Queen Elizabeth has passed away.

[BoliDan]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

it does not go to one family in the sense that they are padding the cayman account. that would include all of the expenses of maintaining the crown and everything associated with it

I know all this of course. Yet they still manage to have a ridiculous amount of wealth from the excess that does not go to staff or maintenance of their 20 bedroom homes.

If they truly cause tourism, they should be able to manage some enterprise around that to make them somewhat self efficient.

I'm trying to find numbers of their annual philanthropy but I can't seem to. I'm sure it is significant, but definitely not enough if Harry can just quit the family and be comfortable enough to drop 18 million on a house in British Columbia.

I'll die on this hill, Ken.

🤣

[potpest]

 
I think this aspect of constitutional Monarchy is often over looked. Anyone fancy a President Johnson, Truss, Corbyn or Starmer? In fact, any of woeful politicians as Head of State?
Politics can become very divisive, just look to the US currently, a head of State above/out of politics offers a stability and unity to a country.
 
 

Stability and Unity are not words many would use to describe the current state of play in the UK.

[Blakes]

1 minute ago, potpest said:

 

 

Stability and Unity are not words many would use to describe the current state of play in the UK.

 

You ain't seen nothin' yet. 

[Edicion]

Imagine a world where Diana and Charles were still together and be crowned King & Queen. RIP

[BoliDan]

8 minutes ago, Edicion said:

Imagine a world where Diana and Charles were still together and be crowned King & Queen. RIP

I don't think that can happen. Has there ever been joint monarchs? @99call

[Ken Gargett]

1 hour ago, BoliDan said:

I don't think that can happen. Has there ever been joint monarchs? @99call

would not be as joint monarchs but is the normal course of events. had this happened, charles would be the king and diana queen but it would have been charles who was head of state. diana would have been referred to as queen, as his wife.

if charles had then fallen off the perch, william would then be king and diana would be the queen mother. not sure what will happen as far as the title of charles' current wife (name escapes). 

[BoliDan]

5 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

would not be as joint monarchs but is the normal course of events. had this happened, charles would be the king and diana queen but it would have been charles who was head of state. diana would have been referred to as queen, as his wife.

if charles had then fallen off the perch, william would then be king and diana would be the queen mother. not sure what will happen as far as the title of charles' current wife (name escapes). 

Ah. That makes sense.

 

React to my other post old man. I'm not done with you ☹️

[Ken Gargett]

1 minute ago, BoliDan said:

Ah. That makes sense.

 

React to my other post old man. ☹️

no point. you are clearly determined not to see the light. i have given my view of the money for tools like harry - we are in agreement there - and that it is not a perfect arrangement. i suspect you'll find that they are not able to use their finances in quite the same way as most of us. i'm sure that if one of them decided to hand balmoral over to operate as a home for unmarried blind one-legged lesbian mother refugees that it may not be so easy. 

but the reference to philanthropy, they are involved with a huge amount of charities and similar entities and work on their behalves. i spect that would be by far the majority of the time spent working. 

"manage some enterprise around that to make them somewhat self efficient". i would have thought rob's figures more than put that to rest. 

now, for someone who is a republican, at least as far as australia is concerned, i have done more than enough defending of the royals for a day. 

[BoliDan]

12 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

no point. you are clearly determined not to see the light. i have given my view of the money for tools like harry - we are in agreement there - and that it is not a perfect arrangement. i suspect you'll find that they are not able to use their finances in quite the same way as most of us. i'm sure that if one of them decided to hand balmoral over to operate as a home for unmarried blind one-legged lesbian mother refugees that it may not be so easy. 

but the reference to philanthropy, they are involved with a huge amount of charities and similar entities and work on their behalves. i spect that would be by far the majority of the time spent working. 

"manage some enterprise around that to make them somewhat self efficient". i would have thought rob's figures more than put that to rest. 

now, for someone who is a republican, at least as far as australia is concerned, i have done more than enough defending of the royals for a day. 

The light? That is rhetoric that makes me wrong against any opinion unless I'm religiously with you. 

Im joking. Love you brother.

Yrs I expect as much. But, do you think they deserve to be that rich because they were born. Or do you think they might do better with some transparentcv of finance?

 

 

 

[mprach024]

I visited the Tower of London, saw the Crown Jewels.  Paid a not cheap price for the privilege along with several hundred other people that day. I didn’t visit London to see Royals, but London definitely profited from having them as far as my visit went.

 

2 hours ago, BoliDan said:

The light? That is rhetoric that makes me wrong against any opinion unless I'm religiously with you. 

Im joking. Love you brother.

Yrs I expect as much. But, do you think they deserve to be that rich because they were born. Or do you think they might do better with some transparentcv of finance?

The monarchy would’ve fell a long time ago if it was just a bunch of middle class Royals

[Ken Gargett]

7 minutes ago, BoliDan said:

The light? That is rhetoric that makes me wrong against any opinion unless I'm religiously with you. 

Im joking. Love you brother.

Yrs I expect as much. But, do you think they deserve to be that rich because they were born. Or do you think they might do better with some transparentcv of finance?

 

 

 

deserve has nothing to do with it. but how many of us would genuinely swap our lives to have been born into that dysfunctional mess? not many, i suspect, despite the riches (remembering that you can't just use the money on fishing, hookers and cigars or go off and buy your own NFL team). 

degrees of transparancy are largely a matter for the brits and their govt but i believe it is to a greater amount these days.

as for your first line, finally someone gets it. now i just need to work on the rest of the forum. 

[Arabian]

Monarchy is fine until you get a mad king. 

[Ken Gargett]

one final thought about QEII. have a look around the world. how many people were as respected as widely as she was (not going back in history, but feel free)? if we had some sort of magic scale to balance 'respected by' up against 'not respected by'. i cannot think of anyone else who would have the scales more in their favour. david attenborough? but she was far more widely known. any other contenders? 

[Webbo]

While I am absolutely no monarchist this is a strange day indeed, I heard the news when I flew in to Manchester last night and I am sure (without being too dramatic) that the country I landed in will never be the same as the one I left a few days earlier. The Queen was a constant that did manage to bring together a large very different number of people of all ages, classes and backgrounds in the UK even if only in a small way and I cannot but help think that the country, which is vastly divided at the moment in so many ways, will miss her more than we think.

Also having lived in London its almost impossible to speak to a tourist without them mentioning the Queen, particularly from the US. Be sure many many visited the UK primarily because of her and the monarchy.

 

[99call]

37 minutes ago, Webbo said:

The Queen was a constant that did manage to bring together a large very different number of people of all ages, classes and backgrounds in the UK even if only in a small way and I cannot but help think that the country, which is vastly divided at the moment in so many ways, will miss her more than we think.

I think this is a really interesting point. Rupert Murdoch has been so successful in poisoning elements of society against one another, and in contrast, memories of war time unity, blitz spirit etc those memories were solidified in Elizabeths very being.  The mentality of the UK and everything about it, was re-forged in WWII, and with the passing of Churchill and now The Queen......what are we?          The right wing press thats forced in peoples faces everyday, would have us believe were a nation of flag-shagging, racist, Europhobes, that wants nothing more than to sit, listen to static on the wireless, and dream of Empires lost. 

Whilst not a Monarchist, it's more the UK's class system I despise.  The sooner the likes of JRM and Murdoch shuffle off their miserable mortal coils,  that will be the real day of National celebration.     We need to break the moorings and false narratives, that the class of the Johnsons are the beacon of Britishness, whereas in actual fact they are festering tumour at the heart of our Country. 

[Webbo]

2 hours ago, 99call said:

I think this is a really interesting point. Rupert Murdoch has been so successful in poisoning elements of society against one another, and in contrast, memories of war time unity, blitz spirit etc those memories were solidified in Elizabeths very being.  The mentality of the UK and everything about it, was re-forged in WWII, and with the passing of Churchill and now The Queen......what are we?          The right wing press thats forced in peoples faces everyday, would have us believe were a nation of flag-shagging, racist, Europhobes, that wants nothing more than to sit, listen to static on the wireless, and dream of Empires lost. 

Whilst not a Monarchist, it's more the UK's class system I despise.  The sooner the likes of JRM and Murdoch shuffle off their miserable mortal coils,  that will be the real day of National celebration.     We need to break the moorings and false narratives, that the class of the Johnsons are the beacon of Britishness, whereas in actual fact they are festering tumour at the heart of our Country.

Could not agree more. Well written sir. 
 

Last week our new PM when asked if President Macron of France was a friend or foe said “the jury is still out”. A jingoistic reply tailored to stir the fascist “pride” of the right wing gutter press and the odious party members who would subsequently vote her into power. See below the statement made by him regarding the death of the Queen. Truss and the Europe hating tabloid scum of the right should hang their heads in shame…

[99call]

18 minutes ago, Webbo said:

See below the statement made by him

I was going to say "you can't buy class!".  Those four words are so divisive in the British psyche.  For a lower middle class person like myself, it means a decency as a human being, someone with reserve, with panache, with steel, skilful, and someone you'd trust in a dicy situation, respectable etc.    This is the kind of class Macron possesses

in other deranged quarters of the country, and almost certainly how the phrase was originally intended.  "you can't buy class" means your class of birth is set, those of the upper classes waltz through life without challenge of test. their feckless withering efforts, lorded as genius.  This is the kind of class Johnson possesses

The interesting thing of course about Queen Elizabeth is that she qualified in both regards, and even though she didn't have to perform or stand up and deliver, she did, everyday, she was indeed "class"........the way i mean it!

[Bigkahuna]

By all accounts she was a very kind and humble person. She never once showed arrogance or entitlement. Her children though are another matter.  However, my favorite part of the monarchial lineage is when we sent them packing back to that rainy island with their hats in hand. Let freedom ring ! 
😆 Of course our own last couple of characters haven’t been exactly “crown” worthy lol ! 

[Cigar Surgeon]

Canadian money soon to be the ugliest in the world.

[SCgarman]

44 minutes ago, Bigkahuna said:

By all accounts she was a very kind and humble person. She never once showed arrogance or entitlement. Her children though are another matter.  However, my favorite part of the monarchial lineage is when we sent them packing back to that rainy island with their hats in hand. Let freedom ring ! 
😆 Of course our own last couple of characters haven’t been exactly “crown” worthy lol ! 

1776 was a fantastic year. Thank God for all those courageous men who fought and kicked their ***!

[MrBirdman]

14 hours ago, SCgarman said:

1776 was a fantastic year. Thank God for all those courageous men who fought and kicked their ***!

Really nice thing to say on this thread. 

Let’s have a little respect please. 

[Fugu]

Have always been fond of her wearing her lime-green suits.  😄

A true steadfast. She undoubtedly was an important figure, not just for England, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. She will be missed...

RIP Queen Liz!

What should give us hope is that the new King is a man of brains and clear positions. May he’ll be given the right touch!

 

7 hours ago, Webbo said:

Last week our new PM when asked if President Macron of France was a friend or foe said “the jury is still out”. A jingoistic reply tailored to stir the fascist “pride” of the right wing gutter press and the odious party members who would subsequently vote her into power.

I fear it’s not just that, she appears to be a fatuitous person. (and I doubt the jury still being out on that...).

[BoliDan]

9 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

degrees of transparancy are largely a matter for the brits and their govt but i believe it is to a greater amount 

I like arguing with you Ken. I'll let it die here though, I think I've reach the point of obnoxious. Haha

[RedLantern]

2 hours ago, SCgarman said:

1776 was a fantastic year. Thank God for all those courageous men who fought and kicked their ***!

You speak of the French?

[CaptainQuintero]

  It's a sad and strange time for the people of the UK. Regardless of personal belief in the monarchy The Queen was a living thread that tied together a large chunk of our history, society and culture. She embodied what a lot of people feel is the spirit of the Island.

  A ceremonial figurehead with no actual power, she was placed in a position of trust that was always above the petty bickering of politics. She didn't betray that trust for over seven decades.

  In the age of the ignorant self obsessed, she stood in a stark juxtaposition of quiet respect, duty and service to something greater than oneself. Something that is painfully obvious to be a dying character trait in these times...

  There is a passing of something that isn't tangible in the UK and it's more than just the passing of a single person, I fear the vacuum will be immense and the country will be poorer and lost because of it.

  If you see someone from the UK being strangely subdued in the coming days, it might be because something fundamental beyond the ending of a life of a single person has occurred here.

  The ship is quietly drifting.