Why do you think the Royal Family 'do it'? Is it just duty?

[cakeorwine]

I know that the Queen performed her role because of a strong sense of duty.

But you have 1 life. And their lives are dictated from birth.
Charles knew what would happen.
William can see it.
It's George at some point.

A life mapped out for them from birth. To be the Head of a Constitutional Monarchy.

Why do you think they do it and also lead their family into it?

She’s spot on though.

Ppl are getting caught up in the ceremonial part. Even the more cynical ppl are telling themselves they are witnessing history. They have an excellent PR machine. Given that Charles made staff redundant in the midst of all this ceremony screams volumes at his regard for the plebs who are lining up to bump fists with him.

Much of it is made up and making comments about someone's looks is nasty and unnecessary.

They know it would be a huge thing not to do it. It would be seen as massively harmful for the stability of the country to abdicate and would attract massive amounts of personal criticism and attracts.

I would absolutely hate to be a member of the royal family. I would rather take the role of 95% of people in this country. It would never date a royal - I wouldnt want to risk getting involved. But I imagine if I was born into it, I would just get on with it the best I could. I would however take steps to minimize the royal family and its role.

They do get the chance to do a bit of what they want. They can choose their patronages and hobbies. The dutch king flew a plane as a co pilot once a week as an interest. They get to meet who they want as well. It's not all duty, although I'd rather make my lifes mistakes in private....

I also think that the impact on the individuals involved is one of the reasons not to have a hereditary head of state.

Edward VII made a different choice.
Harry made a different choice.

And look at all the criticism and unpleasantness they attracted. Imagine the stress involved in making that choice. Not much of a choice really.

Those of you talking about the luxury, privilege, wealth etc. Would you really want to be Queen/King?? I find that hard to comprehend.

(yes I know we are all different and I shouldn't find that hard to comprehend blah, blah, blah...)

Most of us are born into "roles"and have limitations on our lives. We may have choices over some things but there are many we don't have a choice over. I would love to travel the world (as the RF do!) but, unless I win the lottery, it's unlikely to happen. I live where I do because my job is here. I couldn't do my job in the place I'd really like to live. People still have families to care for which again limits what you can do, not just having DC but maybe elderly parents or disabled relatives. We all have to make sacrifices and compromises. That's life.

We have limitations but we have choices. Some more than others but we all have a chance to make our own story without the pressure from a young child to have your destiny written.

They are power addicts.

They love that strangers fawn over them.

They continue for their own personal benefit. Saying it's duty is just the propaganda the palace has been pumping out for decades

The population has been groomed by them.

You think C didn't get tips from his very close chum in the tracksuit?

They seem to genuinly believe all the birth right pish

All this fawning over them will just reinforce it.

You are in it and by the time you can change you must think this is alright. Not really any need to get a job except in the military where you will be an officer and hopefully learn management skills. If I was the heir I might look at the portraits of the ancestors and think I'm one of them. The next in line. That might weigh heavy or you might think if they could do it so can I

I’m sure you mean well and are clever in general but to me this just shows a misunderstanding of the class system in the UK. Being “royal” is different in status to being just another rich person, and if they gave up their titles then the whole system of people with titles, the House of Lords etc would come crumbling down. It’s not selfless duty, it’s very much self preservation of their status and the status of those around them.

Well they can leave if they want and occasionally do (D of Windsor, Harry), but otherwise they are brought up to it. I’m not sure you’d ever be satisfied with life if you walked away. And the money and richness of opportunities are compensations.

it's so insulting and downright cruel to call the people they meet 'boring' - I guarantee they're infinitely more fascinating than any royal.

I'm not calling the people boring - I'm saying that the Queen probably found it boring having to listen to polite little anecdotes and the same comments again and again (not to mention that song on repeat) from ordinary people to whom she would really have struggled to relate in the first place.

Everybody I've seen interviewed who has recounted their little chat with the Queen has spoken of such boring, samey small talk being exchanged. This is in no way suggesting that the majority of those people are boring - I'm sure most of them have done and experienced many fascinating things in their lives - but the narrow little scope of 'safe and appropriate' topics invariably discussed when addressing the monarch does always seem extremely boring.

I think the Queen did it so well out of respect for her father, who was thrust into a position he never wanted or had been trained for.

I don't think we will see her level of devotion again.