to wonder why the whole country has gone completely bloody Royalist?

[Hullygully]

Erect the scaffold.

Up the Republicans.

We are ADULTS we don't need a feudalistic Divine Right of Kings addled parasitical bunch of halfwits to live off our taxes.

[Corgito]

"Why on earth would should that be celebrated?"

Because it saves the rest of us from living a 60 year version of 'The Truman Show'?

[Nevertooearlyforcake]

Do other heads of state retain the position for 60 yrs? I don't want to be 'saved', I want the choice

[merrymouse]

But other heads of state are more comparable to the prime minister. Anybody can be prime minister. Most countries don't have an equivalent of the Queen - a figure head with no real power.

However, if you want the choice you really do have it. The Queen only has the power that we give her. If you can get enough people to agree that we shouldn't have a monarch then we won't have one.

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

squoosh you're probably right

[Nevertooearlyforcake]

But the point remains, it's still a job - real power or not - where the only person who can do it qualifies for that role by birth, no one else can strive to achieve it.

Unless they apply the tradition method of raising a great big fuck off army and challenging the queen to a fight

[MarySA]

Every MP has to swear an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen. Or they may not take their seat. The question of the Queen being Head of State cannot be raised in Parliament. The army's first duty is to protect the royal family not us. I really do think this is not a modern democracy.

[MarySA]

'is'!!!!

[merrymouse]

I think some of you need to watch/read Game of Thrones a bit more, particularly the bit where Varys says that power lies where men believe it to lie.

[merrymouse]

Here we go - . You need to start about 45 seconds in.

[theinets]

left wing republicans are always keen to show off scandanavian countries we should be aspiring to be like..........as it happens i quite agree with that. But they still have their kings and queens also, with lots of popular support.

as an ambassador for our country, the Queen is fantastic. long may that continue. i certainly don't feel "inferior" or "abused" by the fact we have the royals. the alternative to the current set up is potentially much more expensive and less effective in carrying out this figurehead role.

[theinets]

incidentally the only republican i met over the last weekend was a bbc news producer. no surprise there then.

[Ilovecoffeeandchocolate]

My god what are you lot like, there is no other time other than Royal occasions when communities come together let's be honest. I went to a street party and it was only then when the street got together and I met all my neighbours and made loads of friends many others at work said the same thing. Not sure I want to have a street party for Dave or Tony Blair!!

They are a net benefit to the economy many reports have shown this. We are completely democratic in this country unlike lots of republics. To be honest I'm not sure what people want as no one on. This thread has come up with an alternative which is acceptable. Do we want more corrupt politicans remember the expenses scandal.

France has a president but not sure that can be used as a great example as many of them have been shown as corrupt when they left office.

Can anyone remember another time not associated with the Royal family when communities got together?

Getting rid of them will not solve the debt crisis but would harm tourism, I work in London and if I had a pound for everyone who asked where the Mall was I would be on a beach now.

Let's be proud of Britian and be thankful we were not born in a republic such as Syria!!

[ComposHat]

Let's be proud of Britian and be thankful we were not born in a republic such as Syria!!

That is an absurd comparison, Syria is not a democratic republic. It would be like a French person using 'Saudi Arabia' as an example of constiutional monarchy.

[BIWItheBold]

But I can be proud of Britain and still not want a monarchy, can I not?

[BIWItheBold]

Oh, and if community is so important - why not do more to organise events in your local community? Why wait until there is something in the royal calendar that dictates you should hold an event? There are all manner of things that could be celebrated that do not depend on privilege.

[perceptionreality]

Quite, BIWI.

[noddyholder]

Exactly BIWI it seems to be intertwined in this argument but I know many people who are proud but not interested in the royal family.

[squoosh]

Yeah because all republics are just like Syria .