British People: Monarch or No?

[Toten]

As an American, I don't see much of a huge problem from what I hear from English friends. The Prime Minister is the one who is elected, who people either hate or love.
But the Monarch is supposed to be a shining example of the nation's values. Descended from the founder of the Kingdom of England himself (both the Norman king and the Saxon one). They're the ones who represent the nation and the British people, their heritage, and their traditions.
Here in the USA, we don't have that. We don't have a national symbol to unite under, despite our political differences. We don't have someone to represent our heritage and our traditions. You people in the UK however, do.
To destroy the British monarchy would be to destroy 1000 years of tradition, which began at the uniting of the several Anglo-Saxon kingdoms into the Kingdom of England.

 

[Kirran]

Nah we don't elect the Prime Minister, we elect MPs based on a first-past-the-post system and then whichever political party gets the most seats has its leader be PM, basically.

I am all for destroying that piece of tradition! Like what, that's all that makes Britain?

 

[Rival]

As an American, I don't see much of a huge problem from what I hear from English friends. The Prime Minister is the one who is elected, who people either hate or love.
But the Monarch is supposed to be a shining example of the nation's values. Descended from the founder of the Kingdom of England himself (both the Norman king and the Saxon one). They're the ones who represent the nation and the British people, their heritage, and their traditions.
Here in the USA, we don't have that. We don't have a national symbol to unite under, despite our political differences. We don't have someone to represent our heritage and our traditions. You people in the UK however, do.
To destroy the British monarchy would be to destroy 1000 years of tradition, which began at the uniting of the several Anglo-Saxon kingdoms into the Kingdom of England.

An emotional connexion is not really a justification for spending millions of £££ paying for her heating bill tho. I'd like to see a more logical, practical argument for keeping the Monarch. She essentially does nothing we couldn't do without her and costs a lot of money that could be better spent on the NHS or education system.

 

[Kirran]

An emotional connexion is not really a justification for spending millions of £££ paying for her heating bill tho. I'd like to see a more logical, practical argument for keeping the Monarch. She essentially does nothing we couldn't do without her and costs a lot of money that could be better spent on the NHS or education system.

Damn it stop randomly sounding like you agree with me sometimes, it's very confusing!

 

[Rival]

Damn it stop randomly sounding like you agree with me sometimes, it's very confusing!

I support Absolute Monarchy, not our Monarchy!

 

[Kirran]

I support Absolute Monarchy, not our Monarchy!

What if we get the Queen to take her power back?

 

[Rival]

What if we get the Queen to take her power back?

She won't. Theresa May is doing a better job of acting like a Tudor Monarch.

 

[Kirran]

She won't. Theresa May is doing a better job of acting like a Tudor Monarch.

Well, this entire discussion is highly theoretical, I don't think the reestablishment of absolute monarchy is a real possibility at present, at least in these parts. Only some Islamic countries retain it, I think (you should move to one of those! ). So if we could persuade the Queen and the population and the current government?

Also, you must be a big May fan then.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

This poll is aimed at British people, but non-Brits may also join in the comments of course!

The question is simple: do you support the Monarchy, or would you prefer Britain to be a Republic?

I didn't vote, since I'm not a Brit, but your Queen is also my Queen.
Whilst it's not personally aimed at her, I am very much a staunch republican.

 

[Rival]

Well, this entire discussion is highly theoretical, I don't think the reestablishment of absolute monarchy is a real possibility at present, at least in these parts. Only some Islamic countries retain it, I think (you should move to one of those! ). So if we could persuade the Queen and the population and the current government?

Also, you must be a big May fan then.

Haha.

I don't mind her. For a politician who voted Remain, she is doing a good job to get Brexit going when the rest of the government seems hellbent on stalling it.

 

[Toten]

An emotional connexion is not really a justification for spending millions of £££ paying for her heating bill tho. I'd like to see a more logical, practical argument for keeping the Monarch. She essentially does nothing we couldn't do without her and costs a lot of money that could be better spent on the NHS or education system.

Keeping true to the nation's tradition to help preserve it's culture and unity is logical and practical.

 

[Kirran]

I didn't vote, since I'm not a Brit, but your Queen is also my Queen.
Whilst it's not personally aimed at her, I am very much a staunch republican.

It'd be weird if the UK became a republic (the United Republic? the British Federation?) but all you colonials hung on to it.

 

[Kirran]

Haha.

I don't mind her. For a politician who voted Remain, she is doing a good job to get Brexit going when the rest of the government seems hellbent on stalling it.

Haha, yeah, we're gonna do this! Really! Any day now!

Keeping true to the nation's tradition to help preserve it's culture and unity is logical and practical.

Why do you think we should maintain unity if lots of people don't want it? Don't get me wrong, I am no nationalist, but if I must choose between British nationalism and Scottish/Welsh/English/Irish nationalism, I'll tend to go with the latter.

 

[Rival]

It'd be weird if the UK became a republic (the United Republic? the British Federation?) but all you colonials hung on to it.

It would be the 'Former United Kingdon' you know, the FU...Oh...

 

[Rival]

Keeping true to the nation's tradition to help preserve it's culture and unity is logical and practical.

Because not everyone supports those traditions. It's not really that unifying.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It'd be weird if the UK became a republic (the United Republic? the British Federation?) but all you colonials hung on to it.

Actually, right now, the best chance for us to become a republic in the short term is for Charles to get made King, and then just be epically bad, resulting in the Brits throwing out the monarchy.
I can imagine us getting a phone call early one morning...

'Hello, so, this is Britain...umm...look, are you sitting down Australia?'

'I...guess. Give me a sec. Okay, I'm sitting down now. What's wrong?'

'We're gonna have to stop seeing each other. I mean, we can still be friends and all, but...yeah...nothing more than that.'

'Oh God...why? What have I done?'

'Nothing, nothing. It's not you, it's me. Really. Nothing to do with you. Fair to say you didn't even cross my mind when I was deciding to end things.'

 

[Kirran]

I don't think there's any real possibility of it not being Charles up next. But I guess I would find it nice if it does what people predict and shatters popularity for the monarchy. I mean, I'd feel bad for Charles but...

 

[Rival]

I don't think there's any real possibility of it not being Charles up next. But I guess I would find it nice if it does what people predict and shatters popularity for the monarchy. I mean, I'd feel bad for Charles but...

Maybe that's why Liz is trying to hang on for so long - so we don't get stuck with him.

 

[Kirran]

Maybe that's why Liz is trying to hang on for so long - so we don't get stuck with him.

I'll be impressed if she hangs on longer than he does!

My history teacher used to very anti-Prince Charles. He was quite the Welsh patriot, and was, to say the last, derisive of the fact that this man was the Prince of Wales.

 

[Rival]

Nah we don't elect the Prime Minister, we elect MPs based on a first-past-the-post system and then whichever political party gets the most seats has its leader be PM, basically.

I am all for destroying that piece of tradition! Like what, that's all that makes Britain?

Nope.

This is what makes Britain: