PR Catastrophe for the Royal Family

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

They may be rich and have a pampered life but I could not think of anything worse than having 300 engagements a year to see a load of people you do not give a toss about and having to be on your best behaviour at all times without so much as a dropped fart.

Must be a bit like being in One Direction.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Seriously?

Yes. A horrible existance but then I am quite anti social so it would be hell for me !

 

[spring hall convert]

I'm sure that the Queen would be quite happy for the estates owned by her to be put back into her hands together with the income they generate - currently she is effectively paying 85% tax on their income!

Or to look at it another way they are costing us 15% of the income.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

What is your point?

As I understand it, they were told they could skim off 15% of Crown estate profits (which isn't Royal property anyway) to pay for their upkeep rather than a fixed amount. They have since been criticised because they haven't managed the Crown estate sufficiently well to cover their costs.

Some properties are and some aren't. Buckingham Palace & Windsor castle belong the Crown Estate (ie the state), Sandringham & Balmoral are hers, and privately owned.

 

[Ernest]

Get rid of all the minor royals like that waste of space Prince Andrew, get rid of all the flunkies and hangers on and sell all the estates should improve the finances

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

Must be a bit like being in One Direction.

Without the sex.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Or to look at it another way they are costing us 15% of the income.

And how much of that income do you think President Blair or Cameron would use ?

 

[spring hall convert]

Without the sex.

Or with the sex for Harry, Charles, Fergie, Diana etc....

 

[Creaky]

Or to look at it another way they are costing us 15% of the income.

Sounds good except that the Crown Estates belong to the Windsor family - what right does anyone other than the Royal Family have to the actual income from those estates?

 

[Simster]

Or to look at it another way they are costing us 15% of the income.

Yep, and in return we get a head of state who is unaccountable and is unelected, not to mention all the hangers on that we have to pay for too. People like Prince Andrew who used to use the RAF as his personal taxi service, old soak Margaret who contributed nothing to public life, and the revolting Queen Mum, a horrific snob who held ordinary people in contempt.

 

[spring hall convert]

And how much of that income do you think President Blair or Cameron would use ?

The difference of course being that we'd have a democratic right to vote them out if we thought they were taking the piss. It's not apples with apples is it?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

The difference of course being that we'd have a democratic right to vote them out if we thought they were taking the piss. It's not apples with apples is it?

I'd rather take a chance with the oddities of birth than trust any politician.

 

[spring hall convert]

Sounds good except that the Crown Estates belong to the Windsor family - what right does anyone other than the Royal Family have to the actual income from those estates?

How much land does the French Royal family own now?

They are in their position because of the benvolence of the British people. Nothing more, nothing less. A quick revolution and they own nothing.

 

[Hillian1]

I think we should have a whip round for them myself.

Gawd bless em.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

How much land does the French Royal family own now?

Have you seen the state of some of the ex-Royal buildings so called maintained by the French Republic ?

 

[CheeseRolls]

And how much of that income do you think President Blair or Cameron would use ?

I was waiting to see who would play the President Blair card !

What exactly has this got to do with sacking a couple of hundred grace and favour admin half wits and replacing them with some professional estates people, who can run the places more efficiently ?

 

[spring hall convert]

I'd rather take a chance with the oddities of birth than trust any politician.

You don't hear many North Koreans saying that.

 

[Peteinblack]

I think you'll find the most ardent royalist will continue to find more and more bizarre reasons to continue supporting this antiquated charade.

I can guarantee you that, despite austerity measures elsewhere, despite calls by MPs for the Royals to rein in their spending, it will be the taxpayer who ends up picking up the bill. And then it will be swept under the carpet, and the Royal household will tell us what fantastic value for money they nevertheless provide.

Excellent post

Cue Royalists trotting out their three stock responses whenever the Royal Family is criticised:

1) 'Oh, but think of the tourists they attract.' - as if tourists actually get to meet the Queen personally, and wouldn't come to Britain otherwise (which, from so-called patriots, always strikes me as a pretty insulting comment on Britain; nothing worth seeing other than Madge!).

2) 'Well, if you don't believe in the Monarchy, why don't you go and live in North Korea?'

3) 'Oh, I suppose you'd rather have a President Blair/Thatcher would you?'

Ironically, I actually don't find the Royal Family as ridiculous or tiresome as the nonsensical arguments and hysteria which seem to emanate from their defenders and supporters

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There are 43 other countries to take into consideration when deciding whether to get rid of the Royal Family. As head of the Commonwealth, which is unique in the world, she is also head of state to a fair proportion.

Nobody is saying that the estates shouldn't be properly managed. Antiquated buildings do need a lot of upkeep which is why other nobility started safari parks etc.

I wonder how the tax payer subsidises the Houses of Parliament, with the free bars, subsidised food and heating bills?
Let's have total anarchy and get rid of the politicians instead.

 

[spring hall convert]

Have you seen the state of some of the ex-Royal buildings so called maintained by the French Republic ?

How many ex-Royal buildings do you need?