The Off Topic Topic

[Josquius]

I was thinking more plane crash or the like. Touch wood.

[Valmy]

I was thinking more plane crash or the like. Touch wood.

True but, again, the chances of that are tiny.

But even if this hypothetical, so what? Plenty of other people in the order of succession if Harry wants to be a reality TV star or whatever.

[Josquius]

I was thinking more plane crash or the like. Touch wood.

True but, again, the chances of that are tiny.

But even if this hypothetical, so what? Plenty of other people in the order of succession if Harry wants to be a reality TV star or whatever.

Queen Beatrix will be the end of us.

[Valmy]

Maybe. But you were bound to have another shitty monarch eventually anyway. Every monarchy has a few George IVs in them.

[HVC]

isn't she the one that stabbed ed sheeran in the face? she can't be all that bad

[alfred russel]

My girlfriend is really into the British Royal family. I've tried telling her that they are just figureheads and don't really matter--even in the UK--and she argued with me that they are still really important (when I pressed why, she walked away). She can probably tell me the personal lives of a couple dozen royals, but i'm not sure she knows who the prime minister of the UK is.

(I can't really criticize too much, because I can probably tell you even more minutiae about roman emperors, who have even less relevance to our current lives -- at least the british royals can be a topic of small talk)

[Valmy]

I think the Royals theoretically could do things if they really pushed their legal authority, Elizabeth is just not stupid enough to do so.

[Barrister]

I think the Royals theoretically could do things if they really pushed their legal authority, Elizabeth is just not stupid enough to do so.

She could refuse to do stuff.  She could refuse to sign bills passed by Parliament, or could refuse to prorogue Parliament, or refuse to call an election.

But she can't positively do anything on her own.

But the Monarchy's power (which does exist) is more in her soft power.  She gets regular audiences with the PM, for example.  She can highlight certain issues or causes, which is an inherently political act.

[Valmy]

Well I was getting to is if the reigning monarch really wanted to insert themselves and have big and visible impact on the political system, he or she could. It just wouldn't be a good idea for the longterm existence of the Monarchy.

[Tonitrus]

I know people like to say "if Queen Elizabeth tried to exercise any real power, the monarchy would be toast"...but does anyone really believe if Liz told Boris to get bent on some issue, the House would put up a bill to abolish the monarchy?

More likely, some laws might come up to officially dial back their power...along with a giant media kerfuffle.  It might even make Brexit look like a small issue...for a time anyway.

[Sheilbh]

FWIW, I think it's better to "care" about the Windsors than the Kardashians.

Meh. Fuck it, they're both as bad of each other.

I am broadly benignly indifferent to the monarchy at the moment. But....I have realised that unless I'm getting a day off wor, it takes about one news cycle of stories before I go full Marat about it

Though I am noting your disapproval of the 48th President of the United States

[Josquius]

Yeah, I find it hard to care about the monarchy either way. Republicans are just as bizzare as monarchy fans.

[Admiral Yi]

Meh. Fuck it, they're both as bad of each other.

The royals are serving as role models of dignity, decorum, and good manners.  The Kardashians are serving as role models of attention-seeking, conspicuous consumption, and plastic surgery.

[Sheilbh]

Meh. Fuck it, they're both as bad of each other.

The royals are serving as role models of dignity, decorum, and good manners.  The Kardashians are serving as role models of attention-seeking, conspicuous consumption, and plastic surgery.

Sure. The family with twenty palaces are low on conspicuous consumption. Meanwhile on decorum, dignity, good manners....



And I've not even got to Prince Andrew.

They're as bad as anyone. At least the Kardashians made themselves.

[Admiral Yi]

Conspicuous consumption is not what they're selling.  And the fact that some members are seen as failing to live up to their own standards proves my point.