Now this is a very good question that every citizen of England should ask themselves! Somebody you have to support with their tax dollars just because they were born in a certain family. They really need to think about this; they complain about citizens living on the dole; well the royal family has been living on the dole for centuries. If that's how they like it, it's their country, their decision; if not, it's time to make a change and don't be fooled. Queen Elizabeth is about to die from old age, but don't think they don't have somebody already prepared to masquerade as her especially now seeing that the public is having this conversation seriously again. Too many people have too much to lose so they will not go down without a fight. That's been Britain's problem for years, these groups amongst them that want to keep their aristocratic titles and privilege. Britain will never be a free country as long as they're around, and I'm not just talkin' bout the royals. The royals are problematic but it's the nobles who can't exist without the royals. That's why they brought the royals back in the first place.
A closer look at Britain's constitutional monarchy and its legacy.
In
the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's health problems over the Christmas and
New Year's holidays, the queen's role as the Head of the
Commonwealth has been the topic of much debate. If she dies, who will
the crown be passed to? And would it even serve the country to continue
the constitutional monarchy?
Some
Brits have spent months opposing the constitutional monarchy and
calling for an elected head of state. In fact, this past April — before
the queen fell ill — the British group Republic called for a referendum on the abolishment of the monarchy upon her death.
Here's what you need to know about the current setup:
A
constitutional monarchy is where the ruling royal acts as the official
head of state but shares the power with a “constitutionally organized
government,” according to
the Encyclopedia Britannica. Today, the ruling sovereign is responsible
for a number of duties but “no longer has a political or executive
role,” according to the royal website. The monarch does, however, still oversee both “constitutional and representational duties,” which include opening Parliament sessions, approving orders through the Privy Council and meeting with the prime minister, among others.
However,
when it comes to politics, the queen is not able to stand for election
or properly vote. She also has duties that are specific to Northern
Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
As
a proclaimed head of nation, the ruling monarch is said to exist as a
symbolic figurehead that “gives a sense of stability” to the country.
Parliament passes legislation, and the prime minister is the official
head of government.
So what need is there for a constitutional monarchy in England today?
The
argument regarding the need, or desire, for a constitutional monarchy
goes both ways. Some have argued, especially in the case of the British
monarchy, that the royals serve only to fulfill a nostalgia for
Britain’s history and that they draw tourism. Others have said that
supporting a constitutional monarchy in Britain only serves to cast the
country in a classist, antiquated light, a sentiment echoed in an
Economist opinion piece from 2015.
"Opinion
polls and healthy sales of commemorative junk suggest that Britons and
foreigners alike love the Windsors," the piece read, referring to the
royal family by name. "But the royals may not be entirely good for the
country's image abroad, or its view of itself. Britain still has a
reputation as a snooty, class-obsessed place."
The
piece also argued that the concept of inheriting the crown purely based
on heredity and bloodline was "incompatible with democracy and
meritocracy."
However,
as staunch supporters argue, the royal family (and the subsequent
purchasing of what the Economist called "commemorative junk") is good
for tourism as well as the Crown Estate, an Atlantic piece pointed out.
For
example, more than 2 billion people around the world watched the royal
wedding between Prince William, now the duke of Cambridge, and
Catherine, now the duchess of Cambridge, the Telegraph reported at the time
of the 2011 nuptials. The U.K. economy saw an estimated £2 billion (or
more than $2 billion) boost thanks to the tourism surrounding the event,
according to the Guardian.
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