What do Brits really think about the monarchy?

Ok, I want your honest opinion. How do you Brits really feel about the Queen/monarchy. People in the US are always a little puzzled over the attention that is given to a head of state that is almost purely a figurehead.

How do you guys feel about the monarchy? Has it outlived its usefulness? Should it stay the way it is? Or be modified?

I realize that the monarch is the living symbol of the nation. I personally think that a lot of the pomp and pageantry and history that's associated with the monarchy is extremely interesting. But is it worth the huge sum of money that's spent for the upkeep of the institution? Tell us what you think.

 

As a young socialist I thought they should be disbanded and there wealth returned to the country.

Now I'm middle aged and less antagonistic I feel a some affection for the system. I believe that the taxes given, though dramaticaly reduced nowadays, are a good investment for the wellbeing of the national psyhche. Most Britains enjoy the fact that we have kept intact the pomp and ceremony that most countries rushed to abolish.

The system is under continual evaluation and taxes etc. are now paid along with the occaisional audit to keep check.

 

Moved to main UK Forum, as it's not a party or a protest.

 

I tend to think the monarchy is largely irrelevant, but I am in favour of abolishing it. The monarchy as an institution, alongside the House of Lords, represents one of the last vestiges of anti-democratic aristocratic society that entrenches class inequalities. Nationalism, and national pride is, to me, not a laudible goal and can lead to as much division as it can to unity. I get enough pomp and ceremony at Cambridge, and some of it is quite sickening. In terms of taxes, I think the monarchy is a waste of money. There is the tourism argument, but France and Russia got rid of their monarchies and the Palace of Versailles and the Winter Palace still bring in the revenue, probably more so than living monarchs....

 

the people of england are being exploited by corporate industrial state and the monarchy serves as a great cutesy deflection of the scam going on with folks thinking how special they are to have a queen and all the time honored traditions of royalty and nobility and knights in shining armor, to work hard all day like an ass and then to go to the pub and get all shit faced

all in all though, i still love the whole thing and look in tabloids as much as anyone to see what hot babe prince william is hitting on or what his brother is gonna dress up as next for a costume party... he still hasn't topped the time he dressed up as a nazi

 

Molly, since I'm now suspecting that you're actually Chief Cowpoop in disguise and assuming that you're American, where do you find these British tabloids? Or do the stories hit the American tabloids too?

 

everytime i'm at the grocery store where magazines are displayed at the checkout, there's always something about prince william's willie action and his brother's lack of social grace

 

Who cares really? They bare no influence on my life or my lifestyle. I say keep 'em on if they are going to sell tabloids. At least they will help to keep a small percentage of the population employed. I do think they should go around Buck House and all their other abodes and put in low energy light bulbs.... lovely bonding session for Lillibet and Camilla - one up the ladder the other passing the bulbs!! On the other hand better the devil you know than the devil you don't and we've had generations to get to know them. We could opt for the unknown auspices of a president - although we almost have one in Blair - and just get rid of him every so often....Just imagine how huge the pensions bill would be on cast off presidents. The bottom line is that there will always be some kind of heirarchy trying to rip every one off in a pecking order wherever you live.

You know what. I think I've been in this debate before - sometime in the 70's. Its SO boring.

PS I wonder how George Dubya is shaping up this morning now his absolute rule of the planet is threatened!!!

 

They still bring millions of pounds worth of tourism into the country, which is more than any president would do. I think the monarchy should be streamlined a bit, but they're still just as relevant as ever, as well as being fascinating from a historical perspective, and one of the few reminders as to why this nation used to be so great.

 

Shurely shome mishtake? Is that not even more reason for abolition??

 

Enjoyed the movie: The Queen. Anybody here see it ?


Hey didnt The Monarchy transfer all of its wealth into a national trust?
This was a long time ago.

 

With Peace-Phoenix on this. Abolish!

 

Tabloids, monarchy, either way I'm not really bothered.

 

one is not amuzed .......are the peasents revolting jeeves .........pass the sauce harry .

 

:cheers:

They're playing "Rule, Brittania" on the radio as I'm reading this thread-I thought that was bloody-well appropriate! :boat:

 

:cheers: .prince charlie :bigear: . we shall not we shall not be moved we shall not we shall not be moved just like the team thats gonna win the FA CUP we shall not be m oved .......soz just had a football flashback . :cheers:

 

If you stopped paying tax money to the Royal Family and took away their tax breaks, then opened up their palaces to tourists, like France and Russia, I don't think Britain would be losing any money income wise. And as far as tourists go, we have a lot more going for us than the Royal Family alone. Also, I'm not convinved on the historical perspective. Fascinating, ok, I'll agree with you on that - but it's a bloody and cruel history, certainly not a proud history that one would want to see the current monarchy upholding....

 

yeah man coz alot of them are thick fuckers who wanna call the world america .