AOG, London
I just spent the better part of my weekend traipsing all over London. I would like to say that you can't help but notice that there is a Royal Wedding in our midst….but I’d be lying.
London’s West End was, for once, not at all interested in Royalness.
This may, and probably will, change by Friday.
But if you walked around Oxford street, you’d be forgiven for thinking the wedding had been and gone.
Until you turn into Regent Street that is. Once there, you do get a feeling of, not Royalness, but Britishness. Why?
Only because they have Union Jacks flying from one side of the street to the other all the way from Oxford Circus to Picadilly Circus. But that’s about it.
Here and there, some stores had either a union jack “motif” on their window, or something alluding to the happy couple. But little else.
Further afield the West End, for example on the train back to the airport, you could see some towns had one street with bunting and union jacks. But not much else.
However, this is not to say that the wedding is not having an impact on sales. Many shops (Ted Baker, Paperchase) have some sort of Union Jack/Royal regalia object or product for sale to commemorate the event.
As do the tourist stands which pepper all of the West End. You know, those places which entice you to purchase a mug with the portrait of the Queen or Prince Philip, or a postcard with some royal plastered on it, or any other "royal" kitsch paraphernalia.
Or the ubiquitous Union Jack with a portrait of Kate and William. These are bestsellers they told me.
To be fair, most of the people I spoke with are happy they are getting married but not so happy about the financial state of their country. The wedding is reputed to be on the Queen’s bank account. That is to say, the British “people” are not paying for it.
Except that not many people believe that and, of course, no one will even know the true cost of the affair.
However, officially, her majesty is paying as are Miss Middleton’s family –who, by the way, are millionaires (you didn’t think he was going to marry somebody poor did you?).
Certainly the Royal family is paying for the dress and the receptions at Buckingham palace (where some food will be served but not as much as you think!*).
But what I think they are not paying for is the cost of policing the event, and the clean up afterwards.
As it is, London Police are inspecting manhole covers, drains, traffic lights, and lamp posts along the parade route. Overall, the security operation is expected to cost £20 million ($32.6 million). I think this is coming out of the taxpayer's pocket.
The other thing they are not paying for is the loss of earnings which people will experience that day which has been declared a public holiday and one in which you won't have to go to work. And you won't get paid. And nobody asked you if that was ok with you.
For many, those on a company payroll, it is probably a welcome day off. However, for those, like some of my friends, who work as freelancers or as temps, no work means no pay.
You could argue, of course, that royal weddings happen once in blue moon, and, naturally, you'd want to celebrate with the royal family...except that you are expected to celebrate with them from the comfort of your own home, and not at the palace.
However, it is worth saying that many people can’t help to look back to that other royal wedding, the fairy-tale one, when the heir to the British throne married a certain Lady Diana Spencer, mother of this year’s groom.
If you need your daily Royalty fix, look no further than this blog by the BBC.
*A few years ago, the Palace uncovered an alarming statistic about guests attending the Queen's annual garden parties. Rather than just nibbling on one or two snacks, they were consuming, on average, 14 sandwiches, cakes, ice creams and scones (I mean, how dare they those plebs!). The palace has come up with an ingenious solution — they have reduced the size of the treats on offer!
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David Brin
Achilles7
Farleftside
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Comments
I hope the wedding is a disaster and something horrible happens.
Lezlie
Congratulations on the EP!
rated
In Britain they may be royalty, over here they're still just the Windsor family.
Otherwise, what was 1776 all about anyway?
Even you must be able to understand that a constitutional monarchy is a democracy, and a superior one at that. I know it is not your brand of ridiculous communism, but it is a democracy all the same. People who argue what you are arguing like to say that the monarchy promotes tyranny, and that they are a drain on the public's wealth. Now when you say these outlandish things, because they are so ludicrous people want to believe you. We think, "Wow, if this is true, these royals are really bad people." But, unfortunately for people like you, it isn't true.
The truth is, is that a constitutional monarchy like the one you are attacking is a full fledged democracy. The people elect their representatives in the legislature and their head of government. It is the exact same thing as a republic, you simply add the monarch to it. Now the monarch does have power, which contrary to your statements, is a good thing. Giving someone who is completely un-bias, impartial, and partisan in political and governmental affairs the ability to check the elected government does wonders for democracy and insuring the betterment of the people. Because the Queen can veto a law, we have one last safeguard system where the monarch can veto something and bring it to the attention of the entire country. This is why I vetoed, this is why I think it is wrong, and this is why it won't benefit the people. If we didn't have that, bills could grow through Parliament without a glance from an impartial reviewer. And, if the Queen vetoes something that the people really want, they can override her decision! Socialists like you expect us to believe your nonsense about how a constitutional monarchy is a dictatorship where the monarch has complete power, but this simply isn't true. Every decision the Queen makes involving the people can be overridden by the elected government.
Additionally, the Queen makes her country money, not puts them at a deficit. Tax revenues from the royal institutions, palaces, museums, places of interest, gardens, and even just the royal family themselves are massive. All together, they total up to over £ 23,000,000,000. 23 billion pounds! Can you imagine what would happen when the country no longer received this annual stimulus. Not only does it improve the quality of democracy in the country, but it is also serves as the nation's most profitable corporation.
I respect your opinion, I really do. And I like that people have varying opinions because if we all settled for the same thing, and agreed with everyone, we wouldn't be where we are now. And if I was a little over the top, I do apologize. :P I am simply passionate about this topic, and have dedicated my life to researching it. When a system is truly wrong, it should be stopped. But when it proves both beneficial for the government and the people the government serve, then we would be fools to abolish it.
Furthermore, the crown should be put in a museum. The rest of the royal family should be forced to work full time.
I also think that 80 percent of their stocks and bonds should be confiscated and turned over to the state, because they only made that money through oppressing their own, and foreign peoples.
Workers of the World, UNITE
Only rarely in world history has the crown supported the common people, in the face of a unified assault from the nobility. Louis 14 of France did this, but he was a rarity. Bonapartists were like this, too. However, for the most part, Monarchy has supported the nobility against the common man.
I think the Queen of England and the House of Windsor (Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha) should be abolished, its property confiscated, its privileges revoked and its royal crest relegated to the dustbin of history. I would also do the same thing to all the members of the House of Lords, as well as every knight and member of the lesser nobility throughout the realm.
After we have a revolution in the New World, we shall come to the United Kingdom, and save you and spread the principles of the revolution there, ok?