The Royals jumping ship...

[Wolfgirrl]

A virus pandemic breaks out in the UK. Everyone is essentially on house arrest bar a few essential occasions. Businesses and workers facing going bust. People dying every day. Hospitals overwhelmed. Surely this would be a great moment for a morale boosting message from our beloved royals, who we pay to keep in the lap of luxury? Oh wait, a little recorded message has been deemed a health risk to the Queen (allegedly).

Oh well, they can always volunteer Buckingham Palace as a makeshift hospital or hub for supplies, etc, as I'm sure they want to do what they can for their beloved citizens, especially now theyve legged it out of London. Oh wait.

Seriously what are these people for and why do we pay for them again?

@clavinova

I'm sorry I dont understand the timeline. Is this relating to just 2 days?

OP, I think I understand the issue. You are spectacularly ill informed about the work that the royals do.

Study the Court Circular for a couple of months and I think you’ll have an epiphany; seeing the number of public engagements the royals do.

“A yearly garden party” Hilarious!

You may also want to aquaint yourself with the Queen’s weekly meetings with her PM and the number of dispatch boxes she has to get through.

As for your point about nobody visiting hospitals, schools, charities etc. How would you propose that civic service is recognised?

Re tourism, are you simply comparing Versailles entry ticket numbers with visitors to any single British royal palace? Thereby completely overlooking visitors to Trooping the Colour, Ascot, Changing of the Guard, State Opening of Parliament, those who came to visit off the back of the televised royal weddings, Windsor, Buckingham Palace (often just to stand outside), Holyrood etc etc. I think your calculations may be more than a little flawed!

I'm sorry I don't understand the timeline. Is this relating to just 2 days?

Shall I copy and paste the whole year?

@clavinova

It makes no difference. An engagement can be just half an hour. It's not a full day's work, it just looks like it is on paper. If you actually added up the hours they work it wouldn't be anything like full time.

I'm sorry I don't understand the timeline. Is this relating to just 2 days?

Yes - just 2 days - 5 appointments on each day.

It isnt possible to calculate an exact monetary figure for the effect royals have on tourism to the UK - however it is clear royals not being in situ does not put off tourists. Sorry for quick reply trying to cook meatballs

“An engagement can be just half an hour. It's not a full day's work, it just looks like it is on paper. If you actually added up the hours they work it wouldn't be anything like full time.”

Of course there’s no preparation required at all. No papers to read on the genesis of the project, future aims, who they are meeting, local information, reason for the visit. No technical data when they are visiting factories. They just rock up and smile and leave.

Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.

@boogiewoogietoo

Why would it make me feel better

Neither of us can quantify these things in terms of working hours, but that in itself is a point iyswim.

Pomp and ceremony do not require a bloated Royal Family and hangers on to participate. We do not need them to live in all the Castles, Buck House, Windsor, Balmoral and wherever the feck they decide either.

I thought Charlie would be in Highgrove and his wife would be in her her own home. Typical Royals.

I don't think anyone would miss them personally.

Can be done without them.

Correct?

@ohmargo

Correct!

Wolf,

We all have to isolate now apart from key workers.

I reckon the RF might think are key workers on the company roll, ie the taxpayer.

They need to lead us now. If they don't they are fkd. Am very fed up with them TBH.

I don't think anyone would miss them personally.

I think we would - that Republican website says we should have a head of state like Ireland - dull as dishwater;

president.ie/en/diary/past-engagements

Clavinova.

The pres of IRELAND is elected.

You sound very bitter.

The pres of IRELAND is elected.

Yes, I know - that was the suggestion. Never heard of him.

You sound very bitter.
Really? I'm quite amused by it all.

Surely the one thing pro- and anti-royalists can agree on is that who the Royals are as individuals is completely irrelevant to their position in our society

Up to a point, yes, which is why it's the overall principle I object to even more than individual horrors. But it's precisely that principle - the very fact that we're stuck with them - that in my view encourages a lot of the awfulness

Knowing that your position's unassailable and that you have no accountability at all isn't always an encouragement to behave decently

Knowing that your position's unassailable and that you have no accountability at all isn't always an encouragement to behave decently

Really well put @puzzledandpissedoff

If that lovely man Andrew had been born first we’d be looking at him as our future king.

Ithink we would - that Republican website says we should have a head of state like Ireland - dull as dishwater;

Why wouldn’t any future monarch be as “dull as dish water” or are you saying all the Windsor’s are full of charisma? What a strange argument for not having a presidency. If the job of monarch had to be applied for and it was based on personality do you really think Charles would get the job? Exactly, that’s how bizarre and ridiculous the whole thing is, they don’t even have to try, the only requirement is to be born.

By the way, the Irish President has more charisma in his little finger than the bumbling over privileged pampered Charles.

Frankly, whoever thinks that a country is dull for not having a monarchy... deserves to continue paying the monarchs for polishing their boots....

“dull as dish water”

Actually I meant the whole set up in Ireland was dull - not necessarily the individual.

By the way, the Irish President has more charisma in his little finger than the bumbling over privileged pampered Charles.

And yet the world's media appear to have overlooked him. According to Republic, our new head of state would represent Britain on the 'world stage'.

They are also contradictory; "unlike Prince Charles, who ignores the unwritten rule that he shouldn't become political"

And yet Michael D Higgins (Irish head of state in case you were wondering like me) has spoken out against Donald Trump:

"criticised his US counterpart Donald Trump’s policy on climate change as “regressive and pernicious” on the eve of his visit to Ireland."

Speech at the 10th conference of the European Federation of Public Service Unions; "Those who were currently excluded in society were “being abandoned to become the prey of xenophobes, homophobes and racists.”^

Not political! I can just see Prince Charles getting away with comments like that.

So they do a lot of visits and are token heads on charities and societies as do/are a lot of non-Royal (non-state funded) rich elite. So what?!

They have still done fuck all to inspire and comfort their nation in this horrendous crisis. Oh but they did clap for the NHS, make a few speeches and deliver some care packages....

#stepthefuckup

Actually I meant the whole set up in Ireland was dull - not necessarily the individual.

At least it's egalitarian.

And yet Michael D Higgins (Irish head of state in case you were wondering like me) has spoken out against Donald Trump

Sounds like a man with principles and balls.

Sounds like a man with principles and balls.

I bet Camilla's wink got more publicity across the world though.

LOL. I'm glad PC is doing something right.