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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Britain should have got rid of the monarchy rather than their EU membership

104 replies

Mookins14 · 16/10/2019 14:35

Inspired by the dress up party that was the Queen's Speech last week. These are grown ups acting in a pantomine in very expensive dress up clothes that is costing a fortune and is very hard to take seriously.

Actually also inspired by the Downton Abbey movie which was a cring-inducing fest of cap doffing, and acknowledging that everyone is inferior to the King and Queen Shock.

I am not British so maybe the fact that I haven't been brain washed from birth to believe that these are superior beings who deserve to be fed and clothed and feted for doing very little makes a difference.

I appreciate the tourism argument (that they are good for it) but I maintain that the palaces being open to the public with costumes on display will be just as good if not better for tourism and the economy. I lived in central London for a decade and never saw the changing of the guard or visited Buckingham Palace. I worked near High street Kensington so was aware of Princess Diana and Princess Margaret but that was about the extent of the effect the monarchy had on my life.

I see the monarchy as belonging (very much so) in the past and a strong relationship with European neighbours being the future and so I think you have gone in the wrong direction lately.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mookins14 · 16/10/2019 16:20

Well gonads, your country's decision to leave the EU is costing my country a fortune and is threatening a recession on my country, as well as civil unrest. Surprisingly, the decisions you have made do have an effect on your neighbours so I am entitled to my opinion.

Though we have got the impression that some of you simply do not care about anyone else. Especially those who think that Northern Ireland is not your problem.

OP posts:
derxa · 16/10/2019 16:23

Another bloody Brexit thread

lazylinguist · 16/10/2019 16:24

YANBU to think that we should get rid of the royal family. YABU to think that we are all brainwashed royalists who voted for Brexit. Nobody I know gives two hoots about the royal family. Almost everyone I know is a remainer.

ThatMuppetShow · 16/10/2019 16:25

I love Downton Abbey!

But I agree with you, the Monarchy is an embarrassing dinosaurs that should have disappeared decades ago. Why are people happy to believe they are subjects is beyond me.

SerendipityJane · 16/10/2019 16:26

Another bloody Brexit thread

If I had known back in 2016 the UK would still be banging on about Brexit in 2019 ... well ... I don't know. Surely somebody could have warned us ? Really. Vote of a lifetime, they said. I didn't realise it would last a lifetime.

ScreamingValenta · 16/10/2019 16:28

YANBU. Couldn't agree more, in fact.

HEMammajamma · 16/10/2019 16:43

YANBU!

I am not British so maybe the fact that I haven't been brain washed from birth to believe that these are superior beings who deserve to be fed and clothed and feted for doing very little makes a difference.

Despite what PP are saying, this is as close to the truth as it can get. Of course there are always exceptions. Also, those of us who couldn't be arsed about them, it's not because people didn't harp on about the RF ever since we were young 'uns but because we were smart enough/weird enough/indifferent enough, etc to not take the bait anyway.

That said, I doubt the RF will be leaving anytime soon. Brexit would be like child's play compared to it because of sentimental/traditional reasons.

Antigonads · 16/10/2019 16:45

Presume you are Irish then ...

lazylinguist · 16/10/2019 16:48

it's not because people didn't harp on about the RF ever since we were young 'uns but because we were smart enough/weird enough/indifferent enough, etc to not take the bait anyway.

Not necessarily. My family didn't care about the royal family and I didn't know anyone who was particularly pro-royal. I didn't grow up thinking it was at all weird or unusually independent-minded to not be interested in the royal family. I've never in my life watched the queen's speech or a royal wedding. I'm always a bit surprised and baffled by the threads on MN by people who are massively into following what they wear and what they're up to - I've never known anyone like that!

tequilasunrises · 16/10/2019 16:54

I actually kind of agree with you. I’ve always been fascinated by the royal family, past and present, and I do love the queen but I think once she’s gone I’ll be meh about the royals.

I also think it’s rather shitty that the Treasury insist there’s no money to adequately fund public services but the RF swam around in clothes that cost the average months pay, private schools, private planes, fancy holidays etc. Cuts would be easier to digest if that kind of thing wasn’t rubbed in people’s faces all the time.

I don’t buy the tourism argument frankly. People would still want to come and see the palaces even without the royals themselves.

hazell42 · 16/10/2019 16:57

Dont remember seeing that question on referendum voting sheet

Woofbloodywoof · 16/10/2019 16:59

OP I’d just like to back up to the bit where you - clearly not a fan of the Royals or the UK it seems - took yourself off to the flicks to see... Downton Abbey.
Amazing.

HEMammajamma · 16/10/2019 17:00

We still agree then. According to what I wrote, you're family falls in the category of the exception or the indifferent enough, etc or the "didn't care enough" to take the bait, despite others banging on about them like they're mini gods. Not much difference there, I can see.

HappyHammy · 16/10/2019 17:02

Of course other EU and World leaders and monarchs would never dream of wearing expensive clothes, sending kids to private schools, use private planes, have fancy holidaysConfused

SilverySurfer · 16/10/2019 17:03

Aww jealous you don't have a Royal Family?

My bottle of (English) champagne is in the refrigerator waiting for 31 October - cheers!

LaurieMarlow · 16/10/2019 17:06

I don't think it's an either/or situation OP.

LaurieMarlow · 16/10/2019 17:09

Aww jealous you don't have a Royal Family?

I can't imagine anyone being jealous of not having a RF. What's to be jealous of? Being a subject?

The beauty of not being British is that you can observe the soap opera of the royals from afar, without having to pay for them.

GettingABitDesperateNow · 16/10/2019 17:12

I agree we are making a bad decision about Brexit.

Not sure what that's got to do with the queen though, really. People blamed Europe (wrongly in my opinion) for a lot of their issues, and I don't think there is the same school of thought about the queen. In fact lots of people who voted leave I've heard say about 'making Britain great again ', 'the good old days' and have even mentioned the British Empire as being something to aspire to so I think lots of those people would see the royal family as positive.

I am a leftie but am actually pro monarchy. I think in general, because they have been brought up in that life, they are very good at what they do - the queen in particular is hard working and dignified.

I think people just look at the money spent but sometimes forget that if we didn't have the monarchy we would have to elect someone to act as our ceremonial head of state. And from where I'm sitting, the British public have made some shocking decisions in the last few years. Also when you look at other countries' presidents (Trump, Berlesconi etc) and all the skeletons in their closets, I'd take the queen every time.

LaurieMarlow · 16/10/2019 17:14

Ireland is great at electing presidents. Very cost effective too compared to other countries.

Antigonads · 16/10/2019 17:50

And blaming the UK for everything.

LaurieMarlow · 16/10/2019 17:54

And blaming the UK for everything.

Well are you denying planting Ulster, exacerbating the famine and splitting the country then? Hmm

Empires have consequences.

HeckyPeck · 16/10/2019 17:55

Surely such a huge decision might have been better placed on ridding yourself of the monarchy.

But that was never an option.

This thread is really weird. Maybe I’ll start one saying “AIBU to think Britain should have voted for free puppies for everyone instead of Brexit?”

Rafiple · 16/10/2019 17:59

Yanbu given the choice, that would be mine.

Antigonads · 16/10/2019 18:00

You can have it back for me.

percheron67 · 16/10/2019 18:03

If you are not British it is not your problem or any of your business!!