What is the Monarchy For?

I doubt whether a tiny minority of tourists ever see any Royals. Besides, France and Italy get more tourists than the UK and neither of them have monarchies which puts paid to that belief .

I agree some things need changing, but William is already planning on doing so

I think it’s unfair to credit William prematurely with any changes he might make when Charles has been making as many changes as he can leading up to and during his reign so far.

Camilla is playing the supporting role he has always needed and has made changes if her own.

William and Kate are providing their own heir and spares with a stable and loving childhood. That’s the most important change they can make right now if the monarchy is to survive.

Well said Merlotgran.

merlotgran 😉👏👏, the press has chosen its goody and baddy,

I have visited tourist attractions such as Versailles and the Winter Palace many years after the French, and the Russians, removed their monarchs.
I'm not sure that the argument that they attract tourists is clear cut.

merlotgran 👏👏👏👏

I have visited tourist attractions such as Versailles and the Winter Palace many years after the French, and the Russians, removed their monarchs
I'm not sure that the argument that they attract tourists is clear cut*

Likewise- queues were enormous too!

All parents need to bring their children up in a stable and loving home - Kate and William are doing what all parents are expected to, they seem absurdly rewarded for their efforts by us!

I think the RF cost £1 per British citizen. They don't hold any political authority so they are benign. Very happy to enjoy the continuity and tradition they represent.

They have a lot of control over the press and influence on government - maybe watch the documentary. They are far from benign. They cost a lot more than £1 per citizen - and not just British citizens! They might like you to think that, it's not true.

All parents need to bring their children up in a stable and loving home - Kate and William are doing what all parents are expected to, they seem absurdly rewarded for their efforts by us!

But their children can hopefully grow up without any press intrusion and choose their own way of life.

William and Charles and heirs before them were all affected by turbulent or distant relationships with their parents. George appears to be a confident and caring boy. We’re not rewarding his parents. He is!

Paddyann54 what a load of tripe!

Franski

I think the RF cost £1 per British citizen. They don't hold any political authority so they are benign. Very happy to enjoy the continuity and tradition they represent.

They rake £millions in from their estates and sea beds, money that should be pumped into public services to benefit all citizens. They shouldn't cost "us" a penny when they have such huge income streams. Why on earth are "we" giving them money, it beggars belief.

I found this thread refreshingly challenging of the status quo, which is not always the case in Gransnet. Then, I thought, are the above arguments republican or Republican, ie home grown British, or American MAGA-Republican? I have no idea who owns Gransnet. Message contents can be edited. It is no secret Trump is wanting to exert control where he can, eg being abusive about Europe; Vance trying to interfere in UK abortion policy... Just a thought...

Congrats to Eloethan, for writing a strong contender for the daftest comment of the year (pretty stiff competition, too)?

That "the media is being used as propagandists for the royal family, rather than just as conveyors of news." apparently is due to having missed the umpteen reports of Andrew's assorted Epstein misdemeanours, the umpteen reports of him losing titles, property, etc, and the ongoing umpteen reports of him appearing in Epstein's photos and files (the ones that Chump is desperately trying to get edited so that his name and grinning face don't upset the dwindling core of his support even more).

What a sheltered life you must lead?!

I too echo the positive comments from those who are in favour of the slimmed down Royal Family.

Very few working members of the royal family now compared to the late queens monarchy, the Gloucesters and Kent’s make very few public appearances probably because of their many years supporting the late Queen and their age., 7 family members now

Wendy Berry had signed a confidentiality agreement when she was employed by Charles and Diana, her book was published in America, she chose self imposed exile from uk, but secretly came back to nurse her son, she broke her confidentiality agreement for money

Anniebach

Very few working members of the royal family now compared to the late queens monarchy, the Gloucesters and Kent’s make very few public appearances probably because of their many years supporting the late Queen and their age., 7 family members now

When the Gloucesters and the Kents die, (sorry to be blunt) that will reduce the numbers quite a bit, as their offspring do no official duties, and just attend weddings, funerals, and similar.

And as they are all a good age, older than Charles, some by quite a few years, I think William will put it down to ‘natural wastage’.

(I could only think of 6 members Anniebach).

Yes Calendergirl there couldn’t be further reductions by William

But, dalrymple23, we pay inheritance tax and they don't.

Not the monarch and heir

merlotgran
These royal offspring can choose their own way of life as many of their relatives have already. It's too cushy and financially beneficial a life to give up for so many of them - hence why they spend an occasional day trying to show us they are just like us.

Just out of interest, has anyone (fairly neutral and objective) actually done any costings of the monarchy as it stands vs the cost of a presidential Head of State?

Would President be a paid post? Surely it would have to be? How much would a President be paid? What trappings of State would need to be maintained ie presidential palaces, staff etc? Costs of ceremonial events etc.

The cost of maintaining the monarchy seems to be a major factor in people’s argument against, but has anybody actually worked out the alternative?

And would elections be state funded or from private funds?

From Gov UK

Conduct Costs of the 2019 General Election
CategoryCost
Returning Officers’ services£2.27 million
Returning Officers’ expenses£103.75 million
Centrally incurred costs£41.39 million
Total£147.42 million
The actual Returning Officer spend, including services, amounts to 95% of the estimated cost attributed to Returning Officers in running the 2019 UK Parliamentary general election. In addition, £632,000 was paid back into the Consolidated Fund in forfeited candidate deposits, resulting in the total net expenditure of £146,783,582.

StoneofDestiny

merlotgran
These royal offspring can choose their own way of life as many of their relatives have already. It's too cushy and financially beneficial a life to give up for so many of them - hence why they spend an occasional day trying to show us they are just like us.

Not really ‘so many of them’ now. Most of them have jobs apart from Andrew (and he’s toast,) Edward and Sophie, who had jobs but they didn’t end well and Anne who is still the hardest working Royal. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be the one to tell her to get a job when she was younger! 😂

I suppose Harry is the cleverest. He seems to have found a way of earning loads of money by doing bugger all!