8% increase in Queen's allownace

Swanny

oops, sorry, of course!!

I do get really peed with the republican Royal bashers who never every come up with anyone who could represent our country better that the Queen
Now that the no hopers in the palace of westminster have had their way there is no one else to keep the great in Great Britain
But maybe we should be done with it and then we could rename this country fairly mediocre Britain
Guy fawkes where are you when we need you the most

Another misinterpretation of what 'Great' means!

Persistentdonor It isn't deflection - the need for work to be done on Buckingham Palace was news at least a year ago, maybe more. That need hasn't gone away. If they are not carried out, the place will get worse. The record profits of the Crown Estate, which will provide the extra money, could hardly be engineered deliberately to distract from political chaos. In fact, the profits are good news, they show that all is not doom and gloom in the financial world.

I think she could have waited. She is not likely to go without.

It is in the papers now, but it takes time and consultation for things like this to be organised. Whose decision was it to get the work done now? The Queen as occupier, the Crown Estates as owners, or Parliament? Whose decision to hand over the extra money to get it done? How bad was the Palace? When were the decisions made?

These are all relevant to how much criticism should be levelled and at whom.

I haven't seen any 'republican' royal bashing. Just people discussing whether the queen should pay part/all of the cost of improving the property she lives in rent free.

As to who would be president. That's impossible to say as it's not something that is happening nor is likely to happen in the near future so there are no potential candidates.

The Monarchy brings millions and millions and millions into this country via tourists. This generates jobs right across the country...

No it doesn't Theoddbird check the facts.

The queen lives in what could be called a tied property, repairs are carried out by the owner not the tenant

How many properties does she have? Are any of them actually hers?

She has five properties, two are hers, three are the Crowns , Windsor, Buck house and Holyrood , she owns Balmoral and Sandringham

Balmoral and Sandringham MissAdventure, so you could say a home and a holiday home like some others in this country.

Don't forget KP anniebach; I did apply for a studio flat there to use on my sojourns to London but haven't heard anything back yet.
That was a few years ago now.

It's said that this extra dosh is to pay for the refurbishment of Buck House - er, I had my roof completely renewed last year and I had to pay out of my own pocket.

I couldn't go cap in hand to the DWP and say (whilst wringing my hands) "I wouldn't ask but it IS essential......)

Well, I am a republican and I don't see why republicans should not express an opinion. It is not "royal bashing" - it is not aimed at individual members of the royal family but at an archaic system of privilege and automatic entitlement that some people believe has no place in a modern society. This is an opinion that rarely sees the light of day on the media, whereas fawning coverage of the royal family is constantly on our screens and in our newspapers.

Even some people who are generally supportive of a monarchical system are questioning whether it is right that people working in our most essential services have had their annual pay increases capped at 1% for many years while the queen receives an 8% increase this year.

I have no interest one way or another in the monarchy. I'm as indifferent to them as they are to me, but yes: it seems quite repugnant to me to have so much given to so few.

And now isn't Harry having a property done up for him at our expense? He's made clear he's not interested in the Royal role but, like Margaret before him, he doesn't want to give up the life style-who would, for goodness sake?
He should back out now, get a job and a mortgage like our families have to do and pay his own way now he's far down the pecking order as are the daughters of that other expensive layabout Andrew.
We honestly must be mad to put up with this when so many are finding life really hard.

Let's face it, even if the whole family relinquished their roles, they have enough personal wealth and powerful connections to scrape by somehow.

er, I had my roof completely renewed last year and I had to pay out of my own pocket.
Buckingham Palace belongs to you as well Margs not to the Queen.

I wonder if she'd let us all stay when we're next in London? A GN Grand Get-together!!

If Buckingham Palace belongs to Marg, why would she have to pay £23 to visit a small part of it?

We live in a society that says a rich family can live rent free in the largest council house in the UK but the poor get their housing benefit cut if they have a spare bedroom.

I've always been in favour of a Heritage show featuring the Royal family, great tourist attraction, but now I think there should be a TV reality show as well. You know something like TOWIE or Chelsea wives. It would be soo popular. Could be Life with the Royals or some such thing.

to help to pay for the roof?

Oh yes and other expenses. Wearing the crown and regalia in some episodes would be compulsory of course. The Americans would pay a fortune for it!