Smart woman. The mere notion of monarchy today is anachronistic and undemocratic. Furthermore, royal families are financed by taxpayers. The French would never stand for that, we pay enough taxes already. Monarchy was abolished in France in 1792. During the French Revolution, King Louis and his Queen, Mary-Antoinette, were imprisoned in August 1792. By September, the monarchy was toast.
Politely called a Sovereign Grant, royal families are in fact subsidized/funded/bankrolled by their respective governments and, as I said, taxpayers. In 2021, the British Royal Family received approximately £120 million. Aside from the Queen of England and Prince Charles, now King Charles, no one else in that family pays taxes on the unearned wads of cash they receive. The Danish royal family is exempt from all taxes.
As an egalitarian (and a taxpayer), I find that deeply unfair.
And all that obsequious scraping and curtsying. It’s embarrassing, don’t you think? With my current lumbago, I’d probably fall over if I tried.
Juliet in Paris
Obsequious indeed. I’d call it perverted.
Yes, absolutely. But y’know what’s really strange? Many British people, not all, will do it willingly, and without question. I feel certain that my mother, now deceased, would curtsy if she ever found herself in front of a royal. It must be in their DNA.
There’s only one person I’d curtsy for: myself.