Medieval pantomime a right embarrassment on the world stage

[JamesWales]

You can vote them out

We are stuck with the royals

They don't have any legislative power whatsoever though Sludge. It's purely a symbolic head of state. I take your point on the principle nonetheless.

Maybe a party should stand on committing to a referendum? That would solve it once and for all and I am sure you would all definitely accept the result and not spend five years moaning about it!

[TWGL1]

They don't have any legislative power whatsoever though Sludge. It's purely a symbolic head of state. I take your point on the principle nonetheless.

Maybe a party should stand on committing to a referendum? That would solve it once and for all and you would all definitely accept the result!

Didn’t DripFraud attend this time

[jon1959]

John Cleese, Ronnie Barker & Ronnie Corbett springs to mind reading this post. ‘I Know My Place’.

Too many fighting for the Corbett role!

i know my place.jpg

[jon1959]

They don't have any legislative power whatsoever though Sludge. It's purely a symbolic head of state. I take your point on the principle nonetheless.

By convention that is right - but as many Tony Benn road shows explained, it is not the whole story.

They still have a very powerful residual role and no primary legislation can be enacted without the assent of the sovereign. The monarchy still has a lot of power that they choose not to exercise (or test).

For me the ceremonial role is bad enough - enshrining inherited wealth and power, popular subservience, and archaic and expensive ritual - where none of that should be present in a modern, self-confident, democracy.

[lincoln blue]

Absolutey I'll second that.
What brought a tear to my eye today were our boys and girls, men and women, of the armed forces and voluntary services. What a spectacle, these are the true representatives of what's good in British Society.
So proud of these young ones and we can all sleep well at night, safe in the knowledge that they will be there to protect us if they were ever needed and not the likes of the "fat thumb brigade" on here and similar sites.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Absolutey I'll second that.
What brought a tear to my eye today were our boys and girls, men and women, of the armed forces and voluntary services. What a spectacle, these are the true representatives of what's good in British Society.
So proud of these young ones and we can all sleep well at night, safe in the knowledge that they will be there to protect us if they were ever needed and not the likes of the "fat thumb brigade" on here and similar sites.

You had a tear in your eye today ?

Tell me you are joking

[lincoln blue]

Yes for the superb display of our armed forces and others.

[JamesWales]

By convention that is right - but as many Tony Benn road shows explained, it is not the whole story.

They still have a very powerful residual role and no primary legislation can be enacted without the assent of the sovereign. The monarchy still has a lot of power that they choose not to exercise (or test).

For me the ceremonial role is bad enough - enshrining inherited wealth and power, popular subservience, and archaic and expensive ritual - where none of that should be present in a modern, self-confident, democracy.

I think we all know in practice that their role is entirely ceremonial. I would argue they add to our soft power abroad and I guess it would be naive to pretend that they have zero power here; they are part of civic society which all govts must keep on board. In practice I would say their influence on domestic policy is nothing compared to the civil service or religious leaders.

One could even argue that their apolitical status aids the executive as they don't present a threat where in other countries a political head of state who is different to the head of the govt may well do.

Certainly since WW2 we have seen extraordinary ranges of govt policy so I don't think the royals prevented any of that.

Nonetheless, I do remain uncomfortable with the fact that our head of state, symbolic as they may be, is unelected. I guess I view the positives as outweighing that. I accept some of the negatives you present but I think they are outweighed by the stability, sense of permanence, service and continuity that they provide.

What gets my goat is what I interpret as snooty jibes by a small minority against anyone who is supportive of it or dares to enjoy the ceremony.

The world is full of gloom and ceremonies of all kinds help to break that. There is nothing wrong with it in my opinion.

[dandywarhol]

Wales was conquered by England in 1283,the English king now rules Wales. The ceremony today took place in the church of England which was set up by a mass murderer and rapist Henry the eighth.
Makes me ****ing laugh.

If we were to have a vote on a king and queen would the these muppets even get on the ballot paper ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Yes for the superb display of our armed forces and others.

I cried when I lost my parents

But watching a coronation ?

I think that's very odd

The armed forces are what they are

They are doing their job and they get paid for it

They are not brain surgeons saving kids lives

[TWGL1]

I cried when I lost my parents

But watching a coronation ?

I think that's very odd

The armed forces are what they are

They are doing their job and they get paid for it

They are not brain surgeons saving kids lives

Each to their own though Sludge. Just like people who wish to vote Tory

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I think we all know in practice that their role is entirely ceremonial. I would argue they add to our soft power abroad and I guess it would be naive to pretend that they have zero power here; they are part of civic society which all govts must keep on board. In practice I would say their influence on domestic policy is nothing compared to the civil service or religious leaders.

One could even argue that their apolitical status aids the executive as they don't present a threat where in other countries a political head of state who is different to the head of the govt may well do.

Certainly since WW2 we have seen extraordinary ranges of govt policy so I don't think the royals prevented any of that.

Nonetheless, I do remain uncomfortable with the fact that our head of state, symbolic as they may be, is unelected. I guess I view the positives as outweighing that. I accept some of the negatives you present but I think they are outweighed by the stability, sense of permanence, service and continuity that they provide.

What gets my goat is what I interpret as snooty jibes by a small minority against anyone who is supportive of it or dares to enjoy the ceremony.

The world is full of gloom and ceremonies of all kinds help to break that. There is nothing wrong with it in my opinion.

Stability my arse

How does the coronation today improve the lives , in any way of the homeless , those struggling with the cost of living crisis and a whole host of other important issues ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Each to their own though Sludge. Just like people who wish to vote Tory

I accept the right of people to cry at a royal wedding or coronation and reserve my right to take the piss out of them

[jeepster]

Stability my arse

How does the coronation today improve the lives , in any way of the homeless , those struggling with the cost of living crisis and a whole host of other important issues ?

well said

[TWGL1]

Stability my arse

How does the coronation today improve the lives , in any way of the homeless , those struggling with the cost of living crisis and a whole host of other important issues ?

Do you think the billions wasted in the last few years has helped with these issues , the money spent on this pomp and ceremony is a drop in the ocean in comparison

[dandywarhol]

Wales was conquered by England in 1283,the English king now rules Wales. The ceremony today took place in a church which was set up by a mass murderer and rapist Henry the eighth.
Makes me ****ing laugh.
What a sad bunch of bastards the majority of Welsh people are.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Do you think the billions wasted in the last few years has helped with these issues , the money spent on this pomp and ceremony is a drop in the ocean in comparison

The billions spent keeping people alive and keeping people in work ?

It has definitely helped , without question

[TWGL1]

The billions spent keeping people alive and keeping people in work ?

It has definitely helped , without question

What about the billions wasted on fraudulent claims of government schemes ,the billions wasted on Track & Trace ,the billions wasted on inadequate PPE and the like ,what about the billions wasted in unpaid taxes by big companies with huge profits not passed on to customers ,billions wasted on proxy wars , millions wasted on failed road schemes ,HS2 etc

The money the pomp and ceremony cost is insignificant in comparison

[JamesWales]

Stability my arse

How does the coronation today improve the lives , in any way of the homeless , those struggling with the cost of living crisis and a whole host of other important issues ?

Stabilising your arse is a task beyond any head of state

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

What about the billions wasted on fraudulent claims of government schemes ,the billions wasted on Track & Trace ,the billions wasted on inadequate PPE and the like ,what about the billions wasted in unpaid taxes by big companies with huge profits not passed on to customers ,billions wasted on proxy wars , millions wasted on failed road schemes ,HS2 etc

The money the pomp and ceremony cost is insignificant in comparison

You need to ask elected governments about that and vote them out

We cannot do anything about the royal family

[Pearcey3]

I will never ever understand the forelock tugging towards a bunch of complete dull mediocrities. I just don’t get it. They are no better than the rest of us.

[blue matt]

How does the coronation today improve the lives , in any way of the homeless , those struggling with the cost of living crisis and a whole host of other important issues ?

I bet it made the lives of the older generation happy for a while, I drove to screwfix today and saw a village having a party, loads out with tables and chairs, some food, a few drinks, it must have brightened the day of a few

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I bet it made the lives of the older generation happy for a while, I drove to screwfix today and saw a village having a party, loads out with tables and chairs, some food, a few drinks, it must have brightened the day of a few

The elderly are not going to get better care and the hospitals more funding

Tuesday it will all be forgotten

We could make everybody a lot happier , all the time

But we prefer this cobblers

[MacAdder]

Interesting debate.
I was quite indifferent about the coronation but thought it's something I should watch seeing as it is such a big part of our great country's history.

It didn't take long before I found it quite uncomfortable watching.

The archbishop reciting vows which their royal highnesses had already renegaded on.
Could my discomfort be something to do with the advancement of technology, that we get to see everything, warts and all, not just nostalgic black and white snippets of yesteryear?
After all, watching small excerpts of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth from the fifties seemed nothing like what we witnessed today.
Could it have been that the TV and technology of those days, the aftermath of the world at war, pathè news, the stoic togetherness, the rhetoric which endeared the late queen to everybody's hearts?
Or could it just be the cynical nature of the older generation pouring scorn on the already tainted rep of our Royal family?

I just think that if HRH the King has taped it and watches it back in a few days, he may feel the same way as I.
If he doesn't, I think his boy Will will.
(sorry )

[Wash DC Blue]

By convention that is right - but as many Tony Benn road shows explained, it is not the whole story.

They still have a very powerful residual role and no primary legislation can be enacted without the assent of the sovereign. The monarchy still has a lot of power that they choose not to exercise (or test).

For me the ceremonial role is bad enough - enshrining inherited wealth and power, popular subservience, and archaic and expensive ritual - where none of that should be present in a modern, self-confident, democracy.

He felt the same about the EU as well.
If you can’t get rid of them…it’s not democracy.