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Marriage and the Monarchy: Lessons From the British Royal Family

Prince William and Kate Middleton

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Prince William, second in line to the British throne, announced his engagement this week, immediately sparking a media frenzy, especially in the United Kingdom . We think the news brings up some interesting possibilities for teaching and learning across the curriculum, in history, media studies and economics.

Here are some key questions Prince William’s engagement raises, along with 15 suggested activities for seizing on the news as a teachable moment.

Key Questions:

Role of the Monarchy: What role does the sovereign – currently, Queen Elizabeth II – and members of the British royal family play, both officially and unofficially, today? What kind of government does Britain have, and what is the monarchy’s function in it? What is the purpose and function of any monarchy in the contemporary world?

Status of the Monarchy: Why did people around the world take note of the news of Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton? What does it mean and represent to the British people and to others? Why? What does the royal family signify in British culture ? What attitudes do people have toward the royal family?

Sovereignty and Etiquette: What is royalty ? What does it mean to be sovereign? What etiquette and other rules apply to interactions with the queen ? How does the couple’s relationship, and now engagement, defy royal tradition ? How does it conform ?

Iconography: What is interesting about Miss Middleton , Prince William and the rest of the royal family? Do you think the couple will become international icons, like Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana ? Should the betrothed couple be “fair game” to the paparazzi who follow other celebrities? What has been said by some about Miss Middleton’s middle-class background and her education in terms of her compatibility with her future in-laws?

Monarchies in History: What other countries have royal families ? How do their role and image compare with that of the Windsors? How does Prince William, and his upcoming nuptials, fit into the history of the monarchy, including notable royal weddings, both in Britain and elsewhere ? Why do you think William chose to give Kate his mother’s engagement ring ?

The Economy: As the British government cuts funding for social services and many Britons face financial struggles, is a royal wedding likely to reflect the economic times or depart from them? Will the money spent by the British government on the royal wedding become an investment that results in a boon for the economy?

Activity Ideas:

Famous Children: Do our 6 Q’s About the News installment “A Royal Engagement .” Compare and contrast the focus on the weddings of Prince William with those of Chelsea Clinton , Jenna Bush and any other child of famous parents whose personal milestone events have garnered much media attention and who might be considered, to some, the rough equivalent of royalty.

Rules of Engagement: Read accounts of how William proposed and the official engagement announcement from the royal family . Compare this process to the typical engagement process in various cultures and social spheres. What mores and rituals surround engagement?

Meet the Family: Make a list of five interesting and historically important facts about Kate Middleton ; Prince William ; his father, Prince Charles; his mother, the late Princess Diana ; his brother, Prince Harry ; and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II . Present your facts in a family tree; you might compare it with the trees of other famous families, like the Kennedys , or with your own family tree .

Power Play: Research the official powers of the ruling British monarch and the ceremonies she participates in as part of her official duties. Role-play a typical function presided over by the queen, with classmates playing key roles. Or, write a first-person prose poem or short story about how you imagine it would be to meet the queen privately or at a public event .

It’s the Economy: Learn about Britain’s austerity measures and watch the video in which Europeans talk about their lives as their nations face economic struggles, paying particular attention to the British people. Draw up a wedding plan and budget for the engaged couple. Should the wedding and related events be modest to reflect the times, or should they provide gloss and glamour, and a respite from reality?

Footing the Bill: Consider the calls for the royal family to pay for the wedding expenses instead of the ailing British government, along with the anticipated rise in tourism and sales of memorabilia , which are expected to boost the economy. Who should pay? Hold a debate.

Royal Efforts: Learn about Prince Charles’ s charitable efforts , which include promoting local-sourced, sustainable fibers like wool , among many other things. What other charitable works are undertaken by the royal family? Choose one of these efforts to research and present.

History of the Monarchy: Research the history of the British monarchy . Create a timeline that shows important events in the monarchy, alongside historic events in the United Kingdom and around the world. When and how has the monarchy participated in historic moments?

Ever After: Investigate how divorce and scandal in the British royal family has affected public opinion about the Windsors and the institution of the monarchy itself. Write an informed, persuasive essay predicting how the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton might fit into that narrative and affect how the British citizenry views the House of Windsor.

Royals Around the World: Research two other countries that have royal families . Write a compare-and-contrast essay about the two royal families and the role they play in their respective countries.

Media Figures: Watch all of part of the official news conference given by Prince William and Miss Middleton to announce their engagement. What do you observe about their reactions to the constant flash photography? Should they be expected to endure such media attention at nonofficial events, too? Research Prince Charles’s attempts to shield his children from the paparazzi and the recent hacking of William and Harry’s cellphones by a British reporter. Make a podcast in which you discuss whether members of the royal family, by virtue of their fame, should be given a measure of privacy.

Class Consciousness: Research the interests and experiences the newly engaged couple share , and explore the public fascination with Miss Middleton’s social class, including rumors about the couple’s brief breakup and the behavior of Miss Middleton’s mother . Contrast your findings with your understanding of social class in America and the popular interest in class differences, evidenced in the popularity of shows like the “Real Housewives” franchise . Present your findings in a simulated television news report.

A Familiar Ring : Given the attention paid to Kate’s engagement ring , research its history and put the choice into the context of the current economic crisis in Britain . In a persuasive paragraph, tell why you think William gave his fiancée this particular ring. What does it symbolize? How does it fit in with established symbols of the British monarchy ?

Word on the Street: Take a poll of people’s attitudes toward and knowledge of the royal family. Questions might include: What does the royal family symbolize? Should its members continue to receive public funding? Do they inspire pride and interest in England? Do you think people care about the royal family as much today as in the past? How do you think the royal family generates revenue for England (tourism, commemorative items and so on)? Make a chart or graph to show your findings.

Golden Crowns, Silver Screens: Watch one or more film depictions of the royal family, like “The Queen” (2006) or “The King’s Speech” (2010). Write a review that includes an assessment of the film’s historical accuracy.

Relevant Learning Network Lessons

A lesson from May 2010 gives background on the debt crisis in Europe .

Though it focuses primarily on Nepal, our lesson “Royal Treatment” gives students the opportunity to research existing monarchies around the world.

The qualities that make a good marriage are part of the discussion in “Untying the Knot .”

“A Personal Journey” and “Classes for the Masses ” are related lessons that take on issues of social class.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

I trust that, under the heading “Footing the Bill” it’s been announced that the costs of the wedding of Prince William with Catherine Middleton will be shared between the Queen (his grandmother), his father (the Prince of Wales) and the Middleton family. This has always been the case with British royal weddings.

The costs of security and policing for the day are borne by the Metropolitan Police of London. Members of the British Army (especially the House Division) will be on duty in ceremonial dress; they do not receive extra pay for doing so.

So we the public are to believe that it okay for william to remain monarchy when he broke majority of royal monarchy law to be with kate middleton,she is not birth born monarchy to be term duchess ,who do we go a see that this woman who is not birth born ,isn’t costing the public and humanity money to be by the monarchy for whom she married none royal side….She is workingclass and not monarchy like william mother which didn’t put a hurt on society’s income because of it….She followed all the rules unlike william, william should abicate like his father for marrying workingclass…they have not with royal heritage rights to incurr titles.Both men are to be workingclass life and term ,this is the price they will have to pay for such chioces…

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persuasive essay royal family

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Is the British Monarchy a worthy institution or outdated relic?

  • is the british monarchy a worthy institution or outdated relic?

  *Updated 2023

Charles iii was recently crowned king of england , the nation’s first coronation in 70 years. his mother, elizabeth ii, the former queen of england, who died at the age 96 after holding the throne for 70 years, was the longest-reigning   ruler of any monarch in history. while her passing evoked a strong and global outpouring of grief in support of her as a person and leader, and charles’s coronation similarly attracted worldwide support and enthusiasm, both historic events have raised questions regarding the monarchy’s legacy and whether there is a future for it., meanwhile, prince harry’s very  public break  from the royal family, not to mention prince andrew’s controversies , have also put a spotlight on the monarchy’s relevancy moving forward. it seems that while the  majority   of british subjects over 65 still support the british monarchy and the royal family, 40% of younger british subjects (between 18-24) prefer an elected head of state. in an era that increasingly values merit over birth, the very concept of a monarchy may seem outdated at best and positively inegalitarian at worst. so, is the british monarchy a worthwhile institution that should continue, albeit  under a new king , or an unnecessary relic of times long gone, here are three arguments in support of the british monarchy and three against it., god save the king.

The Queen unified the British masses and others across the world, as will the King

As an a-political figurehead (even during the heated times of  Brexit  and especially during the anxiety-ridden  pandemic ), the Queen, and by extension, the royal family, united Great Britain around principles that transcended day-to-day politics, highlighting shared history and values, and contributing to societal cohesion. This unifying effect stretched long beyond the UK’s borders to the 2.2 billion subjects of the Commonwealth of Nations, a voluntary union of 54 nations dedicated to shared values like democracy and human rights. Previously headed by Queen Elizabeth II and now helmed by King Charles III,  the Commonwealth  unites countries in history and trade, and provides a friendly platform to hold member states to high civic standards. To set the stage for a future with more  inclusivity and diversity , King Charles held an  inclusive, modern coronation , suggesting that the monarchy can change with the times.

The royal family has historically provided assurance in uncertain times

In times of upheaval, the English have always leaned on the monarchy as a symbol of security in a changing world. Queen Elizabeth II’s  1952 coronation  provides an excellent example. While Great Britain was recovering from the ravages of WWII, a country whose citizens were living on rations held an outsized ceremony to commemorate their new queen. In the former Queen’s prosperity, the people of England saw their own prosperity, and the coronation a shining symbol of English perseverance. Moreover, there is something profoundly comforting in knowing that if the state’s political institutions go berserk – or get sidelined by the  coronavirus  – there is a statesperson prepared to take the reins.

The royal family is a boon to the United Kingdom’s economy

Step aside  James Bond , the Windsor family is the UK’s most popular and marketable brand, in good times as well as in bad. Be it weddings, births, funerals the world is constantly watching as the Windsor family  expands  or, sadly,  gets smaller . The prestige, popularity (and  family drama ) of the royal family earns the UK plenty of PR that drives tourism and business. Estimates from the British Tourism Council surmise that the Windsor family, worth an estimated  $88 billion , generates over  $770 million  in tourist spending annually. Additionally, the family’s milestones (such as the weddings of Prince William and Prince Harry and the births of their respective children) spur adjacent industries – injecting the economy with hundreds of millions of extra dollars from Britons and non-Britons alike who are eager to participate in the festivities.

Magna Carta the Royal Family Out of Here!

Monarchy is unfair to monarchs

Being born a prince or princess is very much an accident of birth. But is it a happy one? According to  Princess Diana and her  youngest son , no. Imagine a life where your every movement was  carefully watched  and judged, where you were forbidden to have political conversations,  refused medical treatment  – even when having suicidal thoughts. To put it bluntly, the life of royals is dictated by tradition and expectation; they don’t enjoy the same  basic freedoms , or the privacy to deal with sibling rivalry, as their subjects. Many argue that the UK  has long passed the necessity  of an absolute ruler. It stands to reason that, if the royals’ role in the governance of their society is largely ceremonial, then English society would be generous to release them of this burden.

The monarchy ties England to a dark past that is best left behind

Sure, the majority of Britons express favor for the monarchy and royal family. Of course, speaking against the monarchy is technically an offense that can be  punishable by life in prison . Laws like the aforementioned Treason Felony Act reveal the pernicious nature of the British Monarchy’s past, and to an extent, its present. Monarchies have long survived on the  bread and blood  of their subjects, whom they regularly plundered and sent to wars on their behalf. Add to this the English Crown’s long history of  colonialism, slavery and racism  – its subjugation and pilfering of nearly a quarter of the planet’s resources – and reveal a wholly inhumane enterprise. Is an institution that thrives upon degradation really an appropriate centerpiece of national pride?

Monarchy is expensive

Weighed against the cost of security, travel, and yearly pensions (even for extended family!), the royal family’s revenues are not quite as bountiful as they seem. The royal family cost taxpayers in the United Kingdom $114.6 million  in 2021/22 – a 12% increase over the previous year. That’s quite a price tag for figureheads in a country strapped with over  £2.52 trillion  in debt. Instead of spending an estimated $125 million on King Charles’s recent coronation, this money could have been put to better use to improve the nation’s ailing (some would even say failing)  healthcare system , especially during a global pandemic, or spent on schools.

The Bottom Line: The British monarchy is UK society’s most exquisite display of romanticism – at once representing the grandness of the past and the promise of the future. However, it is both expensive to uphold and may be trapping the British in a past they no longer connect with (just ask  Harry ). Do you think the British monarchy should be preserved, or, in the absence of  Queen Elizabeth , is it time for a change?

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The Royal Family

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Arguments for Abolishing the Monarchy

Info: 1612 words (6 pages) Essay Published: 26th Aug 2021

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Jurisdiction / Tag(s): UK Law

Over the recent years there have been many debates as to whether the monarchy should be abolished. The monarchy has been part of the British constitution for centuries and it symbolises the unity and traditional standards of the nation. However, having a monarchy merely hinders the modernisation of the society and the traditional values are seen to be outdated. This essay will look at the arguments which are in favour of abolishing the monarchy. These include the fact that the monarchy is very costly, the monarch does not exercise formal powers herself, but it is exercised by ministers. Having a monarch creates social and class divisions. The hereditary privilege which the royals are ultimately born in to is no guarantee that the person in office is fit by birth to be head of state.

To begin with one of the criticisms against the monarchy is that it is incredibly expensive. It costs far too much for the royal family to live their lifestyle. Much but not all costs of the monarchy is met by the civil list. The civil list pays for the running of the royal household. (Jones et al, 2006) This includes the cost of staffs, catering and hospitality, executive admin and any ceremonial functions. Any other costs of the monarchy such as royal trips and the upkeep of royal castles are met by government departments through grants-in-aid from parliament. (Rogers, 2009) The argument here is why should the average tax payer be paying out of their hard earned money for the royals up keeping and their lavish lifestyles? Currently the civil list stands at £7.9 million a year and it is due for review in 2010, but parliament is unable to reduce the £7.9 million a year because of a 1972 Civil list Act which refuses any reductions to be made to the queen’s civil list. This means that the monarch is exempt from cuts in public spending next year. (Travis, 2009) It isn’t just the civil list; the monarch in total has cost the public around £183 million last year, (Gray, 2009) and the way things are going it is looking very likely that it will increase next year. There have been informal talks between the palace and the treasury about increasing the civil list payment and at a time of cuts in public expenditure and cuts in departmental budgets the queen should not be asking for a rise. The queen ought to be aware of financial pressures facing the country and she should be ensuring that costs are kept under control. The monarchy takes good money from the country which she essentially receives from taxpayers. Therefore arguing that the monarchy should be removed makes sense since she is extremely expensive to maintain.

Moving on to another reason why the monarchy should be abolished is that even though the queen is head of state she does not exercise any formal power herself, but most prerogative powers are exercised by ministers on behalf of the crown, who are not accountable to parliament for the executive decisions they make. (Democratic Audit, 2008) These powers include sending troops abroad and signing of treaties without consulting parliament before hand. An example of this is when John Major sent troops to take part in the first gulf war. (Barnett, 1994) The crown prerogative is exploited by ministers, and parliament cannot do anything to take away or reduce these powers as they have been derived from the royal prerogative. The queen is powerless and pointless and all her powers are invested in the prime minister. However, officials hide the real nature of this truth by saying the queen “acts on the advice of the prime minister”, meaning she does what she is told. (Republic, 2009) Politically the monarch serves little purpose. There are some powers which she can and has used, in occasions when there is a hung parliament. In an event of a hung parliament the queen will have to choose who to appoint if the incumbent prime minister resigns straight away or is defeated in the commons. (Kalitowski, 2008) At this point the question arises, should the queen consider dissolving parliament again? It is for this reason some have called for a reform of the sovereign’s personal prerogative. The call for this reform is one of the arguments for getting rid of the monarchy as many people do not agree with why an unelected and unaccountable monarch should have the right to play any part in the political process. This brings us again to why the monarchy should be eradicated; she plays no political role for the UK and she gives the government enormous amount of political power which the government take full advantage of because they are not accountable to parliament. There is little the queen can do to limit the powers of prime ministers as they have become more dominant and they are fundamentally the decision makers. It is debatable to say that the “Royal Prerogative” can be described more accurately as “prime ministerial powers” due to the huge amount of power the government exercises.

Furthermore, the monarchy to a large extent promotes social division. The British monarchy represents a feudal society of medieval England in a modern democratic state. (Bagdanor, 1997) Having a monarch breeds excessive deference and living in a modern society she is seen as being out of touch with the rest of the country. “In a Mori poll an 2003 68 per cent of those who were questioned thought that the royal family was “out of touch with ordinary people”; 28 per cent thought that it was not”. (Jones et al, 2006, p 397) The monarchy is still continuing to live in outdated traditions and beliefs where they expect to be greeted by respect and deference from everyone. Such outdated practices perpetuate the delusion of their inherent superiority to the rest of us, which are both insulting in principle and manifestly untrue in reality. Living in a modern democratic society and having a constitutional monarchy underlines a string of values which hinder the modernisation of the country. (Fabian Society) “As an institution whose roots lie firmly in the past, it reminds us too much of our history while failing us to help anticipate the future”. (Bagdanor, 2007, p 300) The monarchy has outlived its usefulness and because it symbolises deference and hierarchy, it forms a dominant barrier against any reform whether it be constitutional or social. If Britain is to ever change and take place as an efficient industrial and democratic society, which does not breed deference, the monarchy needs to be taken out of the British constitution.

Finally, the last argument in support of abolishing the monarchy is one which many people will concur with in that the monarchists are not fit by birth to be head of state. It is a fair point to make; why should someone be given the opportunity to be head of the nation according to birth and not ability? Just because they are born in to a family where they have inherited the privilege to be king or queen is unreasonable because how is anyone expected to compete with something that they have no chance of even coming close to achieving if it has been automatically been given to someone according to their family heritage. In the recent years there has been a growing number of support for radical changes to be made in the nature of the monarchy and proposals for reform such as having an elected representative as of head of state. A MORI poll in 1998, suggests that 49 per cent of people support this proposal and 45 per cent oppose to the idea. (Jones et al, 2006) These results demonstrate that the people of this country want changes to be made in the way the royals are conducted to represent the country, but there are still some people who object to this proposal because they believe the royals should represent the country due the historical background. The notion of “accident of birth” does not make them fit to hold office and in defence of this point from the monarchists is”the monarch is trained from birth, yet they never explain what sort of training they get, what it is they are suppose to be trained in and why must an infant royal be denied the choice about their future”. (Smith, 2009) The royals should have a choice about this matter and not have it be encumbered upon them because they are born in to it. Reward and respect should be earned, not received as of right.

In conclusion, all the arguments in favour of abolishing are valid and it makes clear sense for Britain to not have a monarchy. The reasons are as mentioned before; it is overly expensive to contain a monarch, especially with the request of an increase on the civil list which parliament is unable to refuse. Majority of the time the monarch does not exercise powers herself, but instead the ministers exercise these powers and they are not accountable to parliament. So why do we need a monarchy? The people in favour of keeping the monarchy will say the monarchy symbolises the unity, history and traditional values of this country and taking it away will demolish everything that represents Britain. But this feudal system is now outdated and Britain needs change in order to revolutionalise the country and live in a more modern and democratic society. The monarch serves no political purpose for us and she is just a figure head for the country. Abolishing the monarchy will be no easy task and it might take years to actually make this change take place but Britain is better off without a monarchy and if Britain claims to be a democracy then no one family should be put above others because democracy is based on equality, not class hierarchy.

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View of Victoria fountain and Buckingham Palace from the mall, which is lined with Union Jack flags on either side

Does British tourism really need the royal family?

persuasive essay royal family

Visiting Lecturer, School of Architecture + Cities, University of Westminster

Disclosure statement

Ross Bennett-Cook does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Westminster provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Love them or loathe them, the royal family are up there with red telephone boxes and scones when it comes to images of Britishness. Souvenir shops are full of their faces, newspapers across the world discuss them, and television dramas based on their lives have never been more popular.

Whenever people are critical of the royal family, the oft-repeated retort is “but think of the tourism!”. This has been particularly common rhetoric recently, as many people question how a country facing mass strikes and a crippling cost of living crisis can afford the estimated £100 million cost of King Charles III’s coronation.

In a recent YouGov poll , 51% did not believe the coronation should be paid for by taxpayers. For young people, this figure was even higher, at 62%. But supporters will often use tourism as justification for lavish expenses.

persuasive essay royal family

This piece is part of our coverage of King Charles III’s coronation . The first coronation of a British monarch since 1953 comes at a time of reckoning for the monarchy, the royal family and the Commonwealth.

For more royal analysis, revisit our coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum jubilee , and her death in September 2022 .

The royal family does bring tourism to the UK. The economic consultancy Centre for Economics and Business Research estimated that the coronation weekend would lead to a £337 million boost from tourism and pub spending.

But if the royal family were to disappear, would the UK’s tourism industry suddenly implode?

2011 research by Visit Britain found that around 60% of tourists to the UK are likely to visit places associated with the royal family. While there is no more recent specifically royal data, in 2022 Visit Britain found that history and heritage was the biggest pull factor to tourists .

And while the international perception of Britain is certainly intertwined with the royal family, this does not tell us whether a reigning royal family is necessary for tourism. After all, the history surrounding the monarchy and places associated with them would still be here even if the royal family was not. Ottoman palaces of Istanbul remain wildly popular attractions 100 years since the collapse of the caliphate, as are the royal châteaus of France or imperial palaces of China.

Lack of royalty does not seem to have affected these countries’ appeal, each of which attract more tourists annually than the UK.

A special relationship

The USA is the UK’s largest tourist market , and American tourists do seem to be very fond of things associated with British royalty.

But this may change with the new monarch. In a poll taken in February 2021 , before the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a whopping 68% of Americans viewed her favourably. The same poll found only 34% had a favourable opinion of Charles – but this has changed in his favour following his accession to the throne, according to a poll taken before the coronation which gave him a 50% approval rating in the US. That said, 62% of people in the US said they did not care about the coronation very much or at all.

Outside America, the UK’s next largest tourist groups have significantly less interest in the royal family. The holiday firm Travelzoo found in 2016 that just 19% of German, 15% of French and only 10% of Spanish travellers want to come to the UK because of the British monarchy.

Where do tourists go?

Typically, when commentators discuss the royal contributions to tourism, they talk about significant events such as weddings, jubilees, coronations and funerals. Even though these events attract huge crowds, they happen rarely and are unrepresentative of the tourism industry as a whole. Research has found that royal weddings massively improve a country’s image and brand awareness, but are not comparable to major mega events such as the Fifa World Cup, the Super Bowl or the Olympics.

Even though royal places are popular, they are far from our most popular attractions. Of Britain’s ten most visited free and paid-for attractions in 2021, none were royal attractions. The highest ranking royal attraction was the Tower of London, making only 17th on the list.

Typically, Chester Zoo attracts more visitors than Windsor Castle or Buckingham Palace, although these statistics do not differentiate between domestic and international tourists. In the most recent Windsor visitor survey , the majority of its tourists came from overseas.

A male and female lion sitting side by side.

Anti-monarchy group Republic has disputed the widely cited figure that the monarchy generates £500 million in tourism income for the UK annually – which itself would be only a small fraction of Britain’s £127 billion tourism economy.

The group also questions why royalty barely feature on British tourism campaigns or advertisements, if they are so vital to the tourism economy.

It is impossible to deny that royalty adds to the UK’s appeal as a tourist destination – the history and associated heritage is famous worldwide. However, what is questionable is whether a reigning monarchy is necessary for this attractiveness to continue.

  • UK royal family
  • Coronation of King Charles III

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Discuss the arguments for and against abolishing the Monarchy in the United Kingdom

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The question of this topic, for and against abolishing the Monarchy in the UK has already had a great impact on our lives today. It has long been discussed by our people whenever there was any bad impact to the society caused by any member of the Royal family.

In this essay, I will be discussing both sides’ view of the matter and concerns including

  • the sense of belonging with the monarchy;
  • The fame of the British monarchy; and
  • A future British republic or monarchy?

Sense of Belonging with the Monarch

Our monarchy has maintained itself in the country purely as an image for everyone. In Britain, all British know who is the Queen or the King; it is possible to say that the Queen is a ‘constitutional monarch’.  In other words, she is bound by rules and conventions to be the national head of state but with no authority to rule the country. We may sometimes say why do we need the Queen and her Royal family?  Well, at the moments she holds the throne as the head of Church of England, the source of prerogative powers, Head of Judiciary, Commander in Chief of the Armed forces. In sum, her duty is making sure the authority transfer from the Monarchy to the House of Commons, in which, the constitution is elected democratically.

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An interesting way to see the Monarchy is to look at the world today.  There is still a strongly defined sense of belonging to most British who or their ancestors have emigrated to other countries such as USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and so on over last centuries.  They are still aware of their identity as in British born native. They still respect the Monarchy as their Queen and King and return to patronize the Royal Family as well as their place or origin at least once in their lives.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Indeed, tourism has grown over decades. This is due to the colour of tradition of the monarchy and also the function for symbolic of national unity and allegiance. This is part of our heritage in such it has become a tourist attraction.

The Fame of the British Monarchy

In terms of publicity, famous could be a good word to use in this situation, almost all news agencies in the world always publish news relating to the Royal family for the sake of their magazine and also newspaper sale volume. The cases are Charity and fund raising has also been a big heat for the Royal Family, who are constantly being invited to join Charity organisations such as the Red-Cross, AMS and so on. All of which have helped a lot not in getting more, but also have improved the living of the poor in the World, the victims in the wars and those people living in the less economic developing countries.  Moreover, the Royal family has performed so many Royal visits to other countries and helped improving the relations amongst different countries in term of both politics and economic.

Because of the Fame of the Royal Family, the impact given to the country by the unsuccessful marriage of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne has deeply affected the most people in Britain.  The death of Princess Diana in 1997 did arise the heat topic of why Britain should have keep the Monarchy.  In fact, the daily life of the Royal Family is affecting not only people in Britain but also British all over the World.

Because of the fame of our Royal Family, it has become a very important asset to our country.  Should we give up this valuable asset when there is any minor thing goes wrong?

A Future British Republic or Constitutional Monarchy

Some constitutional monarchies still survive, primarily as symbols of national unity.  Among the most enduing are those of Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.

As far as the Royals are concerned in their power to reform the role model allowing British Prime Minister known as Tony Blair the leader of Labour Party to concentrate on most of the important tasks. The Monarch’s leadership should really be maintained as they have driven a positive force such as the Church of England in our United Kingdom, while UK is still keeping its parliamentary system of government.

Apparently, the Royal family’s annual budget comes from the democratic vote provides a kind of burden to our Government. You might decide to say what are the contributions of the Royal Family to the country.  Well, people as in us being as the general public sees the royal family as they see themselves.  We are flawed human beings, the Royals aren’t special after all. Nonetheless, the Monarchy is constitutional Monarchy and the system of the Great Britain.  The Monarchy is our asset, which is providing sense of belonging to all British in the UK and overseas.  It is an invaluable asset that helps indirectly to many poor, war victims, and health impaired people all over the World.

However, What would happen if the United Kingdom were to consider the idea of abolishing our monarchy in the future? Then we must look at the nation as a whole for more practical reasons in terms of who would be the head of state.  Would probably be the Prime Minister and if you take a look at other countries such as France, Russia, China, Spain, Germany and so on – they were once a monarchy. Nowadays, they are succeeding in some ways or another holding their elected presidents sharing their thoughts in power.  Which is the perfect system in the World?

In conclusion, I think it is clear as you can see why the monarchy will survive in the near future; it was due to the head of state Queen Elizabeth occupying her position through an accident of birth. Therefore, if there is no monarchy for the future of UK it will gradually become a republic, for British living in the other countries it may not be necessary to return to Britain as they lose their sense of belonging. However, it is still virtually impossible to come to one definite conclusion, it might have been the fact that she is still one great unspoken as the future of the Queen herself. It is absurd nowadays for a monarch to rule her death; she is over 70 years old with her fundamental attitudes and her long living service for Britain. As for the same reason, it would be cruel to expect that she will rise to the challenge of forging a thoroughly modern monarchy. Would the fame of the Royal family drive the influence to the positive direction for the country is another crucial subject for the future discussing of this topic.  Would the successor of Queen Elizabeth II perform more than competent in future?    Should Great Britain give up his very valuable asset due to minor bad influence given to the country by the Royal family in future?  Therefore, it reminds me of the so-called ‘ Iron Lady’ Margaret Hilda Thatcher, the old PM used to attempt to modernize Britain and to domineer the multicultural society and to enshrine the status of nation as a whole.

Discuss the arguments for and against abolishing the Monarchy in the United Kingdom

Document Details

  • Word Count 1222
  • Page Count 4
  • Level AS and A Level
  • Subject History

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