To think this is an obscene amount for the queens home.

[heartskey]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/18/buckingham-palace-to-undergo-370m-refurbishment
Its all right for some isn't it. Sod the rest of us, we're just the mugs paying for it. What a bloody burden this family are.

It's not hers it's ours. Associated U.K. Revenue from having a Royal family is over £500m per year and that isn't to them its hotels restaurants we are a fantastic place to visit.

God save the Queen

awwww diddums, poor OP can't find a link other than to articles in the press that refer to "queen's aides" and is chucking her toys out of her pram.

How have you told me anything I didn't want to hear? all you've done is make assumptions and fail to prove them. you're queen of the s, I'll say that for you.

it is bloody obvious that tourists come to see the royal family. who else do you think lines the mall and the gates outside BP? you just chose to dismiss them as flag waving "your maj's" (but I'm the nasty one, apparently). now for the millionth time, I have never said that that tourists make the Rf worthwhile. I have asked for a better alternative. yours are beyond naive and utterly stupid. other people's are more so, they are just too untried to convince me.

meanwhile you have blithely ignored all the stuff about how a royal household might actually work. I do wonder about your reading comprehension, it would explain. a LOT about this thread.

Sadly the refurbishment of the palace is nothing to do with the current housing crisis.

It's a bit like the understanding of the economics of Brexit

Not sure that an Indie link talking about aides and a bit of frantic backtracking justifies your earlier hysterics and utter conviction that the queen MUST have been directly involved, Op. but hey, you keep telling me stuff I don't want to hear , and I'll keep on laughing at you so long as your comments are totally unjustified. when you find proof, I'll be genuinely fascinated.

ego has made me wonder who would be a good choice to elect. I wish I could think of someone. the obamas maybe?

ah yes, more assumptions, OP?

that's just the top link on Google. which you only bothered to find after making several hostile posts. that is why your posts are daft.

it is bloody obvious that tourists come to see the royal family. who else do you think lines the mall and the gates outside BP
Most of them people live in the Uk and would probably line the streets if the Kardashians came to town. Doesn't mean a thing.

yes yes, I'm the GF who has insulted you and made comments about you in real life etc. that's totally accurate. eye roll.

Anyway thanks all for all the contributions to this thread. Pleased to see that on the whole people agreed with me, I didn't think I was being unreasonable. Night all.

I think we've been very lucky with the current Queen, and that is why people like me agree with Ego that essentially the monarchy is outdated and hard to justify in a democratic 21st century society. HOWEVER on a practical level I don't have any appetite for disbanding the monarchy at this moment, I don't think it would be good for the country.

The current Queen has been pretty great in terms of being such a stoical, apolitical, inoffensive-and-reserved-but-still-charming Head of State. Her offspring however large don't seem to have the same qualities. I do think that when Charles ascends, and 21st century Britain is faced with a much less appealing monarch, the approval ratings will surely go down and everything thrown into question.

The financial aspect TBH to me isn't a big enough factor either way to get excited about. There are arguments on both sides for whether the Royals cost more than they generate. I think the ideological aspect is more important.

Personal preference aside, how many people here would bet that the monarchy would still be in place at the end if the century? Or would you bet against it? It's interesting to consider...not sure which way I'd place my money.

this is trending on FB tonight, some more maths in here:

www.unilad.co.uk/poll/petition-demands-the-royals-pay-for-their-own-palace/

And if that petition gets legs one with opposite view will start pointless grandstanding. The majority of the country (around 70% are pro monarchy according to most polls) are for the Royal family and understand that we don't finance them (endless explanations of the Crown Estates on this thread alone)and get shed loads of tourism from them. Your politics of envy just make you look petty and small.

It is quite amazing how little clarity there is on such major topics. Which again is why the monarchy debate discussion has such echoes of brexit. Would be fascinating to see the stats on brexiteers, remainers, monarchists and republicans. I suspect there's some quite inconsistent views!

this may help with the clarity.

www.royal.uk/sites/default/files/media/sovereign_grant_annual_report_2015-16.pdf

Would be fascinating to see the stats on brexiteers, remainers, monarchists and republicans. I suspect there's some quite inconsistent views

You could ask some leading questions.

Do you think unelected people should wield power?
Should people be given power because of position?
Should our leaders be elected?
Should the UK Parliament be the one with ultimate power?
Do you think unelected EU commisioners have power over the UK?
Do you think we should have an elected Head of State?

Then publish the result:

75% of people think we should have an elected Head of State.

(with thanks to Yes Prime Minister)

Or:

Do you think the Queen is recognised by many people abroad?
Do you think that people come to the UK to see aspects of royalty?
Do you think that the RF is good for tourism?
Would you like to see a politician as President?
Do you support having a Royal Family?

Then publish the results

(I'm sure they don't do that in RL)

Ah, leading questions, favourite of every good lawyer and politician!

it is bloody obvious that tourists come to see the royal family. who else do you think lines the mall and the gates outside BP?

It's one of the biggest attractions in the UK. My guess is that it would have visitors with or without royalty. When I first came to London it's one of the first things I went to see. I couldn't have given a toss if she was there.

there are a lot of crazy numbers thrown out by the RF propaganda/sycophants machine.

who else do you think lines the mall and the gates outside BP

I've looked at Buckingham Palace. It's nice to see the Guards doing their stuff. I've never seen any member of the Royal Family - except Princes Diana when she was driving in London. I doubt many tourists have seen the RF - but they have seen the palaces.

Lots of them like to think the queen is there, though. It's only anecdotal, but honestly, if you listen to some of the parents outside, they are ALL telling their kids that is where the queen lives!

It's only anecdotal, but honestly, if you listen to some of the parents outside, they are ALL telling their kids that is where the queen lives

Probably guilty of this. Along with a lecture on the RF, inherited privilege and a Head of State. Get them whilst they're young.

I'm sure that after a hard night banqueting, they go to their apartments for a sleep and breakfast in the morning.

Lots of them like to think the queen is there, though. It's only anecdotal, but honestly, if you listen to some of the parents outside, they are ALL telling their kids that is where the queen lives!

I've told me kids that in front of BP. Doesn't mean they all support the monarchy.

TBH - the only time I've seen massive crowds outside BP is when a Royal Event is happening. All those people who camp out so they can catch a glimpse of the Royals. Day to day, there are people there who do go to see BP and who watch Changing of the Guards. I bet that many of those people would still go and see the palace / Guards.

I also suspect that many of those people would still come to the UK even if we didn't have a RF.

Of course, we don't know. Remember the end of the Truman show. It ended, people turned over, life went on.

The RF do live like a Truman show. Always in the public gaze. Bringing in media clicks.

I drive past it most mornings and some evenings as I don't live far from there (and I have an unhealthy cab addiction, can't bear the tube).

It's always busy. always lots of people getting in the way.

I think the public in general can be a bit loath to face change, which is why you get shitty governments voted back in sometimes; things have to get really bad before people will take a chance on an alternative. there is too much affection for the queen for that. Charles - not so much, but people like him more now than they did, I believe.

my money is on it being slimmed down and us keeping it. as well as on the new heating and wiring, obv...