These days, London is dressing up for Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th jubilee. But not all Brits share the enthusiasm – critics say the royal family is undemocratic and costs too much.
British opponents of the Royal Family are hoping for an end to the monarchy following the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen will not be the last crowned head of state, since her eldest son Charles is already king with her death, said Graham Smith from the Republic organization of the German Press Agency in London. “But it represents the end of the institution of monarchy as we know it. For most people, the monarchy and the queen are the same thing,” Smith said. Hence the widespread view that once the Queen is gone, the monarchy will end, the activist claimed.
Smith pointed to polls showing that while support for the monarchy is more than 60 percent, it has declined significantly in recent years. “So we hope that the monarchy will be abolished during King Charles’ reign.”
If the polls were already falling at the time of the very popular Queen, support with Charles on the throne would fall even further. It is quite possible that approval will soon fall below 50 percent. Both the heir to the throne and his eldest son Prince William do not care about the people. “The chances that (William’s son) George will ever sit on the throne are pretty slim.”
The Royals critic emphasized that the Royal Family was neither democratically elected nor transparent. Yet it costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds a year. Contrary to what advocates say, there is no economic equivalent. Of course, tourists would look at Buckingham Palace, for example.
“They take photos that they would take of palaces or castles in France or Germany. It makes no difference whether there is a monarchy,” Smith said. Figures also show that the Tower of London is more popular than Buckingham Palace or the Queen’s residence, Windsor Castle – “and the Royals haven’t had anything to do with the Tower for a long time.”
