If you’re struggling to make ends meet (yet another Jubilee thread- sorry).

[MerryLeg]

Full disclosure- I’m not British and don’t live in the UK so wasn’t interested in seeking out a way to watch the full Jubilee celebrations, but I did catch some clips online, read about it in online papers, and saw some coverage on the news.

Overall, I don’t have particularly strong feelings towards the British royal family (as an institution, some individuals such as Andrew are a different story). The concept of a monarchy is foreign to me, so I don’t take too much notice of the gossip or drama.

I saw some clips from the concert and the drone show was really cool. The bit I saw showed a corgi in a crown. Very cute, but I can only imagine the cost. I also read on here about children being given a commemorative book (think one thread mentioned that coating £12m?). Add everything in, and the government has spent a huge amount of money.

There'll be arguments for and against. People will say that the monarchy brings in a lot of tourist income- I’ve been to London plenty of times and have gone to Buckingham Palace etc, but then again, I’ve also been to Versailles and Schönbrunn and neither France nor Austria have a monarchy now, but still benefit from the tourism aspect.

What really hit me during the clips I was watching was the sheer amount being spent. When I was watching the drone corgi, I was enamored with it, but then thought about how I’d feel if I was watching in a cold house while struggling to pay my gas or electric bill, relying on food banks to feed my children, or stuck in a B&B while waiting on housing.

Or does an event like this lift the mood so much, that people see it as a mental/wellbeing boost?

I'm not saying that people who are struggling financially are some form of Pando hive-mind, but wanted to ask-

If you’re struggling to make ends meet, were you happy to see so much spent on the Jubilee celebrations?

Well said. We’re pensioners, bottom rung above Pension Credit, so not much spare. We’ve been on the bones of our backside, and we’ve had periods of two wages when things were a bit better, but we’ve never been well off. I thought the celebrations were fun. I went to a primary school Jubilee picnic, the children enjoyed it. Several free local events have been well attended, and the TV coverage of the crowds round Buckingham Palace captured the enthusiasm of the public.

I grew up in an era of some austerity after WWII, as a child I was at a street party for the Coronation, the bunting was out, both UK and Scottish flags, and no one moaned. What’s changed?

Should no public money ever be spent on anything expect essentials? And then what is essentials? I get what you are saying but I think it's comparing apples with pears. Not spending money on the celebrations isn't going to give more funding to the NHS in real terms. And I bet there was a huge amount of revenue (and therefore taxes) associated with them - both domestically and from tourism. These sorts of events are good for business, which is good for the economy.

For me this isn't about the monarchy, but rather an oppertunity for a little public and joint celebration. Which I think is probably worth the investment. It's - to me - excactly the same as hosting the olympics or a world cup.

I didn’t see any of it but I would say that since you (as a non British non UK dweller) saw/became interested in it (even if it is to wonder about the cost) then that has kind of hooked you. And it will have hooked millions who may come for a holiday. Even if a tourist doesn't visit the palace/have interest in the RF or wherever, more will come here based on these celebrations.

This is possibly the most bizarre attitude I have ever seen on here

Nah. It's fairly widespread from what I've seen.

Scottish children are not being given the books as it does not fit with the Dear Leader's political opinions.

This is the same Leader who sat happily waving her union flag on Saturday night.

@Dita73 What a small-minded comment! I guess you've never made comments on America's guns situation or America's abortion situation. I take it you've also never posted to defend Ukraine. After all it's 'none of my business'.

It was in response to someone who said that they can’t imagine being interested in the goings-on in another country.

To me, that’s a bizarre attitude. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have an opinion about Trump, North Korea, or a host of other activists in countries.

^activities, not activists.

You were right first time. I’ve never seen anyone here judge how money is spent on the US Labor Day parade.

A one of cost of 27 million versus 6 billion every year to maintain the UC uplift. Hardly comparable.

For me it was seeing that golden carriage paraded down the mall with a hologram of the queen inside it. Sell the bloody thing and use the money to help actual real people!!!

I neither agree nor disagree with the OP, but Brits always have plenty to say about other countries, and, at least in my experience, it’s usually in a ‘they should be more like us because we know best’ way. Nothing wrong with OP expressing their opinion.

From here it looks rather like you posted to encourage a pile on...

I can tell you that it was a fantastic feeling being here and think it did lift the mood and lots of neighbourhoods did street parties etc so fostering community spirit.

You could join in lots of the big things for nothing and the turn out was massive!!

I definitely wouldn’t ask the poor people of Japan to share their opinion on a national event

Why not?

and talk about how crap it must feel for them

I didn’t ask if they felt crap, I asked if they were happy to see so much money spent on the event.

@Hollyhead
People massively underestimate how much money the RF give to the nation. Basically everything that belongs to the RF goes to the state and then they get (an admittedly large) sum back to maintain themselves

The vast fortunes of property, land, and wealth owned by the Royal Family and its companies was largely acquired at the end of a gun. I would compare it to the Russian oligarchs wealth acquisition, except they did it with mostly just extreme corruption rather than death and bloodshed.

I’ve not seen any of the jubilee celebrations.

I don’t know whose mood it lifted but I didn’t give it a chance, I suppose. Nobody I know has commented on their mood being lifted by the celebrations, particularly.

The only positive thing for me was we got to go away for a long weekend at a fabulous locations.

ignore those asking your you care, OP.
We've countless posts every day about things that have nothing to do with OPs.

No, I had no intention of encouraging a pile-on. A pile on to whom?

It’s great that you found free things to do for the weekend.

@Stroopwaffels
you mean the “Dear Leader” Nicola Sturgeon who the Scots can vote in or out of office as they please? Or the “Dear Leader” known as Queen Elizabeth/King Charles who we never get to vote on?

I think it could have been more low key and appropriate.
The public seem to have forgotten Andrew already.

Good idea. Because flogging our tradition is such a great idea. What do you think a 260 year old vehicle that’s the height of discomfort for its passengers would fetch? Give you a clue - about ten minutes worth of UC.

Yes that's her the deceitful, money-squandering, lying, hpyocritical one. And her cronies.

I'm not a fan of the monarchy as such and didn't find it "uplifting", but I don't understand how not spending on the jubilee would help people combat spiralling energy costs....they are very different issues. And as for spending on the NHS, social care, benefits etc, i don't genuinely believe that the government would spend more on this if it weren't for the jubilee...I thought we'd learned that lesson from the brexit lies on a bus. Less money in one pot doesn't necessarily mean more money in another

@jubileetrain Thank you! and @Alb0 I’m not the slightest bit interested in what the Americans do

Because I think it’s really shitty to ask vulnerable people or people struggling to share their experiences, when I am just doing it for my own nosiness article.

i mean, obviously, you may have a huge plan on how to reverse time and cancel and redistribute the money.

But you did want to know how crap they felt. You posted asking for the opinions of people struggling on aibu, which just happens to be one of the busiest boards. And you clearly established your own position on it.

So no, it’s not something I would do,

But then I wouldn’t compare the impacts of US school shootings and gun laws, with the impact of jubileee weekend.