AIBU in thinking that King Charles' passing will devastate Britain?

Curtesying is inherently ridiculous, far more so than bowing. It goes back to a time when bows & curtsies were a part of everyday life and a means of showing respect to people - not particularly associated with Royalty (as can be seen in many Jane Austen adaptations). Oh and when women wore long skirts so didn't risk flashing. It has had its day.

I am surprised that more people don't pick up on how demeaning to women it is and why the RF don't put a stop to the grovelling.

The following recent article suggested exactly that:
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2025/10/abolish-the-monarchy

There won't be. Saying that, I would get rid of the Royal Family. I don't have anything especially personal against K&W etc but the concept is so archaic! Curtesying to someone, as if they're above you by is baffling. The cult of royalty has totally passed me by.

I used to think the king/queen wrote their own Christmas message. I used to think each royal family's image wasn't created for them - "Charles, you're going to be the one that grows their own plants and speaks to them regularly, ok." Come on, can you image him in a greenhouse. I used to think William drove a tank to the Ukranian border and showed a message defiance to the Russians. And I used to think Charles, of his own accord, saw how Trump had treated Zelensky and arranged for a meeting in London to show British support. Andy in a helicopter, Harry is Charles's son. Edward in the marines. We know nothing about these people, apart from what we read in the bullshit western media. Stop talking about them as if they are members of your own family. The truth is probably a million miles away from what you are led to believe.

@Futurehappiness
So agree with your post.

Times they have a'changed (in the words of Bob Dylan). they cannot keep on doing what they're doing, it is not feasible

So agreed about the children, The minute there's a rumour of dissent amongst the general public, they trot the children out. Charlotte holding a football for womens World Cup, pathetic videos telling us all to embrace nature with all the kids jumping around like we can just open the door and go out to massive acreage owned by us plebs.

I have said it before... William and Kate seem so intellectually uncurious... the arts, ballet, authors, anything... they just make a stab at seeming interested but they really are not.

I personally find it borderline abusive that these children are forced into taking on this public role regardless of any wishes or ambitions of our own....we wouldn't accept this for our children yet the RF and their supporters force it on these.

There's no borderline about it for me. I know William and Catherine try to keep their children's lives as private as possible, but to wheel them out for the public to gawp at is not the way to have happy, well adjusted children. George in particular has his life mapped out unless he decides to abdicate. And even then, he'd just be transferring the role to his little sister. Who'd want to do that to a loved one in this day and age?

I agree W will probably be worse. Whatever anyone says about his father (and I am no particular fan), nobody has ever called KC lazy. He is one of the harder working Royals (admittedly only by Royal standards which is a low bar) but he is educated, took the trouble to learn Welsh, and ensures he is appropriately prepared for public and State events.

None of this applies to W who we are told can't name an author and 'prefers an oral briefing'. I think it is a problem if our future Head of State has no intellectual curiosity. We also know that he & K do the bare minimum and always have done.

Whatever Harry is like he has left the RF, we are no longer paying for him so it is up to him what he does. At least H is protecting his own children and keeping them out of the public eye, unlike W&K's children who are trotted out in public at every opportunity to help the RF's image. I personally find it borderline abusive that these children are forced into taking on this public role regardless of any wishes or ambitions of our own....we wouldn't accept this for our children yet the RF and their supporters force it on these. H's treatment is a taster for them of the treatment they would get if they ever chose to step away.

I may not have been entirely sincere. It seemed appropriate on a thread about royalty.

I agree with this though not sure I would categorise them as 'poor folk'.

When you look at their actions its all ' Do as I say so I dont have to' and all the sycophants tell them how amazing they are when they come up with some obvious bland statements about something they know nothing about.

William's really just like Harry, only he has the PR people and managers guiding him. Outside the monarchy framework, he would be doing similar things.

It was a previous government of the UK who decided the sovereign grant was a brilliant idea. For decades the government have allowed the monarchy to tweak laws so they don't apply to them. And so on and so forth.

As far as I can see we have the sovereign grant and the monarch still gets to tweak laws before they are laid before parliament.

You could say it is the worst of both worlds.

The only really serious change to the monarchy I can recall was under John Major, when the Queen volunteered to pay (some) tax. You know,. Like we all volunteer to pay tax.

What's unimaginative about my assessment of the UK monarchy in 2025?

The Andrew business showed that the government are less than interested in doing anything. They took their lead from the King! It was a previous government of the UK who decided the sovereign grant was a brilliant idea. For decades the government have allowed the monarchy to tweak laws so they don't apply to them. And so on and so forth.

We're not France in 1789.

Your first paragraph hits the nail on the head.

There'll be nothing done until a government with a pair of balls takes on the monarchy.

William will be worse than any of them. And I wish he'd f**k off pretending to be one of the plebs. At least own who you are. I'd imagine he's as bad as Harry but he's still being managed by the men in grey.

The honours system keeps the politicians (and judges and police and anyone who might normally raise an alarm) sweet so don't count on any of them changing anything. A future knighthood or place in the House of Lords means gravy train will keep on chugging as it elevates them above the rest of the plebs. everyone wants to be special.

I was chuffed for David Beckham to get his knighthood as his family were proud, but sad he thought he needed it and chased it so hard when he has accomplished so much more just as a footballer than anyone in the current royal family ever will.

I think even Monarchists would not argue about scrutinising them more and slimming down not only the personnel but the cost of them. That is the alternative (for now) to the current model. The only problem is that the only people who dont want to do this are the Royals. And the only people who can make them is Parliament, and they dont even want to talk about them, never mind tell them they will be getting less money and to cut their cloth accordingly. If they want exemptions from legislation they should have to give their reasons and have it publicly debated in Parliament. Again, reasonable but again, they dont want to do it and will not be made to do it. William wants less scrutiny not more. He won't change a thing. He sure as hell wont be moving towards abolition of the Monarchy! The only way he will change anything is if the alternative is abolition. William and Kate are all talk. When you look at their actions its all ' Do as I say so I dont have to' and all the sycophants tell them how amazing they are when they come up with some obvious bland statements about something they know nothing about.

I think any French readers might raise an eyebrow at your rather unimaginative assessment.

The only way to get rid of them would be for the government to not want them, and increasingly introduce measures to scrutinise the monarchy more and finance them less. Even then I imagine we'd just end up with a smaller monarchy.

As it is, governments have been in hock to these people for decades, so nothing much will change anytime soon.

Well, it wouldn’t devestated me but I’m not a royalist. If you are, I guess there might be some of the usual overblown drama.🤷‍♀️

Didn't she recently say something about us all having compassion for addicts.

Of course we should, but I very much doubt she's ever been affected by the consequences of addiction, such as her local play area being a no go zone for her kids. Compassion for the people causing this can understandably wear a bit thin.

Off topic now but I really think, given the number of properties at their disposal, that their current forever home could have been one where public access wasn't affected. There must be some!

The only way to get rid of the Monarchy is through a referendum on whether to abolish it or not.

If the UK never has another referendum it won't be too soon.

Alternatively, when Charles meets his mum, William could quietly say to whoever he has to say it to "You know what chaps, I don't really think it's appropriate for me to be King in 20xx. And I've had a chat with the kids, and they feel the same. Maybe we should just drop the monarchy ?"

I mean if that were to happen then it would either be respect for his wishes, or King Harry

I personally don't know how I'll function.

There won’t be a ‘public consultation’ after KC3 dies. It’s what republicans hoped would happen after QE2 died whereas all that happened was a seamless transition into the reign of KC3. That’s how it works in this country.

The only way to get rid of the Monarchy is through a referendum on whether to abolish it or not. That will only happen if the Government of the day are open to it, like with the Brexit referendum. (Maybe there will be if there’s enough public pressure, but it’s by no means certain.)

If there is a referendum, I do think there is a chance now of a majority of the population voting to abolish the Monarchy now, after the scandals surrounding Andrew.

If it happens, I hope we don't end up with the likes of President Farage or President Johnson. There would hopefully be some kind of proper consultation on what role the future Head of State would have.

To answer the OP, I definitely won’t be mouth KC3 when he dies.

Just come back from the local supermarket and gone past the play park that has been taken over by the street drinkers and drug users so no parents take their kids on it. Kate would faint with shock if she saw it but she and Billy will never live like common people

I think it's entirely possible to be against the Monarchy and/or a republican without any personal animosity to the poor folk who carry the burden - unasked - on our behalf.

Adulterous pompous benefit scrounger - I know people who lost work & jobs because of his ignorant statements about modern architecture.

It's sad when people die, but his death won't "devastate" me.