CP made a comment in another thread about how the British Royal Family is a waste of taxpayer money and it got me to thinking, "Why does the UK and their subject countries (CA, NZ, AUS, etc) put up with the Royals?
They don't DO anything. They don't govern, they are nothing but celebrities and figureheads.
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Harry and Meghan's Wedding Is a Reminder That Britain Doesn't Need the Royals
To hear pundits talking about the royals this spring, you’d be excused for thinking “The Royal Family” is a prime-time soap opera, with viewers obsessing over new characters, story lines and how it’s doing in the ratings. Bets were placed on what Prince William and Kate Middleton’s new baby would be, while commentators eagerly discussed whether the new character of Meghan Markle would manage to “save” the Royal Family by marrying Prince Harry. The answer to all this for most people around the world is simply: Who cares?
The way Britain is celebrating Harry and Meghan’s wedding is a curious reminder that the monarchy is rarely evaluated in terms of its actual purpose, which is to provide Britain with an effective head of state. Few pundits seem sure of what that role entails or even why it’s needed, because unlike in the U.S., our head of state’s role is ceremonial rather than political. And so when a royal wedding happens—Will and Kate’s reportedly cost $34 million, paid for by British taxpayers—the debate usually hinges on two questions: popularity, and cost.
...But the story of the royal family’s value to the British economy was simply dreamed up by smart PR professionals to save an institution in crisis. In reality, according to our research, British taxpayers lose about $468 million a year just to have a head of state—a lot more than the official figure released by Buckingham Palace, which was $58 million last year. In fact, our monarch is one of the most expensive nonpolitical heads of state in Europe, at least 12 times more expensive than Ireland’s elected equivalent.
https://time.com/5282035/abolish-bri...rchy-republic/
They don't DO anything. They don't govern, they are nothing but celebrities and figureheads.
=================
Harry and Meghan's Wedding Is a Reminder That Britain Doesn't Need the Royals
To hear pundits talking about the royals this spring, you’d be excused for thinking “The Royal Family” is a prime-time soap opera, with viewers obsessing over new characters, story lines and how it’s doing in the ratings. Bets were placed on what Prince William and Kate Middleton’s new baby would be, while commentators eagerly discussed whether the new character of Meghan Markle would manage to “save” the Royal Family by marrying Prince Harry. The answer to all this for most people around the world is simply: Who cares?
The way Britain is celebrating Harry and Meghan’s wedding is a curious reminder that the monarchy is rarely evaluated in terms of its actual purpose, which is to provide Britain with an effective head of state. Few pundits seem sure of what that role entails or even why it’s needed, because unlike in the U.S., our head of state’s role is ceremonial rather than political. And so when a royal wedding happens—Will and Kate’s reportedly cost $34 million, paid for by British taxpayers—the debate usually hinges on two questions: popularity, and cost.
...But the story of the royal family’s value to the British economy was simply dreamed up by smart PR professionals to save an institution in crisis. In reality, according to our research, British taxpayers lose about $468 million a year just to have a head of state—a lot more than the official figure released by Buckingham Palace, which was $58 million last year. In fact, our monarch is one of the most expensive nonpolitical heads of state in Europe, at least 12 times more expensive than Ireland’s elected equivalent.
https://time.com/5282035/abolish-bri...rchy-republic/
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