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Future of Monarchies in the 21st Century

(59 Posts)
Devorgilla Wed 16-Sept-15 16:34:58

Rosesarered was kind enough to suggest my earlier post should be a thread of its own so here goes. I have copied below my previous post from the National Anthem Debate for comments.
Perhaps, whitewave, the real question that should be put is:
If the hereditary monarchy did not already exist in UK would you vote for one to be created today?
How would that royal family be chosen?
Every family's name dropped into a big drum and one picked or the strongest warring faction wins?
And the one lucky winner gets all - big houses, job for life, jobs for life for their kids for all time etc.

nigglynellie Sat 19-Sept-15 14:57:23

There's never been so much as a whisper in 68 years! Prince Phillip maybe in the early days, but who knows?! Unless someone has catagoric proof, then I for one, don't believe a word of it.

Lilygran Sat 19-Sept-15 14:56:34

Anya grin. Perhaps Annie has mixed up the Queen and Princess Margaret? But I know she has a secret source of gossip information about the royals. She's referred to it before.

Anya Sat 19-Sept-15 14:38:08

That's a historical fact - I saw it on Black Adder.

Anya Sat 19-Sept-15 14:36:39

Perhaps we're talking about Elizabeth 1 - that would make more sense?

Ceesnan Sat 19-Sept-15 14:34:24

Of course it could be that Anniebach' like me at one time, has forgotten where she heard this juicy piece of gossip grin

Ana Sat 19-Sept-15 14:21:41

Alleged by whom?

sunseeker Sat 19-Sept-15 14:19:45

Well, I haven't even heard about any alleged affairs either.

Anniebach Sat 19-Sept-15 14:14:37

POGS,this poster didn't state the queens affairs but alleged affairs

Elegran Sat 19-Sept-15 14:10:20

If she did have any, then she must have managed them very discreetly if there is no evidence after all this time, and no-one prepared to kiss and tell. Her choice of paramour must have been far better than most royals who stray from the narrow path of fidelity.

POGS Sat 19-Sept-15 13:55:51

I am intrigued now.

Does anybody know of the 'affairs' the Queen is said to have had?

I have never heard a muttering but a poster must have information or why else state it.

POGS Fri 18-Sept-15 23:42:48

Anniebach

What affairs has the Queen had ?

merlotgran Fri 18-Sept-15 23:42:20

Anniebach You're the fount of all knowledge where the Royal Family is concerned so you must surely know all about the Queen's alleged affairs.

Anniebach Fri 18-Sept-15 23:36:10

grumpa, historians never tire of writing about alleged affairs do they?

grumppa Fri 18-Sept-15 23:32:33

Do tell us about the Queen's alleged affairs, Anniebach; I am obviously missing out on something. And I hope historians in the future will have better things to do than pore pruriently over the alleged affairs of someone who had no actual power over anyone.

Devorgilla Fri 18-Sept-15 22:10:48

You can't compare the Cromwellian period with today. Different times, different rules but it did give a kick start to the democracy we operate under today.

rosesarered Fri 18-Sept-15 20:38:38

'One of the ruins that Cromwell knocked abaht a bit' remember that lovely old song?grin

rosequartz Fri 18-Sept-15 20:04:11

Oliver Cromwell blasted our lovely castle to bits.

I agree apricot, we are only custodians. It is not up to us to decide in one particular generation what is important or not about the heritage of our country.

apricot Fri 18-Sept-15 20:01:23

I used to be a republican but decided that neither we nor people to come have any right to destroy our country's heritage.
How do we feel about Oliver Cromwell vandalising our beautiful churches, or Isis blowing up ancient temples because they, living at that moment, didn't like them?
The monarchy is a big part of our history which we have a duty to pass on. It doesn't matter a damn what any individual monarch does, they are only links in a very long chain.

Anniebach Thu 17-Sept-15 19:00:59

Not one of us will be alive when the truth of the queens alleged affairs will be openly discussed by historians

If there was a referendum I would vote to abolish the monarchy , I have no great admiration for the queen , yes she has always been dignified in public, never rocks the boat and receives a life of luxury for herself , her family and extended family in return , she has never given an interview, we only know what the press and royal biographers tell us.

rosesarered Thu 17-Sept-15 18:35:46

Well, we managed not to have any more civil wars.

rosequartz Thu 17-Sept-15 18:26:25

Of course, the monarchy was got rid of briefly here in the 1640's, but was restored[1662?]
That period of history was pretty horrendous.
Are we any more civilised nowadays?

(I mean, away from Gransnet in RL wink)

grumppa Wed 16-Sept-15 23:42:18

If you remove the need for "huge" Buck House and Windsor Castle (Holyrood is not that big) you are still left with a palace and a castle to be maintained at the taxpayer's expense less entry fees that are already charged. You also need somewhere for state banquets, etc.

By all means trim the Royal Family, but don't expect to make huge savings on the upkeep of Grade 1 listed buildings.

pinkprincess Wed 16-Sept-15 23:10:27

I agree about the hangers on, only the monarch, consort and heir should be kept by the state, all others in the family made to work for a living like the rest of us. Also no title of Queen to a male monarch's wife, only Queen if she is the reigning monarch.
This reduced state would remove all the need for all those huge royal residences.

rosesarered Wed 16-Sept-15 20:41:32

yup, plenty of rooms there!

POGS Wed 16-Sept-15 20:39:45

Flipping heck have you seen the Elysée Palace and the Kremlin.