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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it's about time we got rid of the Monarchy?

313 replies

clayspaniel · 20/09/2014 13:55

Now that the Scotland referendum is over, does anyone else think it is now time to have a complete constitutional reform, and discontinue the role of the Queen and all her associated hangers-on?

OP posts:
JennyCalendar · 20/09/2014 14:21

I know that this is an unpopular view, but I would rather the monarchy had more powers, so they could balance/control parliament more.

I like the Royals far more than I like the majority of politicians and I trust them to care more for this country and its citizens, rather than paying those who pay lip service to voters, while caring more about big corporations.

SlicedAndDiced · 20/09/2014 14:22

I'm hopeful.

But as long as people actually queue up for hours in the rain outside just to catch a glimpse of another person just because they popped out of a certain vagina I really don't think we have a chance.

Bilberry · 20/09/2014 14:22

I think compared to the alternatives, the queen is good and reasonably cheap. I also don't think Charles is bad especially as when king he won't be able to express his personal opinions. They are personally not particularly wealthy compared to the rich list. They also work hard. Ok, you may not think pottering around factories, shaking hands, attending openings and dinners every day/night sounds like hard work but it still has to be done...

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 14:22

I don't particularly like them but an elected one would be a right palaver and we could end up with some real arseholes doing it.

What route would we go down - one with lots of power, one as a "figurehead", would they be political etc etc

The bunch we've got at the moment are pretty inoffensive, I find it quite easy to ignore them most of the time.

A lot of people around the world LOVE it all - I was in Germany recently and the newsagents had two whole magazines that appeared to be devoted to kate middleton Confused And they all do the whole pomp and ceremony thing pretty well. You'd have to get rid of a lot of the trappings - special coaches and crowns and palaces and coronations and things obv that side of things would be gone.

You'd have to extend the vote to all countries who have queen as head of state wouldn't you - and there are still a lot of them - I can't see the vote going to get rid in a million years really.

I would say

Pare the civil list (is that what it's called?) right back
Make sure every penny they get from the state is for genuine state things and accounted for
Make sure they pay their taxes properly on their massive massive personal wealth (I have no reason to think they don't but thought I'd put it down anyway)

OTheHugeManatee · 20/09/2014 14:24

IMO since the Glorious Revolution the monarchy has overall been a force for good in British politics. I know, blah blah democracy, blah president blah elections but seriously, you know we'd get President Blair and frankly I'd rather have Her Maj or even Charles than that Hmm

HappyAgainOneDay · 20/09/2014 14:24

Some of you seem to be unaware that the crowning will not make the Prince of Wales into King. He will be King from the moment the Queen dies.

Edward VIII was never crowned but he was King and abdicated before his coronation. He was King from the time his father died until his abdication.

Original poster
clayspaniel · 20/09/2014 14:26

Asteria I think that more and more people are starting to question the role of the monarchy in our country now. For many years people have either thought there are too many more important things to think about, and lots of people DO think they are harmless and quaint - I don't think this. (Sorry not sure what you meant about my use of the word 'revert'!)

OP posts:
SlicedAndDiced · 20/09/2014 14:26

Do you think maybe we stand a chance of actually making them accountable?

I've accepted that it's unlikely they will be going anywhere in our lifetime but I find it unfair that their finances etc are not open to public scrutiny.

SwedishEdith · 20/09/2014 14:28

Exactly.An elected head of state could actively piss off 49% of the electorate and you'd have people like Boris Johnson and Richard Branson.

If you were starting a new state now you'd never have one but they seem pretty benign atm compared to the cost and hassle of the alternative

SlicedAndDiced · 20/09/2014 14:29

Why is it always president bloody Blair?

He'd only get in if you voted for him? And even if by some miracle he did get in you would be able to make your voice heard and vote against him at the next election.

Right now if Prince Charles came up and shat on your mother there is sod all you could do about it.

HavanaSlife · 20/09/2014 14:31

What so we could end up with some arse hole like we have with this government.

Bartlebee · 20/09/2014 14:31

I would love to see the end of the Royals, I really would. Sadly, I can't see it anytime soon.

Original poster
clayspaniel · 20/09/2014 14:34

Manatee you are right that we might get President Blair - but at least he would have been democratically elected. Not everyone was happy with the outcome of the Scottish referendum, but that was the choice of the majority. Previous posters have made the point that not enough people would bother to vote (and those that did would be the fans of the Royalty) but the engagement and interest shown by the Scottish show that people are interested in issues of such importance, even people that don't normally vote.

OP posts:
Asteria · 20/09/2014 14:35

Clayspaniel, it was just that by saying people would revert to thinking something, it sounded like they were regarded as anything but!

SlicedAndDiced · 20/09/2014 14:37

That's the magic of democracy. At least you have a chance to get rid of that arsehole.

Even if most if the country disagrees with you over the fact he is an arsehole you would still have the opportunity to do something about it.

It just sits uneasily with me that in this day and age there are positions my daughter could never ever aspire to. 'No dear you can't be head of state, ever, no chance. Why? Because you weren't born into the right family. Tough shit love'

Realistically I know children are never born equal. Some children will always have less opportunity to be something than others, but at least it's POSSIBLE.

SisterNancySinatra · 20/09/2014 14:37

I do like the Royals but I think the Queen is too old for a public duty role now . I was so disappointed that she was initially not going to mention anything about the Scottish referendum. What the hell is she there for then?

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 14:44

I suppose as well at least with the current system you soemtimes get a woman.

Although clearly your chances of a non-white or indeed non CofE were pretty slim.

I can't be bothered to spend my time feeling RAGE at yet another figure the whole time as per swedishedith's post.

SlicedAndDiced there is no "magic" to democracy. The people/groups who get in are pretty small variations on a theme. There is no real choice, there is no possibility ever of anything truly radical happening. There have been loads of books written on this topic esp around the states, which goes on and on and on about democracy but you have a choice of these ones or those ones and they switch over periodically...

Also your DD cannot aspire to be head of state of the US, that great "democracy" if that were to be her dream. She was not born in the right place for that, either.

Does anyone really honestly think in this day and age that anywhere is really run "for the people" as opposed to for the people in power and their mates? I mean, really.

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 14:46

SisterNancy the Queen is not allowed to express political views to the public, nor to use or try to use her power and influence to affect such things. Hence not saying anything about Scotland which was a political matter. It would have been inappropriate really - what would yoyu have wanted her to say?

Charles isn't supposed to speak out about stuff either but that seems to stop him less Hmm

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 14:48

clayspaniel why is it important?

I find the comparison of "should we have the queen or a different head of state" to the scottish vote a bit weird. Changing our head of state wouldn't change much at all apart from we'd have to vote every few years and put up with even more electioneering (which we'd have to pay for) and we'd still have someone hated by a generous % of the population.

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 14:49

sorry for multi-posts I obviously care more about this than I realised Grin

SlicedAndDiced · 20/09/2014 14:50

But she should be able to run for head of state in the country she was born in surely?

Actually I think the events of the last few days have shown us that yes democracy can bring about radical change, at least it gas the potential to. I think that is why I am actually hearing a lot of people discussing the monarchy now.

Joshuajosephspork · 20/09/2014 14:59

I have nothing against the Queen personally and think that she does a pretty good job (though I'm sure you could find a large number of people who could do it just as well for the pay). However I think it is wrong, wrong, wrong that she should be in that position purely and simply due to an accident of birth. I think a proper debate about it is well overdue.

mrspremise · 20/09/2014 15:00

I love the monarchy. At least bloody Thatcher had to answer to someone...

SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 15:03

Sliced that makes no sense.

"It just sits uneasily with me that in this day and age there are positions my daughter could never ever aspire to. 'No dear you can't be head of state, ever, no chance. Why? Because you weren't born into the right family. Tough shit love'"

Yes. If she were to move to the US and have a burning ambition to be head of state there she would be disbarred by being born in the "wrong" place. The answer would be, "tough shit love".

Confused
SevenZarkSeven · 20/09/2014 15:06

TBH I turn the telly over when they are on, rant loudly "why the fuck is this even news" when one of them has a baby or whatever, and so on. But I can avoid them quite easily.

I shudder to think who we would end up with if we voted them in. I can't actually think of anyone I would like to be head of state, TBH.