Thursday 8 September 2022

Thanks For The Service, Ma'am...

We will never see your like again. And England is all the poorer for it..

Reunited at last...

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Julia. Well said. Will

Phantom Digger said...

Poorer indeed because now we have a State Funeral to pay for.

Doonhamer said...

England? The United Kingdom! The Commonwealth.
We all are blessed to have had her representing us.
Now I am deeply saddened.
Not "devastated" as our PM said.

Anonymous said...

God Bless, Queen Elizabeth the second.
I cried tonight.

Nemisis said...

@Phantom Digger
Firstly, after all those years of service as Monarch, why shouldn't she have a State Funeral?
Secondly, you do not have to attend, you don't even have to see it on your smartphone, please be quiet.

The Jannie said...

By England I presume you mean Britain?

Thud said...

God save the King.

Ted Treen said...

@Phantom Digger - What a mean-spirited comment: whilst I would defend your absolute right to make such an offensive comment, I have the right to describe it as execrable.

Old Peculier said...

Well said Julia, Rest In Peace Queen Elizabeth II.

MTG said...

Everything was fine until Andrew said he had another teen problem.

Anonymous said...

@Phantom Digger,
When the cost of a State Funeral is worked out and divided by the tax paying population of this country, let me have your address and I'll send you what your share would have been.
After the years of duty and service to this country that this gracious lady had given, it is not only our duty to provide a State funeral, but a privilege.
RIP Ma'am.
Penseivat

Anonymous said...

Having so much spare from your tax-subsidised pension, let me have mine too, Penise.

Anonymous said...

Spiro says:
Anonymous said..."When the cost of a State Funeral is worked out and divided by the tax paying population of this country, let me have your address and I'll send you what your share would have been."

Hey, I'll take some of that. Might go a tiny way to recompensing me for the cancellation of my paid work on that day.

Anonymous said...

Usually the people who complain about the tiny amount the Royal Family cost us are not taxpayers. Or they are public sector leeches in non-jobs.
Jaded.

MTG1 said...

Short and sweet. Who could better your succinct accuracy in describing modern plod, WC Jaded?

'...public sector leeches in non-jobs.'

Anonymous said...

@Phantom Digger
Not only a state funeral but a coronation for her idiot son and his consort and investiture for her grandson. Thanks ma'am for keeping Charles off the throne for so long. RIP

JuliaM said...

Well said, all.

Longrider said...

Those complaining about costs seem to forget that the crown estates pay for the monarchy and the rest - most of it - goes to the exchequer, so you can rest easy, it won't cost you a penny.

I'll also echo Ted Treen's comments. That you would say this stuff at this juncture may be your right, but it exposes you as particularly odious individuals. A decent person would exercise a modicum of restraint and say nothing, as such conversations are for another time.

Stonyground said...

The cost of HS2 doesn't bother you then?

Anonymous said...

@Anon at 11.25,
The offer is only open to odious, single issue, trolls, who are trying to shit stir over this sad event. If you wish to include yourself in this certainly company, the same offer applies to you.
Penseivat
P.S. It is you, really, isn't it, Melv?

Phantom Digger said...

The State Funeral for Elisabeth is a done deal as it comes with the job and she is entitled to it. I'm not disputing that.

The Crown Estate belongs to the British monarch but is managed by a corporation and is neither part of the monarch's private estate nor the UK government. The corporation reports directly to the UK government and the monarch.

The monarch owns the land because of William the Conqueror. By his victory he became not only the ruler, but the owner of all of the land he had just conquered. Some of this he gave away to the Lords who had supported him. Subsequent monarchs continued to hold the lands unless they either gave it away to their supporters or sold it. Edward I added Wales to the list and James VI of Scotland who became James I of England added Scotland. During this time the lands were managed by the monarch's men who also supported him in terms of troops in times of war.

The monarch was responsible for the government and the armies of the UK and the lands and the income from them paid for these.

In George III's reign everything changed. It should be remembered that George I (who was German) only became King because he was Protestant – The Stuarts (Remember Bonnie Prince Charlie) had a much better claim but were Catholic. The Scots wanted Charlie as their king and in truth he had a much better claim than George I to be King of England.

Anyway, George III realised that paying for the government, civil service and the army was becoming too expensive, and unless something was done about it he would end up having to sell everything to pay for it so the current system was set up.

Under the revised system the responsibility for managing the Crown Lands would pass to the UK Parliament via a Corporation. All the income would be used to pay for the machinery of government including the Civil Service and Army. George no longer had responsibility for managing the lands and he was given an amount of money (the Civil List) to pay for his expenses and the rest of the Royal hangers on. The monarch has properties which they have a right to use, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Holyrood Palace and Hillsborough Castle in Ireland. In addition the monarch owns Sandringham and Balmoral outright.

The Civil list was replaced in 2011 and now the monarch gets a percentage of the income from the Crown Estates. It should be noted that when Buckingham Palace needed substantial repairs instead of this being paid for by the Queen. the amount granted was increased to pay for the repairs.

1/2

Phantom Digger said...

2/2
The idea that the Monarch is making a large contribution to the UK via the Crown Estates is nonsense. If Goerge III had not agreed to the rule changes much of the land would have been sold off. If Charles as the new King wants to retake all the land and start paying for the Army, Parliament and the Civil Service (including their pensions) then I am sure that we would all be much better off and our taxes would reduce significantly. The Duchies of Cornwall and Lancashire are still with the Royal family but there is considerable doubt about the legality of that particular arrangement and Charles has always avoided any discussions concerning their initial establishment.

The Crown Estate in addition to owning land also owns most of the seashore surrounding the UK so the income has benefitted hugely from offshore wind farms – it is no wonder Charles is such a fan of the Green agenda!

A further couple of points to mention. All royal wills are kept secret. Why should this be such a secret – perhaps because the public would realise just how wealthy they are. How did Prince Philip who married the Queen as a poor person end up leaving millions in his will? Finally, why do the Royals not pay inheritance tax – many of the stately homes in the UK belong to the National Trust or English Heritage because of inheritance tax – why should the monarchy be exempt?



I am reminded of the story about a poacher found stealing by the lord of the manor. “Thats my animal you have just taken” said the Lord, “its my land and I own everything on it”. The poacher asks the Lord how he came to own it. “My ancestor fought for William the Conqueror and was given it following the battle of Hastings”

The Poacher says, “So you own the land because you won it in a fight. - Ok I’ll fight you for it now and see who wins”.

JuliaM said...

" All royal wills are kept secret. Why should this be such a secret – perhaps because the public would realise just how wealthy they are. "

You think they don't know? Maybe they do, and don't care. After all, I care not how wealthy other people are...