AIBU to think the queen should get off her arse and sell Balmoral?

[BlueBirdsNest]

Just a thought

But if we are struggling as a Country, financially, as a Country

Why don't the Royal family contribute and sell their holiday homes and put they money back in the economy?

That was my point footphobic. You had all these aristocratic landowners holding titles and from amongst those one line is "royal". Apparently being royal is the short straw as according to some on here that pretty much means you forfeit all the stuff that has been inherited over the years. The other aristo's like the Duke of Westminster just hang on to their estates and remain hugely wealthy and no one tries to assert that they should be handed over to the nation. Sounds like they were the sensible ones!

Tony with his police and private bodyguards. I understand the police are there for protection and lets face it that's fair enough since he was PM. Do you think Tony's private bodyguards are there to stop anyone trying to serve him papers or an international arrest warrant if some people think he is a war criminal. :)

I'd rather have the Queen as Head of State than some President - can you imagine President Blair and First Lady Cherie - no thanks - Queenie every time

'might as well give it all to the government and start again!'
Sounds good to me Bluegrass

just like to point out hully the queen may have german ancestors but her mother is scottish. her hubby is greek does that make charles a greek prince no.

royals all over europe are related mostly thanks to queen victoria marrying all her children off all over the place.

op, shall we sell your home? surely that will pay for some of the national debt.

the queen is a really good head of state, we are a monarchy in this country get used to it ggggrrrr

Phil IS NOT Greek

Oh he is he is he is he is

He was born in Greece - therefore Greek

He had to become a naturalised British in order to marry the then Princess Elizabeth

I think that's her private castle house is it not, maybe we should all sell our houses and put it back into the state just to help out like

Why has the PM got Chequers - couldn't the Government flog that off and come to an agreement with the Queen on time share ?

Imagine if she Cashed Her Gold for the nation.

dunno what is funnier time share or cash for gold so you can both have a

son of a greek princess, sounds greek to me. my grandparents where lithuanian does that make me the same? no I'm half of my mothers heritage too.

The river parade IS being sponsored privately.

Living in the US has made me appreciate having an unelected head of state, tbh. The amount of money that is spent on presidential elections is absolutely obscene. Obama alone spent ~$760 million in 2008 and will probably spend more this year. Then the cost of the US presidency to the taxpayer is many times more than that of the Royal Family. Just looking at travel alone: in 2000 (this is the most recent year for which figures are available), air travel alone for foreign trips was at least $292 million. That doesn't include domestic travel, 24hr security for the President and VP and their families, salaries of the huge entourages, advance parties, and all the salaries of everyone who works in the White House and the upkeep of presidential buildings. So I reckon the costs of the Royal Family are dwarfed by that kind of scale of presidency.

Now it is slightly different situation in the US because the president is an executive head of state. But what are the odds that if we had a president that they would insist on having something closer to the US model of the presidency and all its trappings rather than, say, the Irish one?

Er, MrsBucket we live in a democracy, we don't have to just lie down and accept a monarchy without trying to change things. Women didn't used to be allowed to vote but we didn't just "get used to it" our ancestors fought to change an inherently undemocratic system.

Sound familiar?

Fair, a comparison with the US is misleading - a better comparison is Ireland where the costs are v small.

Missed your final sentence - have never heard anyone proposing we adopt the American system!

Wonder if Greece have approached HRH for a bail out

He's not, but i'vce forgot why. I'll look it up

we had a civil war and had a elected head of state and guess what it didn't work. we have a happy medium here. we elect a prime minister do do all the boring political stuff and the queen is like the icing on the cake.

do you really think if we had a referendum to say whether or not we keep the monarchy it would go against them? i think you republicans would-be surprised.

It looks like he was Greek but in name only despite being born in Greek

here

Danish and German background .

doesn't that give him dual nationality then?

a bit of Heinz 57 !