With the arrival of William, Kate
and Harry on the scene, we've come to treat the modern day royals as some kind
of celebs. Certainly, they've modernised the rotting-old stereotype of European
royalty marrying each other, but, they still live in a world totally
disconnected from the average citizen of the UK, Commonwealth, and the Crown as
a whole.
I wish no harm, nor sorrow upon these
people. They’re mere humans, beneath the camaraderie and pomp – but with wage
increases and new mouths to feed (in particular, Kate’s new one) at a time when
the politicians in Westminster are slashing welfare for the disabled, sick and
most vulnerable in society is something completely beyond parody. How can I take seriously a family so disconnected from reality? When people tell me that the Queen is "just like us", I remind them that the woman is worth £240 million and the ruler of 16 nations and 14 British territories (colonies).
The argument for the Royal Family
is usually led with the idea that tourists across the world flock to Britain to
gawp at people dressed in Beefeaters outfits and talking like they’re fresh
from an Oliver Twist production. After working in the tourist industry, and
speaking to tourists, the general consensus I received is that the royals,
whilst popular, are not the be all and end all of these islands.
The reason I believe that Britain
should be a Republic is that I can’t believe we still live in a land where
hereditary power is readily accepted by its subjects. Besides dissolving
parliament in the wake of a General Election, the Monarch has no actual power
over Government. But you still can’t call yourself a democracy when you have
unelected heads of state, regardless of tourism benefits. This is the 21st
Century, is it not?
To put it in a blunt term, these
are people living in palaces, grand houses and residences crammed with hundreds
of millions of pounds worth of luxuries who are supported by the tax payer,
whilst a third of our population live in poverty.
Royalists can dress this family up in all the wondrous benefits in the world, but it really is like polishing an overly-pampered turd.
Royalists can dress this family up in all the wondrous benefits in the world, but it really is like polishing an overly-pampered turd.
