100% disagree
What would you have instead of the monarchy? A dreadful republic?

* Having a "president" would cost just as much, if not more than the monarchy.

* Most of the royal family's income comes from rent from land ownership: the taxpayer does not pay for most of it. And when it's worked out, it's a matter of just a few pence per head of population - so don't think that by abolishing the monarchy, you'd suddenly find thousands of extra pounds per year in your pocket due to the savings. No way.

* It's great to have a head of state who is virtually uncorruptable. While politicians all bow to special interests and party donors, Her Majesty the Queen needs no favours given by any company. The fact that she's so rich means that she can be impartial.

* Most of the anti-monarchist rants which come from uneducated people are nothing but thinly-disguised sour grapes at the fact that some (lucky) people have been born into wealth and luxury, whereas the person doing the complaining hasn't. I bet that the moaners wouldn't say no if they were to be offered all that wealth themselves.

* Regarding the personal lives of the individuals concerned - what do you want them to do? Some people have historically complained that the royals are too aloof, and "not like the rest of us". Yet when their family problems and misbehaviour is made known, people then start complaining about all that! C'mon - they're only human.

* Despite the problems of the rest of her family, Her Majesty the Queen has not put a foot wrong in all her reign. That's a fantastic achievement. You might envy her because of all the luxury and pampering which she undoubtedly receives, but she pays a high price for it. She is severely restricted in her life - she has very little privacy. She is forcibly silenced politically, and she is not allowed to express her views. She actually has a lot less freedom to do what she wants than you or I do.

* And last, but not least - don't you even feel one iota of pride in living in a country where we have Kings and Queens; princes and princesses? There's something special about it. If you don't feel that, then it's a great shame because you're missing out on one of the fundamental things which makes us all British.

Stop bashing the monarchy. Long live the Queen.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Wed 15 Oct 2008, 15:13, 1 reply)

what would we have instead?
possibly someone who's got to their station in life by hard work and achievements, rather than accident of birth?

But hey, carry on defering to your 'social betters' if it makes you feel better..
( Finite "Aardvark sorted out my shit!" on, Wed 15 Oct 2008, 17:17, closed)

Read my post below about Somalia
I got to my own station by accident of birth - way luckier than poverty-stricken Somalians. And my guess is that so did you - merely because you were born in the Western world.

As for "social betters" - no way. I never said that the royals were my social betters. Just that it's nice to have them.
(EuroSong I love horse meat: best of all the animals, Wed 15 Oct 2008, 18:59, closed)

Feed the World
Maybe the Royals could fund Somalia and we would all be happy - especially the Somalians.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 15 Oct 2008, 20:51, closed)