Why I love our monarchy. Common Sense Revisited

I, like millions of others, watched the royal wedding yesterday...and loved it.

BUT...amidst all the celebration there have been dissenting voices from friends, blogs, comments, newspaper articles, radio shows etc. complaining about the cost, the monarchy’s role, and the wasted manpower.  I feel quite passionate in favour of our monarchy, so I need to share my thoughts on why I think they deserve our support.

  

Common Sense

In 1776 Englishman Thomas Paine (1737-1809) wrote a political pamphlet called Common Sense which changed the world.  Paine brilliantly wrote about the tyranny of British power in America and the urgent need for the colonies to unite against their king.  His arguments were powerful.  This power came from the fact that he was highlighting an abusive and unjust  system - the Monarchy and government of Great Britain.

  

He called for Americans to “oppose not just the tyranny but the tyrant”,  and that is exactly what America did.  In that first year Common sense went through 25 editions; soon there was a copy for one in every five people in the American colonies.   They began to believe Paine’s words that 

...we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest, purest constitution on the face of the earth.  We have it in our power to begin the world over again.

If I had been living in 1776 I would have raised my voice alongside Paine’s.   What he wrote was common sense.   If you read our British history it does not take long to equate British monarchs with oppression, cruelty, inequality, tyranny, civil wars and rebellion. 

Whoooaaa there nelly.   

Did I not say I was in favour of the monarchy?  So far it sounds like I’d be more suited to teaming up with Guy Fawkes or enlisting in Cromwell’s model army!    Am I stuck with my inbred ‘royalist’ blinkers or, as Paine put it:

The prejudice of Englishmen, in favour of their own government by king, lords, and commons, arises as much or more from national pride than reason.  

Common Sense Revisited 

I do not deny our Monarchy has a colourful past.  

I do not deny that our current Monarch has amassed a great fortune & incredible privileges from the blood and sweat of my forefathers.

I do not deny that modern royals have made mistakes. 

Recent case in point: how on earth did Princess Eugene and Princess Beatrice get it into their heads that their wedding outfits were suitable?   In fact...suitable is not the word.   Wearable is a better choice. Did Will and Kate play a practical joke on them and tell them it was fancy dress?  What on earth was that pipe cleaner creation on her head?

And someone should have had the foresight to seat them anywhere else but right behind the Queen.  Every shot of our Monarch included a shot of the two ugly sisters behind her.  (In fairness....they are not ugly, but their costumes were hideously so.)

In double fairness, Royals were not the only ones to commit scary fashion statements.  Even with my limited fashion sense I was surprised at some of  the ‘things’ women choose to put on their heads.  Are they trying to provide comic relief?   Some of them looked like misplaced satellite dishes or failed junior school art creations.   

To get back on track.   

I believe that those who slander our current Monarchy do not understand how it works or what its worth is to our nation.  I work as a professional tourist guide and witness its pulling power on the front lines. We are not dealing with the same monarchy that Thomas Paine was fighting against.   Same lineage, but a dramatically different package.  Whereas I would have gladly joined ranks with Paine in 1776, I would object whole heartedly to such remarks in 2011.   

But still I hear those dissenting voices asking how can I justify the cost of the wedding and the cost of the Monarchy’s existence?

How Much???!!!!

Anyone can tell that the dress, the flowers, the invites, the receptions, the army, the security, etc. etc.  would have cost millions.  I’ve already told my daughters not to expect their weddings to be on such a grand scale.  We probably won’t have as many horses.

Lots of statistics have been thrown about.  On the con side of things there have been protests about the cost of the wedding and the lost revenue due to a national holiday.    On the pro side there are arguments that things like increased tourism, and extensive merchandising have benefited.

Many arguments against the Monarchy show a lack of understanding of how the Monarchy is funded.  Consider this:

The Crown Estate

Since 1760 the monarchy gave most of its traditional revenues to Parliament.   This is the Crown Estate made up of properties, land, forest and foreshore worth over £6 billion.   The annual revenue (around £230 million) from this goes into the Treasury.   This income does NOT belong to the Sovereign.  In return parliament pay £7.9 milllion for the civil list which covers the Royal Household expenses (70% on staff salaries).   This helps cover the cost of garden parties, receptions, official entertainment during State Visits.  The Queen entertains around 50,000 people each year!!   The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are the only Royals who receive payment from this.

Privy Purse.  

The Queen does own the Duchy of Lancaster with is the personal, inherited property of the monarch worth £300 + million, and providing an annual surplus of about £10 million.  And yes, the Queen pays tax on this.  This income is used primarily to meet the expenses of other Royals.

The Prince of Wales has a similar income from the Duchy of Cornwall estates.  The Duchy is tax exempt, but the Prince of Wales voluntarily pays income tax (about 40%) on his taxable income.

Last year (2010) the Palace determined that the Queen and the Royal family cost each taxpayer a grand sum of 62p a year.   Yes....62p.    An investment I am more than happy to pay, and which can hardly be called a great burden on any British family.

(Full reports on Royal finances can be viewed on the official website of the British Monarchy at www.royal.gov.uk  )

How much did the Queen pay for the wedding?  How much did the Prince of Wales put in?  And how about the Middletons?  And what came from the taxpayer’s pocket?  You know what.... I don’t care.  That must sound totally irresponsible of me.  Granted, if an official breakdown was released I’d be one of the first wanting to read it, but in the big scheme of things I understand that whatever the cost the return to us as a nation far outrides that cost. 

And in return...

So what do I get for my 62p investment?

• A Royal family that is involved with over 3,000 organisations either as patron or president.
• The Queen has over 600 patronages.
• The Duke of Edinburgh has over 700 patronages.
• The Prince’s Charities - a group of not-for-profit organisations of which the Prince of Wales is President.  18 of the 20 Charities were founded by The Prince.
• Fantastic Royal Palaces that are not only beautifully maintained & preserved, but are still lived in by Royalty.  Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Holyroodhouse, Balmoral Castle, Sandringham House, 
• The Queen also owns a set of former Royal residences and are run by an independent charity known as Historical Royal Palaces:  The Tower of London, Hampton court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace.  These are stunning historical properties which draw in millions of visitors.
• The Royal Collection is a stunning collection of art and artefacts many of which are on public display around the country.
• Two young princes who not only take pride in serving in the armed forces, but are quite prepared to be put on the front line like any of their colleagues.
• A family who are constantly on the go making our country a better place to live in.  They are at the forefront of encouraging, hosting and administering. 
• They delight and entertain politicians and ambassadors from around the world.  Other countries have to create Ambassadors of goodwill and hospitality whereas we have ours all included in the price. 
• In and of themselves they are the biggest tourist attraction in our country.  Even though tourists rarely see a royal at any of the palaces or the Changing of the Guard their presence holds a deep fascination and pull. 
• A wedding service yesterday that was faith promoting and enthralling. 
• A national treasure that appeals to old and young.  

But more than all of the above... the Royal family provide 

• A pride in my Britishness.
• A connection to my heart.
• A stirring in my soul.
• A smile on my face

That is 62p well spent.

Yesterday's wedding celebration was not mass hysteria or media hype?  

This was a national day of rejoicing.  And if you don’t get it... well, I feel sorry for you. 

 “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

St. Catherine of Siena

quoted by the Bishop of London in the Wedding service.

Sources:

Liell, Scott.  46 Pages.  Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to Independence.   MJF Books, New York, 2003. 

Paine, Thomas.   Common Sense. 1776.

www.royal.gov.uk