The Monarchy, is there another way?

I am also amused that theres someone who says/believes they're a socialist yet supports the gross inequality of a hereditary monarchy.Maybe the resident "socialist" could tell me HOW that works?

How is the monarchy funded?
The monarchy has never been funded like other public bodies, which are usually set an annual budget based on what they actually need to spend.

Until 2013, the costs of the monarchy – that's the Queen in her role as head of state and the other working royals – were funded by a civil list payment and a number of separate grants covering travel, property maintenance, communications and other expenses.

All these costs have now been rolled into one single annual payment called the “Sovereign Grant”. This has been set at 25% of surplus revenue from the crown estate - a publicly-owned property portfolio - resulting in a payment of £76.1m for 2017/2018.

However, the Sovereign Grant is just one part of the total cost of the monarchy. The royal family's security bill is picked up by the metropolitan police, for example, while the costs of royal visits are borne by local councils.

Meanwhile, income from the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall – despite belonging to the nation - goes directly to the Queen and Prince Charles respectively, depriving the treasury of tens of millions of pounds every year.

When all this hidden expenditure is included, the real cost of the monarchy to British taxpayers is likely to be around £345m annually.

Royal finances reform charter
Republic's royal finances reform charter proposes the following simple reforms, to improve accountability, transparency and fairness in royal finances and to appropriately assign public funds to the Treasury.

Parliament to set an annual fixed budget for the monarchy - including an annual salary for the Queen - to be managed and reported on by a government department, not Buckingham Palace.
All security costs to be made transparent and accountable.
All costs of royal visits around the country to be incorporated into the monarchy's budget, not met by local authorities.
The institution of the monarchy, and all members of the royal household, to be required to abide by the same tax laws and rules as all other public bodies and private individuals.
The Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall to be fully investigated by parliament with a view to transferring them into public ownership, with all revenue going to the Treasury.
The Crown Estate to be renamed 'the National Estate' and its status clarified through amendment of the Crown Estate Act.

Katherine Kent stopped royal duties years ago, she became a
music teacher .

When she was carrying out royal duties she also did so much
work for charities privately.

She was a volunteer with The Samaritans, delivered meals
on wheels.

I am amused by - estimated costs of the royal family, estimated by republicans !

Prince William was a well liked, respected and valued member of the air ambulance team. He had to give it up in order to take on more royal duties as the Queen and Prince Phillip retired from public life. You know this perfectly well Grany, but of course you have to denigrate his efforts as you would anything any of the RF do.

A huge amount of our money is spent on them

www.republic.org.uk/what-we-want/royal-finances

Julia Hartley-Brewer talks to Graham on another Pod Cast

republic.cast.rocks

Hi and Welcome. almost elderly Thanks for your comment Agree our RF have an easy life compared to other monarchies.

Our messages turn pink or purple when we post so we can see them better I think.

Jabberwok P William gave up that job pretty quick just a member of the firm now.

I was simply making an observation on the varying attitudes of monarchies in Europe. I also have a technical question. I am new to the site. I followed the instructions for posting messages but they purple when posted. Could someone offer me guidance on how to post? Thanks.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge trained and worked as an Air Ambulance helicopter pilot. Surely he also should be admired for that? The Prince of Orange (now king) isn't the only one to have a proper responsible job, but curiously he is admired, our Prince clearly not!

almostelderly you said -

Princess Sofia of Sweden is volunteering at a hospital during the coronavírus outbreak. Elizabeth 11 has made a speech from isolation in Windsor Castle.

Sofia is a member of the Swedish Royal Family, she became a princess in 2015. I am not suggesting that a 93 year old woman does voluntary work, I am simply making a comparison between the differing attitudes to monarchy and their lifestyles.

Princess Sofia of Sweden is 35 , the Queen is 93.

Princess Sofia is not married to a heir to the throne . She did
cause interest when as a glamour model she was photographed wearing bikini bottom with a snake around
her bare boobs.

The British monarchy is an archaic and out of date institution. The argument that tourists would no longer visit Britain if the monarchy was abolished is, I believe, a myth. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has worked as a KLM pilot for over 20 years. Princess Sofia of Sweden is volunteering at a hospital during the coronavírus outbreak. Elizabeth 11 has made a speech from isolation in Windsor Castle. One of her grandsons has fled to America to live the life of a celebrity and the rest of the family are isolating on their various estates. Once this pandemic is over, the role of our monarchy should be evaluated.

Well Jabberwok This is about Queen and Andrew so this situation is not same as yours different kettle of fish.

The Queen supported Andrew who has not answered to the FBI

No matter how old my children get if they associated with a paedophile I would interfere in their lives. It's called social responsibility.

If children are at risk then you should interfere. Its basic safeguarding.

I don't interfer in my children's lives, (they are in their fifties) still less tell them who they can or can't be friendly with, approve or disapprove! They don't interfer in my life either! We value each others privacy!

Well Said paddyanne I agree with you.

Jabberwok do you really not know the things Epstein was involved in? If one of my DSs had a friendship with someone like that I would go ballistic. And if he claimed it was all innocent I would send him off to give evidence to the authorities (well actually I wouldn't need to send him, my sons have morals, they would just go).
The RF has a long history of immorality. It's time they went.

You're entitled to your opinion paddyanne. Please respect the fact that I am entitled to mine. I don't share your opinions and certainly not the language you use. I'm not particularly enamoured with your first minister or the Scottish government , but I wouldn't dream of using insulting language to describe her or them.

They list their excursions in detail but not their expenses in any detail at all funny that.
Don't have time to answer any more silly questions.

JABBERWOK They are parasites ,they feed off other humans,people who are struggling pay taxes to keep them in the life they believe they're entitiled to.All for a wave or a ribbon cut or if her "subjects" are really lucky a speech like last weeks telling them how "We will all get through this" That royal "we" when she and her wee group of entitled eegits are living in luxury all across the country while normal folk are sick with worry about how their families will survive ...not just the virus but the financial consequences of it.Take off your rose tinted specs and see the reality .The monarchy should end when Lizzie dies .

Why not list what they give ?

What wish for would be lot better than what we got now. If you have not looked into the power, lobbying, privilege amount of money money spent. Above the law, secretive. Just accept them, beyond reproach. That's your choice. It's not democracy

The usual vociferous republican voices, here and elsewhere, trying to shout the loudest. The majority want to keep the Royal Family and those who don't should be careful what they wish for. ?

Newspapers, it must be true !