The Cost of Keeping the Royals and their Jollies

reply to post by ignorant_ape


The true cost of the Commonwealth is very tricky to find out. Just on Official Development Assistance the UK Budget is 13.7 Billions Pounds Sterling. - Thats the equivalent of £137 per head per year. It should also be remembered that this figure is ring-fensed and only ever goes up. However it does not include all the jollies and banquets, trips to the races for Commonwealth dignitaries etc etc AND the security budget which I won't even go into.

In fact trying to find this information is horrific because I don't think if the public knew the real figure it would be acceptable, especially with the cuts being brought into services for the poor and vulnerable.

What complicates finding the real cost is that different needs are met by different budgets so to get a final figure is really difficult but what I am ranting about is that, when the Commonwealth and its ancilliaries are coupled with the money we pay into the EU
are we getting value for our hard earned taxes? We seem to have a foot in two different camps but negligible benefits from either. I hit the Commonwealth because of the benefits to the Royals derived from it who seem to be its biggest beneficiaries, especially when one looks at the gifts (Through the years), in actual fact given to the people of this country which they only benefit from.

reply to post by Shepard64


Tradition (Not always a good thing) - it starts as something we do, which becomes a habit and then suddenly that something becomes a tradition. Ours is a broken tradition because we don't even have the real Royal Family.

Its interesting because Royalty virtually stands alone in this country because the landed gentry and their lifestyle with numerous servants died off after WW1. The rounds of country house parties limped on until after WW2 but with the virtual demise of the debs and all that snobbish twoddle its a bit on its own. Our Royals don't live working lives like other country's royals and are far more numerous.

reply to post by tinner07


How much money they bring in is debatable. rothschild runs their finances so its interestingly put to the public as it is never on a money in v money out basis so we can see the real cost, - especially on such things as the security bill for all the Royals.

An interesting comparison is that the English palaces may earn a couple of million in tourism but the French ones, without French royalty to support, earn in the Billions every year from tourism. Another 'interesting' thing is that Prince charles elected to pay taxes so it seems to the English that OK - he's like us. Don't be daft, He is the Duke of Cornwall which has status as a Duchy. Although he is paying personal tax the Duchy which is basically a corporation, does not, so things like the £2,million rent Dartmoor prison pays the Duchy per year (which is ludicrous if you saw that antiquated dump and the small piece of land it stands on) should give you an idea, as its only a tiny example, of the Duchy's financial worth. The Queen has the Duchy of Lancaster and all that provides. To say they personally promote tourism is a bit of a misnomer the public rarely get to see them and tourists even less.

reply to post by PsychoEmperor


He he, it must be hard for people other than Brits (who are interested) in the nitty gritty of how our Establishment such as our Prime Minister gets his dish. Yes, as Politicians they don't get huge salaries But what most people aren't awre of is the payment for sitting on different boards that many MPs make up their money with. Apparently Board squatting can be for as many companies as one wants so the fees for the dubious service of having a Politicians perched on one's board, apart from the lobbying ear etc can be very beneficial to MP's salaries. Also most of them of our Front Benches are all millionaires. Poor people can't get the backing to run for parliament easily, unless they are from some ethnic group where representation is deemed a good vote winner.

reply to post by watchitburn


Starred you for that. Politicians and Royalty all never miss out on the merits of taking full advantage of the perks of their trade.
I suspect they also graduate from some exclusive brass neck college.

reply to post by FlyersFan


What is so depressing about the UK is that we have to live with a royalty that many of us believe were involved in Diana's murder and see them get away with it. They may not have done it personally but someone there directed it.

What is sad really is that charles should have married Camilla in the first place and not listened to his family. Had that have happened, Diana would probably still be alive and we wouldn't have that nasty taste in our mouths - those that care that is.

reply to post by mark1167


S&F for you I couldn't have agreed more with you. I hope the world wakes up and realises that its wealth is being held i such a tiny number of hands its utterly obscene. The public have already started to show opposition to the bottom feeders so I hope it will spread and gather up all those who place themselves above the ordinary person and do their level best to rob them.

reply to post by rangerdanger


You're right they are German but like the name Windsor instead of Coberg whatever. Twice we have had the chance of getting rid of them so third time lucky. Not all traditions are good.

reply to post by yeahright


You know Honey boo boo and the Kardashians will fizzle out eventually but you get to keep the royals cos they breed an heir and a spare to ensure the continuation of their 'dubious' line. Do fancy a swop though.

reply to post by aboutface


N ot only your Government pleasing the unmentionables but also mine. Charles is tarnished however one looks at it which is why William and Kate are doing the rounds to help make his succession more acceptable. Had William looked like Harry though I think he might not be the asset he is as he looks so like his Mother whose untimely death earned her a place in many hearts.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


I liked the pained expression from charles but it seemed to me he took umbridge about the word 'holiday' - the royals have in the pat been noted for their regular and expensive holidays which I expect they like to keep quiet about and brook no criticism on. Although when one considers the cost of security for the heirs at the time of the interview it would of course be the tax payers who are picking up the bills.

He exposed himself just like his father use to do and we have to stomach him on the throne

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Forgot to say thanks for a great video. I couldn't help feeling sorry for Nicholas W there will be no royal bribery with the old Gong or whatever for him - should he care.

reply to post by Shiloh7


Anti royalist much?

I'm a New Zealander and I'm not sick of seeing and hearing about them. In fact it's about damned time the royals took an interest in down under.

Not everyone wants independence you know. In fact, I'd prefer to keep the monarchy and get them to give an apology to both the Maori folk of New Zealand and aboriginal people of Australia so we can get reconciliation really moving. After all, it was Will's direct ancestors that started all the travesty of colonisation so who better to say sorry than a direct descendant?

Americans have a HUGE royal family to support: 100 senators, 535 representatives; and that's just the top-tier oppressors. Once you get into congress, you never really get out. Something like 85% of them have a near relative who has also served as a rep. If they write checks from the government bank, the feds will cover any checks they bounce. I think Newt Gingrich bounced (or would have bounced) something like a quarter of a million once he became speaker...

The senators have their own private subway. Seriously, that goes from the halls of congress to their staff building, and on to a health club. It's to protect them from the public, because they are soooo loved.

Boehner is in Afghanistan right now. He's only a prince, and so doesn't travel like Michelle O'bama on her way to China. But I bet he still brings 5-8 staffers, 13 security, and u.s. air force planes at govt. expense.

McCain just got back from the Ukraine (didn't Cypress Hill sing that?). Same deal financially, millions to help in out when he gets re-elected next.

McCain just got back from the Ukraine (didn't Cypress Hill sing that?)

reply to post by tovenar




Dude...that line made my morning. To funny. Cypress should do a song about McCain.
"Insane in the membrane McCain...he's insane got no brain...."
Every time there's an American agenda for regime change somewhere in the world, the military industrial complex roll out their poster boy for democracy...John "lets arm the rebels" McCain.
Am I the only one who see's this?

reply to post by Shiloh7


Personally I love Kate and William! I love seeing their travel pics and cute little George but I'm American and I like the whole royalty thing. I get what you are saying though and do understand. I mean they aren't any different than our President and his family galavanting all over the planet with their kids getting photo's taken. They just aren't royalty.

I love seeing Kate's clothes. I love her style and would love to raid her closet!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


I hope you are a very, very thin person as Kate is, whether its just her natural state or she is anorexic. They are a lovely couple to see and she is delightfully fashionable and very pretty. Their baby is so like I remember Prince William I had to do a double take at the pictures of him in what looked like a nursery with other tiny ones. Good luck with a peek in the wardrobe though.

mark1167

McCain just got back from the Ukraine (didn't Cypress Hill sing that?)

reply to post by tovenar

 

Dude...that line made my morning. To funny. Cypress should do a song about McCain.
"Insane in the membrane McCain...he's insane got no brain...."
Every time there's an American agenda for regime change somewhere in the world, the military industrial complex roll out their poster boy for democracy...John "lets arm the rebels" McCain.
Am I the only one who see's this?

edit on 16-4-2014 by mark1167 because: (no reason given)

The more Rino-ish the politician, the more eager they are to build the Milennial Imperium.
(Also the Imperial Millennium, but that's a topic for another thread...)


I girlfriend told me once that democracy is impossible.

When I asked her for her reasoning, she said, "Because of Proms."

You mean the dance before you get promoted and graduate from high school? Yes. And why is that, I asked.

It's because the vast majority of female humans secretly want--no, need--to be the princess. From weddings and proms and quincenneras and debutante balls and cotillion, down to the New Year's Eve dance. Women want to be elite in a poofy dress. And they want their men to wear an outfit with which you could carry a dress saber.

And so being deprived of a monarch is only temporary, in the big picture of human history. Hitler and Stalin, as autarchs in an otherwise egalitarian machine-of-state, enjoyed huge support among younger adult females. Just think about that for a bit.

Anyway, just a hapless bit of speculation on a Thursday afternoon. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

I feel very weary for seeing that god damn old woman in news again and again,her family also.

I'm sick and tired of every boring thing they do has to be some special mini series aired on tv. Who gives a #?
I wouldn't want to watch wedding or holiday videos of people I know, so why do I want to watch them?
I do t care about Georgy porgy either.