Are the English royal family the greatest scam ever played?

fortwilliam

They have convinced an entire nation that they are somehow a greater set of beings than the lowly servants that serve them.

Their "subjects" bow and courtesy before them, they award themselves a lifestyle unimaginable to the common folk.

They take a "salary" and benefits that are astonishing, all to the cost of the working people, and yet, the whole population are preparing to celebrate the fact that due to blood lineage, and nothing more, they now have a new lord and master.

The Windsors must be pissing themselves each day thinking that they are actually getting away with this gig...

sniperman

agreed 1000%

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Could say the same about monarchies generally speaking, to be fair. Although the sheer scale of the British one would push me to agree with you.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

You need to get the protocol right, when your time comes to meet HRH. Men bow and women curtsy (not the same word as courtesy).

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542405#Comment_120542405

I'd take the Ronan O'Gara approach myself.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542410#Comment_120542410

You're some princess.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542414#Comment_120542414

You call me by my proper title, you little bollix!

Oh wait... you did..

Dohnjoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

Same with Royal families everywhere, for thousands of years they used to run the place until we got governments..

Now they just mainly just born into a duty of performing ceremonies and functions.

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

What Windsors?

aah yes

If King Chaz III came round here acting the bollix all big eared and hoity toity wanting me to wave or bow, I'd be like "here Chaz, no, you might be robbin' them eejits blind across the water, no brains and happy without them, but coming' over here shouting the odds, I say no Chaz, get back on yer golden carriage and feck right off, you and that Camilla, go on, git aaahht of it, on yer bike".

They’re a living tourist attraction

aah yes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542472#Comment_120542472

They need turfing out of their palaces and castles and get the National Trust to take it all over, Feckin national disgrace the lot of them, it is shite from the dark ages ffs.

dxhound2005

Get rid of the National Trust, and share out their properties among the people. Far too Royalist to be trusted.

"The former Prince of Wales was our President from 2003 until the death of Her Majesty the Queen and his ascension to the throne.

His Majesty's role at the Trust

He was Patron of the Trust's Centenary in 1995 and subsequently agreed to be President, succeeding Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

In this capacity, the former Prince of Wales took a personal interest in all aspects of our work. He hosted fundraising events, met with volunteers and visited properties on a regular basis."

moceri

They are merely actors who are in character 24/7.  

All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances;

Manach

Whilst it is unpopular to gainsay against the populus crowd of identical individualists that comprise current civic discourse, I'd state that having a family being the core of the nation promotes civil harmony and avoids the type of unrestrained Jacobinism that characterised the various republican revolutions.

theteal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

The whole population, really??? Incorrect. Yes there are a majority of boot licking simps at present but thankfully that majority is becoming less and less as time progresses and there is a distinct movement to do away with the inbred anti-democratic nonsense

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542558#Comment_120542558

It tends to come and go, rather than being a continual decline in support. Back when they cut the other Charles' head off, they were a bit unpopular. And when Diana died. But taking the long view, they are survivors.

Eclectic Econometrics

There are several things at play here, not just one guy or a family that have convinced everyone else they are superior beings.

There is a cohort of land owners, media owners, filtering down to your Nicholas Witchell types on 250k a year, that know this is all BS but also realise that this institution is at the top of a system with its hand on the scale working in their favour. There can never be true equality with a royal family, this suits those paying 40k a year to send their offspring to Harrow or Charterhouse. A good number of those who are successful and influential that are not born into it are brought in via honours, "Sir Keir". The system maintains itself pretty impressively.

Then there is the everyman on the street desperate for a sense of nationalism, who has to hark back to his great grandfather fighting in WWII in order to scratch this itch. To anyone with any sense of self worth the queen's funeralpalooza was Pyongyang levels of crazy but to a lot of the population of the UK it was finally a way to be British. The left wing or liberal equivalent is British people that say the 2012 Olympics was the last time the country felt great etc. It is this same wanting to belong they're tapping into.

People underestimate how powerful repetition is. There is a reason the narrative is these people are a tourist attraction anachronism. Costs are always put into the perspective of per UK resident, so a funeral only cost £1 per person, a coronation £1.50, "they bring in X in tourism" etc. They are made out to be benign but they're a malignancy that costs the country far more than can be measured per capita.

IMH, republican to my soul, O.

corner of hells

As somebody descended from a royal family, OP , you need to back in line , ya little bollix.

When I say a royal family , I mean Burger King , I was burger flipper back in the day.

banie01

I have been watching with a little bit of a smirk tbh. As the Penny drops for a lot of Brits that they are expected to pledge fealty to a man in a fancy hat, who is better than them and sovereign of their nation by dint of birth.

One thing I am fairly sure will be a result of the fancy dress parade? Is a growing and ever louder Republican movement in the UK. Asking the oath of allegiance naysayers what else they have in common with Sinn Fein can be a great way to pass a bit of time on twitter 😉😁

Andrea B.

I kid you not...

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542499#Comment_120542499

Sounds interesting, do you have a podcast?

TooTired123

They’re a tourist attraction. A hobby no more than watching/following Coronation St or Manchester United. Millions come from all over the world to see them and all the stuff that goes with it.

It’s part of their national identity.

Next weekend will be a bit of a distraction, a bit of bunting up and a party.

Throwing them out would be of no material benefit. Ask president macron today.

Doesn’t affect us in any way shape or form beyond a bit of eye rolling about how many Irish women in particular of a certain age are obsessed with the whole circus.

kneemos

I'd love to have a man to squeeze my toothpaste.

Blazer

No idea why you're getting worked up over Charles and their likes..who the hell cares.

The church/Vatican have done far more damage to and abused the poorest of society across the globe and are sitting pretty on their billions of dollars.

kneemos

Should probably lose the bowing and curtsey, it's a bit 17th century.

Wouldn't fancy the job though,bit of an open prison for them. No wonder Harry got out.

odyssey06

I think the Nigerian princes have the scam market covered, so the Brits had to come up with a deeper game.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

That is the peanuts bit though.... think about this:

• They are supposed to be a constitutional monarchy in a country with no written constitution! The constitution is whatever the government of the days says it is and this is explained away to the plebs as a feature - it's very flexible!
• There is no constitutional court - a citizen can't take the government to court to force them to conform to non existent constitution
• The purpose of an upper house is to act as a break on parliament and to represent various interests of the state, such as we have in Ireland where senators are elected by to the various panels - industry, farming, education etc.... in the UK they have an unelected upper house of individuals representing themselves and a PM who can always bully or pack the house to get his way
• Then we have the King's Prerogative which enables the PM to subvert parliament when it suits him
• As a result of disclosures under the FOI, we know for a fact that both the Queen and the new King have interfered with the operation of parliament to their advantage
• And of course you have the Magna Carta which the plebs quote on a regular basis, not appreciating that it was an agreement between a king and his nobles and in any case the last provisions of it were cancelled some time in the early 1800s
• And then you have this bunch of German immigrants (Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) living under an assumed name and claiming all kinds of benefits and even managing to extend those claims to many other nations.

Larbre34

It well within the gift of the British people to get rid of the Monarchy and organise a fully parliamentary republic if they wanted.

Theres clearly no major appetite among them to do that, so if they are satisfied to keep throwing money into the monarchy pit, then more fool them.

And to be fair, the Monarchy in Britain is an emergent system from the history of local leaders before the 8th Century, it didn't just manifest one day as a finished article.

Arguably, if the Anglo-Normans hadn't invaded Ireland this day 854 years ago, we'd probably have a native Monarchy here too, with one of the great Gaelic families being on the throne.

So I guess we have the Brits to thank that much for, showing us how not to do things!

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

...couldnt imgaine so, id imagine they generally feel very entitled, as they were all born into the situation, but we could very well be watching the final installment, as wealth disparities are now growing rapidly in the country......

odyssey06

They (Henry VIII) did muscle in on the religious action... but a greater scam than the Catholic Church and eg selling indulgences?

Doubtful.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120542558#Comment_120542558

Republicanism in UK is tiny. Even SNP were talking about staying in the commonwealth

Its even more bizarre that he continues to be the Head of State of Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120543554#Comment_120543554

House of Lords is 1 of only 2 world national parliaments with religious leaders appointed.

Immortal Starlight

Imagine being a “subject” of someone who you are also expected to curtsy to in the year 2023. Beyond pathetic.

fortwilliam

Also hilarious is the fact that half(ish) the country follows a completely (I know they all are) made up religion created solely so one member of the family could shag another bird.....

indioblack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120543367#Comment_120543367

That must be a euphemism for something.

indioblack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058294722/are-the-english-royal-family-the-greatest-scam-ever-played

"They have convinced an entire nation that they are somehow a greater set of beings than the lowly servants that serve them."

Thought that was the Catholic church in Ireland.

elperello

If the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are willing to adopt a gentleman of German/Greek heritage and make him their King I say let them off.

Strumms

It would take a scandal of biblical proportions to really end the monarchy… I don’t think they are all that stupid.. you don’t bite the hand that feeds you and they’ll be aware of that.

apart from a series of serious scandal probably only in two to three generations people might just say… “ here, times time cock, on your bike “

London will still be a major tourist attraction, a colossal city with weeks worth of sites, highlights, adventures, attractions and shopping. I’ve been there about 12 - 15 times as an adult and only just scratched the surface, never attended any royal stuff barring touring Windsor Castle in my teens, my aunt and cousins live 10 minutes away….

aah yes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120544365#Comment_120544365

You would have to have the top tier of the royals say the two oldest living royal brothers, to at least each have knocked about and have been best buddies with two of the top level top international all time record holding multiple serial child rapists from say two top G7 countries, UK / US and maybe one or both drawn in to their activities and caught bang to rights.

Apart from HDMI movies taken of both top royals caught in the act and a full admission and full public apology after, then like the Catholic Church that were given the job of baby sitters for hundreds of years in Ireland and were caught out hundreds/thousands of times, destroying thousands of lives and still got away with it Scott free, sure ye have not got a shittin' chance fer sure.

endacl

https://youtu.be/jHdrtxw-pGQ

Frankie. 😁

kneemos

A lot of consternation about the cost of the Coronation across the water,hundred million apparently.

All of the other European Royals have long since abandoned the Coronation Ceremony. It's all a bit ostentatious at least.

bnt

This idea that British people just tug their forelocks when Royalty is mentioned is a load of cobblers. Sure, it makes the Irish feel superior - “sure, we’re better than that now” - but are we really?

Regarding the pledge of allegiance, you should see the talk on UK-based forums, which can be summarised as “you wot, mate?” Sure, there will be some carefully-staged snippets on TV at the time, from around the UK, but don’t mistake that for popular support.

magicbastarder

it's quite bemusing to see support for the monarchy having fallen since the queen died. do the people who said they support the idea of a monarchy, and changed their mind when charlie took over, not realise that changing your mind when someone you don't like is in charge, is the opposite of the idea of a monarchy? it's representative democracy for people who have not heard the term.

screamer

They are just a vanity trip for the British, a decaying left over of their once “great” empire. As the old jingoistic subjects die out and they become more multi-cultural, due in most part to their colonialist past, the nostalgic support they enjoy will wane, and I think in another generation or two they won’t exist anymore or at least, they won’t enjoy the pomp and ceremony they have, but till then carry on curtsying.

Run Forest Run

The insurance industry would give it a good run for it's money imo.

But yes, the British monarchy is an impressive scam to have pulled off for this length of time.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120545096#Comment_120545096

Well they've not had the chance to have one in 70 years so I'll give them a pass on it.

Plus the extra bank holiday is good for the economy here in Ireland, i.e more visitors from the UK.

Remember: 80%-ish support the Royal Family.

That's far more than any Labour or Conservative Party achieves in a General Election.

Therefore, there is more democratic support for the RF than for the elected elements of the country.

It's not a scam.

Those countries in Europe with an unelected Head of State, someone above politics, perform better than those countries that do not.

Yes, a handful of people lead a privileged life but the question is, is that a price worth paying - politically, domestically, and reputationally?

The answer seems to be yes.

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Luxembourg etc. - these aren't awful places, but they all have one thing that unites them.

Sometimes it's better to zoom out, to see the bigger picture, and not resort to the age-old Irish begrudgery that other people have money so we must hate them.

walshb

Hardest working family in Britain. Worth every cent of their handouts!

walshb

And they’re the British Royal family, not the English Royal family.

Duke of Schomberg

Well, pretty much everything written here could be written about the Papacy, but - and taking into account Andrew - the Royal Family have bummed less minors, not been responsible for the systematic humiliation of unmarried mothers, nor buried their babies in unmarked graves . . . look in your own mirrors Fenians. I'd take our lot any day, over a superannuated virgin of random heritage dressed in a half-ball, beads, and a long white dress. Or any of your Presidents - bloody hell, Miggldy-D . . . there's been some in-breeding going on there!