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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think the royal family should end at the queen

329 replies

Letshaveablackcelebration · 14/05/2021 06:48

I have respect for the Queen’s sense of duty but I do genuinely believe that it’s time for a conversation about the royal family. Honestly, who cares about the coming King Charles- is that really right? People mostly respect the queen but not the rest of them.

I read this article and I was one of those who thought their interview showed up some horrible stuff- there are clearly issues with the royals

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/13/prince-harry-royal-family-like-being-in-the-truman-show

Apart from all of the drama, I don’t think that we should be funding a royal family with tax payers money when the country is in such a state & the queen is literally one of the richest women in the world. I know royals in other countries are funded differently. The fact that the tories are mooting the idea of spending millions of public money on a ne boat to remember Prince Philip is a classic example.

Aibu?

OP posts:
OneFamilyToRuleUsAll · 14/05/2021 13:27

So you liked the whole idea of one family ruling us all but because 1 older rf member and 1 very new rf member decided to leave but kept some of their rf links; and the rf didn't strip them of everything, they've all disappointed you and you think they should go just because of it?

I'll bet you would have been a great supporter of the "orf with their heads" movement back in the dayGrin

littlebillie · 14/05/2021 13:28
Biscuit
Hadalifeonce · 14/05/2021 13:30

I think it is very important to have an apolitical Head of State, with no vested interest in left or right, no currying favour for self interest.

PermanentTemporary · 14/05/2021 13:32

Tbh, I used to say that William leapfrogging was obviously against the monarchical system but tbh in the past its usually been whoever grabbed the throne quickly enough and killed or exiled any rivals who got to be king or queen. Puts a slightly different perspective on H buggering off.

OneFamilyToRuleUsAll · 14/05/2021 13:37

My money's on Andrew killing off any opponent, if it was survival of the fittest to be the reigning monarch.

AdaColeman · 14/05/2021 13:39

I would be in favour of an elected non political head of state, in office for a short term, possibly three years.

When Her Maj opened Parliament the other day, a lot of the pomp and ceremony had been abandoned. For instance, she didn't wear the crown, it was simply carried into the chamber.

I think the royals are going down a risky path at the moment. They are abandoning much of their traditional ceremony, presumably so they will be seen as more modern and relevant. Yet, it is these very ceremonies that attract tourists, which is always stated as a strong reason to keep the monarchy.

If they reduce and simplify everything too much, people will see them as completely irrelevant. Why not merely carry the crown into the chamber to symbolise the monarchy? Why have the Queen there at all?

Add to this, the problem that they are overburdened with charitable patronages that there are far fewer senior royals now available to support, the long term effects of the pandemic on tourism worldwide, the scandals that have hit this dysfunctional family which Harry is highlighting, etc etc and it all looks pretty bleak for the Mountbatten-Windsors.

The royals stay in power by public acclaim, because the population is generally complicit with them maintaining their position.

If their situation was changed, I doubt they would be allowed to retain their vast personal wealth, their property would be commandeered by the state, look at how the rule of the Shah of Iran, or the Greek royal family ended, for clues.

OvaHere · 14/05/2021 13:55

I noticed she didn't wear the crown. Is that because the pomp is going to be permanently rolled back or just because the crown is very heavy and too much for her advanced age?

I feel like it might be the latter plus Covid. I'm fairly sure Charles will be wearing the crown every opportunity he gets in future, he's had to wait long enough. Grin

Demelza82 · 14/05/2021 14:05

Im largely apathetic about them but I can't imagine a world or a scenario where their abolition would ever happen

PhillipPhillop · 14/05/2021 14:10

Again, the upkeep of the palaces comes from the sovereign grant which is the small percentage the monarch gets back from the treasury. Look it up! And as someone pointed out up thread it's 67m this year, about £1 per year per citizen. Cheap at the price, I'd pay more Grin

RustyBear · 14/05/2021 14:33

Balmoral and Sandringham both actually belong the the Queen personally - Balmoral was bought by Queen Victoria and Sandringham by Edward VII.
When Edward VIII abdicated, George VI had to pay him for them, because they had been left to him personally by George V.

Puttingouthefirewithgasoline · 14/05/2021 15:39

Slimmed down, everyone happy

RustyBear · 14/05/2021 15:45

Stamps and coins will have to be redesigned when Charles succeeds anyway...

PurpleDaisies · 14/05/2021 15:47

@Puttingouthefirewithgasoline

Slimmed down, everyone happy
I wouldn’t be happy.

Any system that chooses a head of state by their family heritage is wrong in my book.

Elected head of state is a proper democratic solution that works well in countries such as Ireland.

MargaretFraggle · 14/05/2021 15:54

I have never been a huge RF fan but I don't want to ditch it because Harry has been to therapy.

If we are ditching it we also need an overhaul of the democratic system, which sometimes doesn't feel very democratic. My vote would be for John Bercow as HofS.

Personally I think a slimmed down monarchy would be fine. Charles means well, even if he is tarnished by his marriage to Diana. William will be fine. It's not like they 'rule' anyway.

AdaColeman · 14/05/2021 16:02

People aren't using coins so much these days, it's all contactless cards now. The old coins won't immediately be withdrawn to be replaced by the new monarch's coinage, it will be a gradual process over some years.

Until decimalisation of the coinage, we used a mixture of the coins from preceding monarchs. Well into the 1960s you would occasionally find a Victorian coin in your change.

eatsleepread · 14/05/2021 16:04

YANBU.

LizzieW1969 · 14/05/2021 17:44

This forum really is not representative of what the general public thinks, it's left-leaning on the majority of discussions, not even centrist.

That was very obvious when it came to Brexit. If MN were representative of what the general republic thinks, the would have been to remain in the EU.

Re the Monarchy, I for one think there should be at least some form of discussion on the future of the Monarchy, and, if it should be abolished, what form of Republic should replace it.

I don’t see it happening, though, not in the short-term anyway, even after the Queen dies. Because there is likely to be more immediate pressure for another independence referendum in Scotland and then eventually a referendum on the future of the island of Ireland.

And Charles has always declared his intention to slim down the Monarchy, which will mean that there will be even less interest in the future of the institution.

RaspberryRoyale88 · 14/05/2021 18:03

Get rid of the Royal family. Biggest scroungers in the country!

Keyring · 14/05/2021 21:02

@CounsellorTroi

My hunch is William will ascend the throne. A wish? Maybe?

He can’t unless Charles predeceases the Queen. That’s how monarchy works - we subjects don’t have any choice in it.

sorry yes - didn't explain myself well. I meant that I think the monarchy will continue post HMQ - onto Charles and then onto William etc
littlepattilou · 14/05/2021 21:29

@Letshaveablackcelebration YABVVVVVVU in my opinion.

And I am pleased to see the poll result (of nearly 600 people,) is in favour of keeping the Royals. 52% to 48% LOL! Grin

Get rid of the ROYAL FAMILY? Never gonna happen, Not in the lifetime of anyone on this board anyway.

This forum really is not representative of what the general public thinks, it's left-leaning on the majority of discussions, not even centrist.

I know right, and even with it being more leftie on here, more people are voting to keep the Royal family. Grin

Although, having said that, I am starting to notice a shift on here, over this past year or so. More and more people are moving away from the leftie views. There are more centrist views on here these days.

StoneofDestiny · 14/05/2021 21:51

A quick google says they cost the U.K. £69 million last year so just over £1 per head of population

That's a load of old tosh.
Even if true, I'd rather the £69 million went to support the NHS and resolving real social problems in the UK.

StoneofDestiny · 14/05/2021 21:56

Get rid of them, an anachronistic nonsense. Working people should not be taxed to keep the wealthiest and idlest people in the country in unbelievable luxury. No democracy should elevate people to such a position based on an accident of birth, or coincidence of marriage.

To hear them talk about crisis like mental health and homelessness when money to resolve these issues is paid to them to uphold their luxury pampered lives is vomit inducing.

StoneofDestiny · 14/05/2021 22:02

No, I'd not be happy with it slimmed down. It needs to go altogether.

Lizzie523 · 14/05/2021 22:04

Laugh at the loud at the YABU result. If only you could do the same poll in Scotnet Wink

Roussette · 14/05/2021 22:07

I know right, and even with it being more leftie on here, more people are voting to keep the Royal family

So we're all 'leftie?!

Pretty close vote wouldn't you say?