I’m not a fan of the royal family but I am a firm believer that we benefit form a hereditary monarch as head of state
I’ve spent years trying to look at other countries for a better model. I just don’t see one.
Elected presidents are political head of states- the people who run for president are driven by power, backed with money and lobbying influence, and you end up with people like Trump, or even bush or Regan. It’ll be, in the uk, more of the same privileged, entitled wealthy elitists we have running for power now.
even the switz model of a team of heads of states that rotate is not well liked in that country. The idea is good, but in effect no one knows who the head of state is, no one gets behind them and there’s little continuity.
so what do you propose, names drawn from a hat? Or maybe the model used to choose the Dalia llama - a set of councillor tour the country to find the “right person” and take them form their family?
I like the idea that our head of state is effectively powerless and is only there to do the PR for the country really. I like that our head of state can stay out of the thick of unstable politics and government, that can bring elder statesman experience, knowledge etc to the leader of the country in the form of entirely confidential conversations. i like that our head of state has had to serve a long apprenticeship for 50 plus years that I’m sure has been frustrating, dull and pointless at times. I like it that they spend years getting to know the country and countries in the commonwealth - jeez a president would be travelling everyday of their presidency to even get a fraction of that experience the queen and Charles did. And then they come into the job when everyone else is retiring and know they have to work up till they die. I like it that they’re not exactly excited or relishing in the prospect. I like that parliament still has to pay homage to a constitution and its powers vested in the monarch.
I believe the monarchy has saved us from extreme politics, dictatorship and power crazed (let’s face it mostly ) men. I hate the idea that the same stupid people that voted for Boris, Brexit could decide our head of state and the implication of that last vestige of stability and long term continuity.
but there again, I also believe that the length of government should be increased to 10 years. Elections every 4-5 years means governments are more interested in what will make people vote for them at the next election and keep their personal seat/power vs getting on with unexciting stuff like just managing and stabilising their policies for the good of the country.