I don't want to be 'reigned over' anymore

[Yubgftr]

While I totally respect the Queen and how she served the country, I think it's now a good time to end the monarchy as I think modern society has outgrown it.

Just the idea that someone inherits the job of head of state through birthright and reigns over us peasants is crazy in this modern age. Then all the ceremonies, titles, line of succession are remnants of a completely different era and tbh remind me of episodes of The Tudors or Game of Thrones, it's just so archaic and out of place.

I think having to bow and curtsey to people just because they were born or married into a special family also seems ridiculous. Why should I have to curtsey to any of them? Not saying I'd be rude or disrespectful but having to bend my knee to a set of people as if they were deities, it's just insane! I think I'd actually feel humiliated.

I also don't get the fawning and crying outside the palace - by all means be respectful and recognise her contribution but crying about someone you've never met? To me it's OTT

Back in medieval times when there was little education and religion was used to manipulate the masses, I can understand why all the peasants went mad for their sovereign and saw them as annointed by God etc etc but we're much more enlightened now (most of us!) so we need to make way for a new way of doing things.

Even a new national anthem - why is it all about the king or queen and god saving them? Why not about the people, the nation as a whole?

That said, I also hate the idea of someone like Boris Johnson being head of state and I bet that's a role he'd go for if we were a Republic. Swings and Roundabouts!

YABU - God save the king, monarchy forever
YANBU - time to end the monarchy

Didn't we try a republic in the 17th century and decide it wasn't for us?

YANBU I would like a referendum as I don’t agree with born into servitude hereditary titles, traditions etc.

But I’m also conflicted as I like having royals, maybe something to do with all of the Disney films. It’s just nostalgic and romantic. However, I like celebrity and love the Kardashians too - I’d still like the royals without the royal family. So, the monarchy as it is today isn’t necessary.

Saw this on LadBible and thought I’d share. Possibly says a lot about how people view the RF nowadays (this smattering of people was no different to events local to me / not really advertised and not the throngs of people you’d expect). This is likely going to change when it’s the funeral, we are British after all - anything for a wedding or a funeral…

Not wanting change does not mean fearful of change. I don't want change.

I like our traditions, pomp & ceremony. I like knowing who is coming next.

I don't want an elected Head of State or the cost of having one.

The RF does bring in a lot (a hell of a lot) of ££££ & that maintains a LOT of jobs. Including a LOT in hospitality.

if you really think Tony Blair, Teressa May, Jo Bloggs, and 10 others would do a better job I suggest you look at our Government, the opposition parties and have another wee think.

Those saying France did away with theirs & still have tourist ££. You might want to look at why that is & open your eyes to the fact that we don't have What they don't, to attract tourists.

@Yubgftr I’m a royalist and also a remainer. However I do see both side of the monatchy debate and unlike you I’m not a narrow minded twat individual who makes sweeping statements re those who disagree with me 🤣

YANBU. We were meeting Prince Phillip once when he was touring our work and had about 3000 rules we had to follow. So I sat through the mandatory training we were all made to attend. Then when I met him and he said something I just said Oh hi, how are you doing and shook his hand. He's just a human being like any other. There's no way on earth another human being is getting a curtsey or some weird convoluted communication out of me, not a bloody chance.

I'm not treating any human on earth as if they are some kind of special entity. It's silly to me.

Not at all - I'm all in favour of the state being in the hands of its people. It's just that the UK isn't.

I'm not at all fearful of change. If the OP is suggesting a pause for reflection between each monarch, I wouldn't protest. But that's not what the monarchy permits, and being polite because it's a frail elderly lady just brings you on to the next in line.

I've been interested in how mourning the queen has slammed quickly into acclaiming her heir. Absolutely to be expected, but the respect we show to the dead and grieving is certainly bolstering Charles's authority. But that's what monarchy does.

Nobody has to curtsey. It's protocol, not law. You won't get into trouble if you don't.

Why are we all so fearful of change?

I'm not fearful, I just don't want it. I like how things are now.

If you want a republic with an elected head of state, speak up ! Write to your local government representative, ask for a referendum on this.

I've been interested in how mourning the queen has slammed quickly into acclaiming her heir.

That's how it's always been. The moment the reigning monarch dies, the heir ascends. The Queen is dead, long live the King. It's as old as the monarchy itself.

The idea of ditching The Royal Family PLC, a goldmine to brand Britain, is right out of the same school as the KLF burning a million quid

I think when QE2 was the head of it, there was something to the institution. She represented something of a bygone era.

But neither Charles nor William have that sort of aura, I can’t see how anyone can particularly like them. Certainly won’t attract tourists, that’s for sure.

Loads of interesting comments. Tbh thinking on it some more I really do hate the thought of a Boris Johnson Head of State more than a Charles and I just know that would happen in a Republic.

I could probably accept the monarchy if it was properly modernised: slimmed right down, get rid of some of the ridiculous pomp and ceremony, change the language that's archaic, a better national anthem that recognises the people, not so much money involved etc

Yes, why don't we vote for a president instead of a King???
We could end up with another Boris!

Long live the King 👑

Hand it to the French? Eh?

They had an absolutist monarchy (Louis XIV, “I am the state”). Of course you get rid of such a tyrannical system.

Britain has ever had that (even tho Charles I tried to import it from Europe, which caused the English Civil War, and his assassination). The English Bill of Rights 1689 (supremacy of Parliament over the crown) firmly established England & Wales (subsequently UK) as a constitutional monarchy (really it’s much closer to a “Royal Republic”, a label which various political commentators call it).

Britain’s status as a constitutional monarchy is also the prime reason the Industrial Revolution (ie. the creation of the modern world) originated in Britain, not France, accessible via the rule of law (contracts, free trade. etc.).

Britain also created the adversarial court system and the concept of “innocent until proven guilty” (the French do not have this system, they have the reverse)

France has also been through multiple republics (the last after Vichy France (when France capitulated to the Nazis) when it was run by fascists). Britain has been extremely stable.

While I totally respect the Queen and how she served the country, I think it's now a good time to end the monarchy as I think modern society has outgrown it

Newsflash - what you think doesn't matter.

Not even a teensy-weensy little bit.
Deal with it.

the U.K. hasn’t outgrown it though. Look at the crowds. They won’t be any less when it’s time for Charles official coronation. Many people love the royal family and there will not be an end to it in our lifetime

If we had a complete lunatic as a king, or an idiot, or say….Andrew. Would the country have any say really?

I totally agree. There should be a referendum.

Don't like the trappings of Empire and colonialism? Off you pop! Don't like a family that refused to employ non-whites until the 60s? Off you pop! Don't like the vulgar and garish show of wealth?Off you pop!

I won't leave because some posters on this thread can't apparently tolerate any criticism of a bunch of inbred wankers.

The cost involved in switching to a republic, including all the cost of a referendum makes me think you are unreasonable.

There is much to change regarding our system of government, not least of all FPTP compared to PR. However I concede that in that referendum the majority wanted to keep FPTP.

just look at the landslide the Tories won at the last election, could you imagine the smugness of president Johnson? We know he’s been after the PM role for decades.

LooI at Brexit and populism we ended up with characters like Farage, who is mostly a joke, but he was pals with Trump. could you imagine a populist president with the armed forces pledging allegiance to them?

At some point we may get a situation where the monarch threatens the political stability of this nation, unlikely owing to the previous revolutions, but calling for one now is a waste of money and divisive.

Charles would do well to stay in the background a bit more and realise he’s not going to be as loved as his mum was. He just has to steady the tiller for William.

I am not British . I cane here in 2011. I love monarchy, its really fascinating and i have huge respect how the cultural aspect of this is still going. These big moments unite everyone in UK. Looking forward to Coronation now.

I used to be a republican flag wielding Brit, but I have totally changed my mind in recent years.

I have lived in 4 other countries. 2 of them didn't have a Royal Family "reigning" over them. One had a benevolent dictator, whose son took over when he retired, and continued to be benevolent. I wouldn't want to be around if any of their offspring decide to be different. The second, well it was part of China. Nuff said.

Our armed forces sign up to fight for the monarch, as do other professions I believe. In the event of a mad dictator e.g. Putin, our armed forces would not be answerable to someone like him. I like that we have a system of Monarchy keeping Parliament in check, and vice versa.

We tried a republic, when we had our own revolution. Under Cromwell, it looked pretty miserable. We cut off our Monarchs head, and replaced them with a Puritan. We didn't like it, so reinstated the monarchy.

We all moan about them, but from what I can see, we had an amazing Queen. Charles is a really decent bloke and William is great too. Why swap this with the potential to have a Trump, Putin and other crazy mad man on the throne.

Also, and I am laughing as I type, which particular person would be our president because, they are all pretty shit. Truss, Ed Miliband, Tony Megalomaniac Blair, Boris, Starmer? Which delight would we pick. They are all crap. We have no one decent to run the country. Also, tin foil hat alert, it would become like the American system where the candidate with the most money behind them, the best PR machine won. Other countries like Russia and the US could influence the outcome and before you know it, we are an extension of them.

Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it, and some you don't want.

I agree with you. Now would be a good time to turn the country in to a republic.
Plenty of countries do very well without a monarchy.
They could disappear into oblivion and do their charity work and spend their millions without judgment.

I don't agree with a monarchy on principle - the idea of being subservient to someone having someone rule me just because of birth is abhorrent. The royals do believe they have (god given) right to rule us- they think they are better than us.
There was an analysis done- panorama? bbc? which went through some of the fallacies - including the fact that they bring in money and we'd be worse off without them and they basically proved we wouldn't.
Also there have been various examples where they have wielded power- either in stopping laws or just in interfering- i know Charles is now trying to be regal but he's spent the last 50 years trying to influence policy with no democratic/professional or intellectual standing

Monarchy gives us an institution that resides above politics, something enduring in times of change.
I dislike your image of medieval peasants being manipulated by religion. In previous eras, Christianity was a deeply held belief, a way of viewing the world. God may have been swept aside in this modern era, but people are just inventing new ideologies to replace Him.
I, for one, dislike progressivism. I value tradition and the family, everything progressivism seeks to destroy.

Still, you should take heart. History teaches us that the progressives win in the end. All will be swept aside and destroyed for 'progress'. Including monarchy.

Totally agree that it’s time for a Republic . I think the answer is an elected 2 term President as in the US or Germany. Yes, you’d end up with Boris Johnson and Donald Trump, but you’d also get the likes of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Angela Merkel.