If 'commoners' can marry into the royal family - why have a 'royal' family -

[HacketteofHacks]

I totally respect the Queen and think she's been largely a force for good...
But at work we were talking about the tour that's on now.. my boss pointed out the the definition of a royal family was that its lineage is 'predetermined by God'.
Well that is archaic in itself - my boss (who is no royalist) the. pointed out that once members of a royal family marry commoners they lose this 'untouchable special-Ness'.
I think he had a good point...
He's from Jamaica so hence we were all having the conversation .

@Thoosa but let's face it, it was a cult she was bloody desperate to join so my sympathies are massively limited!

@SevenWaystoLeave let's just get rid of them then? No sense having them if they're nothing special.

Liz has just announced she doesn't want to live in the 750 room Buck House anymore - imagine how many of London's homeless could comfortably live there if she no longer needs it? What an incredible gesture that would be. She has staff, beds, heating, food, kitchens, grounds. It would be luxury. It could be an address for people while they get jobs and back on their feet.

Even I could get behind a royal family that was prepared to support people like that .

@Myee I wonder if anyone refuses while they're actually stood in front of her . I wish people did. But the fuss! Do you remember when the Oz PM put his arm round her?? People behaved as if they'd publicly shagged . It was so ludicrous!

[quote IKnowYouDontTurnTheLightOn]@Thoosa but let's face it, it was a cult she was bloody desperate to join so my sympathies are massively limited![/quote]
Yes I know. I think she’s a people (mother) pleaser too, which plays into it. She’s not topping my list of people to pray for though.

Still, must be bloody weird after growing up “normal”.

[quote IKnowYouDontTurnTheLightOn]@SevenWaystoLeave let's just get rid of them then? No sense having them if they're nothing special.

Liz has just announced she doesn't want to live in the 750 room Buck House anymore - imagine how many of London's homeless could comfortably live there if she no longer needs it? What an incredible gesture that would be. She has staff, beds, heating, food, kitchens, grounds. It would be luxury. It could be an address for people while they get jobs and back on their feet.

Even I could get behind a royal family that was prepared to support people like that .[/quote]
Well yes, I absolutely agree.

Yes, it would appear that her mum had a lot to do with it . I don't know - I don't have the energy to care. She leads an enormously privileged life, gets to travel the world, focus on charities, doesn't have to work or lift a finger to do anything. Sounds like a pretty charmed life. And she knew what she was marrying into - it wasn't like she wouldn't have known the fate of her mother-in-law .

Hopefully by the time it's George's 'turn' the whole circus will be over.

[quote IKnowYouDontTurnTheLightOn]@Myee I wonder if anyone refuses while they're actually stood in front of her . I wish people did. But the fuss! Do you remember when the Oz PM put his arm round her?? People behaved as if they'd publicly shagged . It was so ludicrous![/quote]
You're actually told before meeting the royal family at an event that you don't have to curtsey or bow. Lots of people don't and just shake hands like meeting anyone new.

[quote IKnowYouDontTurnTheLightOn]@Myee I wonder if anyone refuses while they're actually stood in front of her . I wish people did. But the fuss! Do you remember when the Oz PM put his arm round her?? People behaved as if they'd publicly shagged . It was so ludicrous![/quote]
Royal effing protocol rules. I suppose if you are willing to be in their presence you will obey the protocol. But what bollox it all is.

I can tell you that I would love some woman to swear they will observe the rules, and do the splits instead and land in someone's lap. Or just self identify as a man and shake hands or slightly bow the head.

I'd like to think I would not observe protocol, but I would be polite, as in any company. However I would not be within a mile of any of them anyway, would swerve the other way quite frankly.

That's the fascinating thing isn't it? How do they get away with it???

Because loyalty to the Queen - who on the whole could have been worse - means that the majority still support the monarchy, at least as long as she lives

Unless he's run out of puff completely by that time, many of us hope Charles will put a severe dent in this, but it may also depend on how much exposure W&K get as "a promising clean slate for the future".
Doubtless too much attention on them would upset the notoriously sensitive Charles, so it'll be interesting to see how it pans out

[quote IKnowYouDontTurnTheLightOn]@Myee I wonder if anyone refuses while they're actually stood in front of her . I wish people did. But the fuss! Do you remember when the Oz PM put his arm round her?? People behaved as if they'd publicly shagged . It was so ludicrous![/quote]
Easiest, most graceful way to get out of it without doing a full Cherie Blair is to be a wheelchair user (Not that I’ve deliberately disabled myself in case of royal encounters. It’s just an upside. )

They have to marry commoners sometimes because if they never did they'd all have loads of toes and mad diseases with purple blood etc.

@Puzzledandpissedoff but I find that weird too - the queen could have been worse i guess, but she could have been a hell of a lot better. She could have moved with the times and been modernising and modern. She could have realised that her power and wealth was unfair and undemocratic and given it up. She could have been more interesting and dynamic. But she has literally done nothing. I don't understand why everyone fawns over her. She has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century (garden parties and the queen's Christmas address) but that's about it. Nothing else of any interest, ever.

I'm totally bemused!

@Thoosa now that would have been drastic !

Must be bloody weird (for Kate) after growing up “normal”

Even weirder for her parents perhaps?
I know they wanted the best for the kids, but there's a bit of mileage between marrying a squillionaire like Pippa and ending up being crowned queen

Probably they're used to it by now, but surely there's a slight unreality about seeing your much loved daughter being praised all over the news time and again?

I think a lot of people will justify having a monarchy because of the tourism thing. But we really haven't a clue if tourism would drop off without them. The Palace of Versailles doesn't suffer without their royals, visitors there far outnumber Buckingham Palace. . But even if they do help to bring the tourists in (which I doubt) it isn't a strong enough reason to keep them.

People always talk about how the queen has "dedicated" her life to the country, rather than think how the country has served her. Imo she gets far more in return than what she gives back. Not just her but all her children, great grandchildren and beyond. The country would get by fine without them.

Google Charles Habsburg. Thats why.

@crepesncream this video and link gives lots of rebuffs to the tourism argument if anyone ever raises it .

www.republic.org.uk/tourism

@Christmasbird I think we can look at members of the RF much more recent than that to understand why they need to 'marry out' .

The news reports on the BBC just look cringy, real “how is this still happening, why is this deemed necessary?” territory.

Philip was also deeply racist. I often wonder why that is overlooked and forgiven.

@CertainUncertain not just thick and snobbish but deeply racist and unpleasant too. The fawning over him after his death was truly incredible - it was like they were talking about a completely different person. If repulsive comments like Davidson make racist comments they're quite rightly censored but when the 'charming' Phil did it, it was apparently all a jolly hoot and he didn't really mean it .

@crepesncream cross posted!

Comedians not comments!

Get rid of the lot of them once Queenie is gone