Legitimacy of the British monarch

[PetraG]

Not all of us. There are many Brits who have no time for the Royal Family. Personally, I think the Queen has done a good job of being Queen - all the other older Royals, not so much.

The Monarchy in the UK is an anachronism as far as I’m concerned. The general argument here is “Ah, but they attract so many tourists to the country”. I’d be interested to see what would happen if we didn’t have the Monarchy here. I’m fairly sure there would still be many visitors from other countries.

I’ve been asked by Americans on ore than one occasion, “Have you met the Queen?” No, of course not - she doesn’t meet people, except in a completely stage-managed way. It’s not like she pops down to her local Tescos to do the shopping!

Jefferson and Washington are dead and yet Monticello and Mt. Vernon still get a lot of traffic.
If they aren’t bulldozing the castles when the monarchy ends, the tourists will still show up. It would actually be easier to use them as ticket-taking museums if someone wasn’t living in them.

The Queen has been an informed and dutiful front-row advisor to the British government and a face for the country that endures in spite of election cycles. That is worthwhile. She and her family are wealthy in their own right; there is a degree to which asking “do we need a royal family” is like “do we need the Hiltons?” They are still going to be rich and have about the most interesting family history in the nation, even if they aren’t strictly speaking “royal” any more. It isn’t as if ending the monarchy will mean beheading them or anything. (It could be the best of both worlds for them, actually.)

I’m surprised there isn’t more discussion about continuing the hereditary peerage and ruling by the honored class, to be honest. The House of Lords actually has some political power, after all.

 

[Pup7]

You’re Irish, aren’t you? I always think Irish accents are easy to understand. I live very near Liverpool, they’d struggle with the Scouse accent.

Married to a Scouser, though he was raised in Southampton. Laughing because he has uncles I struggle to understand. Not to mention when he gets off the phone I have to pause to catch up with the “return” of a heavier British tone.

 

[rose321]

These are some videos you might like .

Respectfully toward in asking kindly, why does the Queen wear black or those who have the great honor to meet with the Pope all wear black? Seems only later generations the Queen begins to wear clothing of different colors when meeting the Pope. Thank you. Peace

 

[rose321]

Respectfully thank you kindly (name removed by moderator) for the info and time taken to do so !!
Peace

 

[Rob2]

Rob2:

These are some videos you might like .

Respectfully toward in asking kindly, why does the Queen wear black or those who have the great honor to meet with the Pope all wear black? Seems only later generations the Queen begins to wear clothing of different colors when meeting the Pope. Thank you. Peace

(name removed by moderator) has given you a link to answer your query .

When Queen Elizabeth met Pope Francis she did not wear black . I have read that she was dining with the president of Italy prior to meeting the Holy Father . The dinner went on longer than scheduled . The Vatican was telephoned to ask if it would be all right for the Queen to be a little late because she needed time to go and change into black . Pope Francis told her not to bother . He would be happy to see her just as she was .

True or not , but the rules have been relaxed in recent years , and ladies who would previously have worn black no longer do so .

 

[PickyPicky]

I must remember to ask my sister what circumstances she “met” the Queen under.

Or drop the Queen a line. She might remember.

 

[PickyPicky]

I’m surprised there isn’t more discussion about continuing the hereditary peerage and ruling by the honored class, to be honest. The House of Lords actually has some political power, after all.

Of about 800 members of the House of Lords, only about 90 are there because they are hereditary peers (and 26 because they are bishops). I don’t think the 90 will stay for much longer.

 

[Nelka]

since “monarchy” is an absurd, archaic, unchristian concept

Wrong, republicanism, democracy and communism have all been worse.

 

[AndrewAxland]

even without all the finery

You’ll find this story amusing. When I was living in Poland, my roommate was a former Queen’s guard. He told me that once he and a younger guard were on duty patrolling the outside of Buckingham Palace, when this older woman dressed in a humble house smock came along walking her dogs. The younger guard approached her, petted the dogs, and made pleasant small talk with the woman, very familiarly, to which the woman replied equally as familiarly and informally, with a big smile on her face. After the woman went her way, by roommate asked the young guard how he had gotten to know her so well that he could get away with addressing her so familiarly. They young guard said that he didn’t know her at all, and that he assumed she was one of the house staff. When my roommate told he that he had in fact been speaking to the Queen, he was aghast. I think the Queen was much amused that she was not recognized by ONE OF HER OWN GUARDS in her own back yard!

 

[Sarcelle]

We get the same clueless tourist in Hawaii.

Tourists asking what currency we use. Of course we use the US dollar. Hawaii is the 50th state.

I also got the same question when I lived in New Mexico.

 

[Sarcelle]

The one accent I really have difficulty understanding is the Aberdeen accent.

Doric weather forecast

 

[GKMotley]

My sister is rather memorable.

 

[PetraG]

Of about 800 members of the House of Lords, only about 90 are there because they are hereditary peers (and 26 because they are bishops). I don’t think the 90 will stay for much longer.

The rest are appointed for life? Is there a mandatory retirement age?

 

[Pup7]

That IS a great story. Always weird to see people out of context.

She must have a lifelong habit of this. I’ve always read that she and her sister, with the blessing of the King and Queen, of course! - apparently snuck out in front of the Palace on VE Day and reveled unrecognized with the celebrating crowds.

I’ve seen photos of her at Sandringham and Balmoral in her old coat and a scarf tied on her head - if she didn’t have her army of Corgis she probably would be hard to recognize. (And you might need to be a bit of a Royal fan to know about the Corgis. )

 

[dochawk]

Since coronation is not a sacrament in any church there is no issue about validity.

While East and West have a slight difference to start with (West: there are seven sacraments; East: there are at least seven sacraments), note that the coronation of the Byzantine Emperor was considered sacramental (not “a” sacramental).

hawk

 

[dochawk]

Why are Americans so concerned about the British monarch at this day and time? Don’t we have enough problems of our own?

Because while we bow our knee to no earthly king, we’re quite clear which king we’re not bowing to

hawk

 

[dochawk]

Married to a Scouser, though he was raised in Southampton. Laughing because he has uncles I struggle to understand. Not to mention when he gets off the phone I have to pause to catch up with the “return” of a heavier British tone.

I had a secretary who was married to a Texan who had managed to set aside most of his accent.

Then an old friend visited, and as they chatted out front, lapsing into his native accent, their boy ran into the house in tears.

“Mommy, Daddy’s talking Texan and I can’t understand him!”

hawk

 

[PickyPicky]

No, no retirement age at present, although they are allowed to resign their seats ! Because of the size of the House there is much talk among the lords of reform, including plans for a term limit.

On the Left of politics particularly there are calls for an elected second chamber. I certainly see the logic of that, although personally favour a Burkean attitude to constitutional reform: a little at a time, and do it with care (particularly when the House of Lords has been such an important safeguard against executive overreach for many years).

 

[GKMotley]

I mention again the 2nd Viscount Falkland.

 

[Dedios]

I don’t think the UK wants the US back.

Of course not. If the UK had the US back, the US would want equal representation in the British parliament. The population of the US is five times that of the UK. That means the US would have more votes than the British in parliament and effectively govern the UK. The British just as happily celebrate 4th July as the Americans do. It subsequently proved to be their Independence Day too.