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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Prince George will never be King?

360 replies

SerfTerf · 29/07/2017 17:26

Or if he is, the next generation won't be?

We were talking about it at lunch. I just have the strong feeling now that the monarchy will fizzle out at some point in the next 50-100 years.

It's not an active "want" just a notion.

Two of us talking earlier felt similarly but the other three were aghast.

So, AIBU?

OP posts:
ellestyle · 30/07/2017 01:46

ibiza Have you any proof they're good for tourism?
Did my post above about how many tourists France gets pass you by? Sorry i don't want to be argumentative but the tourism myth gets used over and over again without anyone being able to provide any evidence.

dotdotdot3 · 30/07/2017 01:47

Well I do hope not; it would be wonderful to see the monarchy gradually fizzle out.

Having said that though, I can remember people saying they didn't think Charles would ever be king, and then of course saying they didn't think William would ever be king....

They are unfortunately a tenacious bunch, these royals.

ellestyle · 30/07/2017 01:48

Fastwindow we don't fund the monachy? Shock Oh please, i've heard it all now.

lostpigeon · 30/07/2017 01:50

fastwindow get a grip!

Iflyaway · 30/07/2017 01:52

As the head of the Church of England, if he wants Camilla to be Queen, she is. I quite like her. She clearly is the love of his life. He was incredibly stupid not to marry her in the first place. His and Diana's marriage was utterly disastrous.

I agree. I feel sad for all 3 of them that they bowed to protocol instead of love. I like that Charles and Camilla finally got their "happy ever after".
Just wish Diana had too....

I think William and Harry are amazing how they have grown up in such awful circumstances and in the non-stop public eye. They are a credit on how they have come out so well of it.

FastWindow · 30/07/2017 01:56

How much of your tax goes towards funding the monarchy, as opposed to your local council, bin fees, healthcare, police, etc?
I will be very happy to be handed a grip, if it turns out I need one.

Sconesnotscones · 30/07/2017 02:01

the way people adore them as they do, I don't get it.
Bandersnatch:I couldn't agree more - a simple accident of birth, and for some reason, you're everybody's darling.

Tony Robinson has an amusing take on the bloodline of the Royal Family:

balsamicbarbara · 30/07/2017 02:05

Look at the US or Russia. That's what you get when you let people vote for a head of state. Better for us to have an imperfect figurehead with little day to day power than some total evil idiot I reckon. I think head of state and politics should remain very separate.

FastWindow · 30/07/2017 02:06

Accident of birth applies to every single person on earth . You could equally have been born in Rwanda as to the English Royal Family.
Accident of birth and you're doomed to live three weeks because Ebola. Or be King because daddy...see?

PoppyBucket · 30/07/2017 02:07

I'd feel sad if there was no monarchy. All that history

What, like Henry VIII murdering two of his wives?
And the great debacle of whatisface and Mrs Simpson?
And all the malarkey inbetween?

Meh.

ellestyle · 30/07/2017 02:20

fastwindow You just can't compare tax for the council against tax that goes towards the monachy. We pay tax for essential services and i don't begrudge it, i certainly begrudge one single penny going to an elite unelected family who are worth millions already and imo totally unnecessary to the country.

PoppyBucket · 30/07/2017 02:21

Why should one person bow to another? Its so so outdated and wrong

Cherie Blair famously refused to curtsey to Royalty.
She's not my favourite person ever, but it took guts in front of all the cronies.

ellestyle · 30/07/2017 02:26

Accident of birth and you're doomed to live three weeks because Ebola. Or be King because daddy...see?
Exactly, accidents of birth are a bad thing then, so why the hell are we putting up with it?

FastWindow · 30/07/2017 02:46

Yes elle we should definitely do something about it. It's not acceptable. Some people get born into a life of servitude, and the rest of us can do as we please. Who should we talk to about putting up with this inequality?

FastWindow · 30/07/2017 02:57

poppy you do realise the 'malarky in between' spans 500 years? Henry the Eighth ruled in the 16th Century - Times have moved on slightly.

Lweji · 30/07/2017 03:07

Look at the US or Russia. That's what you get when you let people vote for a head of state. Better for us to have an imperfect figurehead with little day to day power than some total evil idiot I reckon. I think head of state and politics should remain very separate.

Oh, dear.

Many countries don't have Trump or Putin and their head of state is better than the Queen.
You can easily get a mad person in the Royal Family.
In many countries the President has no or little executive power.

duracellred · 30/07/2017 03:31

I am afraid I cannot stand the monarchy. Yes, they bring in tourists but their spending can possibly outweigh that. A complete bunch of freeloaders (younger generation to start with - holidays so many times a year, cannot hold down 'normal joe public' jobs) - where does Prince Andrew get all of his money from? A small (correct me if I am wrong privy state payout) and yet both his daughters do not hold jobs, go galavanting on holiday and not one, not one, official engagement between them unless it is without their father - their mother, well thats another story I could rant on.

Abolish them - like the French with Versailles, make Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace (and other state owned properties) museums and let them pay for our history.

duracellred · 30/07/2017 03:33

without = with!

ellestyle · 30/07/2017 03:50

fastwindow it'll happen, maybe not in our lifetime but one day a future generation will see the light. It'll probably come to a referendum and not before time. Why should the whole country suffer such austerity and massive cutbacks in public spending while at the same time throw millions at one family.
They're a throwback to a less civilised time and should have no place in an equal society.

ellestyle · 30/07/2017 03:53

I agree duracell apart from the bit about the tourists. I don't believe the tourists would care one way or another. Our rich heritage didn't depend on the Windsors.

duracellred · 30/07/2017 04:04

Her Majesty (whom I believe to be the real meaning of the Royal Family as in numerous engagements at her age) HOWEVER, yes times have changed but Margaret was not allowed to marry the life of her life but Charles is allowed to marry his mistress after his ex wife (am sorry) was 'bumped off' (as in co-incidental at a volatile time that would have rocked the Establishment with Dodi). Now Harry looks set to marry a consummate Canadian actress, William married a girl who parents are hell bent in trying to upstage them all - get rid of them....Sorry

Sconesnotscones · 30/07/2017 06:22

Accident of birth applies to every single person on earth .

But should an "accident of birth" bring, as it does in the Royal Family's Case (and as does in other cases) instant adoration - too strong a word, but almost applies to some people's interest in them - for no achievement?

Stalking by the paparazzi to the extent where the children have to have two types of clothing to give them some measure of privacy, simply because they were born to a particular set of parents, who have done nothing to achieve fame except be born to a particular set of parents who, in their turn, have done nothing to achieve fame except be born .......

Sconesnotscones · 30/07/2017 06:34

ellestyle I don't believe the tourists would care one way or another. Our rich heritage didn't depend on the Windsors.

I couldn't agree with you more. I am not British, but have travelled widely, over a considerable timeframe, throughout the UK, and have managed to find at least a couple of things to enjoy that had historical connections, but nothing to do with the House of Windsor.

However, I read a comments from American and Japanese tourists that they only go to places like the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels because they were worn by the Queen at her coronation. It's as if Britain is perceived by some tourists as an ersatz Disney World that should be labelled "Royal World."

Riversleep · 30/07/2017 09:44

Yes, the tourism thing is bizarre. If you love the monarchy, why do you want to force human beings into being basically a never ending scripted reality show?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 30/07/2017 10:31

They are unfortunately a tenacious bunch, these royals

They are indeed Hmm They're also very, very good at PR (or have the money to have it managed for them) and are adept at "reinventing" themselves if they perceive a threat to their popularity

The age old thing of monarchs scheming and grabbing at crowns might be more subtle these days, but it's still there if anyone cares to look for it

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