In reply to mypyrex:
> Great spectacular. Who but us Brits can stage anything like that let alone have reason to.
What, who can get a load of boats to float down a river you mean? Or get some old people to stand up on a boat floating down a river? Hardly comparable with the Rio Carnival, is it? And I'm pretty sure the organisers of
that aren't Brits.
> I think the reason the repubs get so agitated over it is envy, pure and simple.
Or maybe because it's a ridiculous antiquated belief that one family is superior to all others simply due to their lineage.
Or maybe due to the link with religion, in what
should be a secular society.
Or maybe the fact that she holds massive personal wealth, while at the same time claiming money from the taxpayer to fund her family's lavish and privileged lifestyles and to finance and maintain her many estates and properties (which some might say is a little excessive for one family claiming state benefit).
Or maybe the fact that she refuses to allow greater access to these properties, which
could actually bring in some revenue from tourists (as opposed to the ridiculous notion that tourists come to England simply because the royal family are present).
Or maybe because until recently she thought it acceptable not to pay income tax, and STILL won't pay inheritance tax on her estate - £50million tax-free from her mother remember. One rule for the 'Windsors' and one for everyone else (though it will be interesting to see what happens when this one goes).
Maybe because Republicans don't just believe as fact everything the royal family's multi-million pound PR re-branding campaign reports about them being 'value-for-money' and 'good for tourism or trade', which are the only positives they seem able to come up with.
It has absolutely nothing to do with envy. There are far more fabulously wealthy people than the royal family to be jealous of. But it has everything to do with the continued notion that one family holds a privileged position above all others in the country simply due to their lineage, and as such enjoy special allowances and exemptions that all her subjects are not entitled to. Even if you could prove 100% that the royal family's presence in England is directly linked to the claimed boosts in tourism and trade, I would quite happily sacrifice that money to live in a society which stands by its claim that all citizens have equal status.