King George and Queen Mary:

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

I don't think it's necessary to be a monarchist to find the history of the royal family interesting.

it was indeed a most interesting and informative documentary

[scottycelt]

Some republicans are right little miseries at times ...

i dread to think what the country would end up with if we had to elect 'a non-political' President ... Jenni Murray, Sir David Attenborough? ... hmmmm, no thank you!

Saly has hit the nail on the head. The great advantage of the monarchy is the great unknown, the sheer mystery and fascination of the institution. Plus the fact that kings and queens were born and bred into the role of Head of State and didn't seek the office out of self-aggrandisement and/or personal ambition.

The royals don't simply fascinate us, they seem to fascinate much of the rest of the world as well to the obvious benefit of our tourist trade which employs many, many thousands. Even more importantly, every opinion poll shows consistent public support for the monarchy, and, perhaps surprisingly, particularly among those under 30 years of age.

End of story and a mighty sigh of relief from anyone desperately worried about the will of 'the people' not being observed..

[amateur51]

Some republicans are right little miseries at times ...

i dread to think what the country would end up with if we had to elect 'a non-political' President ... Jenni Murray, Sir David Attenborough? ... hmmmm, no thank you!

Are you seriously suggesting that there are not people of the calibre of Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Michael D Higgins (to name the current and previous two Presidents of Ireland) within the shores of the UK, scotty?

[vinteuil]

... interesting that neither George V nor George VI were expected to succeed to the throne - both of them, in different ways, replacing 'unsatisfactory' elder brothers (Prince Albert Victor the Duke of Clarence, Edward VIII).

If Prince Charles were to predecease Her Maj, wd the throne pass to - gulp - his brother Prince Andrew the Duke of York? - or wd it skip down to the Duke of Cambridge??

[scottycelt]

Are you seriously suggesting that there are not people of the calibre of Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Michael D Higgins (to name the current and previous two Presidents of Ireland) within the shores of the UK, scotty?

Probably not, Ams .... the Irish are a comparatively well-educated bunch.

My main point was, of course, that if the overwhelming majority of UK people wish to retain the monarchy, warts 'n' all, then any removal of it becomes a total non-issue.

Surely you wouldn't wish to impose a republican head of state (however frightfully pleasant and 'non-political') on an unwilling people?

[greenilex]

Maybe we should be asked...

[teamsaint]

The monarchy is like a pin at the top of a structure, that holds a rotten edifice of inherited privilege intact, and keeps most of us worse off and more subservient than we ought to be.

On a musical note here, I was always told by my piano teacher that Queen Mary drank her tea from a saucer.
I believe this to be true, and a point in her favour !!

[scottycelt]

Maybe we should be asked...

What a waste of public money ... the result even more predictable than the AV referendum ... but if it kept rabid republicans silent for a few days afterwards, maybe it might just be worth it?

[scottycelt]

The monarchy is like a pin at the top of a structure, that holds a rotten edifice of inherited privilege intact, and keeps most of us worse off and more subservient than we ought to be.

On a musical note here, I was always told by my piano teacher that Queen Mary drank her tea from a saucer.
I believe this to be true, and a point in her favour !!

Exactly! ... and then there was the late Queen Mum's bad teeth that others supportively revealed.

[amateur51]

Surely you wouldn't wish to impose a republican head of state (however frightfully pleasant and 'non-political') on an unwilling people?

Not me, scotty - that sort of wilful imposition of unpopular ideas emanates in the main from Rome in my experience

[scottycelt]

Not me, scotty - that sort of wilful imposition of unpopular ideas emanates in the main from Rome in my experience

Absolutely, Ams ... that has been many millions of others' even more genuine and direct experience as well ...

[Ferretfancy]

The monarchy is like a pin at the top of a structure, that holds a rotten edifice of inherited privilege intact, and keeps most of us worse off and more subservient than we ought to be.

On a musical note here, I was always told by my piano teacher that Queen Mary drank her tea from a saucer.
I believe this to be true, and a point in her favour !!

I expect she took her saucer of tea with enough Epsom salts to cover the back of a sixpence, having probably nicked the cup from her hosts on an earlier visit!

[amateur51]

Absolutely, Ams ... that has been many millions of others' even more genuine and direct experience as well ...

[mangerton]

Some republicans are right little miseries at times ...

That'll be me then.

i dread to think what the country would end up with if we had to elect 'a non-political' President ... Jenni Murray, Sir David Attenborough? ... hmmmm, no thank you!

That argument and saly's:

But can we be sure that the republicanism would be better. Power corrupts? President Blair ?????

were my late father's argument. I don't think it holds water. I don't want the egregious Blair (or Cameron, or any politician) as president any more than saly, and anyone who spells his/her name with an "i" at the end should be automatically disqualified. But any election for president or head of state can have adequate safeguards built in. We don't have a PM for life; why should we elect a president on that basis?

Plus the fact that kings and queens were born and bred into the role of Head of State and didn't seek the office out of self-aggrandisement and/or personal ambition.

scotty, they have no need. It's all been done for them hundreds of years and several dynasties ago. Our present queen is there because her forebears were stronger and more effective thugs and bullies and could command larger armies. I do not want to be a subject of such a family. A head of state in a modern democracy should not be defined in such a way.

Let the people decide, and disqualify anyone who seeks election.

[Flosshilde]

Probably not, Ams .... the Irish are a comparatively well-educated bunch.

My main point was, of course, that if the overwhelming majority of UK people wish to retain the monarchy, warts 'n' all, then any removal of it becomes a total non-issue.

But how do we know that they want to retain the monarchy, when they haven't been able to say so? (& don't confuse a general, vague, idea that the present monarch is OK with a liking for the concept of the monarchy)

Surely you wouldn't wish to impose a republican head of state (however frightfully pleasant and 'non-political') on an unwilling people?

But a republican head of state would be elected, & therefore not 'imposed' on an 'unwilling' people, but elected by them (using a proper system, not first past the post)