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 suppose because in 500 years nobody will remember our names op, but by being in the royal family, their history is recorded and remembered. I expect people at the time of Henry viii were interested in his life even if they ran the village pie shop themselves and didn't know him personally. I find it interesting in that context I suppose, whether they will do anything worthy of going into the history books or not.

Many generations of brainwashing.

I've NO interest in the royal family.

It's a real life soap opera. We like to watch the drama. Many who don't even like the royal family still enjoy talking about the drama.

It gives us a sense of grandeur, having a royal family and aristocracy.

People think they bring a lot of joy/awareness when they visit charities etc.

I’d hate to live in a republic but that won’t be my problem I don’t think.

Why would you hate to live in a republic? Just idle curiosity as I'm at a loss to see the negatives.

I’m interested in them in the same way that people are interested in soap characters whether thats Corrie or East Enders or Towie.
The only difference is that probably more people know who the queen is or Catherine so you could have a random chat about them.
I also like to see the state occasions all of the pomp and the fabulous castles. That’s something that other countries don’t necessarily have so it’s part of our history.
It’s also surely better to have the queen represent us at international functions rather than Boris or Keir?

@ShirleyPhallus

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

I would definitely miss the bees!!!

I think for me the fascination lies in the history, pageantry, fashion etc. I would prefer a republic and an elected president, a bit like in Ireland (and actually their PR voting system too!!) I find William & Kate very dull, although Kate has grown into her role really well. I'm not sure it'll contribute as we know it beyond William, and I completely agree with Charles' supposed plans to 'slim down' the monarchy.

God yes... give me the Queen any day to Bojo!!! 😄

Oh my days I couldn't agree more OP!!

@Sunhoop

I’d hate to live in a republic but that won’t be my problem I don’t think.

Why would you hate to live in a republic? Just idle curiosity as I'm at a loss to see the negatives.

And I’m at a loss to see the positives. 🤷‍♀️

YANBU but then I’m not from here. I don’t believe in the monarchy. I don’t understand why in this day and age with their vast amounts of wealth they can’t be self sufficient.

It's the same way people are fascinated by the Kardashians or any other people in the public eye.

I’m quite enjoying the Ginge and Cringe car crash at the mo. Not much else to do right now, and it’s better than a lot of the drivel that’s on the telly.

Under pre-Covid times tho, I didn’t really take an interest. Too busy living my own life.

Because they have a lifestyle very different to the majority. I'm more interested in the younger Royals though.
Their weddings are also spectacular, apart from poor Princess Beatrice. Felt a bit sorry for her.
Why is anyone interested in anything really?

To be honest, I personally don't give a flying fuck about anything royal. Actively avoid them or anything related to them at all costs.

They don't bother me, don't want to abolish the monarchy or anything, I just don't want to know.

I get a bit interested in the soap opera just because human interest but I find baffling the cooing reverence.

Prince William visited a children's hospital while we were on the ward with my son after an operation and it actually made me kind of angry that he took up the time of busy professionals doing proper work and I also felt kind of patronised when everyone on the ward was asked if we would like to talk to him, like somehow comforting after my son's serious operation would be talking to a privileged rich kid.

Don't get me started on "but Wills and Kate are such hands on parents, it's so amazing", as if they have anything else to do!

In a job where I had to try to keep myself sane some years ago I basically spent every spare minute of every day over 3 or 4 months reading back through the royal houses of Europe - all the family trees, over hundreds of years. It was fascinating. The triumphs and tragedies, the thoroughly decent individuals and the utter reprobates. The insane, the religious/pious ones, the social reformers and the staunch traditionalists. It’s an intricately woven tapestry of thousands of lives. Someday I will do so with other empires/nations/regions as well and learn even more! In fact I might start tomorrow...

I think it depends.

To some extent the role of the monarch is to be a sort of locus for feelings of togetherness and unity in the population. Like the matriarch (or patriarch) of a very large extended family. It's natural that for many people this includes feelings of affection and a kind of interest. I remember being in Thailand a number of years ago when their king died - it was very much as if the whole nation had lost a relative, a person they all knew and felt the need to mourn together. Many westerners, particularly liberals, are rather sniffy about that sort of thing, at least in relation to their own country, but I think it's probably a useful and fairly healthy tool for unity.

But there is also the cult of celebrity which is what you see with headlines in cheesy magazines or all the gossip element. That is exactly the same as interest in Justin Beeber or Paris Hilton or the Kardashians.

To some extent these come from a similar impulse of human interest in other people and particularly ones that are commonly recognised in the culture. But the latter is a lot more potentially destructive.

I think it’s weird to not have even a passing interest in your country’s head of state. They’re our representatives in the wider world. I suppose if you have no interest in the place of the nation on the world stage then it wouldn’t be relevant to you, but I find that hard to understand myself.

commanding the same love and respect that the Queen has though

This is the bit I struggle with - I don’t get the ‘love’. What’s there to love? They are no better or worse than any other regular family - I may as well declare my love for the Kardashians, as, to me, they have contributed a similar amount. I guess because I’m ‘younger’ (50), they’ve not really impacted my life in a way they would have the older generations.

They’re the original reality stars really, aren’t they?

I’m not particularly interested in them but it’s interesting that it’s essentially a guilded cage that they seem to have no choice in, it must be an awful existence if you’re a shy or private person, when you’re presented to the world’s media minutes after your birth, you’re either waiting for the top job or hanging around in the faint chance you might be needed, you can’t really ever get a normal job or live an ordinary life or make any mistakes without being splashed across the front pages but you have no discernible skills or talent other than an accident of birth.

Back when Kings came into being they were vitally important. They were warriors. It was life and death much of the time and a strong king meant a strong kingdom and relative safety for the people. Of course it’s not quite the same now, but it’s still an important heritage.

Lots of reasons.

Continuity, the older generation in particular seem to resonate with or look up to the Queen, I suppose during WW2 it was a comfort to have the Royal Family, there was a greater sense of national pride then.

They do quite a lot for charity and are recognised world wide which increases tourism. The idea of them, the history etc. They surely bring in more to the country than they cost.

Living history.

Fashion.

It is mild distraction, the drama is generally slow.

Possibly relatability of William, Harry, Kate's ages etc. Also Diana's untimely death.

You see, I really don't understand some of these points.

They do quite a lot for charity - such as what? I used to work for a charity with a royal patron (popular senior royal) and it was known in the charity it had no effect on the charity at all.

Are recognised world wide which increases tourism - France doesn't seem to be doing too badly without their royal family. And I've been round the royal palaces of Bavaria in the summer, we were packed in like sardines.

Fashion - I can live without another one of Kate's coat dresses.

Honestly I think Harry is well out of it.