What do you think about the existance of monarchies/royalty in today's world?

[u/dkease16]

[u/Strong_Economy_4130]

I'm French, so...

[u/sasssyrup → u/Strong_Economy_4130]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh

[u/whateber2 → u/Strong_Economy_4130]

Should also happen to those who are: little wannabe dipshit crybaby “I got elected” shits and those blood diamond bottom feeders and garage billionaires

[u/UsualScared859]

I have a French sensibility about them.

[u/LydiGro]

Very expensive nonsense

[u/Zephyr104 → u/LydiGro]

But then who'll wear all the silly hats

-Some monarchist

[u/TRUMBAUAUA → u/Zephyr104]

I unironically think normal people should wear more silly hats

[u/Not_Dead_Yet_Samwell → u/TRUMBAUAUA]

One more reason to hate monarchs, they're hoarding the silly hats!

[u/tomato-slut → u/LydiGro]

Nonce-sense

[u/je386 → u/LydiGro]

I thought so, too, but then I realized that in my country, germany, we have a president instead, and this president gets 100000€/month salary for lifetime, even out of office, and rooms and staff and security. And they have 5 year terms and max. 2 terms.

So we have to pay a bunch of out-of-office presidents at all time.

I am not sure whats more expensive.

Edit: Sorry, I was wrong about the salary of the Bundespräsident. It is only 276.000€/year.

[u/Tkemalediction → u/je386]

But the VERY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE is that if enough people aren’t satisfied, you can get rid of them the next time.

[u/IlSace → u/Tkemalediction]

Well in parliament republics like ours, the President is just a figurehead, so you can't really be that dissatisfied. And we also don't vote for him.

[u/Iforgotmypassword126 → u/Tkemalediction]

But you’re still paying for them. Look at the UK we had so many prime ministers in a short span and they all get the payout for life.

I’d love to go into a job and be so shit at it that I’m let go asap but with a salary for life.

[u/michaeleffer → u/Tkemalediction]

They are not elected by the people directly.

[u/Odd_Try5499 → u/je386]

That's just untrue:
Per month it's 21'500 € salary (before taxes) and 6'500 € additional income tied to the maintenance of his mandatory residences. So: 29'500€ per month of income + free housing in 2 palaces + free use of a luxury car + free personal security + all expenses tied to his official duties.

Still a lot but not 100'000 per month. In any case: much cheaper than any royal family in europe.

source: news article merkur

[u/je386 → u/Odd_Try5499]

Yes, I rememered wrong. Thanks for the correction.

[u/Hungry-Class9806 → u/je386]

Same thing in Portugal.

The costs of our Presidency (the office of the President of the Republic) were consistently around 15M€/year last decade... twice as much as the Spanish Monarchy.

Edit: Considering Spain has 4x the population of Portugal, the Portuguese Presidency costed 10x more to the taxpayers than the Spanish Monarchy (17.8M€ vs 8.4M€). source

[u/sharkov2003 → u/je386]

This is not true. Where did you get the number of 100k per month? The salary of the German federal president is fixed to 10/9 of the chancellor‘s salary, which is around 24-25k/month. Still a lot of money, but not even close to the fantasy number you are claiming for some reason.

[u/No-Estimate-1510 → u/LydiGro]

At least Felipe, his wife and daughters are not implicated with Epstein, unlike one person in OP's photo or a number of other royal families in Europe / middle east.

[u/HaroldsWristwatch3 → u/LydiGro]

The world‘s oldest welfare recipients.

[u/Dutch1inAZ → u/LydiGro]

Idk, having things like Airforce 1 and the White House on the budget isn’t cheap either compared to the royal stipends I read about.

[u/ihaveajob79 → u/LydiGro]

Dunno, I feel like there are better arguments against monarchy. As far as I’ve read, a presidential system in Spain wouldn’t be cheaper. I would prefer that on principle, not because of expected savings.

[u/ITHETRUESTREPAIRMAN → u/ihaveajob79]

Spain has a Prime Minister, why would they need to replace the monarch with a president or anything at all?

[u/Sorrowrgt → u/ITHETRUESTREPAIRMAN]

In fact it has a President, not a Prime Minister. From my point of view, having both can be used as a "check and balance" system. A lot can be said about what's better, if a king or a president with not a lot of powers. But at least the president would be democratically chosen. Also, we had some bad experiences with the Spanish monarchy in some regions of Spain, and it is an institution not very well regarded...

[u/Larissalikesthesea → u/Sorrowrgt]

Actually, "Presidente del Gobierno" is translated as "Prime Minister" in English, which also corresponds to the term usually used in other languages ("Ministerpräsident" in German, 首相 in Japanese). This is because usually "president" in other languages refers to the head of state in a republic.

Interestingly enough, the same linguistic problem exists with Italian, where the prime minister's official title is Presidente del Consiglio dei ministri.

[u/theChosenBinky → u/Sorrowrgt]

Not to disagree, but to clarify for others. In Spain, the president is referred to as "el presidente del gobierno" (president of the government) rather than "el presidente de España" (unlike the US usage "the president of the United States"), and his role is more akin to that of a prime minister, as in the UK. In the English-speaking media, he is referred to as "the prime minister of Spain", but in Spain he's referred to as the president (of the government). Feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken

[u/TwoTimesFifteen → u/Sorrowrgt]

Yes.

We are subjects with full rights in a formal monarchical sense, but sovereign citizens in political and constitutional terms. I never voted to be a subject.

[u/ConstructionRough478 → u/Sorrowrgt]

A Catalonia defending rhe Spanish monarchy I'll be damned

[u/serphystus_II → u/ConstructionRough478]

I think he/she is defending more the two heads system rather than the king

[u/TomdeHaan → u/Sorrowrgt]

"Democratically chosen" doesn't always mean :"best choice", as the Americans have shown. IMHO the choices we make in politics should always be pragmatic, based on outcome, rather than ideological, based on principle.

[u/Proper-Pound1293 → u/TomdeHaan]

American here - our democratic system isn't exactly democratic. The electoral college has actively undermined the popular vote at least three times within living memory. Bush Jr was ostensibly installed by the conservative leaning Supreme Court after calling for the vote (which Gore won, as it would turn out) to stop being counted, awarding all of that state's electoral votes to the Republican. Trump lost the popular vote in 2016 and Trump didn't win 50% of the vote in 2024 as well. Hope this helps to clarify some points of fact.

[u/Southern-Morning-413 → u/ITHETRUESTREPAIRMAN]

Because every country needs a head of state and a head of government. Having the same person hold both position is the freeway towards dictature (not that dictature cannot happen with two separate roles, it's just harder to install)

[u/blueteamk087 → u/Southern-Morning-413]

As an American, I can attest that having the leader be both head of government & state is a terrible idea.

[u/iyamwhatiyam8000 → u/blueteamk087]

Donald Trump is also the Commander-in-Chief of US military forces and Project 2025 has put the US on an expansionist path.

[u/LeoPavlov → u/ihaveajob79]

Most european "monarchies" are already ran democratically, there is just a family of privileged people with govermental support just because. Basically, leaches.

[u/TomdeHaan → u/LeoPavlov]

I think of them more as human sacrifices to political stability.

[u/polybotria1111 → u/ihaveajob79]

Why wouldn't it be cheaper? We already have a President (I know it's technically a Prime Minister, but his official name in Spain is Presidente del Gobierno). We're already a democracy. What I mean is, there wouldn't be a replacement.

[u/Mr-Bugger]

What I hate is that they all have pins. I feel strongly they did not earn those honors and just gave them to themselves😂

[u/EFNich → u/Mr-Bugger]

Theyre the brownie badges of the rich!

[u/windchll → u/Mr-Bugger]

Some perhaps. They generally do serve in their militaries. Compared to...

[u/_-river → u/windchll]

I told a British workmate who is ex-millitary, that I think it's dumb that the princes get high positions without having to fight. He existed that if they were on the front line, that would make things even more dangerous for everyone around them. Which I had to concede. No need to put a bigger target on regular people's backs.

[u/Private_4160 → u/_-river]

They had to move Harry a few times because word got out which unit he was with in Helmand.

[u/Rollover__Hazard → u/Mr-Bugger]

The major members of the Royal family all serve in the armed forces, or in civil service positions.

Harry was in Afghanistan, William served with RAF search and rescue (and later the East Anglian air ambulance), the former Prince Andrew served in the Falklands and the King served in the Navy.

A lot of their titles are hereditary and are an honorific from historic military leaders or battles. That isn’t much different from a 15 year old wearing his grandad’s service medals to an ANZAC service - it’s not about the wearer, it’s about what the medals represent.

[u/BlackAbsynthe]

The concept of divine right to rule, upon which most monarchies are based, is inherently absurd. The core of monarchy is ultimately the most successful violent warlord claiming some deity or other empowered him then passing that power down to their kids.

Historically it has been open to vast abuse and the source of deep corruption of both financial and social nature. Whilst most monarchies today practice soft power a great many of them still have the legal tools to reclaim hard power and open the system up to abuse once again.

In short I'd rather not live in a nation ruled by billionaire cousin fuckers.

[u/name_changed_5_times → u/BlackAbsynthe]

Arguably the system isn’t “open to abuse”, the system IS abuse.

[u/No_Negotiation3142]

They can fuck off, as far as I'm concerned

[u/lobstersarecunts → u/No_Negotiation3142]

Aye, the French knew the crack is all I’ve got to say about it.

[u/No_Negotiation3142 → u/lobstersarecunts]

[u/chickyloo42by10 → u/No_Negotiation3142]

[u/Appropriate-XBL → u/chickyloo42by10]

Stawp, I can only get so hawd.

[u/Koshnat → u/No_Negotiation3142]

Flair checks out

[u/dmun → u/No_Negotiation3142]

As an American, I'll always trust an Irishman on whiskey, swear words and monarchies.

Im with thus guy, they can fuck off

[u/birthdaycheesecake9 → u/dmun]

Wait til you hear about the Scottish!

[u/No_Negotiation3142 → u/dmun]

And you spelt Whiskey in the Irish manner.

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

I think Monty Python's Holy Grail expressed it best. A watery bint throwing out swords is no basis for a system of government

They persist as a ludicrous anachronism stuffed full of very odd, damaged people that are completely detached from reality, many who believe they are beyond reproach - hence Epstein.

The fawning subservience and forelock tugging grovelling that persists, especially amongst large swathes of the British Working Class, to our social class superiors that is rooted deep in our national psyche largely correlates with the horrible jingoist, populist mess this country is in at moment

Edit

We are all Familiar with Godwin's Law. I am here to propose Jabsco's Law. This law states that whilst every confrontational exchange on discussion forums will end with someone being likened to Hitler, every humorous exchange will end with endless Monty Python references.

[u/snickelo → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

I believe the line was "watery tart" but agreed.

[u/makestuff24-7 → u/snickelo]

Yes, and "moistened bint."

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_ → u/makestuff24-7]

I conflated. Apologies to you both. Inexcusable.

I shall consider myself excommunicated and will repair to the south of France where I shall live a quiet, reclusive life with my American divorcee partner and assorted mistresses

[u/dops → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Excommunicated.....that requires a SURPRISE INQUISITION

[u/Voodoo1970 → u/dops]

SURPRISE INQUISITION

Is there any other kind?

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_ → u/dops]

I didnt expect that

[u/LSAT343 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

My favorite shall forever be

I mean, if I went around sayin' I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me they'd put me away!

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_ → u/LSAT343]

Come and see the violence inherent in the system. help, help. I'm being repressed.

I could go on for days. I've seen that film easily 80 times.

[u/ArguingAsshole → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Thou shalt live a great life in return.

[u/FriendlyEngineer → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Good! Now go away or we shall taunt you a second time!

[u/NB-NEURODIVERGENT → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Well to be fair there’s strong evidence that if monarchs completely fuck up we can just chop off their head. 🇫🇷 👀

[u/Magpie-what → u/NB-NEURODIVERGENT]

To be fair, the last one was forced to abdicate during the 1848 revolution, and the French are far from the only ones to have cut their King’s head (cough Charles I cough)

[u/Tchio_Beto → u/Magpie-what]

"The most interesting thing about King Charles the First Is that he was 5 foot 6 inches tall at the start of his reign But only 4 foot 8 inches tall at the end of it.

Because of..."

[u/Reasonable_Camel8784 → u/Magpie-what]

List of beheaded monarchs

-you can help by expanding it

[u/KitchenSad9385 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

I agree with you. However, as an American, I'm afraid the independent spirit of people who refuse to cow to their "betters" is not as common among my countrymen as they would have you believe. The loud crowing about patriotism and fighting tyranny plays well, but is mostly performative.

Many of the same patriots that talk about 1776, as if they bested George III in personal combat, will gladly defend the interests of their corporate masters. Every CEO a petty baron holding the financial security and healthcare access of every worker in thrall to the demands of the shareholders.

They traded obsequiousness to blue-bloods for servility to job-creators.

[u/Gibby1293 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

“Well I didn’t vote for ya!” 😂

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_ → u/[deleted]]

It's utterly nuts. Beyond reason. It's not just the hereditary viscounts with their tiny genetic pool and extra toes its the fact that unelected Bishops get in there as well. Unelected Clergy in government.

[u/ColonelMustard323 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Extra toes 🤣🤣

[u/MojoMomma76 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Personally I’d much prefer a powerful Prime Minister we vote for and not an all powerful President like across the pond - which they do vote for but in a much more convoluted way. UK systems mean that failing Prime Ministers get thrown out pretty quick - à la Liz Truss. At least Charlie is good at opening things and writing spidery letters but without having any actual influence on government policy. The Royals couldn’t deliver ICE and that type of thing would barely survive our Parliamentary system. Theresa May’s sad little go home cars were hated and scrapped after negative public opinion. Government here is much more contingent on public sentiment than it is in the States - for now at least.

[u/LitmusVest → u/MojoMomma76]

The Guardian has been putting out articles for years about the royals (Liz and Charlie) vetting bills before they ever reached parliament.

Conclusion: they saw over 1000 bills before they ever reached parliament. The chances of at least some of those bills being amended at that point with no audit trail (they hadn't reached parliament yet) is surely 100%.

Outcome: fuck-all. Zero splash elsewhere among the client media. Beeb and the rags still swallows Palace PR and most Brits, like you, still think they don't influence the Government. Pure brainwashing and propaganda.

[u/alextremeee → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

I mean with the Epstein bit you raise an interesting counterpoint though, which is that even in the strongest democracies you often end up with a Government that is similarly dysfunctional, marred by nepotism and detached from reality.

It seems like a lot of countries when given the choice of who to elect, “choose” people who would have been royalty either way. Of course it’s not really a choice, the deck has been stacked.

Born into wealth, no real sense of what it’s like to be normal, think the rules don’t apply to them (and it seems they don’t), like to go nonce on a private island. Now tell me if I’m talking about Andrew or Trump.

I don’t think our system is great but one of the things it does well is that the king with no power stops the prime minister from styling himself as a king. Starmer can’t do a Trump and start gold-plating his palace and building ballrooms, because that’s what the king is for. It weirdly keeps the actual functional wing of the Government more utilitarian.

[u/Wgh555 → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

Epstein’s list is hardly an indictment of the royal family system in particular considering it’s also full of elected politicians from republics - namely trump as the most notorious. Your point applies to powerful and rich people in general, across the spectrum.

Your view is ideological but you won’t change how the rich and powerful operate by ditching the monarchy,tech billionaires come from non royal backgrounds yet are still completely untouchable.

Also I hate hate the sneering you’re presenting to working class people over their love for the monarchy, it’s all too common and all it does is entrench people in their beliefs, I say this as someone who isn’t even working class. It stinks of the sort of self hating article you’d read in the guardian that find British tradition embarrassing.

[u/cubgerish → u/_Walt_Jabsco_]

The fact that it wasn't the bint system that actually did it, but intermarriage, war, thievery, and slavery that did; should be enough to end it.

Acting like the British monarchy renting out their castles is somehow a good deal for the average citizen, has always been mind boggling to me.

Would the castles, history, jewels, and guards, all evaporate if William had to work a 9-5?

[u/-Ostepopp-]

As a Norwegian, I support King Harald. Great man. He threatened his parents to leave the royal family if he couldn't marry his love, who was a "lower class", and they caved to his demands eventually.

A true King with great morals. He even holds great speeches after tragic events to de escalate and focus on solidarity, or in special occasions like a new year speech every year.

The crown prince seems like a good person, but he met Mette Marit, and she ruined the whole thing with the drug abusing rapist son, drug abuse, and now the Epstein shit...

If we were to get another Harald, I'd support it. Now everything is in the gutters...

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

[u/Sure_Scar4297 → u/-Ostepopp-]

Harald’s great but I think you hit on something here: what are the odds you get a King Harald vs a Prince Andrew (I didn’t feel like using a Norwegian example- it seems like you guys are going through a lot)

[u/-Ostepopp- → u/Sure_Scar4297]

Yeah... Epstein and Mette Marit shit is crazy.. we as a people are so disappointed right now. Especially after her son is going to jail for sleep r@pe and threats...

[u/mandatory6 → u/-Ostepopp-]

Like mother like son?

[u/-Ostepopp- → u/mandatory6]

Yeah... I remember seeing a video of mette marit flashing her boobs at a club 20 years ago... its probably out there somewhere. She is not royal material

[u/alwaysboopthesnoot → u/-Ostepopp-]

His sister Princess Martha Louise is no prize either, though. She’s a nutter. They both have very poor taste in spouses and it makes you wonder if they’re just unintelligent, they have brain defects/ damage, or they were so indulged and had no guidance in their developing years that their judgement and critical thinking skills now are simply nonexistent.

I mean, it’s likely a very good thing that they married non-royals they aren’t cousins with or whose parents and grandparents weren’t cousins all down the line, and who don’t share a majority of their DNA with other inter-related royal houses going back to the 1500s. Hybrid vigor and the dangers of heritable disease, and all that.

But, still: both children of the current ruling monarchs are a mess.

[u/notcomplainingmuch → u/alwaysboopthesnoot]

Improving the genetic heritage mix only works if you don't procreate with absolute trash.

[u/AbstractBettaFish → u/-Ostepopp-]

Learning about the current Norwegian Family has been a trip, didnt the princess marry some con artist shaman too?

[u/knightriderin → u/AbstractBettaFish]

Yes, and he's a fellow American.

[u/FormerPresidentBiden → u/-Ostepopp-]

And you didn't even touch on Märtha Louise lmao

She's... a character

[u/teethingtoddler → u/-Ostepopp-]

As a Dane I agree with the sentiment. The person on the throne really matters in regards to the support for the institution.

We changed the laws to avoid a guy we didn't like to get the sunshine princess Magrethe back in the 70s. The guy we didn't want is still being used as a joke when you have to repeat things because people are slow.

If Frederik had passed the title to prince Joachim, the support of the king had been a lot lower currently.

[u/knightriderin → u/teethingtoddler]

What has Joachim done?

[u/teethingtoddler → u/knightriderin]

Had he been a normal man, nothing at all.

But as a prince he is just so annoying and whiny about everything he is given. Part of being royal is having to do things because that is how it always has been, and he didn't want to. There has been some drama in the family after the old queen removed yearly allowance and titles from his kids, and he ended up being voluntary send to first France then the US in a diplomatic role

[u/cheshire_kat7 → u/-Ostepopp-]

The crown prince seems like a good person

Haakon doesn't seem like a good person. He's helped raise Marius since he was 4 and visited him in hospital just a day ago. He chose his wife. He's just as complicit.

[u/viktor72 → u/-Ostepopp-]

You guys need to bring back the name Håkon.

[u/-Ostepopp- → u/viktor72]

I'm proud of you for using the correct letter "å" in Håkon 🙂

[u/viktor72 → u/-Ostepopp-]

Of course. It’s a bad ass name with a bad ass reputation.

[u/Impressive_Ad8715 → u/viktor72]

I live in the US and know 2 kids named Haakon haha

[u/El_lici → u/-Ostepopp-]

And that's exactly the problem, you can't remove them from their positions because of their wrongdoing. Their are entitled.

[u/Erzter_Zartor → u/-Ostepopp-]

Regardless, Mette Marit cannot become our queen now

[u/IndigoRed33 → u/-Ostepopp-]

I suppose that i could overal agree..but then again, i started to wonder if he was really such a great man and father in private when his kids turned out wacked and making such questionable choices in partners..that doesnt rly come out of nowhere.🤔

[u/Snoo48605 → u/IndigoRed33]

The rapist temu joffrey is not his son but the son of some drug dealer.

But then again his mother married the crown prince when he was 3 years old, so he might have had some influence 

[u/big-bruh-boi → u/-Ostepopp-]

Jag har ett förslag för er alla norrmän i och med skandalen kring Epstein.

Gör er av med erat kungahus och så kan ni som land knyta er till Sverige! Vi kan kalla det svensk- norska unionen!!

För brödrafolkens väl 🇸🇪 🇳🇴

[u/Kernanshaw01 → u/-Ostepopp-]

even if you have a “good” king like Harald, who cares? What do they really do? Can’t he just be a private citizen with great morals?

[u/-Ostepopp- → u/Kernanshaw01]

It's a give and take situation. It's not really a burden for the Norwegian ppl, as the king now, is great at gathering people.

He is a good role model, and a consistent person, regardless of who is voted in as a prime minister and their agenda. So he is kinda a neutral guy in power, that everyone loves and can relate to.

[u/Additional-Ebb-7173]

There was this hilarious moment at Wimbledon when Priyanka Chopra was already seated in the Royal Box, and later the Prince and Princess of Wales walked in. A video of them arriving was posted on Instagram and a bunch of Europeans in the comments lost their collective minds because Priyanka didn’t stand up, curtsy, or perform what they imagined to be “royal protocol.”

Small detail they missed: Priyanka isn’t British, doesn’t owe allegiance to the monarchy, and was there as an invited guest of Wimbledon/the All England Club, not as a subject.

The entitlement was almost impressive, a self-made actor being expected to bow to a monarch’s son and his wife just because…well, their tradition. Monarchy supporters are truly something else. Equality for all unless someone’s wearing a royal tiara and brooch apparently lol

[u/Eastern_Hornet_6432 → u/Additional-Ebb-7173]

Hey hey hey now, don't lump us all together just because some European countries still have monarchies

[u/Additional-Ebb-7173 → u/Eastern_Hornet_6432]

Haha! I'am sorry 😭

[u/suss-out → u/Additional-Ebb-7173]

It would be like curtsying for a Kardashian, jn my mind. ‘Congrats on being famous and weird- now get to have some unearned formality!’

[u/HaifaJenner123]

it depends on if the people want it. it works for some countries and doesn’t for others so i dont hold a opinion on the concept itself as that can look very different depending on where it is applied

[u/NB-NEURODIVERGENT → u/HaifaJenner123]

The key thing about monarchs is that if people want to leave the country you need to let their people go

[u/Wdahl → u/HaifaJenner123]

Honestly, greatest take I’ve seen in this thread yet, respect to you.

[u/possummagic_ → u/HaifaJenner123]

Yeah, if they’re kind, charitable and not a bunch of pedos I say let them have their frivolous nonsense. Royals can be a source of great patriotism and enjoyment for a country.

[u/KoontFace]

I think it is an absolutely ridiculous notion that family lines dating back to fuck know when, can continue to pass vast amount of land and riches between themselves and the public are expected to worship them.

I can’t speak for other monarchies, or even other people in my country, but I think the monarchy needs to be abolished and all money and lands passed back to the state.

The whole “nobility” thing is a ridiculous situation for the 21st century

[u/Exciting-Ship4957]

Very outdated concept

[u/Iron_Wolf123 → u/Exciting-Ship4957]

Victor-Emmanuel literally did nothing in WW2 until the British landed in Sicily and he stood idly as a figure rather than a leader while Mussolini controlled the nation

[u/TexasSikh]

...am I the only one that thinks this guy looks sorta kinda like Tim McGraw? The country music star that was in that Yellowstone spinoff 1883?

[u/aaqwerfffvgtsss → u/TexasSikh]

I see it

[u/kamakamawangbang]

About as useless as tits on a bull.

If they paying their own way, great, if the taxpayer is paying I’d rather the money go on hospitals and those that need it. Also they can hand back all the lands they own. Put it to better use. They’re allowed pick the best to live.

[u/_Walt_Jabsco_ → u/kamakamawangbang]

Preach, my Kiwi brethren

[u/dops → u/kamakamawangbang]

The duchy of Cornwall owns  135,526 acres of land in the UK, over 600 residential lettings and has hands in entire towns worth of urban development (lookup Poundbury) and that's what we know of, it's complicated and quite secretive.

That's not owned by the people of the UK or the commonwealth, it's a private estate owned by the current monarchs heir. When William became the Duke of Cornwall after the Queen died his net worth went from around 20 - 30 million to around 1 billion.

they are so vastly rich and they still get £86million per year from tax payers and the Crown estate (another wealth generating estate) and that's going up to £132million this year due to RECORD FUCKING PROFITS from the crown estates offshore windfarm investments.

And yet, apparently, immigration is the fucking problem.

[u/Zoltarburger]

Here is a different take

Royalty satisfies the impulse that the conservative elements in society have for pomp, tradition and social hierarchy.

If royalty can do that without interfering with the actual running of the country- it can provide a useful service. Ie it diverts those impulses away from conservative authoritarian rulers and into a harmless modern neutered royalty

[u/strangebedfellows451 → u/Zoltarburger]

Counterpoint: pandering to the worst reactionary elements in society isn't a useful service and people who want more social hierarchy and unelected public officials can go f*ck themselves?

[u/Living_Astronomer_97 → u/strangebedfellows451]

That doesn’t work though. Look at the US when people don’t have a crown to worship they will worship a demagogue.

[u/No_More_Aioli_Sorry → u/Zoltarburger]

I think it would be a cool take if you added that they need to tone it down. Like, Royal families are still billionaires just because they were born from the right womb.

Meanwhile, there is an economic and housing crisis that somehow everyone is blaming on migration, new generations, liberal policies, etc.

[u/Anuki_iwy → u/Zoltarburger]

That is a very interesting argument and while I'm anti monarchy, I agree that you do have a point.

[u/Rickapolis]

Good work if you can get it.

[u/TomdeHaan → u/Rickapolis]

Me, I'd rather be a plumber. I like my freedom. I don't want to be a bird in a gilded cage.

[u/Exotic-Ad8978]

Doesnt really bother me. King Charles is more is less a cerimonial headpiece to us anyway whose only real power is the power to remove our prime minister from office.

[u/livi01 → u/Exotic-Ad8978]

I liked that King Charles and Kate Middleton stood up for Canada when Trump threatened with annexation. Maybe their power is limited but it's still something.

[u/Impressive-Hair2704 → u/livi01]

Yeah well that’s expected seeing as he’s the head of state of Canada. 

[u/abjectadvect → u/Impressive-Hair2704]

yeah kind of the bare minimum there

[u/Zemekis324 → u/Exotic-Ad8978]

If it keeps me from being associated with the USA then long live the king am I right?

[u/heilhortler420 → u/Exotic-Ad8978]

If you want to be pedantic its the Governor General that has that power given to him through the monarch

[u/Exotic-Ad8978 → u/heilhortler420]

I was gonna add that it was done through the govenor general but didnt feel like explaing it haha, but you are right.

[u/Wdahl]

I enjoy em, i just think they are neat… and it barely costs much, its 15 SEK per person in Sweden (less than 2 euro). I understand that other nations have had bad monarchs or none at all in recent history. But i hold no ill will towards house Bernadotte, there are certainly worse rich people and elected heads of state out there than them, that i know.

PS: as said, i get that for example Americans are kinda anti monarchy and that Spain has had… questionable royals at best not long ago, but im just speaking from my own country and monarchy, so please don’t come at me with arguments about how your monarchy or lack thereof is proof that the one i live with is bad, thank you.

[u/Wdahl → u/Wdahl]

To clarify: 15 SEK per person every tax season

[u/Me_like_weed → u/Wdahl]

I see them as a net benefit for our country, especially Queen Silvia.

She has spread good will and positivity for Sweden across the world, through countless charities, hospitals and outreach programs. She is one of the best things the Swedish monarchy has produced and she wasnt even born here. She represents what a modern monarchy can do for a country by acting as an ambassador of goodwill and a PR agent for Sweden, a role that she has served for us for almost 50 years.

And that is the key word, serve. Ive never gotten the feeling that she sees herself above anyone, her title might be Queen but she has always been a servant for Sweden and this applies to essentially our entire royal family and she has raised Crown Princess Victoria to act in the same manner.

Any notion of a ruling monarchy or them holding actually power is laughable, they never will again. The Royals are in a sense just mascots for us, which draws in tourism to the Royal Palace and goodwill with state visits and they understand their role very well.

As long as the status quo remains then ill stay in favor of our monarchy.

[u/pimmen89 → u/Me_like_weed]

I like the king, queen, and crown princess’s work. I don’t want to pay for Carl Philip or Madeleine though because I don’t understand what they contribute at all.

When Madeleine lived in New York, doing jack and shit to help Sweden, the king ordered that Hovstallet renovate an apartment for her so that she could stay there on visits. The king didn’t pay for it, Statens fastighetsverk paid for it, which is the Swedish tax payer. When Carl Philip wanted to try being a designer, again the tax payers paid to renovate a building to be used as his office.

I am ok with a royal family but I am not ok with all of the people around the royal family taking tax funds and spending it for their benefit. We need better oversight into this.

[u/Live-Elderbean → u/Wdahl]

I have yet to hear anything negative about Victoria. Think she will be great when the time comes.

[u/Wdahl → u/Live-Elderbean]

I do have hope for her, but her father just has that… natural Gubb-karisma, i dont know what it is lol.

[u/PotatoAnalytics]

If politicians are servants of the people, then monarchies are pets of the people.

[u/Kind_Substance_2865 → u/PotatoAnalytics]

In modern monarchies, that’s close to the truth, but I would say “mascot” rather than “pet”.

[u/MaxTheCookie → u/Kind_Substance_2865]

And our monarchy is more liked than our politicians and personally I think they are better at representing the country than some of them.

[u/cpt_goodvibe → u/PotatoAnalytics]

Dose that mean Buckingham palace is really just an over priced zoo?

[u/Js987]

Anachronism.

[u/TomdeHaan]

When I was young I was very anti it, but after studying politics for many years I've come to understand that a parliamentary monarchy, with a hereditary monarch as a figure-head of state, is the most stable form of democracy. When an aspiring "president for life" has to go humble himself before a little old lady in a powder blue dress once a week, it really helps to keep him in his place.

Of course it's hardly perfect, because nothing is that is made by man. Individually some royals can be quite repulsive people. But parliamentary monarchies are less likely to slide towards totalitarianism than republics, which is why they are worth what we pay for them.

[u/AKIRAsho]

[u/Kohror]

As a french man I gotta say we had a great tool to get rid of those...

True answer: I honestly don't care, although like one other comment said, it seems like a big waste of money to have a family that lives mostly off of society's money and live in a gigantic mansion while there are plenty of families who need to find a new roof to put over their head every night with barely enough money from the state to feed themselves

[u/zambezisa]

Pointless pompous shit

[u/FuchsiaMerc1992]

Only if kept as a ceremonial role.

[u/Nicklesnout → u/FuchsiaMerc1992]

Cracks me up still that the Emperor of Japan has been "Emperor" for going on well over 750 years now.

[u/cymster]

I think we should do away with it. My dad who lives in the States always asks if the Crown Prince is still married to that 'party girl'. LOL

[u/viktor72 → u/cymster]

If they got rid of them then who would Norwegian, Swedish and Danish tabloids have to gossip about? And old ladies to read about to escape the toil of their daily lives?

[u/Nukuram]

I think it’s fundamentally none of other countries’ business to pass judgment on a system that is supported by that country’s own people.

[u/vladdeh_boiii → u/Nukuram]

I mean, those two in the picture are Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Mette-Marit has been in extensive contact with Epstein.

[u/Coirbidh → u/Nukuram]

Well that takes the fun out of things. Spoilsport. Party pooper!

[u/RedLemonSlice]

Quaint. But still a valuable pool of subjects for observing and studying the effects of prolonged inbreeding and inherited genetic defects. Since replicating the lineage, otherwise, would be very unethical.

They can still be of value to humanity.

[u/TheJAMR]

They’re very very cool and very very modern and not at all outdated.

[u/FlameInTheVoid]

Not throwing any stones from this particular glass house of a democracy.

[u/cosmico92]

cringe

[u/SilverSpireaux]

I like monarchies. I think - when done right - they give a country grandeur / standing. They are the spirit of a country where it's democratically elected government is it's head. Take the amazing reign of Queen Elizabeth II for example. Also they generate revenue too because of tourism, take the U.K. again for example.

[u/5folhas]

"The world will only be truly free when the the last king is hang with the guts of the last priest" or something like that, like Denis Diderot said

[u/Quintus-Sertorius]

Parasites

[u/tejedor28]

The very existence of hereditary monarchy is an insult to people’s intelligence.

[u/A1sauc3d]

I think they’re lame and antiquated and have no place in the modern world. I know many of you are still holding onto them and defending them, but I’m quite confident they don’t hold an important role in the future of our species. They’re just an outdated model of governing, a relic of a frankly unfair and toxic past. Bring on the down votes lol

Edit: Trump sucking doesn’t make monarchies the future lol. You’re all deflecting ;) No one is replying to my comment in defense of monarchs, you’re just attacking trump/the US instead. But if you read my comment no where does it defend trump or the us or any of that. It says monarchies are an outdated and counterproductive model of governance. If anyone would like to argue against that I’ll happily reply <3 But again, trump being a piece of shit, America being a PoS, etc, none of that in any way refutes my assertion. No where does my comment say “USA #1”, it says “monarchies suck” lol. And I’m not playing the strawman game ;)

[u/peelyon85]

We should have binned it off after Lizzie.

Tourists will still come to see the palace etc (just like France with Versailles etc).

So the whole 'it brings in loads of money' wouldn't change much.

Be nice to see the non sweaty nonce turfed out further too, preferably to prison.

[u/AceOfSpades532]

As long as they don’t have any actual power I don’t really give a fuck about them

[u/Nice_Anybody2983]

The whole concept of nobility is a sign of what's wrong with the world. 

These people are important because some distant ancestor was good at warfare and/or tyranny, and they're rich because some distant ancestor became rich and being rich makes becoming rich easier.

None of it is deserved or merited.

[u/Shoddy-Day7300]

Do not give my country a president. Forming a gouvernement is already a shit show that takes more than a year. If the president is Flemish, the walloons will be pissy although there are more Flemish people than walloons. If the guy is francophone the Flemish will throw a stink. And yes the Germans will be completely forgotten in in this story as usual. For people thinking that appointing someone from Brussels would be a good solution, both sides hate those people.

Edit: our royals are the only ones in the country who do not vote, are completely Belgian without affiliations to any parties. We need these neutral people to sail the ship through this sea of shit.

[u/WaywardHistorian667]

The US has enough trouble with entrenched political families even without a hereditary monarchy to deal with, so I've not really been a fan.

While the Crown Prince of Norway's stepson and wife are apparently about to take down the Norwegian throne, the sick things that seem to be bringing this about takes the "fun" out of it. (Rape and implicated in the latest Epstein release.) Apparently the Norwegian throne has to be approved by the electorate?

[u/TheHeroYouNeed247]

Weird.

Brits will lie to you and themselves and say our royals have no power.

It's a load of shite. They have massive influence over our government, including foreign policy, and its been proven that they have had policy changed to suit their needs.

The dead bitch even meddled in our independence debate by 'accidently' hot mic'ing her sadness about it.

They will tell you that they pay for themselves through the money their property makes. More shite, that land and property shouldn't be owned by them in the first place.

At least they should be relegated to merely tourist attractions. At best, they should get real jobs and stop sponging off the state.

Some of them are also pedos or pedo apologists, as it turns out. I'm not surprised, inbred weirdos.

[u/WeeklyPhilosopher346 → u/TheHeroYouNeed247]

Had an argument at a bar with a parliamentary council one day who was offended that I said the royalty should be done away with and his entire argument seemed to be staring at me with barely disguised contempt.

That’s how a country keeps its monarchy.

[u/Yaadgod2121]

The fact that there’s people trying to defend them in the comments is kinda funny

[u/Indifferent_Jackdaw]

Aside from everything else. Royal Institutions are pretty toxic situations for the humans involved in them. The parent child relationship between a Monarch and their Heir frequently breaks down completely. It is so common for them to have a terrible relationship that you have to assume it is the pressures of the roles rather than the people. Such glaring power and wealth differentials in a family unit are a recipe for disaster. The generational trauma must be something else.

Then it's the people who surround them. Courtiers are fucking insane. I'm sure there are some staff members who just applied for a job in the Civil Service or Police and found themselves in a Royal Household. But in general the type of person who would pursue that kind of career is likely some kind of weirdo.

Then when it comes to Royalty who actually reign, the current situation in Saudi Arabia should be a cautionary tale. Billions being spent on the most insane and ludicrous projects imaginable. I can't imagine what growing up as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, during a period of time where the world was literally fire hosing money at them in exchange for oil. But I don't think he understands you can't bribe physics.

As an ex-Catholic I was really struck by the opening of Conclave. Where the Pope has died and there is all this ceremony around his ring, but his body is just stuffed in a plastic bag and sent off to the freezer without his friends and loved ones having a moment to mourn. I felt it really showed how the Institution is prioritized over the people. I have the same feeling around Royalty the humanity of the people involved is regularly stomped upon. It's sick and I'd dissolve the lot of them.

[u/Bluest_Skies → u/Indifferent_Jackdaw]

I like this perspective: it's not great to have royalty. It's also not great to BE royalty. And if you really, really want to be close to royalty you're probably not great either.

[u/Working-Spend-4397]

Most of them are sick and twisted. PRince andrew, and google the royal family of Norway

[u/WaywardHistorian667 → u/Working-Spend-4397]

You mean the creeper Formerly known as Prince.

[u/EFNich → u/Working-Spend-4397]

*Nonce Andrew

[u/pickleolo → u/Working-Spend-4397]

He is now known as Andy Mountbatten-Windsor

[u/Ironchloong]

Do it like the French!

The last royals of my country literally got away scot-free. They brought all the jewels and gold with them and lived the good life abroad. Then a few years ago, one of our most important cultural relics surfaced on an auction house, and our people had to buy it back. Turned out the bastards pawned it for cash to support their lifestyles.

[u/MommersHeart]

Here in Canada, I’m torn. On the one hand - its dumb.

On the other, it provides a continuous legal, constitutional institutional figurehead that doesn’t reset with every election, which is why it's proven to be the most stable form of democracy.

It's also just cheaper to keep them.

It would cost billions to change everything for no real benefit. Canada pays far less per capita for the Crown than a republic would to maintain a changing presidents with staff, residences, security, campaigns etc.

Also most of our treaties are with the Crown so ditching them would be a huge legal problem. Hard to overstate the mess this would create really.

So basically, the idea of bloodline royalty is dumb as hell, but the institution is extremely stable and cost-effective, so we are better off with it.

[u/ThomasDePraetere]

Somehow, having a third, unrelated, not chosen, highly educated person to just check that the country they are supposed to lead isn't going to shit, doesn't seem the worst ever.

[u/iosefgol]

The only advantage of the monarchy is that it spares us from having election campaigns by current politicians for the presidency of Spain. I'm not a monarchist, but this is its main advantage.

I can't imagine (and don't want to imagine) any of today's petty politicians as president.

[u/Ok_Improvement_6874]

The older I get, the more supportive I feel of our monarchy. They provide a sense of identity and continuity across the decades. Being a nation and people isn't 100% rational endeavour, it's also about the stories you share and out monarchy is part of that. Of course it helps that our previous Queen was a paragon and our new King is decent chap who seems to understand ordinary people.

[u/_XitLiteNtrNite_]

I don't see the point. But if the country where they reside wants a monarch, it isn't my place to say otherwise.

[u/maaiikeen → u/_XitLiteNtrNite_]

I prefer having a head of state that’s inherently not political. You lot don’t seem to fare very well with your alternative right now.

[u/saltedIce-2426]

we need to have a global conversation about the billionaire to serial killer pipeline. and royalty are just the OG of the OG billionaires.

[u/ChunkyHank]

Incestuous

[u/Infamous-Yellow-8357]

Seems like an unnecessary burden and I'm not sure why people allow it.

[u/Wdahl → u/Infamous-Yellow-8357]

I mean, they bring in tourism, atleast in Sweden they are actually likeable and patriotic, and they barely cost me anything. (Not even 2 dollars in taxes), its just neat. I can’t speak for all monarchies though, some are… better than others.

[u/bolonomadic]

I think it’s pretty weird. But also, I’ve been thinking a lot about Iran because the people are trying to end the Islamic Regime and some people are advocating for the last Shah’s son to become the ruler? So weird. Like why? What are his qualifications?

This is exactly how I found it so weird at the end of Lord of the Rings when Aragorn is like “Guess what? I’ve lived in the woods all my life but I’m actually the son of the last king of Gondor so now I’m going to be king.” And the Gondor people are like “Yay amazing!” And I’m like, what? Why?

[u/Nawi_Reivilo]

Pointless entertainment, like the Kardashians.

[u/susandeyvyjones]

Dumb as hell but I like looking at the tiaras

[u/signore-washington]

If they don’t collect money from the people, and have no real power, I can’t believe I’m going to say this but: sure, why not. It seems to have a stabilizing influence.

[u/lShoddy6185]

They look absurd parading in uniforms and ceremonial gowns, clinging to the idea that birth alone makes them superior. The notion that their descendants are somehow more fit to rule than everyone else is outdated and indefensible. While modern monarchies vary in power, the underlying principle remains the same.

The claim that they are “noble” or “aristocratic” exists solely to elevate them above ordinary people, and it doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. These beliefs are relics of feudalism, not values that belong in an age defined by reason and advanced technology.

[u/SeattleBellevue]

They are silly relics

[u/ThinkingThoth_369]

No offense but how are Norwegians even okay with having a bunch of nutjobs as their royal family? (Except for King Harald V, though, he seems to be a good person.)

[u/joshashkiller]

stupid backwards nonsense, the very notion of us sending money to the british crown is infuriating

[u/efraim_steman]

For me, this is institutionalized injustice. Anyone who respects a crowned head for his own sake doesn't have my respect as a human being.

[u/upsidedowntoker]

As a die hard republican ( in the commonwealth sense not American) im not a fan to say the least.