe we could follow the subscription idea on all of the things we like/dislike, so that we only pay for what we want? I don't use any local sports facilities, maybe I could have my tax back for that element (probably only a couple of quid a year, but every penny counts!)

I saw a suggestion recently that they should be available via a subscription. If you paid a monthly fee you'll have access to news and videos etc of the royal family. Those that don't pay don't get access. Sounds perfect to me!

This is what they brought their kids into.

Imagine everything you get to do because no one is obsessed by you.

It's a goldfish bowl.

I don't relate to Kate at all, bringing kids into dysfunction.

She knew what she was getting into.
Al the luxury servants in the world could not be worth your kids having no freedom and living in the full gaze of the world.

It is utterly ridiculous. Same with celebrities. My DP is always banging on about who he had met, its do boring. They aren't any better than the rest of us. You Tubers and Influencers etc. I don't understand the interest.

It doesn't seem to make many of them happy?

No, only the privacy argument. Although celebs can be annoying I agree.

A lot of celebs pay taxes and some also have talent in their field.

Gosh - you sound very unpleasant. Maybe you should move to Spain or Holland and save yourself (and us) the trouble of worrying about you.

Perhaps post a picture, and we can judge how you compare to 'that bunch of ugly, vulgar, grinning gargoyles' - bet you're a proper ray of sunshine.

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.

Maybe they’ll be big changes once Charles has gone.

I have been a fan of some of the royals over the decades, Diana, Harry, Kate, Sophie and Andrew’s two girls but I now think it’s all a bit old hat 😱

Might be my age !

Love this post. I couldn't have put it better!

Ok. I don't know why it would be abolished because of a round number applicable to England?
2066... anything could be happening..

I know that, but 1,000 is a nice round number. And actually, in terms of Scotland and Wales the English monarchy is not actually as old as that.

I'm not a huge fan of the monarchy and would be happy to do away with the institution.

But presumably the current royals can opt out if they don't want to do it and go and live their own lives?

I can't bear them. God they make me so ashamed. I wish we'd never brought them back in the 1680s. No wonder other countries laugh at us. My patriotism is based on things worth being patriotic about – like Shakespeare, Dickens, Jane Austen and Charles Darwin. I 'celebrate' having two of the oldest and most famous universities in the world on this island, not that bunch of ugly, vulgar, grinning gargoyles. The sight of Anne in that ridiculous hat makes me want to curl up in a ball and pretend to be Spanish or Dutch.

Only 1,000 since the Normandy invasion and seizure of power.
The monarchy is older than that.

Exactly! How ridiculous.

The abolition of the monarchy would help other more scary things the left has in their agenda.

I think it would be a nicely symbolic gesture if in 2066 whoever is monarch at the time were to announce that it’s been 1000 years, I think it’s time the country moved on,the nation can have Buckingham Palace, Balmoral and Sandringham, we don’t think you need a Royal Family any more and we can certainly do without all the gawping. We’re all off to live private lives and do actual jobs, you know?

I do hope that nice Mr Farage isn't reading this. Can you imagine him self styled as 'Lord Protector' with a New Model Army to impose his new order?
I'm sure there must be other options...
Personally I think, once Charles dies, we should call an end to the Monarchy. I'm not suggesting a Revolution but a Referendum might be worth holding.

You’re being very unreasonable to say ‘Gawping at the royals has to stop’ and then in the very same post include a picture of them. but I think that kinda proves the point.

People always quote the “only £1.70” figure but 1.70 x 60-odd million adds up to quite a lot of money.

I totally agree. And if you weren’t a republican before; spend ten minutes on the royal family board on here and you will soon be persuaded!

I think they do a great job - with the odd notable exception.

Can't understand why people get so exercised about something that costs them £1.70 a year, even if they don't approve of the RF, just turn off the TV. There is far more of my tax money spent on things that I don't like, but I just have to suck it up and get on with my life.

After the various governments that we - the people - have elected over recent decades, I think an hereditary monarchy is a good thing!

I think that’s quite a naieve view. There are entire Instagram and You Tube accounts based on Charlotte’s fashion where her every gesture is analysed to the nth degree.

No children should be put under public scrutiny imho, whether they are royal, live on a Yorkshire farm or are a talented singer. By definition, as children, they cannot consent or have any proper idea of what public scrutiny entails. It rarely ends well.