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Original poster

Well, I hated the coronation…

1000 replies

TheColourofspring · 07/05/2023 06:02

I can see I am in the minority on here but I found yesterday to be distasteful on a gigantic scale. To watch the most privileged people travel in gold coaches & be decorated with diamonds and gold that is priceless in the face of millions of people struggling to eat/heat their homes just feels so wrong.

Our primary school has just opened a food bank. There are kids & families in crisis- children coming into school hungry & smelly as families can’t afford to wash clothes (I am not joking) - living in Dickensian conditions. Some of the teaching staff use the foodbank.

Yesterday was a display of obscene wealth. The royals didn’t even pay for it- we did. How can we find money for that absolute nonsense yet we can’t find money for large swathes of the population to feed themselves.

While Charles was sitting there in his gold costume holding these priceless items, plenty of families weren’t eating. It made me really angry.

I am tired of all the arguments for a royal family- how somehow these displays are quaint. Yesterday was an obscene display of wealth, inherited privilege and everything that’s wrong with this country. Seems a conversation about the royals is long overdue.

OP posts:
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Original poster
TheColourofspring · 07/05/2023 08:41

@Theluggage15 patronising much?!

OP posts:
Searching55 · 07/05/2023 08:41

I agree OP

DisquietintheRanks · 07/05/2023 08:41

GoodChat · 07/05/2023 06:36

The Coronation is expected to bring around £1billion in to the U.K. economy.

I would really like to see the working behind this figure. Seems like the sort of statement that people send to "More or less" to investigate.

AngelinaFibres · 07/05/2023 08:41

WithLaughter · 07/05/2023 08:37

I know this is a royal bashing thread but can anyone factually explain the actual reasons why people need food banks in the UK?

This doesn't seem to happen in other countries with royal families, e.g. Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Scandi countries so doesn't have anything to do with that.

What are the British polices and systems that mean people don't earn enough of a wage to feed themselves and their families? It just seems awful in this day and age that this is how people live. How did we get here and what can be done about it?

Would Labour in power mean no more food banks?

Many of us on here are old enough to remember the Blair/ Brown years.I don't remember it being utopia.Makes me shudder to think how Corbyn would have dealt with the pandemic. They would have made a far worse job of all of it than the Conservatives have done. In our area the Conservatives got back in in local council elections after years of an Independent/ Green shit show.

Peregrina · 07/05/2023 08:42

The gold and glitter has been sitting in vaults for hundreds of years, not newly spent money.

The carriage that they went to the Abbey in was built in this Century.
Why one earth couldn't they do as the Dutch Monarchy did and have a scaled down ceremony?

Roussette · 07/05/2023 08:42

MysteriesOfTheOrganism · 07/05/2023 08:41

The estimate is that monarchy brings in around £1.7 billion pounds a year. They cost about £86 million. I reckon that's a pretty good deal for the country.

Show quote history

'Estimate'.

I could show you otherwise but it would mean hijacking this thread and I don't want to do that.

Seriouslynotseriously · 07/05/2023 08:43

@Aslanplustwo has it occurred to you that the reason there are such gaps in wealth is BECAUSE of the system of inherited wealth and privileges?

I take it you are against all inherited wealth then? Because you are right, that is one of the things that contributes to ongoing inequality. So I take it you will refuse to inherit anything from your parents, and nor will you give anything to your children, either whilst they are living or when you dead. I mean, we all know that many young people now rely on this sort of hand-me-downd wealth to buy houses, thus exacerbating inequality.

TBH, I would think you have a coherent case if you thought this. But I find that many people who are vehemently against other contributors to inequality, such as private schools, are also vehemently against any moves by Government to reduce what they might inherit from their own parents or what they can give to their own children.

ginsterloo · 07/05/2023 08:44

WithLaughter · 07/05/2023 08:37

I know this is a royal bashing thread but can anyone factually explain the actual reasons why people need food banks in the UK?

This doesn't seem to happen in other countries with royal families, e.g. Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Scandi countries so doesn't have anything to do with that.

What are the British polices and systems that mean people don't earn enough of a wage to feed themselves and their families? It just seems awful in this day and age that this is how people live. How did we get here and what can be done about it?

Would Labour in power mean no more food banks?

All of those countries you mention have a number of food banks. We are not alone in having them and their existence is certainly not down to having a Royal Family

Emotionalsupportviper · 07/05/2023 08:45

Anotherusernameagainitseems · 07/05/2023 08:41

Most of the problems in Wales are caused by deindustrialization without any replacement and cuts in welfare and services and right to buy without replacing social housing all from central government in London

Show quote history

Agree.

Same here in the North of England - getting rid of industries without offering alternative employment cripples local economies.

Original poster
TheColourofspring · 07/05/2023 08:46

@Seriouslynotseriously the royals don’t pay inheritance tax

OP posts:
Fanacapan · 07/05/2023 08:47

It’s history, been going on for centuries and will probably still be going on at least one more century. If we just say ok no more royalty and all the trappings, sold everything off, gave it the poor, in a generations time there will still be poor but no more pump and pageantry, pride in the royal family, income generated by tourism etc.

TomPinch · 07/05/2023 08:47

Anotherusernameagainitseems · 07/05/2023 08:38

United States has a huge amount of inequality and inherited privilege (the presidency of George Bush II was where the rot set in) without a royal family. Various European countries still have royals

Show quote history

The United States has been an unequal country right from the get go. For example, it had slavery, and didn't even get round to abolishing that until the 1860s. Black people were legally denied the vote for decades, and unlawfully denied it for even longer, and even after that had much poorer living conditions than whites.

The United States didn't have a class system, although it probably does have one now. It just had a race system instead. It's never been an egalitarian country.

Eightiesgirl · 07/05/2023 08:48

I must admit I did enjoy the Coronation, the ceremony, singing, historic significance and as others have said, those jewels/crowns have been around for a long time etc. However, I understand what you mean about children at your school. My dh was a teacher for many years and everyday I sent him in with bread so he could make toast for the children in his class before lessons started, as most of them hadn't had any breakfast and some of them hadn't actually eaten anything since they'd had a school dinner the day before. He also had the smelly clothes problem, dh actually discreetly passed some of our son's clothes onto one teenage lad whose clothes were practically falling off him. The worrying thing is this was before the current cost of living crisis so I can only imagine what you are witnessing now.

Monster80 · 07/05/2023 08:48

I was absolutely disgusted to hear the council we live in chipped in 3.8 million to that pigs ear display of inherited privilege. In the very same month the council removed £50,000 funding to food banks. Let them eat cake etc, but obviously not the British public, let those massive povvos starve…

LittleBearPad · 07/05/2023 08:48

Peregrina · 07/05/2023 08:42

The gold and glitter has been sitting in vaults for hundreds of years, not newly spent money.

The carriage that they went to the Abbey in was built in this Century.
Why one earth couldn't they do as the Dutch Monarchy did and have a scaled down ceremony?

And was a present from Australia.

gogohmm · 07/05/2023 08:48

The gold and glittery thing's already existed for the most part, they reused and recycled a lot. Yes it cost money, mostly security (overtime , bringing extra police in from elsewhere) and transport costs for the military (they would be paid whether or not they were a coronation so you can't really add that to the bill). The tv rights were sold around the world so that covered the cost.

It's not like they are going to sell the Crown Jewels to fund breakfast clubs! Also if you watched much of it you would have heard about the ambassadors from the princes trust attending - that, set up by then Prince Charles, has helped a million underprivileged young people, some of the most marginalised in society. I have a friend who mentors for them and it's really helping people in practical ways, helping people help themselves

lulublue32 · 07/05/2023 08:48

I felt the opposite - looking at all the people involved and imagining the absolute career highlight and pride they must have felt - everyone deserves moments of joy and as a low income household, I don’t begrudge that of anyone.
Also, on a local level - two of my friends have small, independent businesses up here in the North (catering & craft), both have benefited hugely from the business generated by the coronation this week.

Anotherusernameagainitseems · 07/05/2023 08:49

Peregrina · 07/05/2023 08:42

The gold and glitter has been sitting in vaults for hundreds of years, not newly spent money.

The carriage that they went to the Abbey in was built in this Century.
Why one earth couldn't they do as the Dutch Monarchy did and have a scaled down ceremony?

They did have a scaled down ceremony. With the harm brexit has done to trade I expect further royal ceremonies in future will be cut further until the royal family here is more like the European royals. Already Charles is cutting the number of working royals and I've read that Charlotte and Louis will be expected to support themselves.

Only 100 years ago Britain had a huge empire and we are still a top 10 economy so the size of the current coronation is still an overhang from that. Voter's and conservative party and their donors have chosen food banks

JustDanceAddict · 07/05/2023 08:49

Seymour5 · 07/05/2023 06:36

@TheyIndeed we were a republic, under Oliver Cromwell.

That worked out well - not!

Polarsnare · 07/05/2023 08:50

gogohmm · 07/05/2023 08:48

The gold and glittery thing's already existed for the most part, they reused and recycled a lot. Yes it cost money, mostly security (overtime , bringing extra police in from elsewhere) and transport costs for the military (they would be paid whether or not they were a coronation so you can't really add that to the bill). The tv rights were sold around the world so that covered the cost.

It's not like they are going to sell the Crown Jewels to fund breakfast clubs! Also if you watched much of it you would have heard about the ambassadors from the princes trust attending - that, set up by then Prince Charles, has helped a million underprivileged young people, some of the most marginalised in society. I have a friend who mentors for them and it's really helping people in practical ways, helping people help themselves

I think these are important points. Of course can appreciate some are still against the monarchy and everything it stands for, but in terms of the event itself it wasn't just take take take. Our council spent some money on it but it was for free activities for children- crafts, music, food and it was very well attended which was great. It was of course on because of the coronation but it wasn't heavily themed.

Newnamenewname109870 · 07/05/2023 08:51

Although I agree aspects of it really are bizarre (and out of touch) it was always going to be like this. I don’t know what you expected.

Original poster
TheColourofspring · 07/05/2023 08:51

@Seriouslynotseriously and actually I do agree about inherited wealth. I think we now live in an ‘inheritocracy’ where those who do inherit retain wealth, the rest don’t. I don’t have the answers but I think it perpeptuates an unfair society. On mumsnet you get hung for saying it though!!!

OP posts:
Xenia · 07/05/2023 08:51

I thought it was wonderful and very well done and has made a lot of people very happy. However I am glad we live in a UK where people can come on MN and post opposite views. It would be a dull UK if we all had to have the same views.

Laurama91 · 07/05/2023 08:52

Bored of the royal slating posts.
If we abolish the monarchy a lot of people will lose their jobs.
Charles has just been crowned in his 70s, I'm sure you would be looking to retire by then. The queen worked pretty much until her death bed. You might not see it as work because it's not the same as us normal people but they work their full lives for our country.
And yes they were born into wealth but so are a lot of other people. But those people don't pledge their lives to the country

Gtsr443 · 07/05/2023 08:52

TheColourofspring · 07/05/2023 08:46

@Seriouslynotseriously the royals don’t pay inheritance tax

And this I have a huge problem with.
The Windsors' finances need sorting out.

However I am still to be persuaded that an elected political head of state is a better option.
This country is more than capable of lumbering us with a President Farage.

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