The family firm.

Beckett Is the answer 42?

I have always loved this Douglas Adams quote:

“Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.”

Ireland has had some great presidents

I can only recall the name of one offhand.

Ask someone in a remote area of the world about the Queen and they will not only know who she is but love her.

I prefer a head of state who is apolitical. Even those who are supposed to be above politics in other countries seem to become involved.

pinkquartz yes we need a figurehead and the choice is a monarch or a president. For me -

Anyone who puts their name forward would really,really want
the job, same as politicians want to be leader .

The royals don’t choose , they accept it comes with birth, it is well recorded the Queen father was distraught when his brother abdicated and he was to be king.

The queen is head of the commonwealth and the leaders have elected Charles to succeed her, if we had a president would they be elected ?

I disagreed with Andrew’s daughter having that carriage ride after her wedding but if she were my granddaughter I wouldn’t say yes to a grandson but no to a granddaughter.

A president would need an official residence too, if they have a family they would need protection from gun/bomb happy
thugs.

The heir to the throne accepts his / her role, a president would want the role.

pinkquartz

Quite a few GN’ers fit that description- there will be an ugly rush for the role of president!

I would like to make up a list of qualities required for the President.
Should be a grandparent, lots of life experience gained that way.
Should have a kind heart (but how can we judge this?)
Should be happy to NOT earn a ton of money.

Any more suggestions?

Anniebach

I don't know about a president. I think we could have the Royal figure head for a time, without them being so lavishly looked after.
I will think about the president idea. I know there has to be a figurehead but I am so sick of all the political people we have at this present time.
Just the fact that a person wants the power should disqualify them.
I know there is a famous saying about this but my poor memory isn't on it today!

I have four siblings, = 5 homes

We have 11 children = 11 homes

We have 15 grandchildren = 11 have their own homes

27 homes in total

Good point Annie.

An Independent analysis by The Independent concludes that:- whether The Royal Family is worth it or not is probably less a financial question than a political, moral & aesthetic one.
So if you ignore the cost for a moment, would there still be a call to ‘ let them go’

Every extended family has multiple homes, do you Paddyanne share the same house with your children , grandchildren, ?

woulen't we have to pick from a list of candidates like other countries do...Ireland has had some great presidents and some not so good as have most other countries.The beauty of it is yu can vote them back out.You're not stuck with them ,their children and their childrens children forever.Nor do you have to pay to keep those children etc and provide security for a huge family...and multiple homes.Even a blind man can see that a President isn't always like Trump and some /most are good for their countries

If we have a president who would you choose pinkquartz ?

France has much warmer weather & more to see.
You cannot make a comparison without a properly carried out survey.
We may not need them in particular to bring in tourists, but it is a fact that they do.

You don't need a royal family to being in tourists.
Versailles in France has higher numbers than UK and their royal family passed some time ago!
I dislike the justifications of their luxurious lifestyle proposing that it is beneficial to all. It really isn't.
I understand that some people have a lot of affection for the royals but we don't need them. They are part of the past.
Things change.
After Queenie we should draw a line and stop giving to those who already have so much!

The queen attended the church blessing of Charles and Camilla, there were no guests at the registry wedding.

As far as I recall Zara Phillips did not do an open carriage ride around town after her wedding? Of course the Queen should attend whatever weddings she wishes, or not as in the case of Charles and Camilla.

janipat Andrew’s daughter was married in St.Georges Chapel , yes there was security, the Queen was there . No matter where she married there would have to be security or
should the queen not have attended her granddaughters wedding ?

Andrews daughters do not carry out royal duties, Charles stopped security for them.

Zara Phillips there were security costs for Zara Phillips wedding in Scotland, the queen attended.

Paddyanne people make money from the royals too

I believe that Beatrice and Eugenie do not get an allowance or any particular role as part of the Royal Family although Andrew thinks they should. They will disappear from public view as do all the descendants of the Kents, Gloucesters, Snowdens, Harewoods and many more, who all earn their own livings. They turn up for weddings , funerals, occasions because they are part of the family, nor because they are fulfilling a role.
I do not consider them to be useless hangers-on; my opinion.
I could share my opinion with you about commercial photographers, but I choose not to offend.

Anniebach for goodness sake where did I suggest sterilising a family? I pointed out that their numbers increase exponentially (as with most families) so there will be more and more of them in each generation.
Andrew's daughter was married at Windsor Castle, involving a good deal of security costs. If she does not carry out Royal duties why should we, the public, fund her extra security? Wants to live like a royal but not do the work, doesn't sound very honourable.

we know we pay for security for them ,we know Andrew gets cash from the civil list therefor it trickles down to them .I dont wish these women any harm BUT maybe they should be making their own living and living within their means like most women their age do .

janipat you mean sterilise a family? Andrews daughters do not carry out royal duties, the press choose to write about them if they didn’t we wouldn’t know anything about them

Anniebach well to start with Andrew and his daughters. Why do we need this ever widening circle of family members? The monarch and his/her heir is more than enough for a figurehead. Even if they restrict themselves to 2 children every family member will be responsible for bringing 3 more people into the family fold. It's endless!

they are ALL useless hangers on...

The clothes they wear are from British designers .

Meghan favours designers from South America, France, New Zealand et al. Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham get a look in now and again.