UK News
Insights from the UK and beyond
Is the Queen worth 69p a year?
“Don’t give the Queen any more of our money, Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state, pleads in a statement on its website.
Royal expenditures rose 1.5 percent to 41.5 million pounds in the last financial year, after allowing for inflation.
Buckingham Palace says this is good value – equivalent to just 69 pence per person in Britain.
Republic says: “With that sort of accounting you can justify pretty much anything.”
Fit for a banquet?
By Rosalba O’Brien
I’ll tell the truth. When I went to preview tonight’s royal banquet at Britain’s Buckingham Palace, being held as part of the pomp accompanying the state visit of the Mexican president Felipe Calderon, I expected to be writing something on the lines of ‘Credit crunch? What credit crunch?’ – not for the global aristocracy, diplomatic corps and oil company bosses in attendance.
The truth, however, is something rather more ordinary.
Sure, the banquet room is lavish enough, with its giant bouquets, golden tableware, classical carvings and gilded ceiling. It’s certainly a bit bigger than my living room, what with the military band on the mezzanine and all.
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The Wall
No other country does pomp and ceremony like England. The Queen can trace her lineage back 900 years. Governments change but the Queen has been a constant for 50 years. The Royal family were a tower of strength during the war years. We will probably be lucky to witness two coronations during our lifetimes (Charles then William). This is our history, We cannot put a price on that. Our Royal Family are recognised and respected the whole world over. It would be a sad day if the United Kingdom were to become the United Republic. Brittania would lose her identity. Long live the Queen!