Anyway who is looking forward to the reign of King Charles?

The prince’s trust is the only genuine good thing that has been done by a member of the royal family in my lifetime which hasn’t really been about self promotion.

Old Charlie seems to be one of the better members of the royal family- even in a Boris Johnson amusing kind of way 😉

He looks like he’s just let one rip here 😆

Anyaway, i dont think he will be king- i reckon he’ll hand it over to Wills…

Her maj does have style in abundance, this one must have blocked the u bend…..

Sorry, had to share it made me laugh 😆

I used to be a staunch Royal supporter. But then I got to thinking about just why?

Struggling with my conscience I asked Mrs Slim (a Royal patriot) to tell me exactly why I/we should follow a heriditary titled Germanic family, and just what exactly, for example, made them worthy of such fortunes and adulation?

You see that’s the problem. If recent threads on the monarchy have proved one thing, it’s that those who support it don’t seem to know why they do apart from vague suggestions that it’s a “good idea”, whilst those who don’t, don’t seem to know why they don’t, apart from vague suggestions that it’s “not a good idea”.

If you want to change the status quo and the existing order of things, then it’s generally a good idea to come up with a compelling argument as to why it’s necessary – offer real tangible reasons. Otherwise the status quo will persist.

The argument “I think revolution is probably a good idea but I’m not entirely sure why” never won the day.

So the anti-royalist need to come up with some real compelling reasons as to why abolition of the monarchy is such a good idea, and how this will change the lives of ordinary people in a real and tangible way. Otherwise nothing will change. The pro-royalist need do nothing other than argue that there is no reason to change the existing situation.

If you want to change the status quo and the existing order of things, then it’s generally a good idea to come up with a compelling argument as to why it’s necessary – offer real tangible reasons

as I think a number have said they are the poster boys and girls for social immobility, I’m not sure anything can ever seriously change the blight of social issues in this country if we have them at the top and people thinking its in anyway right.

So no real tangible reasons which you can offer people to show them how it will change their lives in any meaningful way then. More work required I reckon.

The real question is, could Kate do with a bit more meat on her gorgeous bones? She has always been in with a chance but could do with a few more sausages IMO.

with a few more sausages

Or some lovely Richmond ham, just as nature intended.

So no real tangible reasons which you can offer people to show them how it will change their lives in any meaningful way then. More work required I reckon.

You’re entitled to your opinion of course, but, I think that symbolism can be an extremely powerful force in the way people behave. Just look at the American dream.

I think that symbolism can be an extremely powerful force in the way people behave.

So just for “symbolism” then ? Exactly as I suspected, so it’s nice to see that confirmed. When we have an agenda which shifts economic and political power into the hands of ordinary people, in a tangible way, then society can progress in a meaningful way.

But right now that’s way too scarey for most people to handle, so instead meaningless cosmetic nonsense is offered as an alternative. Carry out reforms which change people’s lives and I will enthusiastically support them, but play around tinkering with symbolism and I will see it as a waste of time. I’m not interested in playing games.

Besides, in the case of the monarchy you won’t succeed in abolishing it if the only reason you can offer is a change of symbolism, I’m not aware of any examples where that has happened and I see no reason why it would happen in the UK. Monarchies are invariably abolished when there is a grab for power – whichever way that might represent itself.

/\ Took the bait there- well done Ernie 😆

The real question is, could Kate do with a bit more meat on her gorgeous bones?

Nothing wrong there- i think she’s lovely just as is 😀

What bait was that rossi46…….anagallis_arvensis’s bait ?

Haha yes, I fell for it hook line and sinker. He definitely got me there…….you can imagine how silly I feel now ! 😀

I have been privileged, over the years I have worked all over the world, and I have worked with some fantastic people from all over the world. This has led me to the following…

I am Very proud to be British.

I am Proud of British People.

Why, am I proud of British People ?

Work Ethic
Sense of humour
Innovation
diversity
Tolerance
Charitable
Fairness
Ability

I am not sure why British people show these qualities, but we are doing something right as a country.

I am not saying that Foreigners ( for want of a better word) do not show these qualities. But British people have them in abundance.

I would also include a load of British institutions that add to this Pride.

BBC
Orange Bikes
Royal Family
British Films
British Authors
Library’s
Bin Collections.
Etc Etc..please feel free to add to the list.

I would like to add that even though I am English, I include Scottish Welsh and Irish in this Pride ( even though I respect their right for independence if they want it, cause I think we close enough to take it without too much change to any of us )

I have enjoyed the weekend celebrations for the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

What would you suggest we do instead ?

Paul

What would you suggest we do instead ?

compulsory eating contests.. all must enter.. until the one true champion remains

and/or a week of compulsory nudity

What would you suggest we do instead ?

Evolve.

Well, I hope the British feel proud of this particular little nugget. Deserves a question in parliament for sure.

Unemployed bussed in to steward Queenie’s party

Well I’m working today and I’m pretty apathetic about most things Royal but on this point, kind of-

they are the poster boys and girls for social immobility, I’m not sure anything can ever seriously change the blight of social issues in this country if we have them at the top and people thinking its in anyway right.

Maybe not right, but its part of a long tradition and that itself is a big part of what makes the UK what it is now.
My Mum pointed out that if you don’t have the Royals, you’ll have a super-Jordan or some horror show of a celebrity monstrosity that the public will obsess over. I think she’s right.. At least the Queen / Royal family put he chavvy rich-celeb types in their place. Too many people will always look up to something liuke that. The French lopped off heads years back and now Paris Match is full of Sarko and Mrs Sarko-whatsername. Don’t blame the elite, blame the plebs? I think I just saw a good point for the whole Royalty / class thing )

And on the proud to be British – well.. I have a lot of things to be thankful for that come from simply being born here, British. Proud may not be the right word. I think we need to do better in some areas but that would all be idealistic and the ship’s too big to turn. But ‘appreciative’, for sure. Very much so.

My Mum pointed out that if you don’t have the Royals, you’ll have a super-Jordan or some horror show of a celebrity monstrosity that the public will obsess over. I think she’s right.

have you seen the on line daily mail? errr wake up…

Seeing as the British tabloid press are pretty much considered to be the worst in the world, the Royals have failed abysmally to save us from celebrity hell.

Why don’t we just give the Crown Estates back to the Royal Family and take them off the Civil list, so everyone on here can stop moaning about them and how much they cost?

They wouldn’t mind, the Crown Estates pull in more than the Civil List costs.

Why don’t we just give the Crown Estates back to the Royal Family and take them off the Civil list, so everyone on here can stop moaning about them and how much they cost?

And where did the crown estates come from? it wouldn’t be the result of murder, blackmail, marriage etc. now would it? Usual case of money leads to more money.

murder, blackmail, marriage

The three most heinous of crimes. Especially that last one *shudders*

And where did the crown estates come from? it wouldn’t be the result of murder, blackmail, marriage etc. now would it?

Well the Crown Estates originate from William the Conqueror, and to be fair the bloke done the English a big favour. Prior to him sorting things out for them, the English had been a bunch of warring factions, who were being constantly invaded, only semi-civilised, and generally in a pretty confused state ever since the Romans had left.

The deal was that he sorted the mess out for them and introduced a bit of law and order – letting him establish Crown Estates was a small price to pay.

So we make a profit from their old property as we only give them some of the revenue that comes in from them, we make money from the tourism that they attract, and most of us have a good time at the various celebrations of their reign that occur?

What are the benefits of getting rid of them again?

What are the benefits of getting rid of them again?

we’ve been through this already… compulsory nudity and eating contests.. or was that if we keep them..?

we make money from the tourism that they attract

Out of a global total of 940 million tourists, the top ten international tourism destinations in 2010 were :

International tourist arrivals
1 France 76.80 million
2 United States 60.88 million
3 China 55.67 million
4 Spain 52.68 million
5 Italy 43.63 million
6 United Kingdom 28.13 million
7 Turkey 27.00 million
8 Germany 26.88 million
9 Malaysia 24.58 million
10 Mexico 22.40 million

You’ll note that a few countries which are republics manage to attract more tourists than the UK, in the case of France it’s well over twice as many tourists. I think you’ve just made the case for wheeling out the guillotine. If we want to bring ‘tourism’ into the argument of course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings#cite_note-unwtohi2011-2

EDIT : I’ve just realised that France has more foreigners visiting in one year than it has population 😯

i believe that 5million go to Versailles each year? and Buckingham palace 400,000ish. Sounds like a good reason to get rid of the monarchy?

That’s because you can walk around Versailles. In the case of Buckingham Palace there’s a family living there who won’t move out.

Bloody inconsiderate if you ask me.

Just think how many tourists the giant catapult that fired the queen into the Thames would bring in.

In fact if each member of the firm were executed in unusual ways at different locations around the country, the benefits of tourism could be spread amongst the whole nation.

The general public are far too apathetic to revolt, they are far more concerned with fake tan, white teeth, tattoos and cheap booze.
I have no interest in the royals, though I do wish they’d finance themselves.

I have no interest in the royals, though I do wish they’d finance themselves.

give ’em back their properties and they could, we would stop making on the deal though.

TurnerGuy – Member

give ’em back their properties and they could, we would stop making on the deal though.And how did they acquire these properties in the first place?

their properties

thing is they’re not theirs, they are merely lands that their forefathers acquired by whatever means necessary, usually at the expense of the locals. So you have villages levelled to improve the sight lines of gardens, communities uprooted to make way for sheep or hunting.

One could go back in history and say that about a great many people worldwide. 99% of the USA for example. I’ll let you tell them.

One could go back in history and say that about a great many people worldwide. 99% of the USA for example. I’ll let you tell them.

yep, which is one of the reasons why you have so many wars going on in the world now. Or why there are court cases in NZ and Australia over stolen land.

Funny, I don’t recall any such cases here in England from those wanting their land back?

Zero interested this country don’t give Two shits for its own people
this country is more known has BB Benefit Britain and now full of xxxx
every where
More of a shit hole than anything else

Which country are you in grantway?

Tucker I am in East London
All we have every night is pissed Polish, Lithuanians, Russian and Romanian Gypsies
constantly pissed causing damage to cars and vans and properties constantly being broken into
When out walking the dog in the mornings I’m constantly faced with pissed migrants sleeping in the Two parks near my Central Park & Brampton park and the Police do Bolls all

and this **** calls it social drinking

What makes me die is that an old councillor sent the Town hall a picture of all the bottles
he had found in one day and they sent him a letter more saying they would act against him ?

Just hope this country goes bankrupt to get rid of the shit and somehow start again.