Tell Me Something............Anything!

[Pigmy Pony]

It's all kicking off down south.

Andrew, dodgy dude formerly known as Prince, is being turfed out of his Wnidsor mansion Royal Lodge, and told to post the keys through the letterbox. Big brother Charlie has found him some space up at Sandringham, probably mindful of the shortage of social housing, while not wishing for his younger sibling to be adding to London's increasing numbers of homeless.

He could have stayed in London, if only Rachel from Accounts had got her renter's licence sorted in time. It's all her letting agent's fault, apparently.

[Barry]

As a republican I'm delighted. The concept of a monarchy (even a constutional monarchy) is now quite outdated. It has been going for nearly a thousand years, apart from a break courtesy of Cromwell, so a change is long overdue.

[Macca]

Didn't work out so well last time.

Not some big monarchist but I think if it's not broke don't try to fix it.

[Barry]

But it is broken. We have a family that does virtually nothing, one that expects reverence and is payed an enormous amount of money by the taxpayers. The system is hereditary, which itself is an abomination - at least with a President they are elected, and they can be changed.

[Macca]

Cost is £132 million which is small feed in the scheme of things and there's no reason to think a Presidency would be any cheaper.

Plus no tourists are going to come to see the President or the Presidential Palace.

As long as noblesse oblige is maintained I can't see the issue, really. When was the last 'bad' king? Maybe George III? Even that's debatable.

With an elected president you could end up with some right muppet. In fact you probably would, every single time. Some dozy politician that's been put out to grass. Would cheapen the whole country.

[Barry]

It's the hereditary nature of the beast that annoys me. But I'm probably alone in my opinion here, so I'll just remain quiet.

[Pigmy Pony]

Some people enjoy good fortune by heredity, others inherit great misfortune through disease or poverty. I'm happy to be somewhere in between. I bear no ill will to those who were born into money and privilege, unless of course they are taking the piss.

[Alex_UK]

Well, this is the thread for anything, so I guess no issue with continuing the subject of Royalty...

As Martin has said, the cost to the public purse is £132m, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the revenue that is generated from tourism with countries like America and Japan flocking over here to see the palaces, the history, the pomp and circumstance. Personally, I support the constitutional monarchy, and I think the King has done an amazing job with his charitable work ("The Princes Charities") raise £100m each year. According to Wikipedia, by September 2020 the Prince's Trust (started in 1976) had supported over 1,000,000 young people and created 125,000 entrepreneurs. I don't think an elected President however good is going to have that sort of longevity.

[Lawrence001]

It's the hereditary nature of the beast that annoys me. But I'm probably alone in my opinion here, so I'll just remain quiet.

Yes sorry Barry, another Royalist here. God Save the King, hurrah!

[Mikeandvan]

Cost is £132 million which is small feed in the scheme of things and there's no reason to think a Presidency would be any cheaper.

Plus no tourists are going to come to see the President or the Presidential Palace.

As long as noblesse oblige is maintained I can't see the issue, really. When was the last 'bad' king? Maybe George III? Even that's debatable.

With an elected president you could end up with some right muppet. In fact you probably would, every single time. Some dozy politician that's been put out to grass. Would cheapen the whole country.

Of course all tourists get to have tea with the King.