Prince Andrew has bolted to Balmoral

[Viviennemary]

This according to guess who. The DM of course. To avoid getting papers served says the article. Maybe he's just gone for a nice break. Accompanied by Fergie.

@Dreamstate

The more we see taxes going up the more anger there is when you see them needing more of tax payers money to fund refurbishments of places like Buckingham Palace. Since they live their fund it themselves. Noones funds my house renovations.

Let's not forget the bomb-proof Sovereign Grant which is guaranteed not to fall in value.

A particularly useful bailout when your income is linked to property holdings which have taken a pandemic related pounding.

The monarch isn't going anywhere, regardless of who's head the crown is on. The UK has had a monarch since its inception.

1800?

It’s not clear that the U.K. will exist in its current form by the end of the century.

The U.K. hasn’t always had a monarch and for various reasons the heir to the throne has sometimes been sent packing.

@Farfalle88

You talk of Royal Lodge and how enormous it is...have a look at Bagshot Park, Edward's gaff.
Royal Lodge is a semi detached in comparison!
130 rooms I think

The Sovereign Grant increased by over 80% in a ten year period

The U.K. hasn’t always had a monarch

That’s not true, the UK has always had a monarch.

If you’re talking about a monarch over earlier forms of the state that became the UK, you are looking at ten years in the last 1,200 years (since Athelstan in 935) for England, and 21 years in the 1,300 years that Scotland has had a monarchy.

In other words, England has had a monarchy for 99% of the time since it was founded, and Scotland 98%.

They have asked for the amount they get from the sovereign grant (taxpayers money) to be in increased to 25% to pay for (the refurb)

The arrangements around this intigue me, since we were told the 25% was a temporary uplift, but there's now the thing where the Sovereign Grant can only go up not down

Since Charles will probably be "it" when the work's completed, does anyone really imagine he'd be happy to see the money reduced - especially when it's reported that he'd rather like to keep all of it rather than just a share?
I'd ask if he'd also be happy to fund government costs, as they had to before the 1760 deal, but I think we all know the answer to that

@Serenster

The U.K. hasn’t always had a monarch

That’s not true, the UK has always had a monarch.

If you’re talking about a monarch over earlier forms of the state that became the UK, you are looking at ten years in the last 1,200 years (since Athelstan in 935) for England, and 21 years in the 1,300 years that Scotland has had a monarchy.

In other words, England has had a monarchy for 99% of the time since it was founded, and Scotland 98%.

Serenster thank you, genuinely thought I'd missed a large part of history or something then. I'm aware of the Cromwell years and no monarch but that's it 1649 - 1660.

Scotland and England have generally always had a monarch, we are historically a principality here in Wales so it's different for us.

These days you can't just turn up to a place behead someone and claim a republic. My god the cost of overhauling the entire British Law system, Armed Forces, and others would be eye watering. The rebranding alone would cost millions never mind procedural changes. Just for the expense to the tax payer for changing I vote they stay.

[quote Roussette]@Farfalle88

You talk of Royal Lodge and how enormous it is...have a look at Bagshot Park, Edward's gaff.
Royal Lodge is a semi detached in comparison!
130 rooms I think [/quote]
And?

@Roussette

The Sovereign Grant increased by over 80% in a ten year period

And a third of it is used to fund maintenance at the all palaces owned by the Crown Estate, thus maintaining their value for the Crown Estate, which in true generates the funds that pay the Sovereign Grant. As the funds from the Crown Estate that aren’t paid in the form of the Sovereign Grant are paid to Treasury to use for the benefit of the nation’s finances.

Property assets, particularly historic ones, need maintenance. Buckingham Palace in particular was sorely in need of a complete overhaul to prevent further long term damage. If the assets aren’t maintained then the Crown Estate will incur more costs, and generate less revenue overall, so we all end up worse off.

The Royal Family only privately own six residences (including estates like Balmoral, which has a number of houses on it). They are only tenants of the rest.

The UK is the oldest monarchy isn't it? Are there other countries with a comparable system or length of history? Just thinking it might be useful to make some comparisons. I think I'd rather see some reforms than get rid of the Royals altogether. It would be so destabilising - even having a referendum would further polarise people as with Brexit and potentially land us in a bit of a mess.

And?

Excessive? Do you not think so? 130 rooms for a family of four. 27 Royal residences OK with you I presume... castles, palaces and the like

I agree Aspiring there will never be a referendum not for a very long time, if at all. And yes it would be destabilising.
Slimmed down big time suits me.
Just my opinion

The U.K. hasn’t always had a monarch

Sorry, as should have been clear from my post I meant England hasn’t always had a monarch. The U.K. is a relatively recent concept.

I’d far rather the Royal Family have those places than to have them bought up by Oligarchs and wealthy Saudis.

These days you can't just turn up to a place behead someone and claim a republic

No, but the monarchy is really only symbolic and there is no reason to assume the U.K. will remain in its present form.

Only one monarch has been beheaded, but others have been removed if they don’t toe the line.

I’d far rather the Royal Family have those places than to have them bought up by Oligarchs and wealthy Saudis.

Actually given recent revelations it could be argued that wealthy Saudis and Oligarchs are ‘buying’ Royal palaces. They certainly seem to be finding their upkeep in return for favours.

They should all be given to the National Trust for the nation. That really would bring in some money!

Who owns what is a bit confusing. If the Queen gave H&M frogmore cottage why were they asked to pay rent on it. And could they sell it if it's theirs. Presumably not.

Excessive? Do you not think so? 130 rooms for a family of four. shock 27 Royal residences OK with you I presume... castles, palaces and the like I couldn't care less. I have enough to worry about without concerning myself about others' living arrangements. You can only sleep in one bedroom at a time, sit on one chair at a time, sit on one loo at a time.

@Farfalle88

They should all be given to the National Trust for the nation. That really would bring in some money!

and the same people who moan all the time about the cost of the RF would write messages on here complaining about the prices charged by the National Trust.

I could care less.

And saying they can only sit on one chair or loo at a time illustrates my point perfectly.

This is a family we pay for so we should concern ourselves AFAIC.

I would never moan about NT prices to see inside some of these castles and palaces

"The Treasury is planning to supplement the Sovereign Grant after the monarch’s land and property investments took a hit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Elizabeth I’s income is drawn from a 25% share in the profits generated by the Crown Estate, which has announced losses amid the health crisis.

Her share of the Crown Estate profits in 2021-22 is expected to increase by 0.4% to £86.3million – a rise of £350,000 – because overall profits increased by 0.4% in 2019-20"

So whilst ordinary people losing jobs, businesses etc. we ended up bailing her out because crown estates profits dropped and they wanted to ensure she still got the same amount as profit from previous yrs.

How anyone can stomach that and think that's acceptable is beyond me.

£86m a year!!!@ how much does one family need. Its outrageous.

“He was served the papers in August. But don't let the truth get in the way of your prejudice.”
What prejudice @Porridgealert?
VA’s legal team have been trying to serve the legal papers since August. However, PA’s legal team have avoided their service by one way or another up to the point now that it is going to court to see if the Judge will accept a default service of them. It’s a ridiculous situation where he is trying to not have them served so he doesn’t have to face up to it.
These are the facts. You should check them yourself!
What prejudice do you think I have? Please explain. I am actually offended by this, when there are so many bigger issues at play here. Are you seriously trying to defend PA?

www.bbc.com/news/uk-58527909

Here’s the “truth” porridge 🙄

Here is the growing cost of the Royals in the 9 years to 2019/20. Huge % increases and 20/21 is missing as it's now up to £86.3m

And there is some law or ruling that it can never go down, only up