The Monarcy
The Monarchy is the very heart of the British establishment. That is one reason I have added this section to the site first. Another is because I am currently feeling closer to being a republican than I ever have been thanks to this chap.
As a teenager I was republican. I thought the monarchy was archaic and outdated. A number of things changed my view as I have got older.
The Overseas View
I have spoken to people from different countries around the world about the British Royal family. Even before the Netflix series The Crown, the British Royal family has an impact on foreigners and how they view the U.K. that is really positive. British people are aware of this to a certain extent but I think we under estimate the brand and the value that the Royal family gives. People are interested in the U.K. because of the things connected to the Royals, whether it’s the current family, its history, historical buildings or whatever. In my view this is irreplaceable and invaluable.
Elected verses Inherited
Another factor was the effect that inherited power has on the Royal family in comparison to an elected official and how the patronage that comes from that power has an effect on overseas leaders.
I have read stories of how American Presidents get nervous when meeting the Queen. Whilst it’s specific to our current Wueen, I like how she has seen numerous American Presidents come and go. It gives a stability and continuity that is ou can’t have with a politician.
I think it’s irrelevant that she’s an old granny or that she cannot talk policy. That’s still done by politicians and that’s how it would be even with someone else head of state. But she was born head off state. There is something powerful and unique about that.
A President or Nothing
And then there is the alternative. There are lots of alternatives around the world, whether you look at Presidents elected by voters, such as Donald Trump or Silvio Berlusconi, or Presidents voted in by other politicians, such as Jean Claude Junker, or Presidents held in place by the military, such as Valdimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. If I had to pick a system out of those which produced these heads of state, and our one, I pick ours.
If republicans were arguing to remove the royal family and replace them with nothing, then I‘d be more attracted, but they’re not. The thought of President Tony Blair, or David Cameron, or worse, Alan Sugar or Simon Cowell as President of representing the country overseas just makes me cringe.
Hereditary Power
But of course, I can accept all the criticisms of the Monarchy levelled at it by republicans. Yes, it seems old fashioned and out dated to keep a family, and whoever is born into that family as our head of state. Yes, that seems out of line with the type of society we live in now which pretends that we’re all equal. But I do not think that abolishing the Monarchy will resolve the issue of class in Britain. I think there are many other things which hold the class system in place that we could address before the Monarchy.
Costs
I’m less able to accept any complaints about cost, all the buildings occupied by the Royal family now would all be maintained as part of our national heritage anyway. A President and presidential family would also require security and may even fly round the world at or expense even more. The soldiers protecting the Royal households would either remain with ceremonial duties or be assigned elsewhere.
Official costs of the Royal family are around £40million. Which in the scheme of things is nothing. Republicans put the costs higher, closer to £200million. However, this is still far less than we spend in other areas (think £40billion for a failed Track & Trace system). And if you replace them with a presidency, you just move many of the costs, you don't save them.
Institutional Racism
I think people of colour see more negative things in the Monarch, then white people may.
Firstly they see an institution who oversaw the British empire. The empire comes with a lot of negative baggage towards it’s colonies and the people there. The term given to our old colonies “Commonwealth” may be seen as slightly sarcastic and almost mocking because that’s exactly what the empire wasn't doing, sharing wealth with the commoners.
Secondly the Monarch oversaw and helped support African slavery as well as benefiting greatly from it.
Thirdly, the Monarchy is the heart of the establishment. If the state is like a body; with the Monarchy as it’s heart, and if the Met Police are it it’s arms and you believe that the arms are rotten, then you question whether the whole body is rotten. And if you want change. It needs to come from the heart. When a family member accuses the family of racism, it also means the institution has race issues and responding by doing nothing isn’t good enough. It should be leading by example as an institution.
Conclusion
So ultimately, I am a Royalist and support the Monarchy. It has adapted and changed and provided the country with support and grounding during difficult moments and shared moments of joy at other times and I think it should stay.
Comments