Socialist Live Laugh Meme Abolish The Monarchy T-Shirt

Product Information

The idea that the monarchy can withstand this death, is potentially absurd. It's going to take a lot of engineering and a lot of consideration. Monarchists speak with revulsion of who an elected president may be. The royal historian Robert Lacey, in a recent debate, asked in tones of horror, “President Lineker? President Street-Porter?” But, urges Graham Smith, CEO of the Republic pressure group, look around Europe at dignified presidents who understand their ceremonial duties and the political limits to their role, while acting as constitutional guarantors. Former politicians take on a presidency with as much independence as our Speakers in parliament. Look across the Irish Sea at Michael D Higgins, Mary McAleese or Mary Robinson and ponder why British voters are too wild or daft to be trusted to make equally sensible choices.

Russell Brand is known for speaking about his views. The Comedian spoke to thousands of demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square to protest against austerity and spending cuts in London, June 20, 2015. Mary Turner/Getty If there was one resounding takeaway from Harry’s candid and at times, painful memoir, Spare (and I am not talking about descriptions of his frostbitten todger) is how utterly trapped he was and his family still are. The obvious problem with the moralistic approach is that any society, let alone one of sixty-five million people, will harbour a vast diversity of values, as is borne out by recent polls of public attitudes to the monarchy itself. Perhaps unwittingly, Smith concedes as much. He says that the attitudes of the royal family to race are contrary to the nation’s sense of fairness and equity. At the same time, however, he refers to the outpouring of public support for the courtier Lady Susan Hussey when she was accused of racism. The only way the monarchy could actually be abolished is through an act of parliament, which would probably re quire a public referendum. The legislation would also have to be signed by the sovereign. Greece and Bulgaria are both examples of where this has happened. Of course, the other (extremely unlikely) option would be an all-out revolution. Charles III is a terrible choice. Partly because Charles I, the English Civil War’s victor, was overthrown by Parliamentarian Forces. He was executed later. Charles II, his son, was restored to the throne of England, but is most remembered for his rampant womenizing. He had at least 12 illegitimate kids. There is also the Jacobite connection with Charles Edward Stuart (the “Young Pretender”), who claimed the title “Charles III.”Although Queen Elizabeth II was one its most loyal supporters, her passing may not have any effect on it. Even at 14, I assumed most people would not want to live in the utterly infantilised state of being a subject. At one stage, I went to lots of meetings about republicanism and dry constitutional shakedowns and I was patronised by experts who told me Diana’s disruption was not the right kind: she was disturbing the narrative by not accepting its rules, that Charles could have an affair. The way to get rid of the monarchy had to be highbrow and political; it should never be personal. Or, actually, cultural. Other republicans admit they feel bullied into supporting something they don’t believe in. “I feel unable to express an opinion without being branded disrespectful, so therefore I’ve been funnelled into complying with the country’s grief,” said Aisha, who also requested a pseudonym.

I have always felt this way about the monarchy because I have been a republican since I started to engage with politics less than a decade ago, for the aforementioned reasons. This centralisation of power, and the powerlessness of our head of state in the face of it, is one of Smith’s favourite themes. Without an elected head of state and a written constitution, we are left at the mercy of parliamentary sovereignty—which in practice means the supremacy of the government. There is almost nothing stopping the Prime Minister of the day from legislating for whatever they wish, so long as they have an unassailable parliamentary majority. And this is not even to mention the sweeping powers, not subject to any sort of democratic process, afforded to the Prime Minister by the royal prerogative and the Privy Council. This jubilee would make a cheerful ending to all the royal folderol. What better time to return the sovereignty promised in Brexit to the people to whom it belongs. Elizabeth the Last should get a historic send-off, her golden coach and crown retired and her six palaces opened as fine museums. (No, tourism is no excuse for monarchy: Versailles gets many more visitors, and so does Legoland down the road from Windsor Castle).

As coverage of the Queen’s death continues to dominate broadcast schedules, Smith anticipated ambivalence would become the overriding response for millions during the days ahead. “There is an appetite for a lot of this, but there will be a point where people feel it’s going too far or going on for too long. There’s going be a lot of people switching over to Netflix and other streaming channels.”