Should we as British citizens get rid of the royal family? Do we need them? Are they an embarrassment to us?

Question

My opinion is get rid of the lot of them. They are a drain and an embarrassment to the UK. They think they can brake the law and get away with it. Such as the time Prince Andrew overtook me on a bend doing about 90. Also not to mention what went on behind the Princess Diana scandal.

Answer 1

yes we should..they are nothing but a bunch of ignorant parasites who have no idea about what goes on in the real world..the French had the right idea in 1798

Answer 2

Now, for all those who think that the royals scrounge of the rest of the country, do some research. Yes, they do get paid some money from taxes, to the tune of about £37 million, but they make most of their money from investment and land holdings. They actually paid the treasury £190 million last year as surplus revenue, so the country made a profit.
They also bring in a lot of tourism to the country and are thus good for the economy, although these figures are hard to measure.

Now, the monarchy is a symbol of our country; if you were in any way patriotic you'd realise that. They are symbol of our country in the same way, but more so, than the flag is. They're part of our culture, our history, our heritage, and I think to get rid of them would be to deny our proud history and the countless people who have died for Queen/King and country in the past. You cannot disagree with the monarchy while claiming to be patriotic here, as it is contradictory.

Nothing went on behind the Diana 'scandal', stop reading the sun. There have been half a dozen inquests into it and they've all show it was an accident. If you've got the kind of paranoid and conspiratorial mind that you'd rather believe that she was murdered, go ahead, but just realise what a fool you make yourself look.

There is nothing wrong with the royals. They don't actually have anything to do with our politics these days, they're just there for show and national pride these days. That we have them doesn't mean we aren't a democracy and doesn't take anything away from it at all, we're ruled by an elected government and prime minister. I think we have a better form of democracy than the US, who mostly seem to be the ones thinking the monarchy makes us a dictatorship. The way our country is run and how we elect leaders is certainly less corrupt.

Of the 10 richest countries in the world 6 are constitutional democracies (monarchy); on the other hand Hitler came to power after the German royals were abolished (albeit after the Wiemar republic), and likewise with Mussolini, Franco and Stalin. I actually don't trust our current government to reform our country and constitution, it works fine as it is anyway.

Answer 3

Well look at the alternative, Tony Blair as figurehead for the country? That man is the real embarrassment to the country, and if he had his way we would be yet another state of America. Drain on society? Why do we end up funding his holidays abroad? He doesn't holiday here and the message that sends is that his own country isn't good enough for him.
The younger Royals should have their public funding slashed, but I have nothing against the Queen and believe it is time people stopped knocking her. There is nothing more British than the Royal family and given that there has been such an erosion of all things British in the name of political correctness, they MUST stay if only to preserve our national identity.

Answer 4

Strange, yet other countries who dont have a royal family wish they had one.
I think that they are a symbol of the UK as much as the flag is. Of course the big question is what would you do with them, they actually own most of the buildings they live in, they own huge amounts of land, if they were not an official royal family they could do it unofficially and probably make more money than they do while under control of the govt.
They could also charge any sort of rents they wanted for their land and the building on it. It would probably cost more than they get as an annual stipend now.

Answer 5

I'm afraid to say but, if you want to live in a country that does not have a Royal family then, MOVE. Our Royal family are admired throughout the world and they do an awful lot of hard work behind the scenes. we really only get to know the bad points because we read the stupid papers that print what they want instead of the facts. let's face it FACTS DONT SELL. The Royals do make mistakes, after all they are human but, take my advice and go onto the Royals website and read for yourself.

Answer 6

I do not think the British techniquely need them. I am not British myself but I know a decent amount of info on the British, their royals, and British history.

I highly doubt that the royals will last for anymore than 150 years. That is my opinion. I personally think that the Queen and some of the older royals are the decent ones.

Harry is an embarrassment. William is alright. Camilla is scary. I thought Diana was wonderlful. Charles has big ears.

Answer 7

They don't really have a purpose. And where do they get their money from? Is that from the citizens' taxes? I really don't know about that, but if it is the case, it is horrible to have people support a bunch of such people who have never worked a day in their life!

As I say, the real British government (prime minister, parliament, etc.) are the ones that really matter. The Royal Family is just there for show. I would not be pleased with that if I were a British citizen!

Answer 8

We've been down this road before and it lead to Britain becoming a republic but we didn't like it and we eventually restored the monarchy and decapitated the men who got rid of the monarchy.

So, would you like to be beheaded at the tower of London?

This is our heritage why should we get rid of it? Besides the Monarchy is our insurance policy against martial law; because despite the instalment of parliament the Queen/King holds ultimate rule and can dissolve parliament if they wish.

Meaning if we enter a dictatorship where we are ruled by Blair or his successor then the Queen/King can get rid of them and restore our freedom

Answer 9

I fail to understand how people fantasize about a family whose past is rooted in slavery, murder, corruption, extortion and dictatorship. The Royals represent unwarranted privilege; privilege won by despicable actions. They represent the vicious and murderous ancestral past which should not be celebrated but more a source of distaste and a warning in much the same manner that Hilter and his ilk are warnings against dictatorships.. They were the mafia of the ancient world - the thugs and hoodlums addicted to violence who cowed populations by reigns of terror which persisted for thousands of years.

If Royalty and Aristocracy were the best form of Government it would still rule the world today. In an egalitarian society which promotes equal opportunity for all it is outrageous to have these parasites around who perpetuate the myth that great privileges should be bestowed merely by accident of birth. They are an institution whose time has passed. They are the remnants of cruel and wicked times which, whilst remembered should never be celebrated. None of this mob would be anything at all save for the accident of their births. In fact one could speculate that Charlie and his progeny would be very ordinary, very unexceptional people. Which is what they really are.

When we see and hear of decapitations in Iraq decent people are horrified but dishing out decapitations and cruelty was the stock in trade of Royalty. Boiling people in oil was a particular favorite and invention of Henry VIII. To suggest that making the UK a republic would lead to decapitations is as silly as the assertion itself.

Answer 10

Yes, get rid. Theyt're scrounging layabouts and a drain on our country's resources. There's no place for them in modern Britain.

Answer 11

Okay this may sound strange coming from an American but...

I think Britain should keep it Monarchy. Its part of your culture and history... why would you want to lose that? Monarchs have always been embarassing their countries in some way. LOL. But thats really not the point... it makes Britain unique and I think if you lose it, you lose something of what you are.