Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Duque de Bragança]

These kind of neutered monarchies are living symbols. They help to create social cohesion, maintain the historical memory and are a boon to tourism. Great for art too. If there was no Elizabeth Regina, there would have been no Sex Pistols.

Exactly. Plus they seem to be pretty useful on trade missions, so they kind of pay for themselves.

And they take care of a lot of ribbon cutting and other nonsense that the PM then doesn't have to deal with.

Ribbon cutting duties can be done by a figurehead President too.  cf. Germany or Portugal

[Malthus]

These kind of neutered monarchies are living symbols. They help to create social cohesion, maintain the historical memory and are a boon to tourism. Great for art too. If there was no Elizabeth Regina, there would have been no Sex Pistols.

Exactly. Plus they seem to be pretty useful on trade missions, so they kind of pay for themselves.

And they take care of a lot of ribbon cutting and other nonsense that the PM then doesn't have to deal with.

Ribbon cutting duties can be done by a figurehead President too.  cf. Germany or Portugal

Ah, but do people buy commemorative plates when the President of Portugal gets married? 

[Duque de Bragança]

These kind of neutered monarchies are living symbols. They help to create social cohesion, maintain the historical memory and are a boon to tourism. Great for art too. If there was no Elizabeth Regina, there would have been no Sex Pistols.

Exactly. Plus they seem to be pretty useful on trade missions, so they kind of pay for themselves.

And they take care of a lot of ribbon cutting and other nonsense that the PM then doesn't have to deal with.

Ribbon cutting duties can be done by a figurehead President too.  cf. Germany or Portugal

Ah, but do people buy commemorative plates when the President of Portugal gets married? 

Marriages are cheaper for the President of Portugal so no need to sell commemorative plates to try to recoup the costs of a royal marriage. 
Plus, if you really need a royal marriage, the local crown pretender can do the trick, at least in Portugal. 
OTOH, on a more serious note, the Duke of Bragança i.e the heir to the throne is somewhat recognised by the Portuguese republic: best of both worlds!
His marriage in 1995 was attended by European royalty and republicans alike.

Presently, the commonly acknowledged duke of Braganza and Portuguese heir is Duarte Pio de Bragança (born 1945). Unlike other European republics (such as Greece) which attempt to prevent the presence of former royal houses in their lands, republican Portugal and its claimants to the throne have long been reconciled, a fact shown when among the guests at the wedding of Duarte Pio was the President of the Portuguese Republic and the country's prime minister.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Braganza

Duarte Pio often travels and visits various places, in an official charge, for matters concerning cultural affairs, both in Portugal and overseas. Though not a head of state or official representative of the Portuguese state, Duarte Pio has been received with such honours by various foreign heads of state, government, and organizations.

Every year, on 1 December, Restoration Day, the Duke gives his annual speech in honour of the Portuguese Restoration at the dinner of the Forty Conspirators.[40] It was on 1 December 1640 that João II, Duke of Braganza, an ancestor of Duarte Pio, deposed the Portuguese House of Habsburg, installed the House of Braganza as the reigning house of Portugal, and restored sovereign rule to the Portugal. In his speeches, the Duke reflects on the historical significance of the date, events of the previous year, and the road ahead for both Portugal in general and the monarchist cause. In 2012, Restoration Day ceased to be an official holiday of the Portuguese state, prompting Duarte Pio to speak out against the action, stating that extinction of the official holiday "devalues the day which should unite the Portuguese".[41][42]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duarte_Pio,_Duke_of_Braganza

[Valmy]

I don't want to presume what's right for other countries, but for my own, I can just say "Long live the Republic!"

Mort aux rois

[Iormlund]

I have no strong feelings one way or the other.

[The Brain]

The various democratic institutions (people, parliament and government) have all come out for Brexit without qualifying their support for it, so if no deal Brexit is what is on offer (and it's always been the default position) then it seems pretty democratic to me. It would be bad for democracy if the Queen were to try any funny stuff now.

[Josquius]

Here's an interesting idea of how sinn fein could save the country.
They won't. It's gold dust for Irish unification.
But it would be great.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/how-sinn-fein-could-bring-down-brexit-but-it-doesn-t-involve-taking-their-seats-1-6198722

These kind of neutered monarchies are living symbols. They help to create social cohesion, maintain the historical memory and are a boon to tourism. Great for art too. If there was no Elizabeth Regina, there would have been no Sex Pistols.

Exactly. Plus they seem to be pretty useful on trade missions, so they kind of pay for themselves.

And they take care of a lot of ribbon cutting and other nonsense that the PM then doesn't have to deal with.

Ribbon cutting duties can be done by a figurehead President too.  cf. Germany or Portugal

The German president costs more than the British Queen and is far less effective.

[Duque de Bragança]

Here's an interesting idea of how sinn fein could save the country.
They won't. It's gold dust for Irish unification.
But it would be great.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/how-sinn-fein-could-bring-down-brexit-but-it-doesn-t-involve-taking-their-seats-1-6198722

These kind of neutered monarchies are living symbols. They help to create social cohesion, maintain the historical memory and are a boon to tourism. Great for art too. If there was no Elizabeth Regina, there would have been no Sex Pistols.

Exactly. Plus they seem to be pretty useful on trade missions, so they kind of pay for themselves.

And they take care of a lot of ribbon cutting and other nonsense that the PM then doesn't have to deal with.

Ribbon cutting duties can be done by a figurehead President too.  cf. Germany or Portugal

The German president costs more than the British Queen and is far less effective.

The Queen of England is going to cost a lot more now without CAP subsidies. 
German president can still veto laws and dissolve the Bundestag.

[crazy canuck]

Here's an interesting idea of how sinn fein could save the country.
They won't. It's gold dust for Irish unification.
But it would be great.

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/how-sinn-fein-could-bring-down-brexit-but-it-doesn-t-involve-taking-their-seats-1-6198722

That would be great.  And may be necessary to keep the peace.  Plus it gives the Irish bragging rights for generations to come.

[The Brain]

Brexit reminds me of a great movie scene.

-Now, you slipped up on your end of things. I didn't end up where I wanted, I didn't end up with nothing, didn't get nothing!

-You got what you were supposed to get, bluesman! Ain't nothing ever as good as we want it to be!

[Zanza]

I think having a monarchy and all the bling around it is much less consequential for British politics and Brexit than having a clear and fairly static upper class that manifests in "public school" ( mainly Eton) attendance. This small elite dominates politics in Britain and is now instrumental in pursuing this hardest version of Brexit. The failure of parliament to stop this clique of extremists will come to haunt Britain.

[The Larch]

The German president costs more than the British Queen and is far less effective.

The German president does not own like half the country either.

[Valmy]

I think having a monarchy and all the bling around it is much less consequential for British politics and Brexit than having a clear and fairly static upper class that manifests in "public school" ( mainly Eton) attendance. This small elite dominates politics in Britain and is now instrumental in pursuing this hardest version of Brexit. The failure of parliament to stop this clique of extremists will come to haunt Britain.

Brexit is also a populist movement. Blaming it on elitism seems a bit...backwards. I mean I know there is that Rees-Mogg guy but is the public school crowd really driving the bus here?

[Zanza]

Yes, see article below. The people that are driving a no deal Brexit now and that drove the leave campaign are elites. It is certainly a populist policy, especially now that Cummings wants to instigate a people vs politicians election. But the populism is just the means to reach the goals of a small elitist group.

Similar to how the GOP appeals to poor whites these days but is  elitist when you look at both policies and the personal background of its politicians.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/jul/25/two-thirds-of-boris-johnsons-cabinet-went-to-private-schools

[Josquius]

Yeah. That's the painful thing about brekshit.
These public school elites, well of course they want it. They've been banging on about it for years. It perfectly fits in with their long held aims of crushing the state and making ever more money.
But, through psychological warfare they've been able to convince the down trodden on the complete opposite side of the wealth range, those for whom brexit is absolutely apocalyptic, that it is actually foreigners that are to blame for all their problems rather than the elites and brexit is their salvation.

The German president costs more than the British Queen and is far less effective.

The German president does not own like half the country either.

If the queen wasn't the queen she'd still be a filthy rich old lady who owns vast estates.