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?

Exactly. What about all these aristocrats all of whom are wealthier than she is:

1. The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family, £10.295bn

2. Earl Cadogan and family, £6.817bn

1. Baroness Howard de Walden and family, £4.316bn
2. Princess Marie-Chantal and family, £2.14bn
3. Viscount Portman and family, £2.05bn
4. Lady Charlotte Wellesley, £2.031bn
5. The Earl of Iveagh and the Guinness family, £906m
6. The Duke of Devonshire, £895m
7. Prince Jonathan and Princess Gesine Doria Pamphilj, £775m

10 The Duke of Bedford, £750m 11. Viscount Rothermere and family, £920m 12. Lord Vestey and family, £721m 13 Lord Rothschild, £650m 14. The Duke of Sutherland, £585m 15. Charlotte Thownshend, £454m

The top one the Duke of Westminster is a staggering 29 times more wealthy than the Queen as her wealth is around £350m.

The Duke of Westminster doesn’t have a job! Lol. His wealth comes mostly from his property portfolio. Every member of the public that pays rent to him is paying for his lifestyle. And according to some, the property he owns is all “stolen”

Nor do the 14 other rich aristocrats I listed earn their money through “jobs”.

The top one the Duke of Westminster is a staggering 29 times more wealthy than the Queen as her wealth is around £350m

Whose estate has famously never paid a penny of inheritance tax in its entire history.

@BenCoopersSupportWren I’m not arguing with you

If they're in poverty why are they buying football tickets?? I'm from Liverpool and on the crime watch Facebook group. So many top spec cars get pinched from Anfield and the surrounding deprived areas. Many people do choose a lifestyle over feeding or clothing their children properly no matter what the do gooders say

@Discovereads

The Duke of Westminster doesn’t have a job! Lol. His wealth comes mostly from his property portfolio. Every member of the public that pays rent to him is paying for his lifestyle.

You could say that about any landlord surely which isn't fair

I think we could have had a party without the royal family, whilst I appreciate the sentimental and nostalgic feelings towards the monarchy I personally think they are not worth having and would prefer a republic.

In my experience there are people who hate money being spent on any fun public event. And it's also been my experience that to a large extentthe poor attend these kinds of events because they are free, and they want some fun and spectable and beauty just like everyone else, and they can't pay for private access.

Community building is also really important and as much as people like to think it just happens, it doesn't. Shared events and milestones are one of the things that are very effective in binding communities together.

As for inherited wealth, if we are going to get rid of that presumably we wouldn't limit it to the aristocracy.

I agree re community events being accessible and in our case cheap. Loads of food, for not much £

Or other ways to enjoy the spectacle

the monarchy does entrench inequality as it reinforces wealth handed down - same for the list of aristocrats below and the RF

I suppose with the RT it’s something we feel we can share and some see as an asset to the U.K. - many o/s like it too

I have mixed feelings overall, but slightly lean towards keeping these days (they annoyed me more in pandemic as felt more pointless)

The £38 was a complete Bad Maths thing. BBC R4 covered it on Sunday, the programme they do about maths and stats. It was no more than £2.50 per household, including all the extra monies to the gvt spending.

If you are not British and don't live in the UK why is it any of your business?

I thought it was a massive waste of tax payers money. I think the monarchy should be abolished - money would still flow in for the UK without them.
I thought Prince William's speech on climate change was a bit hypocritical considering they flew 70 planes over the skies of London for the fly past!!
I think a lot of people hero-worship members of the royal family. It's ridiculous! They live a life of privilege off of the back of everyone else! They are just a family - just like any other family!
And, we will have the funeral to fund soon then a coronation for a King who probably won't be King for long due to his age. Then another funeral and another coronation! Totally ridiculous!
I'm not poverty stricken and struggling to make ends meet but it's appalling that this vast amount of money is being spent on one family!!
Enough said.

Very true! I felt exactly the same about it!

It was on R4 on Sunday.

Fair enough to ask for a source, but no need to be rude.

I was replying to a quoted figure of £38 per household which also had no source.

Given you were so rude I’m not going to bother listening to the segment on the R4 programme that went into it in great depth to check.

If interested you can do so.

How small minded @Valeriekat

Why shouldn't the op care?

A fantastic weekend GSTQ

Would much rather have the monarchy than a president.
So much outcry about the spending of money here yet not enough about the expenses spent on MPs, tax dodging billionaires who are supported by government etc

Those saying the monarchy bring in no money are ridiculous. Not only the tourism money brought in but the charity work and work for the country. I'm a big fan of them stripping back, and those in the immediate family do far more for our country than most.

I feel a lot don't know proper facts and instead will get outraged at a situation just because social media tell them too.

Difference is most landlords pay tax. The Duke of Westminster doesn’t. He must owe billions.

@StageRage

Fair enough.

if they are so good why do you want to slim them down?
And why not a president?

It was quite interesting.

I must have been listening to the Sunday repeat www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cbb52s

@Blossomtoes the Duke if Westminster’s wealth all goes to the taxpayer except the relatively small amount (which is still a big amount) he gets back.

I’m a total republican and very anti-monarchy. BUT - I read somewhere it cost £28m. That’s 50p per person. On average people will have spent money raising much more than that in VAT on jubilee festivities. I reckon it’s more than paid for itself, plus it’s made people happy and we’ve had a nice long bank holiday. So win-win I reckon.

No - I absolutely think that cost was horrendous and I despise the fact it was funded by the public.

Full disclosure: I've been sick as a dog for the last two weeks and really struggled to get any kind of decent medical care - in the end I paid to see a private GP. Money is needed elsewhere at the moment, not on drone shows.