To think the monarchy will end at Charles?

[freudien]

I've just noticed a lot of republican talk recently (prompted by the other thread on the earth shot prize, also generally twitter and recent republican stuff happening in Wales) and I wonder whether it's because I'm in an echo chamber? Or is MN also an echo chamber? Either way. Are you a royalist or a republican?

Personally I feel the royal family is worth the money spent but should be kept out of politics. Kind of like other european monarchies.

But then on the other hand by dissolving the aristocracy wouldn't we be solving the problems of inequity in society?

The issue I have is with the alternative, a president.

Imagine Boris as president.

No I’d don’t believe it will.

@JuneOsborne

The issue I have is with the alternative, a president.

Imagine Boris as president.

If we did it like the Irish system where the president is a figurehead then he wouldn’t be making policy and governing. As much as I dislike him id much rather have him in a ceremonial role than his current one.

But where are they supposed to go, people will still be insanely interested in them. What will happen to all the palaces and the art work and jewels, surely some of them are privately owned by the royals?

If anything, once William and Kate get on throne their popularity will be at an all time high. Charles will be on the throne for a few boring, non eventful years.

@echt

I am a thoroughgoing republican.

The monarchy is far more durable than any reprehensible behaviour by some of its members. It will not end with the death of the Queen.

That family will always be like this. Better to vote for someone like the Irish system rather than someone born into it.

The queen is ok but Charles/William are both boring and charmless. How can they be fitting representatives?

Which reigning monarch hasn’t been boring and charmless?

I’m old enough to remember the Queen in the pre/Diana years, and believe me, everyone thought she was boring and charmless back then, too. If you’re watching The Crown, you can surely see why.

If anything, once William and Kate get on throne their popularity will be at an all time high

There are scores of people who massively disagree with that. They might be the press darlings but many general public are not quite so easily persuaded.

Interesting question op.
I'm a republican - I don't think abolishing the monarchy will lead to greater social equality, but it would be a start.
I think it's totally wrong that MP's have to swear an oath of loyalty to the sovereign and their heirs. As Norman Baker pointed out, even if a political party got elected on the promise of abolishing the monarchy, the MP's would have to swear the oath before taking their seats making them guilty of treason (or something like that.)

There is little accountability of the RF due to the secrecy that surrounds their financial affairs and their exemption from the FOI Act. They like to say 'never complain, never explain' but they do frequently complain - remember William getting uppity about Tatler mentioning the fallout with Rose Hanbury?

The idea of curtseying etc, Your Highness, can't speak first to a Royal, etc etc is ridiculous in this day and age.

As for tourism etc, that's a load of bunkum. France gets more tourists than we do. We'd probably attract more tourists if the palaces, castles etc were open all year round.

Has anyone seen the footage of the Queen getting booed at her recent opening of the Scottish Parliament? I do think they're on borrowed time now.

I like having a ceremonial head of state, and our PM answering to them (even if it is mostly courtesy), and Parliament and Lords. I wouldn’t want Boris Johnson having the same level of power that POTUS has for example.

You can have an elected ceremonial head of state.

I wonder whether it's because I'm in an echo chamber?
Yes, probably you are moving in the wrong circles

Personally I feel the royal family is worth the money spent but should be kept out of politics
They do keep out of politics, how do you mean?

But then on the other hand by dissolving the aristocracy wouldn't we be solving the problems of inequity in society?
Think of the Russian revolution 1917, did it 'solve the problems of inequity' in society? Also, Sweden has a monarchy and many hail the country as an example to follow

The monarchy bring in much more resources than they cost the taxpayer to fund . The two key heirs and their immediate family are well equipped and appear willing to continue doing their job, so I don't see what the problem is, frankly

It's time they went really. No need for it in this day and age.

If there was a referendum tomorrow the vote would be overwhelmingly to keep the royals. Charles probably won't be as popular as the queen but the Cambridges are popular.

But then on the other hand by dissolving the aristocracy wouldn't we be solving the problems of inequity in society?

Op how do plan on ‘dissolving’ the aristocracy? Guillotine? Firing squad?
Also, who counts as aristocracy? Anyone with a title? So goodbye Lord Kinnock and Lord John Prescott and a host of other Labour peers?
Will the executions be held in public?

They don’t need “pensioning off”, as we are repeatedly told they have their own money. I’d support getting rid of the monarchy today TBH.

PA is obviously a complete tosser; most of the family must be excruciatingly embarrassed by him.

There is no evidence for that whatsoever. The Queen in particular seems very fond of him

All aristocratic titles should be rendered void for a start. No special privileges just because someone used to be a lord. If they want security they can pay for it. Privately.

I think it probably will, unless Charles manages to streamline it, while keeping it traditional enough.

It will be very difficult for him though.

It would be a huge shame to lose the Monarchy - however I do think the behaviour of Prince Andrew and Prince Harry has done a lot of damage to the RF.

I personally think that we need to question the unlimited funding and lifestyle a little closer...........

It would be a huge shame to lose the Monarchy

Why?

I wouldn’t want Boris Johnson having the same level of power that POTUS has for example.

POTUS doesn’t have as much power as people think, because of the separation of powers between the Executive and Legislature, which is not the case here in the UK.

It seems OP is, unfortunately, BU to think the monarchy will end with Charles, as many replies on here show that people are just content to be dazzled by bling, and by what the RF allow the BBC to tell them. People seem either not to care or genuinely have no idea what the queen actually does (or doesn't) do.

From the RF official website:

"The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service. In all these roles The Sovereign is supported by members of their immediate family."

(PA, for example, is obviously giving valuable support to the monarch at this time).

So that's the official line: she's a HoS and HoN (head of nation) who supposedly makes us feel united. She "represents" us.

She is also head of that other bastion of national identity, the CofE, with its sub-1 million regular worshippers in a country of 65 million people.

And despite the queen being optimally placed (as head of the Commonwealth) to be a champion for equality, her actions speak much louder than the words she doesn't say to distance herself from racist, exclusive practices (remember, "never explain"). Her household's abysmal diversity record just can't mask its entrenched racism (just 8.5% of RF employees are from ethnic minorities - even our disgraceful House of Commons manages 10%). The queen even demanded (and got) exemption from equality and diversity laws:
(from the Guardian) "It is unclear when the practice ended. Buckingham Palace refused to answer questions about the ban and when it was revoked."

How is this family - which despises Catholics, Jewish people and ethnic minorities - representative of multicultural, multifaith Britain in 2021? How can people "look up to", "admire" or "like" the RF's attitude and behaviour?

Or maybe the monarchy really does represent Britain: a country full of small-minded, insular, backward-thinking people who are happy to blindly celebrate a family that's uncomfortably close to the Aryan nightmare of the 1930s.

The RF represents only itself and Britain's shameful imperialist past, and has to go.

And other European monarchies aren't great at staying out of politics either:
foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/13/is-spanish-spain-juan-carlos-corruption-royal-family-finished/

William isn't nearly as popular as he used to be. A lot of people consider him pompous.

I think William and Catherine as a team are very popular. She saves him from coming across as too remote.

I don't we can 'abolish' them but I would like to see fairly wide reaching reform. Get rid of the civil list, the grace and favour accommodation, and stop the pomp and ceremony that surrounds them as people.

I'd like them to become more aligned to the way other European nations royal families are - there, but very much in the background.

The civil list was abolished a decade ago.