Strange that this has just popped up. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-lati...ZpK0y0pJbYZFk6gsw6rEo1sfGeJMdBT4RqagxxNxIcRxI
Interesting thoughts everyone. Personally I think the Queen is a valuable resource as will be Charles and William. Some of the others do good work too. They have little political power so am happy to leave things be. It's going to make some interesting episodes of The Crown.
And a tad ironic too. The article states that this year is the 55th anniversary of their independence. Rangers fans, who are mostly unionists, recently started putting the number 55 on clothes, flags, and social media usernames, apparently a reference to this season's title being their 55th...
I tend to agree... I am not a monarchist or a republican.... but regardless of the less attractive aspects of our colonial legacy.... I would rather have the pomp and splendour of our monarch than a president etc. The political argument does not hold a lot of water these days as their tasks are mainly ceremonial...... Also good for the economy ...tourism etc........ However would be good for them to be seen to uphold a certain moral standard......... although they are only human too..... BUT... it really is a sideshow for me.............................
I've never held with the 'tourism' argument. Yes, tourists do visit Buckingham Palace etc, but that's just one stop on a rather extensive list of possibilities for an itinerary, with nothing to indicate that it's the main attraction for them. Overseas visitors to these shores are asked (or used to be, it's been a few years for me) to nominate the purpose of their visit, and the box says 'Tourism', it doesn't specify who, what or where. For me, Buckingham Palace is just the UK equivalent to France's Palace of Versailles - and the French don't need a family living there to attract tourists.
The main thing that bothers me Yorkie is that the Royal Family (I'll concede to giving them capitals just this once ) are so well known that as soon as some Germans realize that you are English then they ask you what you think of Harry, or Meghan (who the hell is Opra ?), or some other member of this archaic institution. They are then very puzzled when I say I couldn't give a monkeys. Unfortunately they belong to the normal European stereotype about us being English - along with umbrellas and five o' clock tea. It is hard to live with at times ! I could just about live with it if they took a lower profile and went around on bikes like some of the Dutch Royals. The Netherlands has a Royal Family but they do not represent an entire class system as is the case in England - there is no Dutch equivalent of Ascot or Eton and they are better off for it.
