The Royal Family? Yes? No?

[Theland]

For many years I considered myself a Republican, but I realise that to a great extent this was driven by my anger at the privilege of the Royals. It is so unfair.
But, it is the institution of hereditary Royalty that is important, not the individual royal family members.
The Queen embodies the values of our nation and has done a wonderful job at promoting us, but the higher calling is her role in maintaining political stability, far better than a republic.
Individual royals have let the side down but in spite of that, I am pleased to have them, warts and all.
So what are your views?

[eve1974]

I fail to understand why any society in this day n age is ruled by
people of no discernible talent, intelligence or life experience?

Why does genetics and lineage determine the head of state and then we, the public, fund this lottery of birth? For those who, point out that they royals bring in funds thru tourism, (correct) I'd counter than most of those tourists would still come to see the history of the castles n stately homes anyway....without the queen owning / living in them

I know that is likely to be the unpoular view

[iluvmargie]

It's unpopular with me, yeah!

[Jackdaw33]

Part of the problem might be the hereditary nature of the monarchy. In Saxon times before the Norman Conquest the king was chosen by the Witenagemot (council of wise men), who may or may not have been the son of the previous king.

[Vagus]

The hereditary bit is fine by me, too many things are already voted for by people who don’t really know what they’re actually voting for. I shudder to think what would happen if it wasn’t a hereditary thing.
I like having a royal family, good and bad bits, and I think they’ve modernised themselves over recent years, and will do so even more in the future.

[andy-hughes]

I am not minded to buy the popular argument that the Royal Family 'pay for themselves in tourism' - I visited the Palace Of Versailles and i can't say my visit was in any way lessened because there was not any current members of the French royal family around the place.

I think as a family they are dysfunctional and off, but given their lives, who wouldn't be?

I have no strong opinions other than that the monarchy should be scaled back, and the large numbers of non-productive minor members should not be subsidised by the tax payer.

[woofgang]

I don't think they are https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Grant_Act_2011

[ynnafymmi]

"I fail to understand why any society in this day n age is ruled by people of no discernible talent,intelligence or life experience?"You should come up to Scotland,Eve.

[Atheist]

ynna... because they were voted in, not born in?

[Paigntonian]

Off with their heads.