Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

can she legally or sovereignly by-pass Charles in favor of his son?

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

I think the Monarchy and a successful economy have as much to do with each other as your chance of winning the Olympics if you buy Reebok shoes.

The glaring flaw in your argument is that Britain, home to the Queen of Australia and the Queen of Canada, is broke and in many ways dysfunctional while China, a notionally communist country, and India, a republic, are the powerhouses of world economics.

I am afraid that your proposition is nonsense (though pageantry may be a pleasant time passer).

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

I'm no expert on the monarchy but I would think the answer is no to both of your questions; what she can do, is delay things - one popular theory is that she is trying to outlive him! Given her mother's age at the time she died, there's a chance of that happening!

Most people know that Charles isn't particularly popular with the general British public whereas William seems to be universally liked. The public have also taken to Kate - something they haven't been able to do with Camilla so I suspect the Queen may be wary that an unpopular king and queen could bring about the end of the monarchy.

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

Although in theory I instinctively oppose the idea of monarchy, in practice I think we have a lot more pressing social, economic and political problems to deal before we start expending energy on trying to get rid of a bit of archaic pageantry which no one really takes seriously any more in any case.

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

Very true

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

I also have a horrible feeling it would cost us more to have an elected head than the royals cost us.

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

I don't really understand this elected head bit - isn't that what the Prime Minister is? I don't understand how it would make any difference. I know you've tried to explain Uncle Joe but I still don't see what difference it would make regarding the royal family (other than not having to pay for their upkeep).

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

Two minds about this - really.
Something (probably from my childhood conditioning) still has a soft-spot for royalty. And it's not just the pageantry and hoop-la.
To do with grace and dress and manners and standards - not always observed - particularly by the younger royals - but those digressions sort of highlight the point. To me.
And there is something attractive about tradition and a sense of history which people like the Yanks seem to crave but never achieve.
Then - there is the tourist dollar which the system apparently generates but I see that as a mere by-product.

ON THE OTHER HAND ... to have a Queen of Australia IRKS.
On the global scene we are seen to be lackeys and the Union Jack on our flag makes it almost indiscernible from that of New Zealand and a whole bunch of other 'ex-colonies'.
Time for an Aus republic and a purely Aus flag and no Governors or Governor-general.
It is only the model of that republic that has failed to win sufficient support at referenda here.

I know, I want it both ways.

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

Join the club!

That is my line of thinking too.

I'm not so sure that England would lose a great deal. People would still want to see the palace and other royal paraphernalia; take, for example, how tourists travel to Stratford to see Shakespeare's birthplace - how many years has he not trodden the soil? The Jorvik Viking Centre in York attracts many visitors but there are no genuine Vikings in residence. The list is endless but I'm sure you get my drift.

Are you? I wasn't aware of that and I've never heard anyone refer to Australians in that way.

I have no feelings about that one way or the other as it wouldn't affect Britain (as far as I'm aware) - if you want independence, then I hope you get it but from what I understand, Australians themselves have voted against that?

Re: Do Monarchies still have a role to play in modern life?

Is Australia still a colony? I didn't know that...I thought it had been an independent nation for donkey's years, and just affiliated to Britain through the Commonwealth.......