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?

You’re getting very worked up, @Andromachehadabadday.

I’m sorry that the boost you got from the weekend didn’t last longer.

Because the op is most likely a journo

I watched with an open mind but as it progressed especially the pageant I started to feel sickened at the sheer amount of money spent. It's abhorrent that the celebrations were so extensive when the stability of the country is so volatile and its so tough financially.
I used to respect the Queen hugely but am slowly realising the monarchy is outdated, cringey & excessive. All that self congratulatory 'don't we do it well' was embarrassing.

MerryLeg I thought I recognised something about your posts. Now I'm sure. How very odd.

It's the kind of parochial attitude you see in a lot of BTL comments on local newspaper sites, so I guess it's inevitable that there are people with the same kind of narrow focus on MN, given the number of users.

There have been previous posts along a similar line, OP. You’re not alone in thinking about the cost of the events in the face of increased cost of living.

I’m not.

I’ve clearly said earlier in the thread that I’m not. I’ve been on MN for years so feel free to report any of my posts if you’re concerned.

Exactly. It’s a museum piece. It belongs to the nation. It shouldn’t be bought by some private collector of British stuff.

I haven’t seen those, must have a look.

Did they all end up with responses with some seriously racist undertones?

What's to celebrate about massive wealth inequality and hierarchical privilege? The country is up shit creek and the jubilee celebrations bizarre. If people want to get together and party we could do that and celebrate our NHS, or our carers or teachers... I would be up for that.

I enjoyed the 4 day weekend. We went away and spent it walking and pottering about in Devon with the dog. I didn't watch any of the Jubilee stuff or take part in any street parties (in fact, I actively avoid our street's annual Big Lunch, because they deliberately exclude the people on our street that live in social housing, but that's another thread). The queen has won people around by her capacity to keep going with dignity and by the fact that she has no power to harm. I feel towards her much the same way as I do towards the current Pope - both seem very decent, I'm glad they're sort of part of public life, but really they have very little impact upon me.

As for the next generation, however - well, if only Anne could inherit the role.

Please do feel free to elaborate.

I’ve been a poster on here for years. I think this is my first post about the British monarchy.

Without fail. MN never disappoints.

70 years is very special and probably wont be repeated

when the queen went out onto the balcony she was greeted as if she was a rock star!

I assume that local jubilee parties were paid for by local people, not out of the £27m or whatever it cost the population.

I agree with you OP. I am not a monarchist. I work with families in poverty and think spending this much on a few dancing corgies and obsequiessness is just obscene. At any time really, but especially right now. You could have had your jubilee street parties at no expense to the public.

If OP you are a journo, please report that not all British people are stuck in the medieval serf mindset and keep the tv off while resources are being squandered in the name of service to the nation.

The jubilee and the incessant lauding of crooks, nonces and cretins & denial that they are such, is part of the reason why we have crooks and cretins (and there've been a fair few nonces too) running the House of Commons. The UK is basically getting what it deserves but the sycophants think it's fair and necessary so there we are. It's beyond depressing.

We are not struggling (Thankfully) but dont have loads over either! I enjoyed the Concert and bits of it .However I also thought it was so much money to spend. There were a few street parties ,but generally low key here .I think when the Queen is no longer with us, then we will have a more low key monarchy .They are out of keeping with modern life and also as seen by K and W Caribbean tour not so popular with countries like Jamaica as they were once

"When I lived in England I was living in an area of such poverty. People just about excisting week to week, children going without hot meals or heating or suitable clothes. Massive rents on houses that were crumbling with damp leading to health problems for the tenants. Social housing lists decades long. I can only imagine the kick in teeth feeling seeing millions being spent on the Jubilee when children are so in need. "

The rest of society is not responsible for other peoples kids. of you cant afford to look after your own kids dont have any.

"I think it was morally wrong, insensitive and in very poor taste to spend such amounts on the event. I’m really quite disgusted by it yo be honest and it makes me feel ashamed to be British."

Move somewhere else then

There was an interesting article in The Times this weekend that explored the cost of the Platinum Jubilee and who was funding it. Not sure if it's behind the paywall still www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-much-did-the-platinum-jubilee-cost-and-who-is-paying-ww28ptqbf

The biggest cost is actually felt through the additional bank holiday and the impact that has on GDP, apparently the Government published an impact assessment document on the costs last year - the details are in The Times article.

In terms of the Pageant itself they report;

"Much of the party will not be billed to the taxpayer anyway. The crown jewel of the weekend, Sunday’s Jubilee Pageant, will feature Sir Elton John, Ed Sheeran and thousands of street performers. Thanks to “the latest in digital technology”, the Queen’s Gold State Coach will lead the parade evoking the “excitement and majesty of her journey to be crowned 70 years ago”."

"If it sounds expensive, fear not: the event, which is expected to cost £15 million, is being organised by The Platinum Jubilee Pageant Ltd, which has been “independently fundraising to deliver the pageant at no cost to the taxpayer”. British brands such as Burberry, Lloyds Bank and Jaguar are sponsoring the event, alongside the multinationals Meta — Facebook’s parent company — and Goldman Sachs. “Generous individuals” will also chip in, according to its website."

I did feel the pageantry was a bit tasteless. And the sequence at Party at the Palace about climate change - I’m all for raising awareness about climate change but seriously? You people fly in private planes!

However, I really enjoyed the community activities that took place over the weekend. I met so many lovely neighbours I’d never met before, and would never otherwise have spoken to. And some of the wealthier people in the area were incredibly generous with their time and money when arranging these events.

So on balance I think that probably makes me a hypocrite - I resented the national celebrations but enjoyed the local ones.

Instead the monarchists can move somewhere else, and force some other hapless taxpayers to pay for their ridiculous fawning and carrying on.

The thing about ‘the cost’ is the money doesn’t just disappear. Lots of people and companies will have been paid for their services. That money goes back into the economy. Sure, there are some things which are more ‘worthy’ but

e.g my son used to work as a technician in a big theatre. He lost his job due to Covid and spent a year flitting between a few casual jobs and being unemployed. He’s now working for a quite a large event’s company. They weren’t involved in the Jubilee stuff but are doing lots of stuff for the Commonwealth Games and is also working at some big festivals. These type of things generate of a lot of many and jobs (many of which are actually highly skilled)

It shouldn’t be an either/or though. There is plenty of wealth and resourcing in the country/world to both have a celebration and allow people to live and eat. And no the royal family are not the current biggest creators of inequality.