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.

[nettlewine]

If buck palace becomes a theme park then mage can schedule her functions to fit in with the other activities. Its big enough to have the odd room free for functions and the gardens are rarely used.

[LaurieMarlow]

The crown estates are not Windsor family property though. They belong to the crown. So like most other things, they're a privilege afforded to the royal family because they are the monarchs, rather than anything they bring to the country themselves.

Their 'Windsor' owned family estates are Balmoral and Sandringham, plus a couple of other less we'll known ones - a drop in the ocean.

The crown estates were granted to the monarchy following the Norman conquest and the revenues were intended for the running of the country, something that parliament now does.

They only nominally belong to the Windors and they have no real rights over them.

[keepitsimple0]

but anyway, you would save nothing in security by abolishing the royal family, as any elected president and their family would also need full security for life, which might in the end be far more than one family of royals, as it would be a different full family added to the list of those needing life long protection, every 4 years.

easy. take the royals off the list. Make them pay for their own security.

Don't forget, the Royal Household employs over 1200 people (info on their website). That's a net contribution too, no?

no doubt HSBC employs far more people, but I wouldn't suggest that HSBC should get special treatment.

I am not sure what the accounting says about being "net contributors", I don't want to give an extra pence to them. you should not get special treatment because of who your mother is.

[AuntieStella]

The Royals do pay for their own security. The 'excess' cost, if based on that Rupublic report is for the Met's protection of other visiting Heads of State.

[keepitsimple0]

But another thought, they are effectively public sector workers, do we feel that other public sector workers should be net contributors if they have private income/investments?

they are not public sector workers. I can't apply for their jobs.

Also, does anyone think we'd be better off without them? Does anyone think the US president pays out if his own pocket if the White House roof leaks?

The US president earned his position. If Americans don't like him, they have a chance to vote him out. And he does a helluva lot more than smile and wave occasionally. He actually has an incredibly important and demanding position.

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

Will is a net contributor. He has a £40k a year job as a Search & rescue pilot. Apparently he's also the first direct heir to the throne to be a PAYE employee.

The queen does something like 400 engagements a year, and Phillip does a similar amount. They're 90 years old. Quite frankly, i think as diplomats, they more than earn their keep!

[keepitsimple0]

The queen does something like 400 engagements a year, and Phillip does a similar amount. They're 90 years old. Quite frankly, i think as diplomats, they more than earn their keep!

well, we already have diplomats doing the job of diplomats.

are those 400 engagements for our benefit? what are they for? that is, of course, more than 1 a day, so sounds like a stretch to me.

[AuntieStella]

The Queen paid for the repairs to Windsor Castle from her private income, even though it's part of the Crown Estate. That would be like the US President paying for major refurbishment of Camp David, and I don't think they do that.

[nettlewine]

..and her private income is from stuff the country owns that she has birth rights on.

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

www.express.co.uk/news/royal/549762/2015-Queen-breaking-records-all-eyes-Prince-William-Princess-Middleton-next-royal-birth

[nettlewine]

These engagements are just eating, shaking hands and waving. I'd do 800 a year for 20 milliokn

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

first figure is in the uk, second is what they did overseas last year.

The Queen 375 18
Duke of Edinburgh 254 19
Prince of Wales 435 98
Duchess of Cornwall 167 57
Duke of Cambridge 73 70
Duchess of Cambridge 40 51
Prince Harry 58 36
Duke of York 277 90
Earl of Wessex 320 106
Countess of Wessex 248 59
Princess Royal 431 97

[OrlandoWoolf]

Whatever happened to all the stuff Monarchs in the past have stolen from people?

Execute them and take their property. What happened to all that?

Family wealth and birthright is great - just don't ask too many questions about where it came from.

[OrlandoWoolf]

An engagement can be 3 or 4 in a day.

If I did 4 things in a day, that's 4 engagements.

How many days work of meet and greet is that?

[OrlandoWoolf]

Met someone in the morning. 1
Had a big lunch
Met some more people and shook hands
Had a reception with lovely food and wine

4 engagements.

[OrlandoWoolf]

The Earl of Wessex, Patron, National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, this morning held a Meeting.
His Royal Highness, Chairman of the Trustees, The Prince Philip Trust Fund for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, this afternoon chaired a Meeting

and this evening held a Dinner at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/CourtCircular/Todaysevents.aspx

Search for the engagements. Held a meeting and chaired a meeting

Then had dinner

[OrlandoWoolf]

People should use that website to search for Prince Andrew's activities. He's all go

[ASorcererIsAWizardSquared]

are you aware what the point of a diplomat is? It is meeting and greeting, most of its political networking.

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.

Queen cant just say 'oh i dont feel like it today, i just want to sit round in my pjs and read the latest Ruth Rendall' can she?

[OrlandoWoolf]

The point is, they aren't just sitting around on their butts doing nothing

Search for Prince Andrew on that website. He doesn't seem to do much.

[OrlandoWoolf]

Queen cant just say 'oh i dont feel like it today, i just want to sit round in my pjs and read the latest Ruth Rendall' can she

I think she should. She's 89 years old. She is entitled like any other human being to do that.

[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!

[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]

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.

[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.

[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?