Jubilee

[demi]

have you been to Amsterdam ? its FULL of tourists! not a Dutch person in sight!

[demi]

Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Princes Trust
Duchy business awards
Head up most of the big charities in the country.
Spend 100's of day a year each opening, planting, supporting, giving.
Don't forget Prince Charles was Green and sustainable 30 or so years before you and I, and everyone took the mick at the time.
Noel Edmunds had a big estate and openened it up, with MR Blooby! It's not always for the good you know.

No you are right Demi, make them live like Bank Managers and berate them for not doing enough.

In Holland you can smoke Dope and Watch I could be a dirty spammer, please let one of the moderators know about this post all day as well!

and just think about how much more good things they could do for the country with all those billions of pounds they have!

and maybe the UK would be a happier place if it were more like Amsterdam!

[Millymollymandy]

I have the rest of the Thames bit to watch this evening! It went on for a bit but I really enjoyed it. Couldn't give a monkey's how much it cost - the old dear is worth every penny and for all those who knock her, she hasn't had a chance to retire has she? Who else would still be on their feet all day having to be nice to people at 84. Good old queenie.

Oddsox, which original jubilee are you referring to? The silver, gold, or Queen Victoria's Diamond?

[Arbor]

For me the issue isn't whether the Royal Family are worth £12 or £80 a year. The point is that they are unelected and there is no option for me to refuse to hand over my hard earned cash to an over priveliged group of upper class elite.

So we have been fortunate and the current monarch has been personable and popular but we have no guarantee about the next incumbent or the one after that. People may not like the idea of a presidency but at least it is democratic. If you are not liked you are not elected. It harks back to empire and a distant age and has no place in modern democracies.

I bring up my family to believe that we are all born equal and through hard work and effort we can achieve and suceed. I do not like the message that a monarchy provides. That is that you can suceed merely because you were born into the right bed. An accident of birth entitles you to a lifetime of privelige. It perpetuates class division and allows a wealthy few to possess a disproportionate amount of the countries wealth.

The news has been switched off in our house. Quite frankly the fawning, obseqiousness that characterizes the whole Jubilee event is shameful. This country is populated by millions of hard working people hard working people: nurses, doctors, teachers, volunteer workers, carers all who have met with challenge and haven't lived in luxury all of their over priveliged lives.

I am happy that many of you are enjoying making fairy cakes and attending parties but it is not for me and I retain the right to my opinion and if having an opinion that differs from the majority makes people uncomfortable then so be it!

[Odsox]

Oddsox, which original jubilee are you referring to? The silver, gold, or Queen Victoria's Diamond?

I certainly was there for the silver and the gold, but not as far as I can remember, Victoria's
I was actually referring to the "origin" of the jubilee, the coronation on June 2nd 1953. I wonder if there are plans for next year ?

[wabbit955]

i thinks the royals is good thing a hell of a lot of money is gained from the tourist coming to see them
i work on the south bank over looking the river and worked all day yeserday it was a great atmostfear even at the £500 pound a head customer paid for there meal.
it deffently going to make a big differance in my pay packet at the end of this week with all the extra work i had to do for the whole julblee
so glad it finishes up on friday thou

http://www.harveynichols.com/hnedit/foo ... on-tea-10/

[demi]

im not saying that the whole novelty of the royal family doesn't create tourism, my point is they throw about too much money on things when it could be used for something much more meaningful that can make an important difference, like towards medical research and environmental issues.

i remember hearing on the news a while ago, when they were talking about the new budget and all the cuts they were making, about how the queen had agreed that her annual salary increase would be frozen for the coming year. oh grate, how good of her to give up her multi million pay rise and settle for the mere 50 million odd pound she had to manage with last year! how ever will she cope! shes goning to need that annual heating allowance for old folk so she can afford to heat her palace. or did they cut that too???

[Mustardseedmama]

If it were possible, I'd happily trade you Mr. and Mrs. O for the Queen,...and I'd throw in Nancy Pelosi and both Clintons to sweeten the deal! No?! Well, can't blame a lady for trying!

[boboff]

We would ask nothing less than a Palin.

[oldjerry]

What's not to like about Her Maj?(the tourism thing is drivel mind....so no-one visits NY,Paris,Rome etc.etc.?)

This aint a good time to be a republican,as Billy Bragg has said, for those that may be of that persuasion,there is a crumb of comfort....well 2 words really..................



................Queen Camilla..............

[Mustardseedmama]

We would ask nothing less than a Palin.

You Betcha!

[The Riff-Raff Element]

What's not to like about Her Maj?(the tourism thing is drivel mind....so no-one visits NY,Paris,Rome etc.etc.?)

We are of one mind.

I live in a republic, but I don't really believe that it provides a better model for government. I note that many of Europe's most prosperous and (generally) peaceful nations are either monarchies or duchies - the Benelux states, Sweden, Norway & Denmark. I suppose what inclines me to republicanism is more the privilage system that monarchy imposes - a simple accident of birth somehow elevates a person to a higher status. We see this throughout the high reaches of the social strata, and monarchy perpetuates this notion, legitimises it.

Still, I'll admit that Brenda does do pretty well for 86.

[gregorach]

You know who else brings in a lot of tourists? The Loch Ness Monster. So how about we give her a major constitutional role, eh? Or perhaps we could have Mickey Mouse as head of state - now that would bring in some tourists! Turn Buckingham Palace into Disney World, it could actually pay for itself.

And since the Queen's constitutional role is supposedly purely ceremonial, I don't see why we'd need a President either. If she has no actual constitutional power, we can just get rid of the whole lot without it making the least difference.

[oldjerry]

But Brenda really exists,and Nessie disney.................coat..............

[gregorach]

But Brenda really exists,and Nessie disney.................coat..............

Aye, and she still packs 'em in. Doesn't cost a penny.

I regard Nessie's non-existence as a positive factor in this matter.