If you had a choice, would you vote to keep the monarchy?

[katemiddletonsnudeheels]

Or not?

And what are your reasons? :)

Outmoded imperialistic dynasty of overpaid toffs. Scrap the Monarchy become a republic and spread the OBSCENE amount of money that is spent on the 'institution' every year on education, health and welfare. We could turn the palaces into affordable housing for key workers.

Definitely this

We could turn the palaces into affordable housing for key workers
Good luck with that.

Yes.

I certainly hope that we don't waste any time or effort on yet another referendum though!

Yes.

I would vote to make our monarchy more like the European monarchy. They are much less pomp and splendour, and more hands on.
I think the Queen is the last of the traditional monarchs. Its sad, but it is also a kind of captivity. I cant see modern people submitting to what she went through.

I had to sit and listen to an absolute load of drivel about her on Wednesday as I was trapped on the bus. People didnt realise she isnt like that by nature, that she has been trained from a small child to make small talk and put people at their ease.

After the queen goes, no, William and Kate are of no interest to me whatsoever

The problem is who would be head of state....

Like others - I'd keep them to afford a Presidential setup. I find rather fascinating a curiousity for all their wealth their lives are somewhat like being in a zoo they have no real freedom.

What if William had had a burning desire to act for example?

Or Harry had just wanted to run a pub?

Get rid.

Utter parasites. And there's a hell of a lot of them.

Zero hour contracts, crap wages, no hope of retiring any time soon, food banks, council houses, sky high house prices but they all live in utter luxury? Not a worry in the world?

What are we actually thinking? It's 2016, not 1310, we collectively have a lot of power but are fast losing it.

Why does no-one question the Royals? Why? Because they have always been there? If we were a Republic our history wouldn't change. London Tower wouldn't fall down! All the castles would still be there

I'd vote to keep them - I think that on the whole they do a good job, and provide excellent marketing for UK plc.

And the cost is very little - just over 50 p per person, per year.

The minor Royals don't get paid. And personally I don't think they are 'better' than us, simply born into a different way of life, which comes with its privileges and its shackles.

I don't think the monarchy are any kind of problem so I wouldn't vote to remove them.

There are far more important things to get passionate about.

Get rid. At least with a Presidential system we get to choose, and if we don't like someone, we get to vote them out.

For all those who are now complaining about Blair - go back to 1997 and remember how relieved we all were to have him.

With royalty we get who we're given, through accident of birth and circumstances - that's not, nor will ever be, democracy

'Shackles'

Like what exactly?

Not getting up at 6am to get a packed commuter train to a shit job?

No.

I might not like every president but I wouldn't have to put up with them for their whole life, only to be followed by their offspring, and their offspring, and...

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Bunch of inbred halfwits.

Nope, would happily see them gone. They only bind me in tbh.

In theory I abhor the idea of a monarchy, but in practice I'm happy with it.

Sadly such is the world that the choice is either an unelected millionaire head of state or an elected millionaire head of state. Look at the current cabinet.

It's not like a President would be free of charge to the nation either, so the cost issue is not really as simple as it seems. Even if the royals were kicked out of the palaces, we would still pay as a nation for the upkeep. There would still be lavish state dinners for visiting dignitaries etc. Looking elsewhere it's not like the White House is equivalent to a 2 bed semi in Barnsley. The President of France also lives in a palace.

I figure at least with the royals we know what we are getting in advance.

I am not a fan of Charles, but the Prince's Trust is a marvellous organisation that is truly life changing for the disadvantaged youth that it serves, so I figure he can't be completely mad as a box of frogs bad.

Once the Queen has gone then I would vote to get rid. We cannot be a true democracy with a monarchy in place. It perpetuates the class system.

Also it might put the daily mail out of business win-win

How do they generate a lot of revenue?

I would them keep but reduce the gigantic income/castles etc. And they should all do proper jobs...Edward, Andy etc

Keep - mainly to annoy all the vicious republicans. I really think there are much more serious things to worry about.

Keep. I have read "The Queen and I" by Sue Townsend.....she gives my reasons

Nope

Yes

I would like to keep it because I am a "devil you know" kind of person.

I like the present Queen, but I am more apprehensive of what the future will hold after her. Charles's reign is not likely to be a long one compared to his mother's. He is already in his late sixties isn't he? William could in his fifties or older when he gets to the throne.

It certainly needs to be a slimmed down version of the monarchy, and it is already heading in that direction.

President Blair!!!! You really have to be joking, surely. President Cameron, President Johnson, President Corbyn!!!! Yikes!!!

Id keep it.