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.

@derxa

They are low caliber people (calibre) I think this is the key to it all on here. People on MN are generally obsessed with academic achievement. The pinnacle is an Oxbridge degree/post grad qualification. So they see deference given to people on a lower intellectual plane to them and feel rage. Princess Diana was a prime example. Love of country is also a hated concept. Only the nasty Brexiteers and right wingers value that. See the response from the left to Keir Starmer's attempt to align the Labour Party to patriotism. You'd think he'd clubbed a puppy to death.

To be fair, the other European royal families look down upon them for other reasons than lack of intelligence/hard work/qualifications/exploitation of birthright/bad behaviour.

They look down upon them for not being of ancient enough royal blood, for being cousins of royals out on the throne by Parliament. The Dutch RF can apparently be particularly snooty about them. Some British aristocrats look diwn upon them for the same reason, which is possibly why Lady Diana, Spencer wasn't afraid to stand up to them. Her family is more aristocratic and those Northamptonshire sheep farmers didn't have to rely on parliament to give them their titles.

Aside from all of that, I would tolerate them having a, sort of paternal/familial role and acting as moral examples, but they don't do that at all. They instead exemplify much of what is wrong with society and people wiling to exploit it. The Queen has done well, Princess Anne too and I actually think charles and camilla, are a great love story. Wills and Kate seem to be doing well. But there are just so many examples within the rest of the family of absolutely reprehensible behaviour. And there isn't enough censure of that behaviour or consequences. Saying sorry isn't good enough. I also hate the way that junior members of the family trade on their royal links to make cash. They're not actually very classy.

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

These choices wouldn't be unbiased either. They would be very divisive.

Many years ago, Princess Something of Wherever was invited to open a new building in our local area. When I say it was hard to give away invitations to attend I'm not joking. As I recall, a clutch of invites were eventually handed to a pensioners lunch club and an audience was cobbled together. This was a perfectly acceptable Royal, not a notorious one. People were actively uninterested regarding it as an utter waste of time.

As with some other things, the more that's learned about the RF the less palatable they become, which doubtless explains why they're so hot on keeping the unwashed masses at a suitable distance and their finances extremely opaque

I agree and it's a mystery why there still exists a section of rabid supporters who seem wilfully blind to royal shenanigans even when it's put in front of them on a plate.

The lack of full transparency in royal finances is iniquitous but it's no surprise when what we do know paints a less than flattering picture.

The Queen has done well

Waving, smiling and keeping your trap shut is a low bar but she's perfectly capable of waving two fingers at the peasants discreetly. Riding with the favourite son in full view of the paps the day after he admitted maintaining his useful contact with a convicted sex offender as as one example. Enthusiastic hunting and shooting another.

I also hate the way that junior members of the family trade on their royal links to make cash. They're not actually very classy.

I agree with this. Again as I've said before Peter and Zara in particular milk their connections so hard it's surprising their hands don't fall off. And as for Tindall and Phillips furloughing staff, words fail.

@Hedwigtheowl

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.

Ask away, but possibly most would feel they have made a significant contribution to humanity through their work (hence Nobel Prize) without then being expected to trek round the country cutting ribbons.

What I am saying is it is fatuous to expect a body of people to be queuing up to do the mundane bread and butter work of the Royals, especially without pay.

Oh they will be paid, but a normal salary. Not palaces and a sovereign grant.

It is quite funny that you think being a ceremonial head of state is something that no one with distinguished achievements wants. That’s why the poor royals have to do it, as a public service to us 😃

@KeflavikAirport Oh my WORD what would we do without Princess Michael of Kent to cut the ribbon at a new recycling centre once a month

Yes indeed, cutting a ribbon at a recycling centre! How mundane! What a joke!

Why acknowledge the efforts of the little people who built and work at the recycling centre, and it’s value to the local community?

What a joke!

@Lookingforwardto2021

I find it equally hilarious that you believe otherwise.

Do you seriously believe distinguished people would be queuing up to dedicate their lives to public service the way the Queen has? With no real power or ability to express their own opinions?

I used to find them mildly entertaining and loved the Royal weddings etc but didn't know much about them or what they owned or did . Then I got on the royal style and beauty boards. OMG, they are so so wealthy, they own more property than most people have a clue about, they own so much jewellery and foreign property it's ridiculous. They smile and wave and we (well not me) bob, doff caps and give flowers that they immediately chuck in the bin. They wear clothes worth thousands once and now in a pandemic they still want caps doffed. I'm so over them and the adoration. As pp have said, people visit all the palaces in France, same could and should happen here. Once her majesty passes, time to end it

They’re incredibly unpopular. So much so that they collectively carried out 3.5k public engagements in 2019. So unpopular that anything the younger women wear sells out immediately and is copied by every high street brand. The British people are so unhappy with them that invitations to their garden parties are highly prized.

It would save us £1.24 a year each. That’s not even the price of a coffee

What a load of tosh spun out for the masses.
Every time there is some 'event, 'non event' there is a complete distraction of police and security forces away from everybody else. We paid a fortune in security to police the Eugenie and Beatrice nonsense while they galavanted on endless holidays abroad because Andrew insisted his kids were treated as 'princesses', just the same way we paid for Andrew to fly first class to play golf - with security in tow.

It's only very recently the royals had to pay tax - and only because it was forced upon them. The Queen actually expected tax payers to pay for repairs to Windsor Castle after the fire - til she was told, No way. Princess Michael of Kent living rent free in Kensington Palace - does no royal 'duties'.
Every time one of the extended royal family marries they are given a house by the Queen! Meanwhile - the homeless crisis grows.Sheer hypocracy.
We are being taken for mugs.

So they see deference given to people on a lower intellectual plane to them and feel rage. Princess Diana was a prime example

Tee hee! WHY won’t those tiresome peasants venerate St Diana over those upstart Nobel prize winners?

Will NOBODY think of Jennie Bond and Paul Burrell? What will they do when we abolish the royal family?

It would save us £1.24 a year each. That’s not even the price of a coffee

As I said earlier, £1.24 would provide the ingredients for a meal for four people with careful shopping.

Is QE2 supplementing her sovereign grant by doing part time moderating on here?

@Iamthewombat

Will NOBODY think of Jennie Bond and Paul Burrell? What will they do when we abolish the royal family?

And C5 and all their cheesy cap doffing royal programming.

Question... do taxpayers support their lifestyles and all that, sorry not a native Uk person.

If so, I would be very annoyed with them, but I will hold my breath for a while.

@veeeeh

Question... do taxpayers support their lifestyles and all that, sorry not a native Uk person.

If so, I would be very annoyed with them, but I will hold my breath for a while.

You'll get people on here trying to argue that they're self-funding for various spurious reasons - but, yes, the taxpayers pay for them.

I can think of no good reason for the country to be ruled by anyone who hasn't been democratically elected.
Bin the lot of 'em and don't look back.

collectively carried out 3.5k public engagements in 2019

Big fucking deal. Their “engagements” can be half an hour in a zoom chat. Pretty sure if you count the number of days me any my extended family, cousins aunts etc turned up for work in 2019 it would be more than that. And we’re not being chauffeured around and being provided with agreeable lunches and beautiful flowers at every turn.

It still makes their alleged unpopularity a bit nonsensical, doesn’t it? I appreciate that doesn’t suit your narrative though.

Incidentally that figure is pre Covid so all those engagements were in person.

Question, do taxpayers support their lifestyles and all that, sorry not a native Uk person

Yes, some dim ones do.
Enlightened and intelligent ones don't .

@StoneofDestiny

He was an RAF search and rescue pilot and essentially a volunteer, since he donated his salary

Re William - he is a multi millionaire! He actually did that job very part time and for a short period of time. On the strength of that income from him search and rescue role, he couldn't afford to live in a big London house, let alone several palaces, take countless luxury holidays, have private education for his kids, private health care and a squad of servants tending his every need.

Yet he has all those things.

Nothing should be stopping William or Kate both working full time - they have tutors, nannies and a ton of help at home(S). We work to pay for it.They are idle and we allow them to give the impression they are hardworking. They get to pick and choose what they do, when they do it and how they do it - they may give patronage but others do the actual work.

And William used this as an excuse not to do more public events. He and Kate did the least of anyone in the family during the time he was doing his extremely part time job.

This is very interesting for me, a non native UK person.

So are all the big houses, castles, hundreds of acres of land, Duchies (Cornwall), security, staff, and all the rest actually paid for from the taxpayer?

I am gobsmacked! But am sure someone will tell me that the tourism aspect and the home made organic jam from Cornwall sustains them. lol.

Cannot believe that this institution is so wealthy, and yet so lazy apart from Her Maj. But even she should see what is going on.