Abolishing the Monarcy.

[Helendee]

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.

If it's crowds turning out you need, derxa, there are plenty of celebrities with a bigger pull than Princess Anne in terms of crowds.

@unmarkedbythat

If it's crowds turning out you need, derxa, there are plenty of celebrities with a bigger pull than Princess Anne in terms of crowds.

Also we don't pay for celebrities from our taxes.

I am sure they'd draw more than Princess Anne anyway

Which goes to show you just don’t get it. Possibly a celebrity might draw a bigger crowd for the months after appearing in a popular soap, but a year later no one will remember or care.

People have been turning out to see Princess Ann for 70 years.

Good or bad idea and reasons for your opinion?

That's a very open question isn't it? You have an opinion you're not "either way" or you wouldn't have posted.

& You aren't interacting so I'd say I hope this doesn't become a dog-whistle...

I am absolutely all for abolishing it.

I find the concept of some people being born better (in a way that goes much further than being born into a rich family and the privileges that come with that) abhorrent. I'm very against the concept of titles. It's the way it denotes superiority for absolutely no good reason that riles me.

Titles should be for people who've done something to warrant them, eg; Dr, Judge, Mayor, Major, Superintendent and so on.

The only one who doesn't annoy me is Kate and she is just a member of the public who married a royal anyway.

Anyway, if, post abolition, people like Princess Anne wanted to continue to spend their time opening museums and presenting cups, they could. They could set up their own little business and become a full time self employed Important Visitor. I'm sure if the demand for their services is there, they would do very well.

we could go alphabetically down Nobel prize winners or award winning authors or distinguished sportspersons

Gosh, why didn’t I think of that?

Of course there will be Nobel prize winners queueing up to turn out on a Winter’s day and make small talk whilst cutting a ribbon.

I hope I don’t get caught in the stampede!

Even though they can command £1000s on the lecture circuit for a single talk. Why wouldn’t they want to do it?

@Hedwigtheowl

I am sure they'd draw more than Princess Anne anyway

Which goes to show you just don’t get it. Possibly a celebrity might draw a bigger crowd for the months after appearing in a popular soap, but a year later no one will remember or care.

People have been turning out to see Princess Ann for 70 years.

But derxa said the reason they wouldn't be as well suited as Princess Anne is because no one would turn out to see them, not that later on no one would remember or care.

Anyway, I remember very well when Hunter from Gladiators came to open something in my small market town in the 1990s, it was pandemonium. Royals popped in a number of times- Sandringham was only up the road- and never had the same crowds or excitement. Princess Anne does so many engagements and as you point out, has been doing them for many decades, there's nothing particularly memorable about her doing yet another one of them.

I think they are good for diplomatic relationships as they are seen as being above politics. So they can go to a country, promote the UK and Commonwealth, and have the host country promote itself for diplomatic and tourist reasons, without having to get involved in political disputes. Imagine your sole brand ambassador being Boris or Trump? I’d rather have slightly boring but nice enough William and Kate (I think part of Harry and Meghan’s problem is that they are political and so it divides people, which is exactly why the royals aren’t political in the first place!)

I also think the ‘Kate/Meghan effect’ is beneficial to the economy and local industries. Part of their appeal is the glitz and glamour of the royal jewels, tiaras and ball gowns they get to wear.

There is also a small tourism based on the royals themselves. I think you can see this based on turn out to royal events such as trooping of the colour, jubilee and wedding celebrations (from across the UK and around the world).

Abolish, abolish,abolish. It props up all sorts of inequalities in our society. Can't wait for it to go. It isn't unimportant, it is massive . Jez Corban got in trouble for not doing what he should in terms of protocol and the Queen. Why can you only lead a party if you tow a particular line and behave in a particular way. It stops any real progress ( not a corban fan just an example) . How they can take themselves seriously i can not imagine

@unmarkedbythat

If it's crowds turning out you need, derxa, there are plenty of celebrities with a bigger pull than Princess Anne in terms of crowds.

Then you have to pay them an appearance fee. They'd have to know something about the charity. Anne sometimes does 4 engagements in a day. I don't think Dani Dyer is up for that.

So they can go to a country, promote the UK and Commonwealth

The ever-shrinking Commonwealth ...

@Flumpaphone. Like a rabbit's tooth, if you scale it down, it will grow back. A symbolic puppet monarchy still needs its oversized houses, servants and photo opportunities to keep the serfs in their place.

As pp said about the ribbon-cutting thing, there are plenty of local heroes, front liners and hardworking inspirational ACHIEVERS who can head up charities and institutions.

Why do we hold ceremonies for people who make absolutely no useful contribution? Kate has never held down a real job. She ponces about smiling benignly at care workers who do more hard graft in a week than she's done or ever will do in her entire life. Before poncing off back to her mansion in a limo with hordes of nannies and hairdressers. One good thing can be said for her sister: at least she doesn't pretend to be useful, and just spends the husband's (asset-stripping) cash without preaching to us all.

Why do we still accept this? Why do people smile like morons when they meet this family? I genuinely don't understand.

Then you have to pay them an appearance fee. They'd have to know something about the charity.

Why ? In a world when Cabinet ministers (whose wages we definitely do pay) struggle to know what day of the week it is (or in some cases what century it is) why is someone opening a fete expected to know the mission statement, reconciled cash flow and special handshake ?

@Hedwigtheowl

we could go alphabetically down Nobel prize winners or award winning authors or distinguished sportspersons

Gosh, why didn’t I think of that?

Of course there will be Nobel prize winners queueing up to turn out on a Winter’s day and make small talk whilst cutting a ribbon.

I hope I don’t get caught in the stampede!

Even though they can command £1000s on the lecture circuit for a single talk. Why wouldn’t they want to do it?

Why don’t we ask them? They didn’t get to be top of their field by being work-shy, so I don’t think working on a cold day would be insurmountable for them.

And many would find it an honour to serve their country. Rather than approaching it from a sense of entitlement.

Why do we still accept this? Why do people smile like morons when they meet this family? I genuinely don't understand.

You only need to dip into the relationships board to see how people in abusive relationships develop coping strategies. Especially when you feel powerless to act.

Probably cheaper to pay slebs to do openings and award ceremonies and that than to maintain the royal family in the style to which they are accustomed.

they are seen as being above politics

But they are not above politics especially when it comes to either lobbying for their own causes (as pp said see Black Spider memos) or interfering in legislation which promotes their own interests (see the recently revealed extensive meddling under Queen and Prince's consent arrangements).

Apart from that it always amazes me how the royals have managed to con the nation into believing they are hard working or even 'work' full time. As I have said before the quickest of glances at the Court Circular will reveal days and days worth of unaccounted for time in-between 'engagements' which can turn out to be a telephone or video call (length undisclosed).

Anyway, I remember very well when Hunter from Gladiators came to open something in my small market town in the 1990s, it was pandemonium If he turned up today what would happen? He's a body builder now and looks completely different.

Apart from that it always amazes me how the royals have managed to con the nation into believing they are hard working or even 'work' full time.

Just make a lie big enough, and tell it often enough, and no one will disbelieve it.

The queen has apparently been using a loophole to get away with influencing the new laws that come up in the parliament.
Yeah it’s time to abolish monarchy that has kept Andrews safe.

i think they are good for diplomatic relationships as they are seen as being above politics.
The rest of the world is not fool. It’s just us who think this way mostly.

I refer you all back to my 'plank' argument of 2020. Basically, pension off all the royal family but keep the concept of constitutional monarchy. Furnish a plank of wood in all the vestments and move it about with the same pomp. It can open Parliament, stamp itself on new laws and be carried aloft into new shopping centres, yet doesn't need all the cash that human royalty does. It can't fall out with the press or other family members, because it's just timber. It can't become embroiled in politics or challenge other royal houses to war. It can't dress up as a Nazi or have an affair or be friends with Jeffrey Epstein.
Honestly the more you think about it, the more it becomes clearly the best solution to all this.

@Thewithesarehere

The queen has apparently been using a loophole to get away with influencing the new laws that come up in the parliament. Yeah it’s time to abolish monarchy that has kept Andrews safe.

She (or her lawyer) gets a sneak peek at them before they're circulated to the government. So unless we know what the "before" and "after" versions are, it's anybodies guess.

Which reminds me

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_letters

It cannot be accused of becoming political - it's literally on a different plane.