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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Abolishing the Monarcy.

880 replies

Helendee · 17/02/2021 12:45

Good or bad idea and reasons for your opinion?
I don’t feel strongly either way but I am curious about what aspects of becoming a Republic are more beneficial than the UK’s stable current system.

OP posts:
AnitaB888 · 18/02/2021 08:10

@TheLaughingGenome

"And that's a good thing??"

For the economy, yes.

@KeflavikAirport
"All those paintings and so on that belong to the nation but that we never get to see?"
Such as?
Paintings that are bought on behalf of the nation are on display. Those in private collections aren't.

BelleSausage · 18/02/2021 08:10

Anyone who is pro abolition needs to read up in the facts about the Sovereign Fund and how it actually works first.

The Crown owns the Crown estates- including the Parliament buildings and the entire a Whitehall. The Crown is separate to the Queen but she is also it’s representative.

Read up on the introduction of the Civil List too. Previously to this the King funded the entire of government and received taxes directly. The two funds were split so that taxation went directly to the government and the King and all proceeds from the Crown Estates went directly to the government. In return, the monarch was relieved of the need to pay for the running of government and received a reimbursement for their expenses, which at the time was called the Civil List.

This was changed in the last few decades to become the Sovereign Fund. All proceeds from the Crown Estates (not including anything privately owned by the Queen herself) the revenue is paid directly to the government and the Queen gets about 5% back to fund the running of the monarchy.

So actually the only thing ‘tax payers’ pay for is her security. Which we would still have to pay for (at least for the current senior royals) for a while, even if they are stripes of the monarchy.

And we would have to rewrite the entire British constitution and then pay the same amount for a President to be head of state. Every country has one.

SarahBellam · 18/02/2021 08:11

I don’t think many of us would miss the monarchy. They’re completely surplus and irrelevant to needs of the country. The only one who has done anything to impress me is Harry for fucking off to America with his hot wife and refusing to pander to the cesspit that is the so called British press, unlike the rest of them.

PicsInRed · 18/02/2021 08:11

@Twizbe

We tried to be a republic once ... it didn't last that long and we asked the son of the king we killed to come back.

We'd need to do it better than we did then.

Charles 1 needed to go as he saw himself as an autocrat.

The subsequent reforms were very positive.

Respectmyauthoritah · 18/02/2021 08:12

How exactly do you abolish a monarchy? Do they step down willingly or will BoJo order them out? Personally, I'd like a good old fashioned storming of the castle complete with muskets and Andrew's head on a pike.

TrufflyPig · 18/02/2021 08:13

I'd like a good old fashioned storming of the castle complete with muskets and Andrew's head on a pike.

I'm in 😂😂😂

sashh · 18/02/2021 08:15

The income provided by the crown estates exceeds what the royals get so the country actually makes money from them. If we break the deal and abolish the role of the monarchy will they be entitled to the return of the crown estates?

But the crown estates are ours, nothing should go to the royals.

I think we should just stop funding them, they have enough wealth, land and homes to have a very comfortable life without funding.

If they want to dress up and open parliament then fine, have a ceremonial role, but pay your own way.

jasjas1973 · 18/02/2021 08:15

And we would have to rewrite the entire British constitution and then pay the same amount for a President to be head of state. Every country has one

We haven't got a written constitution, so having one would be a good thing.

At least a President would have some aspect of accountability, the Royalty have none.

All the monarchy provide is some sort of weird reality show.

PicsInRed · 18/02/2021 08:18

@Respectmyauthoritah

How exactly do you abolish a monarchy? Do they step down willingly or will BoJo order them out? Personally, I'd like a good old fashioned storming of the castle complete with muskets and Andrew's head on a pike.
We must give 6 months notice to tenants presently due to covid, but after that the bailiffs can be sent round to drill the locks and lift any trespassers out and deposit their personal effects on the street (as the premises are let "furnished", these effects wouldn't include furnishings, curtains or floor and wall coverings).

If we install a ticket portico as we're evicting, we could have paying guests touring premises by lunchtime.

AnitaB888 · 18/02/2021 08:19

I can't think of any country that has abolished it's monarchy without either a revolution or civil war.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would support the horror that would accompany either scenario. Confused

TheLaughingGenome · 18/02/2021 08:22

I'm really keen to see the back of Andrew Windsor and his spawn.

If Charles carks it before Elizabeth, things would get interesting.

MrsBobDylan · 18/02/2021 08:22

Seeing the pregnancy announcement photo, of Harry and Megan sharing a soupy intimate moment, pushed me over the edge of giving a shit.

They have left the royal family, even celebrities don't announce a pregnancy with an arty, staged photo. I don't even know them but they clearly class their lives as headline news while lecturing us about privacy.

KeflavikAirport · 18/02/2021 08:23

Even the most cursory google of the royal finances suggests that it's far from the unalloyed source of profit some of you are suggesting. Why shouldn't we have a president like José Mujica in Uruguay?

GeordieGreigsButtButtZoom · 18/02/2021 08:23

even celebrities don't announce a pregnancy with an arty, staged photo

They don't?

GeordieGreigsButtButtZoom · 18/02/2021 08:24

@TheLaughingGenome

I'm really keen to see the back of Andrew Windsor and his spawn.

If Charles carks it before Elizabeth, things would get interesting.

We'd just go straight to William, wouldn't we? And Camilla would get the title of Dowager Princess?
KeflavikAirport · 18/02/2021 08:24

You said I should read up on the civil list, so I did: www.republic.org.uk/the_true_cost_of_the_royals

TrufflyPig · 18/02/2021 08:25

I can't think of any country that has abolished it's monarchy without either a revolution or civil war.

I do often wonder (mostly after watching the events in the USA) just how far off some historically stable countries are from this possibility. Especially since politics is now so divisive.

BLToutanowhere · 18/02/2021 08:25

The Queen also does a lot of diplomatic work. She's played nice with some absolute scum bags over the years for the good of the realm. (yes, that includes certain former presidents too)

From all accounts, she's also very frugal and manages to keep costs down.

You put the government in charge of the estates, watch costs rocket and also get ready for El Presidente to start demanding outgoings fit for the office.

Oh yes, would you be sitting down to watch the 3pm 25th December party political broadcast?

KeflavikAirport · 18/02/2021 08:28

Very frugal? The woman who literally broadcasts a speech to the nation sitting in front of a gold piano? The only thing she's frugal with are her staff wages.

BelleSausage · 18/02/2021 08:28

@KeflavikAirport

Try the Wikipedia entry rather than a quite biased article from Republic.

Was anything I said untrue. The Crown Estate pays 100% revenue to the government and the Queen gets a stipend back to cover the costs of the official duties of the monarch.

Private expenses have to be paid from her private income- on which she pays tax.

PicsInRed · 18/02/2021 08:30

@AnitaB888

I can't think of any country that has abolished it's monarchy without either a revolution or civil war.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would support the horror that would accompany either scenario. Confused

Is that cause or effect?

Perhaps the worst could have been avoided had they willingly gone.

KeflavikAirport · 18/02/2021 08:30

Is there anything untrue in that article? Of course it's not favourable to the crown, that's the whole point. Remind me how much income tax the queen paid in the several decades she was on the throne prior to having her hand forced in 1992.

Are they taking a cut in stipend this year after so much lower expenditure last year, with all those cancelled state visits?

TrufflyPig · 18/02/2021 08:31

Oh yes, would you be sitting down to watch the 3pm 25th December party political broadcast?

You are not possibly suggesting the Christmas speach as a reason to keep the monarchy?! I can live without a rich old woman sat next to a gold piano lecturing me about inclusivity and fairness.

BelleSausage · 18/02/2021 08:34

@ jasjas1973

We have a constitution but it is not codified. It is essentially the rule of law under the parliamentary government with old case law as it’s basis.

I would like to ask if a written constitution and a president has worked out well for Brasil, the US or any of those fully functioning South American countries with a President and massive corruption.

At least the Queen has to be free of political allegiance.

Italy is a great example- so free from corruption, right?

VinylDetective · 18/02/2021 08:34

@KeflavikAirport

It would save us £1.24 a year each

First off that is a very conservative estimate. Second, £1.24 x 65 million people or so could pay for a hell of a lot of nurses or teachers.

It’s not a conservative estimate. It’s the actual cost. We don’t need to abolish the monarchy to get more nurses and teachers, we need to elect a government that’s got its priorities right and doesn’t throw multiples of the cost of the monarchy at its pet projects.