Harry, I personally know two Americans who bought their families to the UK on holiday and the prime motive was to see Buckingham Palace etc, the Royal family is a big draw for tourists.
I am a royalist, I think the Royal family are a wonderful (if powerless) symbol for the UK and long may they remain so, they are a great peice of continuity for this country and its history. Prime Ministers come and go, the Royal Family remain.
The one has nothing to do with the other - preferring to have a monarchy is one thing - regarding her as a tourist attraction is another.
And you stated that the two American wanted to see Buckingham Palace - well people want to see Versailles, but the monarchy there is long gone.
I think the monarchy is good - but not out of, what seems to me, cringing, sentimental reasons.
I think also our monarchy should be able to speak out freely in a non-partisan manner which she can't do at the moment.
However, a country can have a monarch and still have republican values - which are those of citizenry rather than being subjects. And I think a national anthem should be about a country and its people rather than one person.
Prime Ministers come and go, the Royal Family remain.
Perhaps you should re-read your history and your Shakespeare.
It is the state which is constant, not the monarchy. But even more constant than the state are the people and their traditions.
I find the Americans far higher than ours, because we are not allowed to have values in this country - there is nowhere in our state where values are mentioned.
The words "We hold the following to be true...." meant a great leap forward in humanity. Bad things have happened in our country because we have no values. On our war memorials we write "Lest we forget". Alas - we have forgotten so much and even more so many people don't even know.
You say Prime Misters go - of course they do, because "leaders" are fall guys. The party loses the election, the leader goes, but the party continues. But it was the party which decided the policies of the government - the PM is just the fall guy - the symbol.
The monarch has no power - of course not - what was really going on when Edward VIIIth resigned? Do you really accept that he had to resign because he wanted to marry a divorced woman? Shame on you if you do.
The power in the country is an elite - it is called the establishment and some of them are not even British.
If a person says that they are "Royalist" that does not mean that they are patriotic. In the French revolution, was the king being patriotic, when, it was agreed that France would have a monarchy, but then he ran off to join an invading army of Austrians? No, He was a traitor.
Sorry - once again we are way off topic.
BTW. The idea of awards having something to do with the monarchy is incorrect. Republics have, of course, also awards.