Is anyone else thinking the optics are off: royals in a golden coach whilst the UK is in a cost of living crisis?

[MsPinkMarshmallow]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11456933/Prince-Princess-Wales-greet-South-African-president.html

People are struggling to heat their homes, feed their kids and pay their mortgages but the royals are in the Mall in a golden carriage and giving state banquets.

Can't we just get rid of the lot of them?

I genuinely don’t understand people’s obsession with the fact that other people’s experience’s may have been different to theirs. That doesn’t make them false?

I haven't said they're false. I'm just having a bit of fun contesting the claim the royals are seen a 'reasonable amount' in London.

The general consensus seems to be they're not.

Exactly. I remember going to London in my late teens or early 20s and going to BP to see I could see the Queen. And I'm British.

They fly themselves here. We just accommodate them when they arrive. As you do for friends.

MarshaMelrose

Yes that's right, they 'fly' here!!! That's my point, thereby contributing to climate change.

Add on the cost of security plus the cost of staging a banquet!

So many people are having to choose between eat or heat.

I'm a royalist but this extravagance is not endearing them to me.

But, Gooseberry, living crisis or not, the world keeps turning and political relationships have to be fostered and maintained. Even more so in such dangerous times. There are people on holiday, visiting relations, working, voluntary working. All these things require travel. State visits across the world haven't stopped and our royals, the heads of state, are just welcoming another head of state.
It's not an extravagance, it's a political expectation. And it happens in all countries, republics, principalities and kindoms alike.

We'll just have to disagree.

Can you imagine the furore if the royals didn’t do as the government asked & refused to welcome the SA President?

Or reduced the usual welcome & fanfare?

Racism allegations & indignation that the royals weren’t doing their job.

Not once have I said I live by Clarence House! You said I did!
As if! I'm not a billionaire!

Wow! You move in far more exalted circles than me and my family!

My godson saw Jude Law on the tube and politely asked if he could take a pic and was told to fuck off!
And as mentioned my DD saw Wayne Sleep twice 😂

That gold coach looks ludicrous . Like something out of a crap Disney film. Imo something so ridiculous has no place in 2022 and should be in a museum. The other carriages look like 1950s baby prams. Also ridiculous and pointless..

I totally agree with you. I've just been Christmas shopping and passed several homeless people. Puts it into perspective doesn't it.

The actual gold coach is in a museum - it's on public display in the museum at the Royal Mews.

It's used only rarely - Coronations, Jubilee parades, and sometimes for the State Opening of Parliament.

The other coaches are also on display, but are used more often - State visits, weddings, and other parades (including Ascot)