The queen's decor

merlot!

onmyown somehow I can't see her at a sex party.

It wasn't a live in position but did offer an interest free loan to buy a season ticket if required.

I can't see her at a sex party but I bet Phil the Greek has had a few adventures. When Harry was caught out in Vegas I reckon he was only carrying on a family tradition

Lilygran, the four countries of the UK have x ammount of money for health, Scotland and Wales chose free prescriptions England didn't . So you should take it up with your MP yes

I am quite aware the windsors are not responsible for the cut backs, even in Wales we know the queen isn't the PM, I think asking for over 6% pay rise is greedy , she certainly doesn't believe we are all in it together! neither does the idiot who first said it. It shows disregard for the people she vowed to serve. Not asking for more would have been a gesture, even if she does have millions in her purse. The queen has become a sacred cow by aging, yet only eighteen years ago many were screaming for her blood, at that time I admired her for not dancing to the press and publics tune. I do not see the windsors as saints

Maybe she just looked at the MPs payrise, Annie, and did not realise the rest of us were not getting one.

Neither do I, Anniebach. And I know it is government policy that determines how NHS priorities are set. The point I was making, in fact. Buckingham Palace is a building of importance to the nation, like the Palace of Westminster only nearly 100 years earlier. Both have been neglected in terms of major repairs and refurbishment, both will cost a fortune to put right. You really seem to have a personal issue with the Queen. If she were planning to spend the extra on diamonds or cars, you might have some reason to complain about 'greed'.

What is she spending the extra on, Lilygran?
If Osborne gives a tax cut to top earners, she will get another 5% as her tax will be cut from 45 to 40%. She would do okay just on that.

This is what the Civil List was spent on in 2011-2012 (Different income source now) www.royal.gov.uk/latestnewsanddiary/annualfinancialreports/annualfinancialreports.aspx

(About the Civil List www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/Royalfinances/Sourcesoffunding/TheCivilList.aspx)

Royal Households 2010 (with a detailed list ) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Households_of_the_United_Kingdom

"The Royal Households of the United Kingdom are the collective departments which support members of the British Royal Family. Many members of the Royal Family who undertake public duties have separate households. They vary considerably in size, from the large Royal Household which supports the Sovereign to the household of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, with fewer than ten members. The lesser households are funded from the Civil List annuities, paid to their respective royal employers for their public duties, and all reimbursed to HM Treasury by the Queen.

In addition to the royal officials and support staff, the Sovereign's own household incorporates representatives of other estates of the Realm, including the Government, the Military, and the Church. Government whips, defence chiefs, several clerics, scientists, musicians, poets, and artists hold honorary positions within the Royal Household. In this way, the Royal Household may be seen as having a symbolic, as well as a practical, function: exemplifying the Monarchy's close relationship with other parts of the Constitution and of national life."

There was a big thing made in the media about Kate and William travelling to Aus on a scheduled flight as if they'd just travelled with the plebs.

It cost £107958.

These are the various prices for different classes of travel on the same flight.

£10000 First Class

£6427 Business Class

£3721 Premium Economy

£1748 Economy

As they won't all have travelled first class how many people went?

Blimey! This is like one of those brain teasers you get at the end of a pub quiz.

Haven't a clue.

My grandson's maths lessons all next week, vampire.
He doesn't use a calculator.

If a herring and a half cost three ha'pence . . .

Lilygran, I do not have a problem with the queen, don't know her, never met her never will . For me the only benefit is she saves me from another damn election which a president would bring. The queen didn't start paying tax untill 1993 and only pays the basic rate , that was forty years on the throne storing up all that money . She is so wealthy it isn't possible for a true assessment of her wealth to be given. Her art collection, massive jewellery hoard, stud farms, privately owned homes, even her stamp collection is considered priceless as is her Faberge egg collection. She has a brilliant PR machine , they all do. Yes she has never failed in her duty but it's the tosh we are fed about their concern for the people of this country which gets to me. Yes she turns up for events which must be soooo boring, but with at least five months holiday a year I am sure it's bearable. Yes she does well for a woman her age, who wouldn't when they have never depended on the NHS, never had to choose the cheap cuts of meat or even wondered if she can afford a holiday for her children. She has allowed her children to be a lazy money grabbers and now some of her grandchildren are following . I am really angry that those two lazy grandaughters are given apartments in a palace , why can't they get a job and a mortgage . We have to pay for security for at least fourteen homes for her and her family but are not told the true costs. William gets a 57 roomed London home, yet so many have suffered under the bedroom tax . That Kensington palace apartment is a council house , 57 rooms for a family of four !

durhamjen, she doesn't pay 40% tax

What percentage of her income does she pay?

www.royal.gov.uk/TheRoyalHousehold/Royalfinances/Taxation.aspx says:

In 1992, The Queen volunteered to pay income tax and capital gains tax, and since 1993 her personal income has been taxable as for any other taxpayer.

The Queen has always been subject to Value Added Tax and pays local rates on a voluntary basis.

Does this mean she pays the Council Tax on each of her houses (not the one's we own obviously because she pays nothing for them)?

Are we to be grateful she pays VAT? Even the poorest of us have to pay that.

Thanks, Annie. I assumed that wanting to pay tax meant she wanted to be treated like the rest of us.
You mean she pays the same rate as me? That's ridiculous.

And it's all volentary Jen, she only started to pay tax in 1993 because Charles had enough of a brain to listen to the anger of people that she wasn't paying a penny, neither did her father. Just a couple of years ago the financial chaps for Charles were called to appear before a select comittee in the house, at one point they declined to answer some questions, declined to answer. 2006 Charles decided to buy a home in Wales - big fanfare , a place to stay when he visits Wales . Jobs for the locals in the village etc. He passed the planning stage with a list of so many advantages to the local community . He does not stay there , he rents the farm house and converted barns as holiday homes to those he knows , it's great for fishing and he got fishing rights with the farm. The place is guarded 365 days of the year,staff were brought in from London , sister of Camilla was appointed interior designer no matter applications were made by Welsh designers . He stays with the Legg Bourkes on their estate and when he visits the North he stays in Powys castle. The police and the army guard the farmhouse so the visitors get privacy , how many homes do this family own and run as a business whilst we pay for security , grrrrr

It is a very true saying, that you cannot change by rational argument an opinion which was not reached by a rational process.

True Lilygran I have experienced it over years with people who genuinely adore the windsors , make gifts, stand for hours to see one pass , there is nothing rational in this behaviour so cannot expect a rational argument

As I said earler, Lilygran, Buck House can still be a building of national importance. Just without the Windsors in it.
Has anybody mentioned that the name was adopted because they did not want to be forever associated with their German forebears?

For heaven's sake!

I'm not worried by people queuing in the rain or otherwise to see members of the royal family, film-stars, pop-stars, sports stars or even real stars. I've never done it myself and don't think I'll start now. I'm quite happy to debate republic versus constitutional monarchy or any other forms of government. Complaints about the sovereign being privileged don't constitute debate. Mindless prejudice!

Anyone who didn't know that hasn't been paying much attention. I'd like for every time it was mentioned last year with all the WW1 commemorations.

But why should the re-furb also inconvenience Anne, Andrew, Charles, Edward and all of their offspring? They have other premises - don't they? Kensington Palace, Sandringham (where Phllip is said to reside mostly these days - must be the clean air), Anmer, Royal Lodge Windsor, Bagshot Park, St James Palace, Clarence House, Highgrove, Gatcombe, etc, etc, etc. I also thought the refurb at Windsor after the Great Fire was for the monarch to be able to move in to permanently due to incessant Heathrow traffic pollution and invasion of privacy in the back garden. Of course foreign visitors contribute to the economy - Qatar, UAE, Russians, etc, etc, etc. Aren't the Qataris re-furbing the Castle of Mey, too, as well as UAE nationals buying up swathes of Scotland? Thinking about it - we can re-name this country UKAE.