to think the Queen should refuse this gift?

[WitchesSpelleas]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54915124

"A committee of MPs and peers has been set up to choose a gift "fit" for the Queen to mark the 70th anniversary of her accession, in 2022.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said it would be a "token of our respect". For her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Queen had a stained-glass window created for her in Westminster Hall."

The Queen has everything she could possibly need, and the money to buy anything she could want.

This gift will be funded by donations from MPs - of course, it's up to them how they want to spend their money - but at a time when so many of her subjects are struggling financially due to the impact of Covid19, I think it would be appropriate for the Queen to ask the MPs to make a donation to a UK charity instead of spending the money on a Platinum Jubilee gift.

The MPs are paying for something historically significant to be added to a nationally important building, which will give craftsmen work, tourists something else to look at, and generally be a positive thing.

They haven't decided what the gift will be yet - the stained glass window was last time round.

@Oreservoir

I never more worried that they’ll jinx her by starting to plan already. She’s 94.

Me too!

I think it is up to the Queen to decide what she would like to do in her honour. Even people who are very well off appreciate a gift of some kind and they generally do a lot for charity anyway, without it being made public.

@WitchesSpelleas

The MPs are paying for something historically significant to be added to a nationally important building, which will give craftsmen work, tourists something else to look at, and generally be a positive thing.

They haven't decided what the gift will be yet - the stained glass window was last time round.

Oops! Sorry, that'll teach me to get huffy first and read properly later...

I still think something similar and architectural would be a good idea, though. The whole point of the Royal Family is to be a living part of the nation's historic fabric.

Yeah I was thinking earlier "Well there's a way to guarantee she'll be dead by this time next year!"

It’s a historic event it should be remembered in the traditional way.

@WitchesSpelleas

Yes, mark the anniversary by all means, but why with a gift? The Royal Family has many charities within its patronage - why not make a donation to, say, the Prince's Trust?

Because as you quite rightly said yourself...

of course, it's up to them how they want to spend their money

Will you be saying the same to anyone who buys Christmas presents this year, that they should donate to charity instead?

I still think something similar and architectural would be a good idea, though. The whole point of the Royal Family is to be a living part of the nation's historic fabric.

But that's only ever going to benefit people in the region of the building and those who are wealthy and have leisure enough to travel to see it from elsewhere.

Any charity which supports those in poverty would be better use of such funds in my opinion.

I think a platinum jubilee should be marked with a gift. Who knows when we will next have a monarch who reigns for that long.

I keep forgetting that uk is so destitute there is actually an argument that a memorable addition to architecture is wrong because not everyone can afford to go to London...

MN is sometimes like ad for "Don't visit England". Pitch that to Home Office👍 Visit to here will drop immigrantion faster than whatever that little devil is planning.

@Oreservoir

I never more worried that they’ll jinx her by starting to plan already. She’s 94.

This. Although the Queen Mother did live to 101? so maybe they're reasonably confident that the Queen will at least make it to her Platinum Jubilee. And we're getting an extra bank holiday too, so that's reason enough to hope she makes it.

Something I haven't heard mentioned is that Prince Philip is 100 next year. I know he's not without his faults, but anyone getting to 100 is a milestone that should be marked. I wonder if he'll get a telegram from his DW?

It’s not a gift for the queen . It’s the creation of a public piece of British history.

Will you be saying the same to anyone who buys Christmas presents this year, that they should donate to charity instead?

It would depend on whom they were buying them for. If they were buying for someone as wealthy as the Queen, or wealthy enough to afford anything they wanted - absolutely. If they were buying for the average family who have to budget for luxuries, or a poor family who have no luxuries at all, then no - the gift would be genuinely appreciated.

And an extra Bank Holiday. Hurrah.

As much as I think the Monarchy has no place today, YABU

As you said it's up to them how they spend their money and it's not down to your opinion

The best gift for the Queen and indeed all of the country would be for the entire government to resign. So that more of them are around to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, or not celebrate if they wish. At least 10,000 fewer would have died if Mr Hunt had been Prime Minister and not Mr Johnson.

@WitchesSpelleas

Will you be saying the same to anyone who buys Christmas presents this year, that they should donate to charity instead?

It would depend on whom they were buying them for. If they were buying for someone as wealthy as the Queen, or wealthy enough to afford anything they wanted - absolutely. If they were buying for the average family who have to budget for luxuries, or a poor family who have no luxuries at all, then no - the gift would be genuinely appreciated.

What? You really would tell people how to spend their own money?

Blimey

I keep forgetting that uk is so destitute there is actually an argument that a memorable addition to architecture is wrong because not everyone can afford to go to London...

A return train ticket to London would cost me over £150. That would be just me, going alone, on a 'cheap' advance fare, and wouldn't include the tube journey to wherever the building was. It's hardly a mark of 'destitution' not to have £150 available to spend on a trip to London - or £300 if I wanted a companion, possibly over £400 if I had children to take along too.

What a grinch!

I reckon she deserves a nice new tiara!

I never more worried that they’ll jinx her by starting to plan already.
She’s 94.

Another thinking this. I know they have to start making the rudimentary plans - they've had her death plans all mapped out for a decade or more - but it does seem quite crass making it so very public.

It's not actually an achievement as such to have been the monarch for so long - it's solely down to your ruling parent dying when you're relatively young and then you living to an old age. That bloke from Eswatini who currently holds the record became king at 4 months old.

It is silly talking about it in public as if it's a done deal, that somebody in her mid 90s will definitely (or even likely) live for another two years. Even if she were in outstandingly wonderful health, which she isn't, by far the most common thing that all people alive in their 90s, however rich or poor, do is.... stop being alive. They might as well start releasing their plans to the public for 2052, when they fully expect to be celebrating her remarkable centenary as monarch - at the tender age of 126....

@WitchesSpelleas

I keep forgetting that uk is so destitute there is actually an argument that a memorable addition to architecture is wrong because not everyone can afford to go to London...

A return train ticket to London would cost me over £150. That would be just me, going alone, on a 'cheap' advance fare, and wouldn't include the tube journey to wherever the building was. It's hardly a mark of 'destitution' not to have £150 available to spend on a trip to London - or £300 if I wanted a companion, possibly over £400 if I had children to take along too.

So, if it can’t be enjoyed by everyone in the UK, it shouldn’t happen?

I think that every person in the UK who can afford their bills should refuse any presents this year and all the money should be donated to charity./s

I am not a royal family fan but I think something should be gifted. She has had to sacrifice a normal life and is very stoic.

Having said that, I reckon what she'd most enjoy would be a chippy tea and a bottle of Blue Nun.

@WitchesSpelleas

I keep forgetting that uk is so destitute there is actually an argument that a memorable addition to architecture is wrong because not everyone can afford to go to London...

A return train ticket to London would cost me over £150. That would be just me, going alone, on a 'cheap' advance fare, and wouldn't include the tube journey to wherever the building was. It's hardly a mark of 'destitution' not to have £150 available to spend on a trip to London - or £300 if I wanted a companion, possibly over £400 if I had children to take along too.

Well by these standards... I donated to Chester Zoo. That's kind of a same thing isn't it. The poor people of whatever far away city won't benefit. I am sucha heartless bastard I would fit right in Westminster

Also. You know, there are cheaper tickets🙄