To wonder if Britain will always have a monarchy...

[DrinkSangriaInThePark]

... Or if not, how/when will British people get the opportunity to disband it?

I'm not from England, I'm Irish living in Ireland by the way, and I don't have very strong feelings for or against the British Royal family. But I seem to be hearing a lot of criticism of, and annoyance at, the Royal family recently, and I'm just wondering if there could ever be a referendum to decide whether the idea of a monarchy is outdated and unnecessary?

Again, I'm totally unbiased one way or another, but just wondering if the monarchy has to stay forever, just because it has always been there. With a democratic government, will be there ever be a time when it's deemed an unnecessary cost?

I hope there is a referendum on the monarchy. I have much respect for the Queen but I think the monarchy should be abolished after her death. There is no need to have a monarchy in 2019. It is an outdated institution. They also appear to have no respect for tax payers money.

I really resent that so many of out royals are living off us.
Opening swimming pools a pissing around with the cubs are not jobs

I also hope there is a referendum. I have great respect for the Queen but would vote to abolish the monarchy after her death. There are far too many hangers-on. At the very least the monarchy needs to be pruned right down to the top five, ie Charles and the Cambridges, and the rest should bugger off and support themselves.

I agree with the above, we should have a referendum (although we don't seem great at those..)
At the very least the nations financial support should be limited to the reigning monarch and the next in line, absolutely no need for all the rest to live their ridiculous lifestyles at our expense.

I don’t think the monarchy will go in the near future, as I understand it they bring in rather a lot of dollar through tourism

They stay. No discussion to be had.

@TrixieFranklin At the very least the nations financial support should be limited to the reigning monarch and the next in line, absolutely no need for all the rest to live their ridiculous lifestyles at our expense.

Do you understand how the monarchy is funded ? Only the Queen gets the Sovereign Grant - the Civil List was abolished ages ago - in order to get the SG the Queen gives over ALL of her income and gets 15% back to run the monarchy - that’s around 34 million - from that she has to up keep palaces, employ staff, pay them of course, their pensions, maternity pay holiday pay, sick pay, redundancy etc and have to put up with Trump. She gets an 18 hours working day, she's nearly 100 .

I dont know anyone else who would bother being taxed at 85% - and frankly she can spend her money how she damned well pleases. She’s a thousand times better than the alternative.

America has no royal family and they still have tourists! The reason of "oh they bring in a lot of money from tourism" is wearing a bit thin. How is that even measured? If it can't be measured accurately then how can anyone know that statement is even true.

I think tourists will still visit the UK whether the royal family are here or not so why should the taxpayers carry on funding their extravagant lifestyles?

I don’t know the inns and outs of it but I’m really not convinced they cost us that much. First off they are very wealthy in their own right, as are many of the gentry in this country.
Also, the fact that they are here generates a lot of wealth in tourism. Also they are a valuable diplomatic asset.
One-off costs like weddings and house renovations grab headlines, but billions are squandered by our politicians by not holding banks and large corporations to account. The royals are small fry in comparison.

I dont think it has any place in 2019,but i dont see it ending any time soon. The worse britain gets in terms of poverty/crime/lack of police. The more people start to resent them, of course its down to the goverment leading the country at the time but still, im in my mid 20's and hardly know any royal family fans of my age, let alone any younger. You have the odd few of course.

There has always been criticism of the monarchy, I don't believe there has been a time with none. However when polls are taken, the majority of people here want to keep the monarchy and particularly like the queen.

I don't think the monarchy will disappear any time soon. I like them and have hopes for the Cambridges in the future though I may not live to see them on the throne.

MyOpinionIsValid

They stay. No discussion to be had.

Well, there we are then.
No need for further debate.

Is your name short for MyOpinionIsValidButNobodyElse'sIs?

I'm another who would be happy to see the institution go after the present monarch dies.
I have no respect for the rest of them.

They stay. No discussion to be had.

As someone living in Ireland, it's this non-democratic attitude that fascinates me and it's the reason I started the thread. Is it ok in 2019 to have this attitude towards any kind of leadership of a country?

I don't think the monarchy is on its way out.

I can see that having a non-elected head of state with very little power has its advantages when you see what leaders that have to chase votes come up with.

Although I do wonder if having some sort of royal family of animals could serve the same purpose. Just have a really nice horse family that turn up and look regal, cut ribbons and drop wreaths in the nice place - or a dog. A dog might find opening parliament easier and sitting on that chair for the speech.

@MyOpinionIsValid you have a very totalitarian tone across several threads today.

This is the debate, whether you approve or not.

They stay. No discussion to be had.

Well, there we are then.
No need for further debate

😂

Agree with PP about royal family have always had opposers, so i dont see it going. But i cant say i would be disappointed if they did.

I think we will continue to have one. Though I think it will have less support after the Queen dies. Possibly a smaller one in time.

The Australians wanted a head of state born in their own country, but could not agree on the alternative. I expect someone whose role is largely ceremonial such as President Higgins in Ireland would have more support than a political one such as President Macron in France.

She’s a thousand times better than the alternative.

^

Really? How do you know? You've never experienced the alternative

Next!

I don’t know the inns and outs of it but I’m really not convinced they cost us that much. First off they are very wealthy in their own right, as are many of the gentry in this country.

^

Gentry is the problem.

I’d like a referendum but in about 20 years when the Brexit voting baby boomer generation have died otherwise it’ll obviously be a vote in favour of the Royals.

I can't understand why we don't have a referendum about it.

I personally think the concept is completely outdated, a waste of space and money - and the way funds and properties are "public" when it suits, but "private" when it suits more an absolute joke.

We DO have a Prime Minister anyway, so it won't make any actual difference on that note.

It would be even better for tourism if all the Palaces were given back to the state and opened to the public - which will ever happen, even if we decide to get rid of them, they will claim all their properties and estates as "private" let's be realistic!

The are not bringing anything to the country, and people who love the follow them will go back to worshipping actresses or reality shows "stars".

The younger royals are an absolute joke, why would people want them?

They should be on channel 5....benefit scroungers

Theyre probably the most famous family in the world and shes the longest reigning monarch in the world.

They arent going anywhere

I quite like the Royals, they mostly pay for themselves despite popular public misinformation, and they're good for tourism. But a lot of that is because of the Queen, what a figurehead!

I would not be surprised if the monarchy disolves in a generation or two of Royals.

Why should what appears to be a perfectly nice little boy be in charge of the army and have to do all the opening of stuff when he's older, it's not like prince George will have a choice. Maybe he won't want to do that sort of thing.
At least people who go into politics want to be there

Gentry is the problem.

In what way are the ‘gentry’ the problem managed?