AIBU Why do English people curtsy to the royal family?

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I need to stop reading the Daily Mail, but there was an article there about how “low” you should curtsy to your betters.

...there was a photo of Theresa May curtsying to Prince William, of all people. I found it absolutely repulsive.

Think what you will of her, but should she be bowing and scraping in front of a 30-something dude that hasn’t done much with his life? She’s the PM fer chrissakes!!!

He could opt out and then he would be accused of failing his country and be cut off from his family like Eddie 8 was. He still wouldn't be able to live a normal life and would be hounded by the media.

One for lovers of odd traditions, The ceremony of Knollys rose. Have a google, no curtseying required.

Who would the UK have as its head of state instead ?
The Monarchy are a compromise
None of our or many other countries' politicians are up to being a President

What makes Charles up to being a king? I mean, if you had to vote in a "king" who would vote for Charles? Exactly, that's how farcical it all is.Whoevers in line gets the job

We would be able to vote out a head of state. With this current arrangement we have no say. This doesn't sit well with me.

Perhaps you'd care to tell us what you've done with yours, OP

I don’t see the masses bowing and scraping for me? What an odd thing to say.

I think it’s fair to point out that the optics of it are bad. It’s easier to digest I suppose when it’s QE2, she’s almost a living legend at this point, but the rest of them don’t have the same “aura” so it really stands out.

Who would the UK have as its head of state instead ?

The Irish system has it right, though. I love Michael D Higgins as the HOS. Now there’s an accomplished fellow.

Perhaps you'd care to tell us what you've done with yours, OP

Probably goes out to work and pays tax, something the scrounging royal family depend on to live in their lavish palaces and accumulate their wealth.

yetalk
Your link makes it very clear that neither Charles, William nor Harry are funded by the taxpayer
as I said

lazy
I am not a fan of CHarles,
nor was I a fan of his late wife
BUT

THe UK has no framework for elected presidents
lets get Brexit out of the way first

I suspect that William / Kate would be very happy to move to the Netherlands system
Charles will not
so give it 20 years and we are sorted

He bares a huge burden of responsibility that working 9-5 does not. I don't blame him for spending time with his young kids. He has an entire life of duty ahead of him which he did not choose

Utter cobblers! He is in line for a job he’s never had to apply for, can never be sacked from, that comes with many enormous houses, many servants, untold numbers of advisors, incredible security, unbelievable privilege and from which he cannot be sacked. He can however give it up any time he likes! As for responsibility - look at the behaviour of Philip, Charles, Andrew and Edward - what responsibility have they shown wether in terms of how they conduct themselves in public, the work they don’t do, fidelity to their partner or what comes out of their mouths?
Don’t ask me to sympathise with these over privileged nonentities - I’ve more sympathy with people struggling to get treated on our crumbling NHS and those working within it, people struggling with stress from working too long in horrendous jobs to keep their head above water, people in substandard accommodation or with none at all or underpaid people struggling to manage our public services.
If you want a Head of State choose one from amongst those who have dedicated their lives in genuine service to others - not by accident of birth and not because the job came with ‘privilege’.

Ta1kinpeace oh come off it, you didn’t say that at all, you said it was all from the Duchy of Cornwall. Which is isn’t!

If they’re never funded by the taxpayer why the outcry about the cost of the most recent wedding?

And their security costs are not covered by the sovereign grant, nor were the security costs of the wedding which WAS met by taxpayers.

If their life is so stressful how come they don’t suffer the same illness as us and live to a very ripe old age

yetalk
If they’re never funded by the taxpayer why the outcry about the cost of the most recent wedding?

THat would be from
the Daily Fail : owned by Lord Rothermere - never paid a penny of tax in the UK
or the Daily Telegraph : owned by the Barclay Brothers - never paid tax in the UK
or News International : Owned by Rupert Murdoch - not paid tax in the UK for 30 years
or the Express : owned by Richard Desmond - funds his paper with porn
or the Independent : owned by Evgeny Lebvedev - given the money by his dodgy oligarch dad

because the cost of the wedding did not fall on the taxpayer
as they were all forced to clarify afterwards
not that any of those bastards pay tax anyway

because the cost of the wedding did not fall on the taxpayer

But the cost of the security did.

During austerity, and sanctions, and cuts to vital services, during a time when people can fucking burn to death in Kensington and nobody really gives a shit, during a time when food bank use and period poverty is at an all time high. When there’s a housing crisis, the highest murder rate in London for decades, possibly ever.

So tell me again how we don’t find them?

Fund.

The royal family don't believe in divine right. This went out with the Bourbons, non? It was a feature of autocratic monarchies in days gone by... divine right means the monarch's authority comes from god and is subject to no earthly constraints. Here we haven't had divine right since the 17th C. History lesson over.... if you're still awake...

I think they do think they have a divine right to rule as they are also the Head of the Church of England

So the Royals are responsible for Austerity
that is quite a leap

IMHO (having met various of them over the last 50 years)
they are just people, many of whom would be MUCH happier with the Netherlands deal
but the government loves the external focus
so they play along

from what I can gather
if William and Kate and Harry and Meghan could retreat to the boring life of the super rich, they would
but the tabloids would not let them

As for William and Kate they appear in the press about a dozen times a year, usually after they have had a child

I suspect that William / Kate would be very happy to move to the Netherlands system
Charles will not
so give it 20 years and we are sorted

We can only hope so

If we must have a monarchy I'd also prefer a Dutch/Nordic-type one, but that wouldn't be appropriate while the Queen lives and Charles, with his petulance and almost Edwardian extravagance almost certainly wouldn't favour it

So as you say, we probably have to look beyond his possible reign for much hope at all

And as I've asked before, what happens when/if we have Charles and his ghastly partner on the throne? In particular, what happens about his Head of the Commonwealth role (you know, the much-wanted job his mum secured for him)?

When they visited Australia recently, Camilla lasted barely three days before bunking off and running back to Raymill ... so how's that going to look when a post-coronation tour is expected?

Camilla does not want to be queen.
She never did.
She'd get Charles to abdicate
and let the Monarchy get up to date
but Sylvie Krin in the Eye seems to nail it ...

toogood

Strictly speaking her Majesty owns all of the land in the UK.

Strictly speaking her Majesty owns all of the land in the UK.
Not true
read the MagnaCarta

Ta1

Really?

www.quora.com/Does-all-land-in-the-UK-belong-to-the-Crown