Is a slimmed-down monarchy really such a ‘foolish idea’? We subjects seem to be surviving just fine

  • 📰 GuardianAus
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 65 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 29%
  • Publisher: 98%

Australia Headlines News

Australia Latest News,Australia Headlines

After Princess Anne’s accident, concerns over a too small royal family may be over-inflated

Princess Anne and her husband Tim Laurence after attending the Order of the Garter service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 17 June, 2024.Princess Anne and her husband Tim Laurence after attending the Order of the Garter service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 17 June, 2024.

Mercifully, given the family’s impressive birth rate, there is no suggestion it will have to resort, as in the past, to importing foreign workers who may not even speak the language. But if the labour shortfall is not yet acute or even noticeable, royal authorities allude to struggles that have perhaps been under-reported: vacant patronages, event planners who can’t lay their hands on a duke.

Do we want the British royals – since this is presumably the alternative – to abandon their exceptionalist history of groaning palace balconies, stuffed with mad hats and chestfuls of inexplicable medals, and follow lounge-suited European versions down the route of mass redundancies? Well yes, we do, obviously, but this seems to have no impact on the urgings of royalty specialists, even with the ongoing counter-argument of ex-working royal,The routinely proposed solution – recruitment of...

A recruitment drive now could leave the family looking bloated when geopolitical and generational changes seriously challenge the assumption that a royal invariably adds value. How many working royals does a country need? No doubt Tom Nairn was right, in, to say “one might as well demand a lowering of the British annual rainfall as ask for ‘the abolition of the monarchy’ ”.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 1. in AU

Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Harry and Meghan ‘throwing themselves under the bus’ with foolish movePrince Harry and Meghan Markle are being advised against writing another royal tell-all book if they ever want to repair relations with King Charles and the monarchy.
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »

David Cameron says Rishi Sunak aide’s bet on election date was ‘very foolish’Minister condemns decision by election candidate Craig Williams to place bet days before snap poll announced
Source: GuardianAus - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Prince William gives emotional update on Catherine, Princess of Wales’ recovery7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Source: 7NewsSydney - 🏆 16. / 63 Read more »

Princess of Wales is getting better, Prince William tells D-Day veteransHe was asked by 100-year-old Geoffrey Weaving, a war veteran, how Catherine was faring with her cancer treatment.
Source: smh - 🏆 6. / 80 Read more »

Princess of Wales is getting better, Prince William tells D-Day veteransHe was asked by 100-year-old Geoffrey Weaving, a war veteran, how Catherine was faring with her cancer treatment.
Source: theage - 🏆 8. / 77 Read more »

Princess of Wales is getting better, Prince William tells D-Day veteransHe was asked by 100-year-old Geoffrey Weaving, a war veteran, how Catherine was faring with her cancer treatment.
Source: brisbanetimes - 🏆 13. / 67 Read more »