What do you expect from our Royal Family

[Spectre8]

There were alot of good discussions and comments on my previous thread re. William missing the VJ day around the role and expectations of the Royal Family. I didn't want it to be a bashing thread to make personal attacks at William or Kate but well some comments were still made.

So its made me think there is still a very worthwhile discussion to be had about the future of the RF and their role. So lets try to keep it about that and not specifically about the person in that current role.

For me, if the next King wants a more private life, that his service and duty is not about the number of engagements he or the working royals do then its needs to be really articulated what their purpose is and 100% transparency of the sovereign grant, even a reduction of it since some of the money goes towards covering the cost of these engagments. I'd also like to see some of assets returned to us so we can monetise them to pay for their upkeep.

I don’t think getting rid of the monarchy would improve things overnight. Nor do I think it would immediately give us more money.

My opposition to the monarchy is because this is a family who through nothing more than luck of birth, seem to be above every law in the land, can do what they want when they want, and offer little value to society. Yes some of the “minor” royals do charity work etc., but where are the major voices? There is a crisis in the Middle East. There are famines all over the world. With their level of wealth they could be making such a huge difference. Domestically, we have children living in poverty. Nurses going to food banks. Again, where is their voice?

I want them gone because I disagree with people being born into positions of immense wealth and power, and doing very little to serve their”subjects” with that wealth and power.

I mean it is odd for you to say I shouldn't bring up other countries because when republics are discussed on here, all the more unpopular Presidents or Heads of other republic countries are brought up on a regular basis as an example of why not to have a Republic.

It doesn't matter how many times you say... well, that's a different country/person, it is held as a firm example

Yes, ours is complicated and it's all hypothetical because it won't happen.

Thank you for the correction @PensionedCruiser - you are totally right. I wasn't careful enough in my wording in that second paragraph (I was in a hurry as was heading out)

No, neither have I. I have, however heard a lot of royal fans say they are!

I would expect a lot more financial transparency

It’s interesting to demand a social contract with somebody who has no choice in being contracted (only in the how)

And abdication isn’t the easy answer - that simply pushes - forces - the burden and lack of choice to a family member or worse, one’s child, and at the same time creates real governance and social cohesion risks for the country.

I think fundamentally a hereditary monarchy is unethical.

It’s not fair that children and eventually adults are forced into a contract and work that they have no choice in.

I think those who manage well within the system believe it’s a privilege to be given the chance to be in that position and giving in return a life of service is also a privilege to be grateful for. I think the late Queen, Charles and William are in this camp.

But if you can’t find that feeing of gratitude within then the resentments build and it feels like a burden imposed on you - Harry. Or something to be exploited because it’s your ‘due’ - Andrew.

I think those who manage well within the system believe it’s a privilege to be given the chance to be in that position and giving in return a life of service is also a privilege to be grateful for. I think the late Queen, Charles and William are in this camp.

I wouldn't put W in that camp, he comes across to me like he doesn't like the press (which I understand) and doesn't like the role he has to play.

What this got to do with this thread? This isnt about the individuals themselves but stepping back and discussing the role instead.

Honestly I don’t get that impression from various interviews and speeches he’s given over the years. And the press corps often talk about how personable he is with them on official duties which doesn’t indicate he doesn’t like the press during official duties.

I imagine he’s got quite an aversion to the pap style photographers in his private life bearing in mind what happened to his mother and Kate.

He has a really interesting approach to his private secretaries which gives me a lot of hope for his future reign. He seems to be treating these years preparing for the role as a sort of monarch university. Every two years or so he hires a new person with a new speciality or set of skills.

So there was one who came from the civil service who was known as a budget whizz - particularly good at cutting waste in government departments, and then he was followed by someone with a lot of experience in foreign affairs.

How long can PW use the kids as excuse.
yes the family has had an awful time.
but he still does not need to have weeks off. It’s not like he does much when he is supposed to be working.

Do you mean royal fans in general or the regular posters on here?

Because it’s a continuation of the last thread and you’re asking how much they do? And as PW is the future of the family, is is relevant. Sorry, I obviously missed your list of strict rules about what we are allowed to discuss 🙄

But we don’t know. Look at the way everyone behaved about Kate when she was actually having cancer treatment. We don’t know what’s going on with their family, so it’s a bit much for others to be having a go. In my opinion.

@wordler Just my opinion, we all have different ones.

I know this is heresy. But a lot of the issues would have gone away if they had just released a LITTLE more information. Like the King did.

I suspect in hindsight they wish they'd done some things a bit differently but it did rage out of control in a way that was unexpected - it was reminiscent of the craziness in the Diana years.

I disagree.

Kensington Palace announced on 17th January that the Princess of Wales had gone in for planned surgery the day before; that she was expected to say in hospital 10-14 days; that she was not expected to take part in public engagements until after Easter. They also said she wanted to maintain as much normality for the children as possible, and asked for privacy.

On 23rd March (so just before Easter, i.e. within the time period mentioned initially) she made her personal statement saying that cancer had been found in tests after the operation, that she was having chemotherapy, and that they had taken time to break the news to the children in the most appropriate way.

The speculation was horrible, unwarranted and totally unjustifiable.

Isn't Balmoral (and Sandringham) privately owned? Pretty sure that George VI had to pay Edward VIII for them to stay in the family as Edward wanted to sell to finance his new life with Wallis

Well she went in for abdominal surgery for a non-cancerous issue and she'd be off until Easter. Then before Easter she announced that cancer had been discovered - so within the timeframe originally announced.

Strange that people begrudge her from having a few weeks to process that she has cancer in her early 40s with 3 young children just to satisfy the Daily Fail and nosy people. The "Oprah" generation just have no patience!

By the way - King Charles has never been "open" about what type of cancer he has either.

The speculation was horrible, unwarranted and totally unjustifiable.

It was horrendous wasn’t it, as were the threads on here, shameful in fact.

I don't know why so many think a Republic would be better - I don't have a lot of enthusiasm for President Johnson, President Cameron, President Blair or President Farage ... which would be the reality

I know he hasn’t-and there is no reason why he should. But he said that he had cancer and was having treatment very quickly.

No reason why it should be any of those people. But it would be a fixed term ceremonial role. So it doesn’t matter who it is really, so long as the can behave nicely in public. So, actually, probably not Johnson!

And the Princess of Wales made her statement about having cancer before she was due to be back to public duties.

There were two statements about her health, both perfectly clear, with no undue delay.