Queen Mother!!!

[Arthur Little]

As regards your last few words "then I suggest you go and live elsewhere" Matt, Power to The People & Co might find as I mentioned previously the last remaining workers paradises Cuba and North Korea more amenable tips to reside in.

Very true! ...

[KeithD]

The Royal Family is the only real bit of Britishness we have left to cling on to.

[Arthur Little]

The Royal Family is the only real bit of Britishness we have left to cling on to.

Well said!

[bornatbirth]

i didnt realise this was a tory voting royalist forum,so are we going to form a lynch mob and take MATT to the tower of london.

off with his head

[Northerner]

Hmm.. A few Thoughts on the matter before we let this thread die a slow death.

Young man, I have to say that free speech is all very well. But at the same time, I consider Matt's comments on our Royal Family way out of line and completely uncalled for. I can well recall, the triumphal mood that prevailed among the people in the village where I spent most of my childhood ... as folk of all ages crowded into the local Public Hall to witness the dawn of a 'New Elizabethan Era', [in the form of our present Queen's Coronation] on a 17" black & white television screen positioned centre-stage. That momentous event took place more than 56 years ago ... on June 2nd, 1953 ... and upwards of three decades before the likes of Matt was scarcely even a twinkle in his mum's eye. And now, not far short of sixty years on, we are privileged to be the subjects of this most gracious and dignified lady who is revered and respected worldwide.

I do not think free speech should be followed by a "But"! And it is unfortunate that in this country we live in a society where free speech is not natural but often fought for, where the nonsensical saying "You can't shout fire in a crowded Cinema" is used as an analogy for curtailing free speech. And it can be as insulting to call people "subjects", as if poor genetic examples of inbreeding could be better than the you or me!

In an ever-changing Society, the Monarchy is inherent in our centuries-old National Heritage. By virtue of its sheer constancy, it represents a certain stability. As a Scot - and in a wider sense - as a British Citizen, I am fiercely proud of our nation and its traditions ... which are envied amongst our European neighbours, and practically everywhere else on the planet. Like many of my counterparts, I'm perhaps less enamoured with our system of government, although it remains preferable to that of most other countries. I have to ask all would-be dissenters if, in all honesty, they'd rather we evolved into a Republican State with a President at the helm ... a kind of 'dictatorship' ... and all THAT entails? "Loyalty to Royalty", I say.

Monarchy is simply a dictatorship wrapped around religiosity and cultism! Hundreds of years ago, men with swords invaded these islands from afar, raping and pillaging as they went. And they told the natives to surrender and be subjects to their demands or die. They have ancestors calling themselves Windsor's. And it is doubtful that any American would swap even George Bush for Prince (and the future King) Charles! Although the traditions of the Monarchy, along with all the pomp seems nice for a holiday. It is nice to send them on their way when you get bored of them (leaders).

So please, spare us the unjustified crticism of noble Institutions like the Monarchy and the NHS, and just be thankful for their continued existence! Because if you don't/are not, then I suggest you go and live elsewhere.

Arise, Sir Arthur!

But I love the NHS, it was an act of people power rarely seen in this world. A socialist ideal that actually works!

You've hit the nail on the head !

As regards your last few words "then I suggest you go and live elsewhere" Matt, Power to The People & Co might find as I mentioned previously the last remaining workers paradises Cuba and North Korea more amenable tips to reside in.

Being a critic of an institution does not make a person a traitor or mean they must up sticks and move to another place. Matt, has the right to criticize or even foam at the mouth with anger when he talks about the Monarchy. And the day a Monarch tries to curtail that right will be the day the institution we call the Royal Family expires and this country evolves once more!

[Dedworth]

Monarchy is simply a dictatorship wrapped around religiosity and cultism!

So present day UK is a monarchical dictatorship

Utter tripe

[ukgangster]

Hmm, I don't understand the open hostility towards the Royal Family shown on the thread.

Quentin Crisp was right - "The British do not expect happiness.... they do not want to be happy; they want to be right."

[ukgangster]

i didnt realise this was a tory voting royalist forum,so are we going to form a lynch mob and take MATT to the tower of london.

off with his head

Its says "Filipino UK" at the top

[Northerner]

So present day UK is a monarchical dictatorship

Utter tripe

I was referring to the concept.

[somebody]

You're not a Brit? Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

Your location says you live in Wales, if you've ever paid taxes in the UK (which i'm assuming you have), then you've directly contributed to their private jets, bodyguards, mansions, etc. Does it not infuriate you that part of your hard earned cash is going to Prince Andrew and his family? Do Japanese tourists say to themselves...."wow, I'd really love to go to the UK to see Prince Andrew" ?

I will say, fair play to William and Harry...they seem decent. But the Queens kids are just a bunch of freeloading sponges.

dedworth doesn't like me Its ok, some people don't like my sense of humour and bluntness, and you can't be friends with everybody

THe Japanese i know love the royalty and the bulidings and have there own as im sure you know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_House_of_Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Imperial_Palace

Trust me the amount of Japanese I have toured round windsor,hampton court and buckingham palace is far more than I have taken to football grounds or to other landmarks.

In Regents street there is a Japanese department store its all oldie world british and Royal family trinkets.

When walking past buckingham palace the biggest most excited crowds i recall were when the queen and phil came out in a car. All these tourists young, old yank,european,african,asian and oriental looked far more excited than when gordon or even tony zoomed past in whitehall up the road.

Personally like others I dont envy them living in goldfish bowls and once the present Queen passes away the setup will change im certain.

[bornatbirth]

Its says "Filipino UK" at the top

i noticed too!

but none of us would tell a joke about the royal family would we?

so why are we all getting a bee in our bonnets over matts comments?

[somebody]

i noticed too!

but none of us would tell a joke about the royal family would we?

so why are we all getting a bee in our bonnets over matts comments?

I got no problem with people saying they dont like the royal family fair play.

I would defend there right to.

I do think the nercophillia bit was a tad off though. Plenty of ways to mock them if you feel that way inclined and of course this is a website for all ages who may find the image you described who ever the indivdual not their cup of tea.

[triple5]

Monarchy is simply a dictatorship wrapped around religiosity and cultism!

Shouldn't that be was? Surely you don't believe that about the current monarchy

[Northerner]

Shouldn't that be was? Surely you don't believe that about the current monarchy

No, like I replied before. I was referring to the concept! Oliver Cromwell pd on that plate of chips a long time ago for them, since then they've kept it safe and played the role of Religious relics. Favourable to God! Much easier to avoid the odd revolution and public execution that way..

[JimOttley]

Hmm.. A few Thoughts on the matter before we let this thread die a slow death.



I do not think free speech should be followed by a "But"! And it is unfortunate that in this country we live in a society where free speech is not natural but often fought for, where the nonsensical saying "You can't shout fire in a crowded Cinema" is used as an analogy for curtailing free speech. And it can be as insulting to call people "subjects", as if poor genetic examples of inbreeding could be better than the you or me!




Monarchy is simply a dictatorship wrapped around religiosity and cultism! Hundreds of years ago, men with swords invaded these islands from afar, raping and pillaging as they went. And they told the natives to surrender and be subjects to their demands or die. They have ancestors calling themselves Windsor's. And it is doubtful that any American would swap even George Bush for Prince (and the future King) Charles! Although the traditions of the Monarchy, along with all the pomp seems nice for a holiday. It is nice to send them on their way when you get bored of them (leaders).



But I love the NHS, it was an act of people power rarely seen in this world. A socialist ideal that actually works!



Being a critic of an institution does not make a person a traitor or mean they must up sticks and move to another place. Matt, has the right to criticize or even foam at the mouth with anger when he talks about the Monarchy. And the day a Monarch tries to curtail that right will be the day the institution we call the Royal Family expires and this country evolves once more!

Notherner you are a good guy, so is Arthur, it is quite possible that we will evolve into a republic one day but I personally would not like to see that, things will change for sure but there is a lot that we as a people could lose!

Regarding the Windsors, what did your relatives do 500 or 600 years ago? have you any idea?

I am the latest in a line of five James' but I have no idea how well they did in life,I suspect I will be the worst to be honest in spite of having a good heart!

Like Arthur I am a Scot, it's odd that lots of us Scots have a great affinity for our monarchy but we do!

Matt is free to have his views, as an old guy I wish he had a better view of our immediate history but such is life, one day he will be old and will have a better understanding of his own countries history as agreat deal of it will be his by that time!


Jim

[Northerner]

Notherner you are a good guy, so is Arthur, it is quite possible that we will evolve into a republic one day but I personally would not like to see that, things will change for sure but there is a lot that we as a people could lose!

Regarding the Windsors, what did your relatives do 500 or 600 years ago? have you any idea?

I am the latest in a line of five James' but I have no idea how well they did in life,I suspect I will be the worst to be honest in spite of having a good heart!

Like Arthur I am a Scot, it's odd that lots of us Scots have a great affinity for our monarchy but we do!

Matt is free to have his views, as an old guy I wish he had a better view of our immediate history but such is life, one day he will be old and will have a better understanding of his own countries history as agreat deal of it will be his by that time!


Jim

500 to 600 years ago, my family were probably Royalty Hence the tad bit of envy over how my distant cousins kept inbreeding and kept the crown Seriously, who knows? I am probably to spawn of far worse people than the Royal family. But hey... I am more concerned with where I am going than where I came from.

[JimOttley]

500 to 600 years ago, my family were probably Royalty Hence the tad bit of envy over how my distant cousins kept inbreeding and kept the crown Seriously, who knows? I am probably to spawn of far worse people than the Royal family. But hey... I am more concerned with where I am going than where I came from.

They get the job mate, they got there by historic accident in my view they have done the job pretty well.

I was 14 years old when Willie Rushton did an "Up Sunday" program that in great comedic fashion made it so clear how crap their lives really were!



Peace sir, as I said I know you are a good man!


Jim

[Matt7]

Wow, a lot of love for the royal families here. A little sad that my opinion has been somewhat rubbished by many as I feel I have plenty of valid facts. And for the guy that compared me to the Thai bloke who got 10 years? Wow, just wow...nothing more to say on that one. Very, very sad state of affairs. We have freedom of speech here, and I like to exercise that right for what I believe in. How you can turn around and say I shouldn't say things about the royal family is beyond me, just because you don't feel the same.

Its also wrong to compare the royal family to politics. Politicians run this country, the royal family do not. Whilst I do agree the cost of politics is too high, highlighted by the fact Nick Clegg claims they can cut £2bn and still run efficiently. They still do a job, and its a job people on this forum couldn't do, as much as they might feel otherwise. They're taking giant strides to correcting these loopholes and streamlining government which should help the economy. Just a shame the royal family haven't pledged to take that one less private jet, have one less security guard on glorified nobodies like Beatrice and Eugenie, for the sake of the economy

[triple5]

And for the guy that compared me to the Thai bloke who got 10 years? Wow, just wow...nothing more to say on that one. Very, very sad state of affairs.

I wasn't comparing you with the Swiss guy (not Thai). I was making a comparison between the two countries, how here we take it for granted we can talk rubbish about our royal family without fear of prosecution.

I hope you didn't interpret my comments as though I thought you deserved the same sentence

[Northerner]

I bet a thread entitled "Is there a God?" would get less reaction than this one!

[KeithD]

Its also wrong to compare the royal family to politics. Politicians run this country, the royal family do not....

Incorrect. The Royal Family still have all legal rights over all politicians. They can dissolve the government if they wish, and any voted PM has to get permission off the Queen. They also need her permission to retire. Most of the powers they had over the country from 100's of years ago are still in place, at this moment in time they choose not to use them. It was only in the last few years the law was removed to allow the Royal Family to issue a death penalty, which if they had acted on before the change they could have overrided the government, courts and EU.

[bornatbirth]

I bet a thread entitled "Is there a God?" would get less reaction than this one!

[walesrob]

Just a shame the royal family haven't pledged to take that one less private jet... for the sake of the economy

The Royal Family do not have any private jets, the Royal Flight is part of the RAF (No. 32 Squadron RAF) and the jets are used by Government and the Armed Forces, as well as the Royals. In fact, I think I read somewhere the Royal Flight is to be axed, and they will all be flying with us commoners on international flights.

[aromulus]

They still do a job, and its a job people on this forum couldn't do, as much as they might feel otherwise.

No...???

What makes you think that some people on this forum couldn't run the country ???

Just a shame the royal family haven't pledged to take that one less private jet, have one less security guard on glorified nobodies like Beatrice and Eugenie, for the sake of the economy

Glorified nobodies like that are prime targets for terrorists, believe it or not.
Would you rather have them with their throats cut, shot, or blown up like their great uncle Lord Mountbatten...?
The goverment is trying to avoid a hostage situation or worse.

Sorry mate, you may be misleading yourself a little.

[somebody]

Wow, a lot of love for the royal families here. A little sad that my opinion has been somewhat rubbished by many as I feel I have plenty of valid facts. And for the guy that compared me to the Thai bloke who got 10 years? Wow, just wow...nothing more to say on that one. Very, very sad state of affairs. We have freedom of speech here, and I like to exercise that right for what I believe in. How you can turn around and say I shouldn't say things about the royal family is beyond me, just because you don't feel the same.

Its also wrong to compare the royal family to politics. Politicians run this country, the royal family do not. Whilst I do agree the cost of politics is too high, highlighted by the fact Nick Clegg claims they can cut £2bn and still run efficiently. They still do a job, and its a job people on this forum couldn't do, as much as they might feel otherwise. They're taking giant strides to correcting these loopholes and streamlining government which should help the economy. Just a shame the royal family haven't pledged to take that one less private jet, have one less security guard on glorified nobodies like Beatrice and Eugenie, for the sake of the economy

So are MP's superhuman? Many it seems aspire to the "Royal Lifestyle" it would seem from what we read and see.

What great strides are they taking to correct loopholes and Streamline goverment which will help the ecomony?

I doubt cut a few hundred million a year on the royals will do much to increase the countries income which i think has to rise by over a hundred billion a year to cut out the deficit we are facing.

Just leave them as what they are basically a Tourist attraction and a perk for VIP's and others the country wants to chat up or appease.
For some world leaders who may look down on women or even non royals she has a role as the Queen, which if she was elected president they may not respect in the same way how ever odd it may seem. But like you I do wonder if we have to look after the extended and sometimes very distantly related members of her family.

I would forget going after the Royals like others say let people who want to invest in UK PLC or simply visit it be fasicnated by them and spend money wheter its a weekend for two in bayswater and a quick ride on a number 36 down to SW1 to spend money in the palace shop or the super rich who have too much money not impressed by much, but love to be associated with Royalty.

Again in all the years I have seen either the Current PM or the Queen drive by Tourist and locals are ALWAYS more sucked in more by seeing the Queen. I have seen Tourist Women almost in Tears with happiness outside Buckingham palace after catching a glismpe of her head.


While I do think some people shot you down a bit harshly, although im sure many people like me found the choice of words talking about a old lady and the particular act more rude wheter she lived down the road from me or in SW1.

If you dont like the situation of their being a royal family more power to you expressing your thoughts. As you say we should always defend the right to express what we feel.

[GaryFifer]

Mock the week Royal Family Calm down lads and have a laugh at them
The Turks

Okay can someone tell me the point of Prince Harry then. All that money, all those wonderful schools and he came out with two A-Levels, obtaining a B in art, and a D in geography.. Reminds me of Rodney Trotter of the family.Sorry nearly guy.

[triple5]

Mock the week Royal Family Calm down lads and have a laugh at them
The Turks

Okay can someone tell me the point of Prince Harry then. All that money, all those wonderful schools and he came out with two A-Levels, obtaining a B in art, and a D in geography.. Reminds me of Rodney Trotter of the family.Sorry nearly guy.

Funny show, but when Frankie Boyle said on things you wouldn't hear on the queen's speech, "I'm now so old even my is haunted" that's taking things a bit too far.

just my opinion.

[GaryFifer]

Houses of Parliament should be renamed the House of MP promises

[KeithD]

Okay can someone tell me the point of Prince Harry then.

I may be wrong, but pretty sure he was born naturally into the family! And the effect he has on a charity in a week is more than you'll ever manage in your lifetime.

[Ayjay]

Our royal family would probably pimp her corpse out to necrophyliacs to fund their lavish spending. They're pretty pointless and disgusting really

Yes indeed, I totally agree with you. We could of course rise up, detain the lot... hangers on and all.

We could execute them one at a time, Bank Holidays would be a good moment. It could be done in Wembley Stadium, tickets and television rights could be sold. Maybe a tie up with the National Lottery, gamble on the number of strokes it takes for the executioner to chop off Harry's head etc...

AJ