£102.4 million

I’m incredibly fond of the Royals. Politically I shouldn’t be but I am and I can’t help it. Maybe they’re a constant in my life. But I’ve been mulling over it lately and I’ve realised it’s honours and peerages that are the problem. Eg PM’s being able to promise peerages to people that prop them up, support their party etc. I so realise how ignorant I am about how intertwined the Royal family is with this sort of thing so am happy to be educated. And that also throws in the fact that over the past few years the HOL’s has tried to rein in many of the atrocities committed by this awful government.And, as I’ve said before, I’m sure that the country would elect someone like Farage to be president. Johnson certainly would have been president in an alternative universe. What I want long term is a greatly parred back royal family and a written constitution for governing this country. Newspaper magnates not being allowed to print blatant lies and control which party is in power. And a modern parliament where people can’t shout and scream and filibuster, even though I’d miss the entertainment of watching parliament today ( sorry for rambling on: just woken up from my relaxation tape and still half asleep….)

We can take the supreme luxury and privilege the royals enjoy (I wouldn’t ever want to be one!) but we can’t take the hypocrisy and preaching. Such monumental green virtue signalling amongst the wealthy is becoming extremely tedious.

volver

I read somewhere this morning...

Charles had enough in his Fortnum and Mason carrier bag to fund the Office of the Head of State for Ireland for a whole year.

If we're going to get into whataboutery I'd be very interested to know what our current PM has 'cost us' over the past 6 years. What with spearheading the campaign to make the UK poorer by £billions in lost growth, £billions lost through fraud and corrupt contracts during the covid pandemic, vanity projects such as 'official' aircraft (and probably much more that we don't know about) I suspect that the £102.4 million for the RF is a drop in the ocean...

I have every regard for the philosophical case for getting rid of the monarchy but in practical terms they really don't bother me at all. There are very wealthy people doing far more damage to the UK than they are. Rupert Murdoch for one...

Whenever I consider the alternative, a republic with an elected leader, I remind myself of the last time the electorate were trusted with a decision which would impact ever citizen; the Brexit referendum. Think on. Given the right wing press and their influence on voting behaviour............

Blimey MaizieD I find myself agreeing with you.

Yes we should abolish democracy as well.

volver

I read somewhere this morning...

Charles had enough in his Fortnum and Mason carrier bag to fund the Office of the Head of State for Ireland for a whole year.

And he gave it to his charity.

Most H of State do not include relatives and family on their payroll because they need help to do the job. So if we had an elected one costs must fall.

I had to laugh at that one. Just look at the way Trump stuffed his family into every influential role he could.

Oh for goodness sake.

Warning that the only alternative to the current Royal Family is Johnson or Trump isn't the killer argument that people seem to think it is.

And my reference to the HoS of Ireland is not "whataboutery", its just to illustrate that what the PoW thinks is acceptable for other people to carry about in a carrier bag, is what it costs other countries to finance their entire system of HoS for a year. Hardly demonstrating a good grasp of how the world works, is it?

We think we're special in this country. Well we're not.

And the argument surely must be the same for the royal family. Its fluke its Charles (not that great but better than Andrew) rather than his dodgy brother.

Warning that the only alternative to the current Royal Family is Johnson or Trump isn't the killer argument that people seem to think it is.

They happened. They were elected...

I could probably found lots of other examples of H o Ss employing family members in high profile roles, but I was too lazy to look...

It's all a lottery really...

No really MaizieD, it's no argument at all. Is the suggestion that we shouldn't have elections because we might elect somebody bad? Even if we did, they'd only be there a few years and we're not talking about electing a US-style president, but a German style one. Or even an Irish style one, although saying that seems to enrage some people.

But if we're saying we don't want a President because other countries have had bad ones... what about other countries' dodgy monarchs? Juan Carlos? King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand?

We have to thank the good Lord that Prince Andrew isn’t next in line to the throne. Given that particular scenario I really think it would be better if we elected our Head of State. I wouldn’t vote for Charles if he did put up for election, but I think I might well vote for Anne. Mind you, I suspect she’s far too sensible to ever want that position.

The Head of State in Ireland i.e. The President, costs £4 MILLION EURO a year in total .Thats home,transport staff and everything else he needs to do the job .Thats a hell of a lot less than the £102 million the RF admit to never mind the £345 Million estimated REAL cost of the RF .

And how much does the Irish HOS bring to the kitty in term of tourism?

Pantglas2

And how much does the Irish HOS bring to the kitty in term of tourism?

People go to see countries not because of monarchies they'd never see the RF anyway. The palace of Versailles has much more visitors and they don't have a monarchy

I think Ireland is a beautiful country lots to offer

Tourists go to many countries without a royal family, as I said up thread. There are plenty of beaches, mountains, views, historic buildings and cultural sights in most countries.

paddyann54

The Head of State in Ireland i.e. The President, costs £4 MILLION EURO a year in total .Thats home,transport staff and everything else he needs to do the job .Thats a hell of a lot less than the £102 million the RF admit to never mind the £345 Million estimated REAL cost of the RF .

So not that much difference in cost per head of population?

Estimated by ?

I am a Royalist, but yes, trimmed down

how much would a President cost us?

and now..
if you are really wanting to save taxpayers money

the MP`s get subsidised meals AND alcohol, yes, subsidised by you!!!! the wastage in Government makes the cost of our Royal Family, look like peanuts!!

As others have said, " a drop in the ocean and worth every penny".

Worth every penny - you do know how much having the Royals brings in for the UK in tourism, don't you?

You wouldn't want anyone for President who wanted to be President, and that's the problem. President Dominic Raab? President Diane Abbott? That's the sort of calibre of politician other countries wind up with.

I'm of the "least worst" opinion on the monarchy. But goodness, yes, slim it down!

King Andrew.

Actually, the figure spent by the taxpayer is the, from memory, £84M that is the Queen and working royals' list; the Royal Family covered the remaining millions themselves, to that total of 102M.