Are you in favour of the Royal Family?

[enzomari]

DM and I were discussing this last night, she's now in her Eighties and used to really like the Queen (not so much Phillip for some reason) but now really isn't bothered and thinks the RF, as is, should be abolished . I've always been a Republican but I was surprised at DM as she always seemed very pro RF but actually was pro the late Queen.

IMHO it seems so past it's sell by date but I'd be interested to know others opinions.

That made me laugh hahahaha! Two of them connected to the Royal Family, I hope old Greggggggg hasn't cooked them a feast!

yes im for a royal family

This sums it up for me too. Couldn't have put it better.

Interesting about people's DC having no interest on them. my DC absolutely could not care less about any of them.

On the whole I would prefer the UK to remain as a monarchy with a Prime Minister rather than a republic with a President (or whatever other title).

May I ask why @hideawayforever - honestly I'm not being goady, just interested why (feel free to tell me to mind my own business btw)

We'd still have a prime minister.

I don’t know what you mean by “in favour” of them. They’re people. I think they should just live like the rest of us, though obviously they are much wealthier than most. I can think of people I’d much rather meet. I wouldn’t save them from a burning building ahead of anyone else iykwim. That said they seem perfectly nice on the whole.

I have mixed feelings on it.

I don't like the cover ups and public money spent with Prince Andrew and such.

Having said that it's been a hell of a lot more stable leadership-wise than our actual governments have been in recent years, and being out of the EU it feels even more dangerous to put all our eggs in one leadership basket when it comes to people doing the "right" thing (or at least something predictable that can't be manipulated by influencing the general public).

I think we need more numbers on income generation and such and how it would affect it, because for all the info on what the Royals cost, there isn't actually any proper info on what they generate, to be able to decide whether it's "worth it" or not.

What on earth is your point? Are you labouring under the inexplicable delusion that the royal bloodline magically protects against sexual harassers and abusers? Or are you equating Joanna Lumley with a convicted sexual abuser of underage girls because they're both famous?

Yes but with three huge BUTs: but the alternatives are not attractive (let Trump be a warning to us); but with the huge wealth they have, there needs to be some evidence of munificence to UK citizens that leaves a legacy (how about William and Catherine endow a national network of indoor and outdoor sports facilities for young people and put all that land to work in the interest of us 'subjects'); but why ever are they allowed to ignore legislation the rest of us have to follow and why are their tax affairs so dodgy?

The whole concept of royalty needs to go. Even older relatives who loved the Queen feel the same.

I'd vote to abolish if we ever had a referendum on it, but I don't care enough for a promise to get rid/have a referendum to sway my vote in an election. And I don't have any particular issue with the members of the RF (Andrew aside) - I think they do a perfectly fine job at it, I just don't think it needs doing.

I wonder how getting rid of the monarchy in this country would work, practically. Let's say we voted to abolish - what would the other countries who have the king as monarch do? We couldn't vote to get rid on their behalf, so Charles would be king of a few spread out countries, some of whom would presumably hastily arrange their own referendum. But what if they voted to keep them? Would the RF all have to move to somewhere that kept them? And do what - build a few palaces? Or maybe they'd stay here, and stick to the places they own rather than the places the state owns.

Totally against them.

Not really sure there is a need for a head of state either

I'm broadly in favour - but a very much more slimmed down version of them. I think a non-political figurehead is no bad thing - and we only have to look at what's happening in the states to see the kind of 'sleb who could easily end up in the job for a number of years. They do fulfill a purpose, like it or not, and there's enough interest in them to bring in a lot of money - a vastly slimmed down version shouldn't cost more than they generate. They should also be subject to the same laws that the rest of us have to follow, and should be required to do a set amount of work for causes as an absolute minimum.

Then you haven’t looked very far

We have the Windsors making money off the NHS , charities and prisons ! Never mind their habit of befriending and protecting paedophiles !

Honestly I question the intelligence of ardent royalists - they will inevitably trot out some PR lie they’ve been fed ( no the French or American president is NOT the same as a proposed president here )

Get rid of the lot of them or at least stop all their money making rip offs and no more public money
We know a lot more about their activities now - how supine do you have to be to let them run on ripping us all off?

It won't happen.

Unless there is a Revolution and lots of cake.

I laugh at the idea of the monarchy willingly leaving the stage. Nope, not unless they keep their billions, and their land, and their foreshores, and their jewels, and their castles, and their houses, and their maids, butlers and arse wipers.

From their cold dead hands I'd say.

I'd rather keep them and crack the whip, than see them gone with nowt to do apart from indolence but maintaining their current wealth and lifestyle.

The Gold Coaches can go now though. Abominable things!

Because voters can't be trusted.
Just look at the quality of the last few Prime Ministers.

I am equally in favour of retaining a non-elected house of lords.

I’m not particularly in favour of the royal family any more, but I don’t have strong feelings about it. I prefer to ignore the whole circus because I think oohing and aahing over the royals makes people look infantile. Also, the whole set up is so out dated that it runs the risk of making Britain as a country look outdated and stuck in the past. I can see the arguments in favour of the royal family eg having a focal point for the whole country to share - and thereby increasing our sense of all being in the same club - and having a figurehead that is non political, but I’m beginning to think the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. I love the pomp and pageantry, but we could still have that without having real live royals - a bit like you can have drag hunting without using real live foxes, I suppose. On a personal level I mainly feel sorry for them and I think it is cruel to force the children to accept being on the royal pathway without giving them any choice in the matter. The idea of bowing and scraping to people who may well be less hardworking, moral, educated or otherwise deserving than many of their subjects does not bear analysis basically, so to sum up - I don’t think about it often, but when I do I find I’m not in favour of having a royal family.

Well said Havalona.

They have a cushy life with unquantifiable wealth that is topped up by the taxpayer regularly... why does Charles need to be a double billionaire and William need to be a billionaire? It's obscene

I get fed up of hearing... oh, but what an awful way to live, I wouldn't do it for anybody, I feel sorry for them, it must be horrible to be scrutinised etc
Well... it can't be that bad, can it, or they would leave? Harry did. Duke of W did. If it's so awful... leave. They won't. They live in unimaginable wealth and won't give that up.

They aren't going anywhere.

I say, take a care.
What would one be expected to do instead - get a job?
Sell my palaces orf?
Give up Cornwall, Lancaster, mineral rights, the seashore?
Not on your nelly.

I'm utterly indifferent.

I liked and respected Queen Elizabeth but don't like Charles and think it utterly ridiculous that he's forced Camilla on us as a queen. I also think it was revolting that one of the richest men in the country wouldn't put his hand in his own pocket to contribute towards his coronation in times of austerity.

I couldn't care less about Kate's clothes/hair/pics of the kids and would very happily hear nothing of them on the day to day.

My literal only positive is that William supports the same football team as I do. Apart form that, I couldn't care less.

I do think they'll be gone, in time, or exist in a very much reduced role.

I understand your DM's saying that she liked the Queen.
She's not alone in that, I'm quite sure.
Queen Elizabeth was a one of a kind.
She worked long and hard, was dutiful and most would agree that she did the best she could in her job, seeing as she was only human.
She reigned so long, through times that have changed and are now gone forever, especially so since she's passed on.
Living now in this world that continues daily to change, all over the world, I can't see a true relevance of the RF either.
They are figure-heads, they do go out and do things, supposedly for the betterment of the country, but in this world, this tough and getting tougher world, you must be able to do more than that with other world "leaders" who will knock you down publicly and wipe the floor with you.
It's not all garden parties and hand-shakes these days.

I think William is gearing up for a slimmed down and less visible and hands on Monarchy - for his day on the throne.

You know, less is more, which I think would suit him and his family quite nicely. They will keep all the trappings of wealth though.

Watch this space.

Are you in favour of a dictatorship if the public can't be trusted to vote?