To want a Republic?

[StrictlyOogieBoogiePumpkin]

That it really. I cannot stand this 'joy' at a Royal Wedding that will cost a fortune and all to welcome in someone else who will now never EVER get a real job.

Would is really be so bad to join the rest of the modern world and ditch them? We could have an ELECTED President, we could just have our elected Parliament.

The Palaces would still be there for the tourists. The President can welcome the Heads of State (but only for a fixed term)

Would it be so bad to not pay for her cousins to live in Palaces?

Can we not just give it a go?

Yes Elephants, I do wish for a Republic but I'm not sanctioning death to get there

What I do think is when the Queen passes we decide the time is right to start the Republic. I'm hoping the idea of Queen Camilla and Queen Waity Katie is going to be the straw that breaks the camels back.

Oh I don't know, chucking them in the Thames might bring in a few tourists?

Alvin, drug addicts etc, no just a bunch of rich ponces who still want cash from the civil list.

The tourism thing is spurious, when I went to Rome I didnt expect to see the pope or a Roman emporer, When I went to Venice I didnt expect to see the Doge (sp).

When i went to Venice I didnt expect to see the AustroHungarian Emporer

I went to see (in part) the buildings etc

If they for all intents and purposes are just a figurehead, why do we continue to fund them?

Why are we backing away from a bit of controversy? It is not just an argument about expense. It is a fundamental representation of our views on equality and power.

It is not the only solution to have an elected president........you could do nothing

different models of republics here

Oh please lets get rid if them. I can't bear to watch the news today, the fawning quite sickens me.

She is very subservient

I'm totally indifferent to the royal family. I couldn't care less about this wedding or any other aspect of their lives.

"The only practical argument agains the monarchy is the expense, and if you think president blair/brown/mandelson will be any chepaer, you're fucking dreaming."

What absolute and total nonsense. Of course we're not "fucking dreaming" . Of course a presidency can be run cheaper than a monarchy - plenty of countries manage it.

It's ridiculous to think we wouldn't save money by not having a monarchy, civil list, etc.

To make the monarchy morally viable, you have to have a population that mostly thinks they provide a worthwhile service, and that feels a genuine respect for them and their 'role'. This is increasingly not the case in Britain, and with good reason. As the oldest members of our society die, and time and cultural expectations move on, this will become even more the case.

Unlike in the past, monarchy no longer has a moral place in Britain. It's a very expensive hangover from a time when we genuinely felt differently as a nation.

I am totally flummoxed at the logic (or lack of it) in your argument tbh smallwhitecat.

"the reality will turn out completely different" - how on earth do you know that?

I'm not that interested in people who have a position of privilege they haven't earned (there are plenty of people in that position in this country) it's the inherent lack of democracy and the hereditary principle that is so wrong in this century.

The arguments against a republic are just so thin.

I'd vote for a republic.

Yes lets have a Republic we can roll it in with the lottery, once every 4 years there will be a winning cabinet made out of the ticket buying winners, they will get a large lump sum and have to run the country for a few years (if they mess up they get no money and get lynched/flogged or something) that way the people will pay themselves to be leader, it will work out cheaper in the end.

I'm indifferent on the monarchy but I've heard that the amount of revenue generated through tourism is greater than the amount we have to pay to keep them

Would they though? (I honestly don't know)

And Butlins

I quite like the royal family and the tradition that surrounds them.

That republican website is, well, a bit shit.

It seems to be backed by pressure groups based across the Commonwealth - it would be interesting to see if it was founded in the UK or not. I'd say not.

Ex colonies dont like the Queen shocka!

They'd gleefully have us throw away one of the main things that keeps us at the top table in the world. The royal family are a benefit to this country, and are envied in many others.

Oh - and a president would be much more expensive. MUCH more :)