Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Could this be the end of the Royal family?

839 replies

BeijingBikini · 30/03/2020 12:52

I don't mean if they die of the virus...

But there's nothing like a lockdown to really highlight inequality. I saw an article yesterday about Kate + William "isolating" at Anmer Hall, having done a photoshoot where they pretend to be on the telephone and writing ("working").

I think if people are going to have to spend months at home, in small flats with kids, still going out to work or trying to WFH, queueing for supermarkets with empty shelves......that could definitely breed some discontent. Or if people catch it and have to be treated in makeshift hospitals, not getting an ambulance until they're struggling to breathe, while the RF can be whisked away to a private hospital for treatment. I've already seen a lot of comments along the lines of "why don't they offer up their many palaces to be used as hospitals, rather than doing newspaper articles".

Opinions?

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 30/03/2020 14:21

Tourism, Brooke, why do you think there's any link between the Royal Family and tourism - am not having a go at you, have herd many people state there is but haven't been able to understand it myself.

Brookeinabook · 30/03/2020 14:23

I think they're part of what makes the UK 'brand' to a certain extent Zilla1 although most of that could be maintained without them ie tourism from visiting the palaces and so on.

Welcometothequiz · 30/03/2020 14:23

I love seeing pics of them right now, esp with the children clapping etc, it's lovely. If they were out and about they'd be pulled apart, they're quietly staying at home like the rest of us.

Escapeistheonlyoption · 30/03/2020 14:24

If a royal went into labour in a private hospital and there was a serious emergency

Didnt Sophie Wessex have an emergency NHS delivery?

Wolfgirrl · 30/03/2020 14:25

@Welcometothequiz

You do realise they're head of state dont you? Do you feel a few photos is worth 60 million pounds a year?

Testarossa44 · 30/03/2020 14:27

When I read about the children loving the freedom of the garden and pond dipping while Kate is poised with a notebook to record their findings I just thought wow, that is so out of step with how millions are people are cooped up in flats and homes without a garden at all, never mind the opportunity for pond dipping!!! Do they really have no idea about the true picture of how that country is surviving at the moment?

Escapeistheonlyoption · 30/03/2020 14:29

If they were out and about they'd be pulled apart, they're quietly staying at home like the rest of us

Their home is Kensington Palace. They are certainly not at home like the rest of us. They are on holiday at their 2nd home.

Welcometothequiz · 30/03/2020 14:31

Sorry, but they bring a lot of pleasure to lots of people at a time like this. Tourism, and god help us we will need it on-going, benefits massively from their very existence.

Nomorepies · 30/03/2020 14:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Bubblebu · 30/03/2020 14:33

and BREAKING news! Prince Charles is now out of self isolation....
Phew for that.

ineedaholidaynow · 30/03/2020 14:33

Maybe they are doing things behind the scenes. Lets face it, if they donated £1m people would be complaining that they hadn't donated £2m

Brookeinabook · 30/03/2020 14:33

Sorry, but they bring a lot of pleasure to lots of people at a time like this

Genuine question, but how are they bringing a lot of pleasure?

Wolfgirrl · 30/03/2020 14:34

@Welcometothequiz

The old tourism myth strikes again...

And I'm sure the ~60 million a year would bring far more joy to people in poverty than the useless royals bring to the public.

Brookeinabook · 30/03/2020 14:34

Maybe they are doing things behind the scenes. Lets face it, if they donated £1m people would be complaining that they hadn't donated £2m

True. But it'd be better than nothing...

Noodlenosefraggle · 30/03/2020 14:34

Most of them give nothing back to the economy, even dodging taxes but nobody ever complains about them
I'd say quite a lot of people complain about them dodging taxes, including the Inland Revenue, who have been clawing back tax from.them. The job of celebrities is to do their job and be paid for it by sports clubs/film/ tv studios/magazines etc. The job of the Royal family is what exactly? If they cant be useful at a time of national crisis, they are useless. Everything they do is for the purposes of the preservation of the Royal Family. The whole Meghan/Harry nonsense makes a mockery of them being bound by 'duty'. They could all bugger off if they wanted and still live the lives of the aristocracy. It would make no constitutional difference to the rest of us. They don't want to because eventually their children will run out of money and have to get a job.

TheMagiciansMewTwo · 30/03/2020 14:35

I don't really understand the criticism of them playing in the garden. Should they stay inside because other people don't have gardens? Confused

lentenwonder · 30/03/2020 14:35

You don’t think we’d be spending at least £60m on security for some d list celeb to do ceremonial functions? That’s what would happen.

Escapeistheonlyoption · 30/03/2020 14:35

Hang on that "photo shoot" was a photo taken of them before the lockdown when they visited a 111 call centre on 20 March. Not at the weekend.

Not it wasn't. That visit was the 1st time she wore that suit but that photo said it was recent- read the Twitter link.

So full make up to work from home in a house that should have been family/household only (I assume that include the nanny)

RedRec · 30/03/2020 14:35

Hope so - am turning Republican while they all hide away without a word.

Wolfgirrl · 30/03/2020 14:36

@Brookeinabook

Because the British public are brought up to believe that without the royals we would have no national pride or history.

Which is beyond ridiculous. Try telling France they have no national pride or history - they're the most visited tourist destination in the world. And guess what? No royals.

Nomorepies · 30/03/2020 14:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Brookeinabook · 30/03/2020 14:38

I don't really understand the criticism of them playing in the garden. Should they stay inside because other people don't have gardens? confused

Not really a garden though, more the grounds of a stately home. Has a bit of a 'let them eat cake' vibe

wolfgirl I agree

Welcometothequiz · 30/03/2020 14:39

Genuine question, but how are they bringing a lot of pleasure?

Simple answer, it's a bit of escapism. I'm glued to the news atm, stuck indoors for the foreseeable future and it's nice to see some pictures of them as a bit of light relief. Kate is lovely, the kids are cute, I like the beautiful gardens and palaces, they are part of our history and cultural identity. £60 million is a drop in the ocean, far rather the £106 BILLION for HS2 were reapportioned for this crisis tbh.

There you go, hth 🤗

MintyMabel · 30/03/2020 14:39

It should be wholly owned by the state, run for profit and then 100% of the revenue would go to the state.

It is. The Queen only owns Sandringham and Balmoral.

All revenue goes to the Crown Estate and they cannot spend more on the estate than they receive in revenue.

SubjectMatterExpert · 30/03/2020 14:40

I read earlier that the Queen of Malaysia is cooking meals for their NHS workers