to want to understand why people are so interested in the Royals?

[Lludmilla]

OK, I know this kind of thing can be incendiary but I'm honestly not trying to be goady, it's a genuine question. (I'm a longstanding member btw, not a journo.) I see how heated people get in discussions about the Royals on here and elsewhere around the web, and I'm currently parked in front of Jeremy Vine where callers and panellists alike are getting very worked up about a Royals-related topic. And it just bemuses me.

I've never been a Royalist as I don't believe in the concept of some people automatically being more important or of greater worth than others simply by dint of titles they have been born or married into. I wish them no ill whatsoever, I'm just not interested in their lives. It puzzles me why people who aren't personally connected to the Royals find their lives interesting – I mean, I'm not interested in what the people who live down the road from me get up to, so why would I be interested in what the Royals do? Just because they're royal? Or are there other reasons why? I accept that we're all different, and interested in different things, but I'm genuinely curious as to why the Royals mean what they do to a lot of people.

Just to be clear, I'm not asking why people feel the way they do about Harry and Meghan, and this isn't about Prince Philip either. What I'm trying to understand is the more general question of why people find the lives of the Royals interesting.

YABU = I'm interested in them
YANBU = I'm not interested in them

I’m not overly invested, but I actually like that they’re part of the history and fabric of our country for better and for worse, a kind of touchstone for where we are and where we come from. The Queen’s speech at Christmas and during covid seems to reflect our common feelings in a way politicians and celebrities have failed to do. I do think the younger royals will have a harder time finding a place of relevance to modern generations or commanding the same love and respect that the Queen has though.

I do not understand the emotional investment some people put into the royals. I agree with you, I don’t get it. The scale of their privilege is vulgar, they have been put on a pedestal to justify it. It is patronising actually.

@Rupertbeartrousers I agree with you about the love and respect for the Queen being much more than will be the case or is the case for the future generations. Whilst there is not a massive amount of support in the Uk for a republic, I have on several occasions heard those who want a republic saying it should be after the Queen dies.

Apart from tradition, I like a part of public life being without the political process.

I'm not British, so to me they are essentially kind of a quirk of living here, I've lived a number of places and it's not my place to judge how a country I am not from runs itself. They're kind of like any other celeb tbh, just with more power over what's printed about them in the press.

Those people who camp outside the hospital to see the new royal babies are crazy though. Ditto people in Aus and Canada who are mad about the British royals. Weird.

I don’t know why really. I just like them. I love the history and the traditions. I think the queen is a remarkable women. They represent our country and attract tourism which boots our economy. I love the weddings and ceremony. I don’t care about Megan and Harry. But I love seeing will and Kate’s children grow up. I’m not Offended by ppl who hate then tho as everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Boosts*

I’m sort of mildly interested in them in the same way I’m interested in the bees in the garden. If they weren’t there I wouldn’t miss them.

But people are weird. They think they have a right to every bit of their life because TAXPAYERS MONEY even though it seems that the people who pay the least tax are the people who think they have the greatest right to dictate what information they do and don’t receive

The monarch is head of state for life, therefore they have an interest in the long-term welfare of the nation, unlike politicians who are only interested in the next five years. Having been born into the role, there can be no question about the Queen's motives for becoming Queen - she had no real choice; unlike politicians, quangocrats et al some of whom appear to be in the job only to feather their own nest.

Take a practical example, would a politician bother visiting an orphanage without a camera crew in tow to make sure that the world knew that they were such a nice person so that it would benefit them in the next election?

I think the royalty as an institution is interesting and I like the link to the past. I have a lot of respect for some members (mainly the Queen and Princess Anne), and Charles also has some good points, as well as some not so good.

I like watching big events like a royal wedding or jubilee - but mainly for the display/horses/carriages/clothes etc. I'm happy to do that on television though. I would not bother going in person and I certainly wouldn't camp on the streets to bag a good view!

I'm not fascinated by their day to day lives, but neither am I fascinated by the lives of the Kardashians, or footballers or the cast of Coronation St or TOWIE. I can't understand that either, but many people seem to be.

I cant believe people are using the word 'love' about someone they have zero access to. It weird.

The monarchy should be abolished. Lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses, princes and princesses. It's all antiquated elitism and it's all bollocks.

BOLLOCKS TO THE MONARCHY

I agree with most of the posts above (not FrankButcher ).
The monarchy gives continuity and a non-political focus.
I'd rather the monarchy than an elected political head of state.
They bring in tourism in normal times too.

I wish we could have celebrations of being British without it having to be a royal occasion.

Like PP I suspect a lot of the affection is for the queen and hopefully it'll be the beginning of the end once her time is over.

No idea how anyone in Australia or other states miles away put up with her as head of state, that seems ludicrous to me.

They are a surprisingly large number of people in the country who support the concept of inherited power and wealth, indeed one of the main political parties revels in the concept. Hardly surprising then that plenty of people are interested in the royal family?

I do love the fact that we have a Royal Family and would never vote for a Republic. However I do think it needs to be cut down and streamlined.

The move towards this is definitely the right thing and hangers on need to join the real world and get a job.

Current monarch and heir (and respective families) should be ‘heads of state’ - everyone else come round at Christmas if you want but rest of the time contribute to society like the rest of us

You might not be interested in what the people down the road are up to but a lot of people are.

I’m interested in cultural heritage and history. I also love fabulous frocks and jewellery, and beautiful buildings. So I’m interested in the overall landscape more than the individuals, in a way.

I’m Danish and I very much admire the Danish Queen because I think she’s a fantastic woman - intelligent, intellectual, creative, principled, with a huge respect for, and commitment to, the solemn duty her role brings with it. Granted it also brings a great deal of privilege, but that’s just how it goes. Doesn’t bother me - lots of other people are also lucky by accident of birth and do rather well out of it...

I agree OP, it's bizarre. I don't think the Queen loves the country anymore than any other citizen just because she has a title. It's been reported over the past few months that she has lobbied governments to change laws before granting consent, including one to hide the value of her personal wealth from the public. I'm probably cynical but the example of visiting orphanages that PP mentioned, I think the Royals know it is in their bests interests to have a positive public image just like any other celebrities or politicians, for eg, I think public attitude to the Royals would be very different if it was Prince Andrew and his children that were next in line. I would vote for a Republic.

As a child in the late 1960's I would watch the royals on television and seeing them in all their regalia would make me think they were not much short of gods. The queen and her husband looked so fabulously handsome and glamorous in my young eyes and I had no knowledge of scandals or anything negative at all really in connection to this fairytale family.
A few decades later and my opinion of the whole lot of them is that they aren't going away any time soon and like or loathe the system in which they are born and live, I have zero respect for a single one. Yes ok some may have a few good points I am unaware of but the sheer arrogance displayed by "senior" royals in general (without needing to name them) just makes me grateful I was not born of any of them.

I do like a good sit down telly watch though when there is some big event like a royal wedding or as others have said a jubilee or even a funeral. Not because I am a grovelling fawning "subject" or "commoner" but because I am female and love to watch the toffs in their gladrags which probably cost more than I have spent in 10 years on outfits.

Tourism revenue is a valid argument to keep the royals going but remove them and tourism would not exactly grind to a halt. This country has enough beauty and history to attract millions of overseas visitors and their wallets without the royal aspect.

I'm from a republic so find the idea of a monarchy utterly absurd and it would never, ever be tolerated here (rightly so IMO). However I find the British royal family fascinating possibly because it is tolerated. The child in me loves the palaces, pageantry and pomp element - like a twisted sort of fairytale isn't it?!

For most people, it's just celebrities, isn't it? It's the same impulse that makes people care about the Kardashians, but they can tell themselves they're a bit more wholesome.

I'm totally up for a republic, however the Windsor are just soooo messy, they are entertaining in ways that other royal families aren't. Except for Spain, they are equally messy.

You're on a superior intellectual plane to many people who live in this country OP.

I couldn’t care less about the individuals but I’m a sucker for tradition and ceremonial. I’d hate to live in a republic but that won’t be my problem I don’t think. I fully expect the monarchy to outlive me.

I find their family history fascinating. I feel like I know them the same way you know someone from down the road or was in the school year above you. I rather like MM and I really like seeing Catherines clothes - About 5% of the time I think ooh that would look good on me. That doesnt happen with anyone else! Plus I LOVE a wedding and Royal ones are EXCELLENT.

I was brought up going to watch Trooping of the Colour every year. Only found out recently it was because my English gran insisted she needed to see the Queen every year. So we had a family outing every year to see the Queen. I enjoyed it, I liked the horses and my Dad liked the flypast.

My Danish gran had no such desire to see her Queen every year.

I don't think there is an explanation. Personally I feel sorry for them as being royal has clearly fucked up their personal lives, mental health and relationships beyond all recognition and a republic would be the best thing that could happen for them.