the royal family should be net contributors

[nettlewine]

The change in their funding gave them a huge raise recently.

I just can't understand why they get given so much money, I know they have buildings to upkeep but at the same time they own billions in assets and have an income, why can't they mortgage and use the income to pay for themselves and make a contribution ?

They own most of rengent street, Cornwall, mineral rights, offshore wind farms. What happens when the dutchy inherits someone's property in Cornwall who didn't make a will? I doubt its given over to social housing.

[OrlandoWoolf]

Wait till Prince Charles comes along.

The role of a Head of State should be to hold a Government to account. Like if it breaks the law or something. To ensure the rights of its citizens are not violated.

I am not sure if the popularity of the Monarchy is all the polls are cracked up to be.

I think there is a lot of indifference to the Monarchy. Not wanting a Republic does not mean the Monarchy is popular. They are different questions.

If people were asked on a scale of 1 - 5 what they think of the Monarchy.

1 being fantastic, best thing ever
3 being it's ok.
5 being get rid of them, they're a waste of time

I suspect there will be a lot of 3s with some hard core Monarchists and Republicans at either end.

[keepitsimple0]

I never realised my was such a hotbed of monarchism until all these threads started!

the UK is a hotbed of monarchism. The popularity of the monarchy has been consistent and high for a long time.

[Jackieharris]

I never realised my was such a hotbed of monarchism until all these threads started!

It's not just about the actual royal family, it's the whole culture of aristocracy that clings to their tails. We need to get rid of them and their stranglehold on the upper echelons of society. We will never have a meritocratic society with equality of opportunity for all until we get rid of the structures that keep the royal family and the aristocracy 'above' the rest of us.

The money from their expenses etc is pennies compared to the costs of a society based on privilege at birth.

[Pangurban]

The head of a state also being head of a state religion. The state should be secular.

[Pangurban]

In all fairness, Charles and Camilla put huge royal effort into going to the middle east or meeting middle eastern feudal lords kings and princes and carrying back that heavy jewellery that they are gifted. Wasn't Harry on a tour of the same region too not too long ago. Wonder what generous gifts they gave him. Beheading is big there, isn't it? Arms trade and jewels, eh. It will be interesting if there is a change when Charles is anointed by 'sacred' oil and becomes a demi-god monarch.

Anyone else besides the monarch would be tempted to hole up in estates in Scotland or Sandringham for chunks of the year. Shame on everyone else. It really is such a thankless task and for very little reward or comfort.

There was a programme on recently about the queen. I can't remember the incident they were discussing, but seemingly someone said something a little snippy to her once. The woman commentating said the queen was taken aback as no one had ever been anything but grovelling kind to her. The current monarch does the job well and seems to be viewed with affection, but it's not exactly hardship. The royal pr teams work pretty hard as well, I'd imagine. Bread and circuses.

[keepitsimple0]

She's not really the head of state. Her main job is to shut up and never express any personal view. Just shake hands ask if someone's come far and eat.

that's part of the many problems with the queen. we can't have a real head of state because of her. she effectively makes that office useless. it has to be useless because it is occupied by a queen.

[MoustacheofRonSwanson]

They should not be given a penny.

And they either still pay, or until recently paid, their cleaning/household staff minimum wage. Not national living wage or London living wage.

[nettlewine]

She's not really the head of state. Her main job is to shut up and never express any personal view. Just shake hands ask if someone's come far and eat.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

he actully gets a massive salary to boot while the Queen does not (only gets expesinse paid for doing the job of head of state)

Ah - that explains why she always seems so poor!

[keepitsimple0]

Eg hold recpetions for other heads of states etc

etc? What is the etc? do explain. keep in mind the trap you have to avoid here. if she has real duties with real power than she's not "just a figurehead". if so, she needs to be accountable, and we have to have to ability to chuck her out of her job if we feel she isn't doing it properly. Or, she has no real power and no real purpose as head of state.

since you want to compare the french head of state or american to ours, the french/american one has enormous powers. they get salaries because a huge portion of the state apparatus isn't already supporting their vast land holdings.

[worridmum]

You do know the Queen is the head of state and actully has a job to do you know? Eg hold recpetions for other heads of states etc

And compared to other heads of state (Looking at you USA) the royal family is cheap in comparision and even the french president (not prime minsiter) is nearly as expesive and thats a bloody republic........ oh and he actully gets a massive salary to boot while the Queen does not (only gets expesinse paid for doing the job of head of state)

And quote sercurity figures of republic people take a look at the cost of the major nations head of state sercuirty budget and its roughly the same price (tho USA again is much much much higher but hey ho we love the USA)

[run2]

So Charis1, by your logic, retired 89 year olds are just not dedicated enough?

[Stopandlook]

The 'Royal' family is madness in this day and age, and in a country where we are supposed to be equals. But I've resigned myself to them for the sake of my blood pressure. I don't care how much they cost tbh. Just don't ask me to curtsy should I ever meet a one. Their blood is actually the same colour as mine.

[Charis1]

The prime minister cannot be head of state, he is head of government. the head of state would have to be a president, or similar.

[Charis1]

what a lot of rubbish run2- she is working because she is dedicated.

[run2]

So the Queen is a hero for working at 89? Well, why don't we expect all 89 year olds to do that? Wait, maybe we should figure in the type of job and health conditions created for various reasons. In many cases we need to consider physical demands, lack of appropriate healthcare, money actually being an issue to lifestyle etc.. Oh, we do? That must mean someone who works till 89 has had it...relatively easy?

[harshbuttrue1980]

I'd like to see the monarchy coming to a natural end when the Queen dies. They should be able to keep all of the palaces and estates that actually belong to them, and hand the rest back to the people. The prime minister should be the head of state, and if we don't like him, we can vote him out. The royals don't care about ordinary people, and I don't think we should keep them in state just so they can be a tourist attraction. Or, if we do keep them as a tourist attraction, they should be told by the PM about how many days a year each of them has to work to earn their keep. They are paid for by us, but not accountable to anyone. I think some of them do their bit, like the Queen and Anne, but the Yorks and Cambridges are a waste of our money. They only do a few charity engagements, so they should be told to do more or get proper jobs and stop living off us.

[keepitsimple0]

The point is, they aren't just sitting around on their butts doing nothing. How many 89/94yos do you know that do that? Its not like they have a choice, its their job.

Actually, she has a choice. She can abdicate.

I couldn't care less if she is a work horse. Go to the website someone posted about the Queen's daily activities. A lot of it is just not useful to us.

And that's the rub. She isn't really head of state. She can't be given powers because she isn't accountable or elected. if she just sat on her duff and did nothing she'd still be queen.

royalists seem to want it both ways. She's only a figurehead and doesn't have power, so it's ok. Or, she performs a lot of duties and is a "net contributor". Which is it?

Back to the OP, even the phrase "net contributor" is telling of what her questionable role is. we wouldn't ask that of anyone else in government. For any individual member of the state apparatus, they cost so much.

[OrlandoWoolf]

I'm a royalist, and i like the way Harry and Wills are turning out, i think they show promise as the modern royalty

I think people should be able to follow their own life without the imposition of duty and expectation. Royalists create a prison for the Royals. A gilded cage - where they are not free to be themselves. They have to do what is expected. Royalists led Diana to many issues. I wonder what issues Kate has because of Royalists.

They are human beings. Not people who are there to bring joy to your life.

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

yes, but my point was that i think she more than earns her keep.

i couldnt give a stuff about wessex and york, they're both a complete waste of air imho, i should think she probably rolls her eyes at them a fair amount too ;) especially Andrew!

I'm a royalist, and i like the way Harry and Wills are turning out, i think they show promise as the modern royalty.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

She reads some letters she gets because she's queen, and then tells people how to answer the letters she gets because she's queen, because she's queen.

If she wasn't queen, we could just do away with the whole silly process! But it's hardly strenuous, is it?

[OrlandoWoolf]

The Queen is great - I have a lot of respect for her even though I am a Republican.

I feel very sorry for her. Most people her age have a very different life. She has a strong sense of duty. Maybe she doesn't know any different. The simple pleasures of life and retirement many other people have.

She is trapped like the rest of them in this sense of duty imposed on them by the Establishment.

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

follow up by reading the afternoon and evening ones too.

if she isn't earning her keep, i don't know what you'd call it.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

Do you think there's a reason she's actually able to travel and smile or whatever it is she does, at her age, when most people in their late 80s can't? I mean, none of my grandparents were actually physically able to do that much travelling by that age, as much as I'm sure they'd have enjoyed it.

Assuming she's not just a nicer and more hardworking person, hence able to ignore pain and incapacity, is it genes? Or the fact that she's quite well preserved after a fairly unstrenuous life, superior medical care and diet?

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

when she's not doing engagements, shes doing this - www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/DayInTheLife/TheQueensworkingday/Morning.aspx

again, i remind you, she's 89!