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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,964
4,616
S. Lanarkshire
Good point :)
That said though, the funding for Versailles got so bad that they were open to taking in paying guests, like an upmarket hotel.
At least Buckingham palace hasn't needed that yet.
 

mousey

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2010
2,210
254
42
NE Scotland
Well, I have no interest in the Royals, whoever they are or how old they are.

I have met two, Princess Anne and Prince Charles, both were normal people. Princess Anne opened the office I work at and spent a couple of hours looking around and talking to everyone [for some reason she reminded me of my nan]. Prince Charles visited the local scout hut, and talked to everyone.

When I got there at the scout hut, there were name tags, and when I asked what those were about the reply was, 'if you've got a name tag you've been specially selected to talk to Prince Charles'. Needless to say I didn't have a name tag. However when he got there, he ignored all of that, and talked to all the beavers, cubs and scouts, the leaders [me] and went in to do some stuff inside. When he came out went off to talk to the general public who had gathered - made a fuss over a couple of babies and toddlers. If I was cynical [which I am] I'd say it was publicity stunt, look good with mothers, babies and kids etc. But he actually came across as a nice guy as well.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,186
1,557
Cumbria
As a kid talked to the queen and Duke of Edinburgh. He was funny. She wasn't. They both stopped where we were standing on a visit to open our new school wing and give us a new royal charter. Well the old one was getting shabby due to it coming from her predecessor with the same name.

That was a fun day but I'm still not a royalist.

America has the longest, continuous written constitution in the world. I recall two instances where presidents used their powers arguably excessively. Nixon and now with Trump. We know what happened with Nixon but it's too early to say what will happen with Trump. Whatever does happen it's a stable democracy and a Republic. It has problems but no more than any western nation. IMHO America is still a good example of a republic. To say that a monarchy is needed is not really true. America is at least a democratic if not more so than our country IMHO.

Politics creeps into everything if you're not careful, sorry.

PS I'm biased a bit about usa having known my American grandad and having met. Some of his sisters. Always proud of that heritage, especially since it goes right back into the origins of modern USA and the early settlements (traced back to England for added personal satisfaction). :)
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,964
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S. Lanarkshire
No, they don't, but Crown Estates own it, and since the 'Crown' is the Queen, she and her family get to live there....and conduct very public duties there. Kind of like living in a rather posh workspace really I suppose.
 
Jul 24, 2017
1,163
444
somerset
Can we have a empire again but this time run by a sith lord? I mean how cool was that guy! bare faced power grabbing evil, I can roll with that. I recall being in the cinema cheering on the dark side! On reflection I guess I was not given a balanced child hood.........
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Seems you read a lot of Donald Duck comics!..
The root of all evil, sexism, genderwhateve-ismr, racism, and the other -isms I know nothing about.....
:)

The character Sith Lord was well underused. I guess they plan to create a movie about him?
Another one just like the one about Han Solo.
Was it called 'Solo'?

Utter badly made drivel it was. Stopped watching after 30 minutes. I read the Safety Instruction a couple more times instead ( I was flying with BA at that time)
And I love Star Wars!
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Most people do. It is only the 'unwashed' or 'sullied' to use GOT vocabulary that do not care...
:)

But, we all know you have ordered the 'Ultimate Harry and Meghan Collection', including the tea towels with their faces on, from Franklin Mint...
;)
 

Sundowner

Full Member
Jan 21, 2013
891
341
70
Northumberland
The Mrs Merkel who has for a very long time been the stable presence in Europe and only in the last year been criticised for a policy based around humanity for those whose lives have been put at risk in their attempt to get the standard of living that a most Europeans take for granted. These people aren't criminals or terrorists but people using huge risks for the good of their and their family's future, being exploited by people smugglers and indeed some are leaving oppression too.

IMHO more should be taken in and by more EU countries. Instead they've helped to fund detention camps in Libya that's in the midst of a civil war.

If you're using the last year to write off the very stable leadership of ms Merkel I think you're being a bit selective about the matter.

As for Macron, is the French state and elected politicians any worse than our politicians? It's not the system that's causing the yellow vests to hit the streets. It's the reforms he's trying. Bear in mind many economists say the reforms he's putting through are needed to modernise the french economy. It's also kind of the norm for French citizens to protest especially if they're losing out or losing benefits / rights that are no longer affordable or right for the modern age.

As for stability being down to monarchy, in the EU all monarchies power is very much curtailed. Their parliaments and governments operate under the monarchy but in reality that's just lip service. If our monarchy was the cause of our stability then how does Brexit play out with that idea?

My view is actually that a fully elected Republic is better than a constitutional monarchy with an unelected upper chamber. The only issue with that is party self interest among the politicians. That's something present in constitutional monarchies too.

Don't mince your words, just say what you mean ;)
 

Sundowner

Full Member
Jan 21, 2013
891
341
70
Northumberland
If the person shows such tendencies by the way they speak, yes. But, apologies, it wasn't actually targeted at you but at what I can only see as pointless opinion - if there is no advantage to this great country, and indeed there would be considerable disadvantage, I cannot see any logical argument that could support such a change. If there is no logical argument (because the country would be worse off) what other reasons can I assume people have for change?

Anyway, these 'discussions' always get too heated when people are behind keyboards so I'm bowing out now :) - always happy to hold such conversations over a dinner table though :)

Get invites sent out? ;-)
 
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Jul 24, 2017
1,163
444
somerset
Seems you read a lot of Donald Duck comics!..
The root of all evil, sexism, genderwhateve-ismr, racism, and the other -isms I know nothing about.....
:)

The character Sith Lord was well underused. I guess they plan to create a movie about him?
Another one just like the one about Han Solo.
Was it called 'Solo'?

Utter badly made drivel it was. Stopped watching after 30 minutes. I read the Safety Instruction a couple more times instead ( I was flying with BA at that time)
And I love Star Wars!
Donald Duck comic's Ummmm no! Truly there is no good and evil just judgements made upon actions, to truly understand and be wise one must have a broader view of the force.......:p
 
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Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,294
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
might be against the Forum Rules too.

My interpretations can be quite vivid!

Another of my favourites was ( is!) Tin Tin.

The generation after me in Sweden could not have the pleasure of those cartoon books ( do they say 'Graphic Novels these days?) as they got banned.

I even have Tin Tin in Soviet, and Tin Tin in Congo!
 

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