Silence is golden.

[papasmurf]

I am a reluctant monarchist because the alternative is far worse.

[srb7677]

imagine president Bliar.

Well yes, that is the prospect forever dangled in the face of anyone who wishes to abolish the monarchy, but it is highly unlikely to ever be him. I can think of no other politician so universally hated by both left and rightr as he is, which is a reflection of public opinion more generally.

But I take your point. An elected President needs to have very limited powers like the monarch - as in Ireland - and anyone who has ever held high public office or sat in the Commons or Lords should be barred from standing.

[Borchester]

Opinion polls over the last few decades have never put Republicans on more than 29% of those polled, while support for the Monarcy has never sunk below 53%. Wiki says: In the wake of the 2009 MPs' expenses scandal a poll of readers of the Guardain and Observer newspapers placed support for abolition of the monarchy at 54%, although only 3% saw it as a top priority.

Wiki gives references and sources when it also says that polls since the '90s have shown the proportion favouring a republic as ranging from 13% to 29% but have generally indicated the figure rests at around one fifth of the population...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_the_United_Kingdom#Poll_results

A poll of readers of the Guardian and Observer newspapers? 

That really was a broad  and unbiased sample.

For an extremely modest fee I will give lessons on how to conduct a poll.

That said, someone has to open the hospitals and hand out the gongs and the royals are better than most.

[Barry]

This GB news Tweet just got deleted!

EDIT - it's back up - https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1458927247524569091

[patman post]

Opinion polls over the last few decades have never put Republicans on more than 29% of those polled, while support for the Monarcy has never sunk below 53%. Wiki says: In the wake of the 2009 MPs' expenses scandal a poll of readers of the Guardain and Observer newspapers placed support for abolition of the monarchy at 54%, although only 3% saw it as a top priority.

Wiki gives references and sources when it also says that polls since the '90s have shown the proportion favouring a republic as ranging from 13% to 29% but have generally indicated the figure rests at around one fifth of the population...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_the_United_Kingdom#Poll_results

[cromwell]

We republicans have long given up on toppling Liz and are just waiting her out. We know that historically the monarchy has only ever been as popular as the reigning monarch. It is all to play for with Charles on the throne.

William would be much more popular with the public. So if the royalists want to stymie republicans like me that is their best bet

Well I'm a long term republican too but we'd have to have a hell of a change to our system for a republic to be acceptable.

As with the lords we would likely see some clapped out politician imagine president Bliar.

[srb7677]

Liz is a one off and if they want the institution to survive should skip big ears and leave him to talk to his dahlias and make Wills king.

We republicans have long given up on toppling Liz and are just waiting her out. We know that historically the monarchy has only ever been as popular as the reigning monarch. It is all to play for with Charles on the throne.

William would be much more popular with the public. So if the royalists want to stymie republicans like me that is their best bet

[patman post]

The British royal family must be providing one of the longest running soap operas around. Everyone's an expert and has their favourites and their hate figures. The overall storyline continues while the plots and intrigues play out alongside.

I reckon the monarchy's a bit like the ravens at the tower or the macaques on Gibraltar — eg, the country will remain as long as the birds and monkeys stay...

[johnofgwent]

TBF I think as a young kid seeing his mother go the way she did hounded by paparazzi and then having to walk behind her coffin was a lot for someone of his age.

Afaik he did his best in the forces and has tried to help those affected post service suffering physically,mentally or both.

I guess he needed some sort of mother figure and when he shacked up with Meg I thought ok that's great,unfortunately she's a freeloader.......people conflate criticism of her with racism that's nonsense.

Big ears has made a similar choice with the ugly sister and when Liz goes (who TBF has done an excellent job) will try to inflict her as queen which I suspect may not go down well.

Liz is a one off and if they want the institution to survive should skip big ears and leave him to talk to his dahlias and make Wills king.

Spot On

I am not sure if you remember Trevor McDonald being given the entertaining (?) job of announcing on News at Ten the prospect of Queen Camilla. We had until then  been told this was very much NEVER going to happen.

Best thing Lugnuts could do is find a pressing reason to bugger off to some Cornish hovel and chat to his garden plants and give the job to his heir.

[cromwell]

For a moment there I thought perhaps you were offering.

Sadly H&M are proving to be their own worst enemies. They seem to have riled people on both sides of the pond and lurch from one set of lies to another. It is interesting that all those who initially were 'friends' and mentors seem to have slunk away. The Queen is possibly the last of her breed and woke has permeated many of the rest. The stiff upper lip has gone.

TBF I think as a young kid seeing his mother go the way she did hounded by paparazzi and then having to walk behind her coffin was a lot for someone of his age.

Afaik he did his best in the forces and has tried to help those affected post service suffering physically,mentally or both.

I guess he needed some sort of mother figure and when he shacked up with Meg I thought ok that's great,unfortunately she's a freeloader.......people conflate criticism of her with racism that's nonsense.

Big ears has made a similar choice with the ugly sister and when Liz goes (who TBF has done an excellent job) will try to inflict her as queen which I suspect may not go down well.

Liz is a one off and if they want the institution to survive should skip big ears and leave him to talk to his dahlias and make Wills king.

[T00ts]

It's when you watch the ex-royals pitch from one media disaster to the next that you understand the Queens philosophy 'Never explain, never complain'. For a couple who wanted to disappear to the states never to be heard from again they make a Sh!t load of noise. Harry emailing Twitter warning of sieges to capital hill followed by Smegans endless trail of crap about her family. I'm beginning to think they are not really genuine about their desire to live the quiet life.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59242093

For a moment there I thought perhaps you were offering.   Sadly H&M are proving to be their own worst enemies. They seem to have riled people on both sides of the pond and lurch from one set of lies to another. It is interesting that all those who initially were 'friends' and mentors seem to have slunk away. The Queen is possibly the last of her breed and woke has permeated many of the rest. The stiff upper lip has gone.

[Nick]

It's when you watch the ex-royals pitch from one media disaster to the next that you understand the Queens philosophy 'Never explain, never complain'. For a couple who wanted to disappear to the states never to be heard from again they make a Sh!t load of noise. Harry emailing Twitter warning of sieges to capital hill followed by Smegans endless trail of crap about her family. I'm beginning to think they are not really genuine about their desire to live the quiet life. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59242093