Palace refurb

Time to separate the image of the office from the perception of the holder of it, I'd say. I wouldn't object if the future monarchy were abolished, but as a person, our present monarch is NOT a grasping old bat.

She inherited the position when her father died, and took it on knowing well that the strain of becoming head of state out of duty when his brother buggared off had contributed to killing her at too early an age. She was an idealistic young woman, who vowed to spend her life in what she saw as the service of her country, and she has stuck to that vow, and to her marriage vows.

She is not to blame for the faults of her children and grandchildren - how many Gransnetters on here have posted about what their families have done?

killing him, not her. Should have proofread.

The financial arrangements were in place long before she acceded to the throne, any changes would have involved a lot of constitutional stuff - which she is not supposed to interfere with.

A head of state should be completely separate from and independent of the political life of the country, and be a stable presence and continuity that stays in place over whatever changes in party policy and so on follow each other as different groups are voted into and out of power and change priorities backwards and forwards.

That was supposed to be the case with the US presidency, but because it is a position of power, it is also a position that people compete to get, canvassing for votes in exactly the same way as party politicians canvass for election, and leading to the presidential candidates being elected on party lines.

Our head of state currently has no public political opinions, no political powers, only enters the houses of Parliament when invited, and does not appoint anyone else to positions of power. Any other kind of head of state would need to have none of these powers either.

At a time when some frail elderly people cannot get more than a fifteen minute visit from a carer queenie has footmen to hang around doors and walk her dogs.

This is so wrong and I wish this family would realise they are hurling thus country to abolishing the monarchy

And the Donald will visit Windsor not Buck house

If the position of head of state were not hereditary, there would have to be a way of appointing one. The US way is not an ideal one.

It would be best if the appointment were achieved in a completely different way to the appointment of representative MPs, so as to avoid them being clones of the MPs and not completely independent. In several of the city-states of Ancient Greece, public officials were chosen by lot from those who put themselves forward. Well, it would definitely be different!

If anyone feels like examining and comparing various methods of choosing a head of state, read Methods of Choosing a Head of State by the Parliament of Australia.

If the monarchy were to be abolished I can just see the frantic OPs on Gransnet:

A Bad Day for the UK
Farage for President
Blair returns in Presidential Yacht

and all the horrified posts when they realise that a Trumplike person has become President and wants to increase the allowance for Head of State by about 500%?.

The only thing I would like to see Blair returning in is a Presidential Yurt!

I, too, cannot understand how the place came to be in such a bad state in the first place-whose job was it then?
I do think the monarchy/republican debate is a separate one from these costly repairs at a time when there are SO many folks struggling.
Is there no-one with a business brain who could get the place done up:-
opening the art gallery to all (for a reasonable charge so all could see our treasures), keeping State rooms for "best" (but also open for joe/Josephine public to see) for when we want to show off to visiting folks (hopefully to drum up trade!)
Cordon off a few rooms for Queen, DH to live in when they must
Suppose keep balcony for waving duties
The rest should be a luxury hotel-the tourists would love it.

I also understand the grounds are huge-unacceptable when so many folks are homeless. Build an estate of social housing-but not for immigrants! Locals first!

I still say the whole things should be sold off to the highest bidder and turned into a luxury hotel. That way all the tourists can have their fix and the money could be put to good use. Let's face it the queen only uses it occasionally and £300+ million pounds is an awful lot of money for the occasional night stay especially when "one" has so many other luxury residences that "one" can use.

What a sensible post lefthanded..... but it seems that a lot on this thread choose to ignore it in favour of the ' Hang the rich bastards' type of dialogue.

I dont think anyone on here said "hang the rich bastards" I do think however theres a huge difference in people who have worked their way up the ladder and MADE their money and the royals who just hold out their hands and get what they want JUST because of WHO they are .The monarchy is an out of date our of touch concept in a modern world. When people are struggling and there are more homeless on the streets than ever before for this family to continue to be so privileged and pampered is obscene ...in my opinion .I however have always been a republican .Like I said before ,where a guillotine when you need one !1

I have posted before that I think Buckingham Palace would be an ideal heritage site. It could include art galleries – the monarch has a lot of pictures etc. – and a museum of royalty, including access to private and state apartments. It could also be used as a venue for fund-raising balls, posh (or, possibly not so posh) weddings and other hiring events. When there is a royal occasion – wedding, christening, anniversary, birthday, Trooping the Colour or whatever – it could be closed to the public and the appropriate Windsors can troop into the state ballroom, on to the state balcony or whatever is required. Guards could still change at regular hours and the revenue from the above could pay for repairs to the building. Having said that, I am aware that the current plan for the money for the repairs is to be taken from the Crown Estates – a kind of tax refund for the Queen. (Of course, other income to the Monarch, say from investments, is a separate and private area of tax.)

I am a republican at heart but appreciate that the Queen has worked very hard within her role to do the right thing as she saw it when she ascended to the throne and since. And I also appreciate that mostly she has – there are one or two things that I feel very iffy about. I also thing that monarchy is anachronistic and once the Queen dies, it would be better to move to a republic. Can I remind people that there are many forms of presidential government – why does everyone focus on the American political system which is so very different from that of the UK.

Perhaps a footballer, Philip Green, Donald Trump or even David Cameron (earning £120,000 per hour) could buy Buck House would the republicans in this country be happy then?
She is ninety and has worked since her early 20's in service for this country give her a break.

Well said BRedhead.

Why when it comes to a discussion on the life styles of the windsors must some claim to have a monarch we need this family and we should keep them in the manner their ancestors lived or have a president ?

paddyann so not 'hang the rich bastards' ......just guillotine them?

I kind of agree with you absent about the future of the monarchy. The building still needs major work on it now, whatever the use as a public building.

Childrens Hospices are in crisis

AB There are 2 Children's Hospices in Scotland - Rachel House and Robin House both run by CHAS (Children's Hospice Association Scotland). They are NOT in financial Crisis thanks to the dedicated efforts of a legion of volunteers. The Scottish Government has recently allocated a substantial block grant to CHAS to fund their outreach service for families too ill or distant to travel to the hospices. If there is the will it is possible to fund Children's Hospices properly, even in these times of austerity.

Grsnny23, Scotland is not the UK, there are four countries in the UK, Scotland is just one of the four

rosesarered....JOKE !! Just as a final comment here THE CROWN ESTATES are NOT "owned by the Queen" they were relinquished by George the third to offset his debts after living way beyond his means ,so the royal family are getting a percentage from a company they dont own ,which in fact belongs to the taxpayer ...so in effect WE PAY FOR THEM ! Still we have people who think she "gives" all this money from her estates to the government and that is simply not true .

They are not owned by the country either. They were put into a separate trust, the income from which is used by the country. The original post is about who should pay for the refurbishment of a proprty owned by that trust- surely the answer is the owners! The queen lives in a small part of it, the rest is offices. Perhaps she should be asked to pay for the proportion represented by the rooms that she uses ? (someone said that it is ten rooms)

An old lady living with her even older husband in a building full of offices and people coming and going, where her bedroom has at least once been invaded by a stranger, and being a prime target for a fanatic keen on assassination or kidnap, no wonder she has footmen constantly on hand.

And George III had only just come to the throne - any debts were incurred by his predecessors, a lot of it in the process of paying the costs of the admin of a nation. The deal was that the monarch should stop paying for it all, in return for an income.

Change the terms of the income legally, by all means, after discussion in Parliament. Change the way we appoint a head of state if that is the "will of the npeople" but have something better to put in place, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater and leave a vacancy to be filled by whoever is most ambitious to fill it.

and somebody posted on my FB page that HM approves of Trump because she is going to receive him here.

Where do people get these ideas from?

They have no concept of anyone being obliged to be publicly polite and receive a legitimate head of state who (so far) has not proved himself a vicious tyrant, whatever their private opinion. "Let it all hang out" is the mantra, they expect her to throw a wobbly and refuse to recognise him and start a war with the US over it, I daresay.