...so what exactly is "service and duty"?

[ServiceAndDuty]

After countless threads on the royal family, I feel nobody goes into full detail of what the royal family do apart from the same phrase "service and duty".

I genuinely would like to be enlightened on what this "service and duty" is, not including showing up to events and waving, watching tennis and rugby matches, opening places, having an expensive wedding sometimes etc.

I feel nobody has really answered in detail what it is.

I am open to being educated if I'm missing something.

I find when people don't have an educated answer they go straight to "it's a troll!!". Why can't people just have a proper conversation for once and learn from each other rather than go straight into "troll" "goady"

Yes but to what end?

What happens if this stuff didn't get done?

Does Parliament need a state opening etc etc etc

The Monarch signs off laws etc he or she may vehemently oppose, such as shutting down the 'Commons or allegedly Brexit.

K.Charles environmental speeches hasn't stopped sewage being dumped in rivers and waterways or the UK breaking international air pollution treaties.

So what if no one met the King of Saudi Arabia, has meeting him stopped his country bombing women n children in Yemen with uk made weapons?

Service and duty are just meaningless phrases bandied about by pro royalists.

Mumsnet would be totally obsolete if we just googled everything rather than having a discussion…

I think people are purposely being obtuse. @FromageRouge I agree!
Is anyone capable of discussing this intelligently rather than repeating what they've heard on the media about "duty and service"?
Yes they attend a lot of meetings and openings and are very influential and attract tourists. Apart from those involved in the tourism industry, how does this improve life in Great Britain for the majority of citizens?

Yes and with that it’s not difficult to see why OP isn’t clear either.

You’re not going to get a decent discussion when you NC like that and word an OP like that.

But still nobody has called you a troll. You’re hallucinating.

@ExHack thank you! I don't understand why people instantly get sarcastic when a discussion is open. I just want to know what people think service and duty is and why that service and duty is still worth heredity wealth and status

You literally said trolling here

Love these examples - eating food you probably don't like 😂

People in this country are so sycophantic to the Royal Family it's beyond belief. Most people work hard, do service and fulfil duties...for considerably less money, privilege and usually no thanks!

Time to end monarchy!

The wealth and duty are 2 separate things.

The wealth as I understand it comes from the amount of land owned by the Crown. But you didn't ask about that in your op - you asked about duty.

I didn't say she was the only person to serve, so that's why you can find overlap with other professions such as teaching. Yes some people go to Church but only one is the head of it. The head cannot choose not to.

Furthermore all the other clergy and teachers and public servants get to retire. She kept going until 2 days before her death aged 96. That is extraordinary.

@FromageRouge anyway I won't be responding to you after this as I'm here for a discussion not an argument

The alternative is a President like Trump, but of course then it would be a political elected post, which I used to think would be better. Now I don't.

And all that was of benefit to… who exactly?

The royal family carry out about 2,000 engagements a year, entertain around 70,000 guests, many from abroad and reply to 100,000 letters. Any letter that was written to the Queen got a reply as she said that if someone had taken the time to write to her it was only right that they should take the time to acknowledge that.

When the royals go to an engagement they have notes to read up on beforehand so they know about the organisation they are attending and can make relevant small talk. It's not just turning up shaking hands and cutting a ribbon as so many on here think.

OP, I think many people answered your question: Royals do meetings, speeches, opening events etc, attract attention to causes. We call it service and duty because it’s shorter and sounds nicer. Is it enough to justify their wealth and attention to them? It’s up to you to decide. I guess your thread is not about this, you just wanted to clarify the duties?

Yes that’s what you’re trying to get us to do isn’t it? Troll an old lady who was only buried yesterday?

You don’t mention her or even the monarchy in your OP. You just vague post and pretend not to know what words mean.

You want us to do denigrate the dead nonagenarian.

If you’d started a debate about wealth and monarchy under your own name, I’d have been with you.

I'm not holding out much hope for King Charles but hopefully we will see some changes in William and Catherine's time. An end to the royal association with cruel "sports" such as horse racing and grouse shooting would be a good start.

That is an alternative. It’s not the only one. And even if we did get a President like Trump we wouldn’t be stuck with them until they die.

I think te 'opening places' that OP excludes is important, because it's a recognition of what's going on in the ordinary places. There is an interest in, and public thanks to those who keep communities alive. It's "soft power" in action, so when you see them opening a community funded centre, it's saying a wider 'thank you' to those who put their time and effort in.

It's writ large with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme and the Prince's Trust. There are all sorts of similar schemes, but these two really did well and the latter in particular has been amazingly successful in achieving real life outcomes. And neither was set up to grandstand, but rather to do something useful.

I think they have done - and will continue to do - a lot of useful things.

The success of the Commonwealth is of course a towering achievement.

Hopefully the Duchies will be reclaimed, the whole operation will slowly be slimmed down to something much much smaller, and will eventually be the ceremonial outfit it’s touted as.

I wonder if Prince George wants to be a train driver when he grows up, or an astronaut, or fireman. Well hard lines lad if he does. His futures mapped for him. To the day he dies.

If it’s such a great life why did Diana, Fergie and now Harry and Meghan leave? Spare me the Charles having an affair is why Diana left guff, theres ample room in their palaces to live completely separate lives, complete with other partners, then just turn up to work and plaster on a smile, you know, like we all do every day.

It’s gilded cage and I sure as hell wouldn’t want it.

Their social skills are admirable. But I repeat, how does the fact that Charles and Camilla went to 2,000 engagements benefit you or me?

@Arenanewbie yes the duties as all I ever see in the media is visits, watching sports, opening etc. that I wanted clarification whether I was "missing" something in terms of "hard work"

FGS - why is Trump the alternative? we don't invest that sort of power in a head of state, few countries do.

Having a monarchy didn't prevent us from a Johnson, who has arguably done more to harm UK PLC than anything Trump did.

The queen has a brother?