Royal Wedding, a waste of taxpayer money

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I have done a little digging around to find out how much this Royal Wedding at the end of the week is going to cost and to be honest, I really wish I hadn't bothered because I'm not too comfortable with the numbers that I'm seeing.

I don't have a problem with people getting married and I guess I don't mind the royals.  Although I would say that their value to the UK isn't what it once was, and I begrudge the small contribution that we all have to make to keep them.  The point of my gripe though, is why do they have to spend so much on their weddings which are presumably at least part funded by us tax payers somewhere along the line.

I haven't been able to find an accurate total cost for the Royal Wedding (perhaps someone can help with that), but the best estimates Ive found so far are that seem to point towards 50-60 million, with 20 million of that going on security (guys on rooftops with binoculars etc.).  Thats a big upgrade when you consider that the cost of a wedding for the average couple is more like a few grand, and you can get hitched on the cheap with an Asda value wedding for under a grand and still have a few hundred quid left over for a weekend in Bognor Regis!

Things are pretty tough in the UK right now, although granted some other countries are have a much worse time of it than us.  You just have to turn on the TV and look at the news in the middle east and Japan etc.  to see that things could be a lot worse here.  The could also be a lot better as well though.

I think that it would have been more decent if the couple had shown some restraint in the scale of the event; the level of spending I've seen for this wedding so far, is quite frankly obscene.  They could have done something really positive, for example by having a grand wedding for maybe only a couple of million with only a few important guests and some TV crews so the adoring public can watch.  Meanwhile, they could hold up a big fat cheque with the rest of the money and say Here you go folks, spend this on something that will REALLY benefit the country.

I'm sure were all going to welcome the extra bank holiday though, perhaps with the possibility of those businesses that are struggling at the moment.  Come to think of it, how much is that day off going to cost the country?  Somehow I don't think that the sales of a few mugs and tee-shirts, and perhaps a few extra foreign visitors is going to make up for that.

By: Angel

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Peter W

I heard the total cost was 70 million quid, probably 69 million from taxpayers but was that not a wedding that every parent would want for their daughter, and thats 70 million not going into the pockets of migrants looking for a better life on our benefits system.

05/05/11 Peter W

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miserablemoaninggit

It's a shame! Boaz gave some great contribution to this post and it doesn't seem right that TWG should feel free to employ a mechanism that simply wipes all of his posts. It detracts from the value that I have with the site, and surely must do for others also. I'd prefer that TWG use a surgical knife, rather than a blunt instrument. Quite frankly, I'm disappointed and if Boaz is angry about what has happened, then I share that anger. On that, if little else, we can certainly agree!

04/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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Kenny (Site Admin)

Just to clarify things. A large number of spam comments were removed recently, some of them may have been from the same individual that posted on here.

03/05/11 Kenny (Site Admin)

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miserablemoaninggit

Uh? Where are Boaz's comments? What is going on with this crazy site?

02/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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miserablemoaninggit

Boaz, lobbying an MP and making some changes merely demonstrates that any government in our so-called democracy has some 'wriggle room', so to speak, in which to take decisions and result in either good or ill. It is ironic that you talke of a 'much bigger jigsaw' when your comments seem to come from a very narrow perspective i.e. the level of surface appearance, rather than dealing with the need for fundamental, 'root and branch' changes. Being able to lobby an MP for a better deal for hospices is one thing, but it is absolutely impossible within our current system to abolish the monarchy, to fundamentally redistribute the wealth of this country, and to end the system whereby the very valuable opportunities in terms of power, influence and wealth creation are essentially ring-fenced for the rich and powerful, with the network of private schools being instrumental in this ring-fencing. Dear me! Private schools have charitable status, and this amply demonstrates that our whole system is geared toward ensuring that the status of the rich and privileged remains exactly that, from one generation to the next. Your appeal to 'extremes' in terms of replacing the rot is really quite ridiculous and smacks of 'debating society' style of approach to this discussion. There are lots of changes that can be made and I've merely suggested just a few, all of which could facilitate a much more successful democracy, one that works for the people, giving them real power and opportunities. Your approach is a 'tinkering at the edges' one which I find unsatisfactory. Abolishing the monarchy will only be part of the solution, but it also will be a very important step.

01/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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miserablemoaninggit

Boaz, sometimes a shiny, surface appearance can belie the rot that lies underneath. Such is the political system and the 'constitution' as we have it. Yes, the Australians did have a referendum back in 1999, and it is likely that they will have another referendum in a few more years - quite appropriate considering that another generation has arisen and has the right to vote. On the 'surface' we do have the same rights as the Australians, but of course these rights will never be more than theoretical for the people of the UK. Indeed, if we take the AV vote this coming Thursday, it is the first referendum held since the vote to join the Common Market, and no other opportunity has been given - and look at the EU now, it has evolved to something very, very different from that envisaged back in the 1970s. The Royals are scroungers; they don't do any 'real' work; but as I've tried to point out, it is what they represent and what they are perpetuating about our society that is the real cause for concern. Our representative democracy, with the majority of MPs becoming so having arisen through private education, political internships, MP and then leaders of political parties, is part of the 'rot' underneath. Indeed, Parliament itself is fundamentally part of the 'rot'. In terms of your final point that 'it was not the royals who put us into recession was it', well, finally we have some agreement!

01/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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miserablemoaninggit

I'm laughing, long and hard, Boaz, or Bias - you are even getting confused over your pseudonym. Royalist, all I ever do is to engage in debate and, when it gets a little 'heated', then so what? This site is not for us all to be constantly in agreement and engaging in niceties. Boaz, none of your so-called 'arguments' have even remotely led me to consider that I am wrong in my view that, yes, the Royal family is essentially a bunch of scroungers - representing the pinnacle of an unfair society that massively favours a tiny elite in terms of the concentration of wealth and the most valuable opportunities. Our present political system, essentially a 2-party system still, completely fails to challenge the status-quo, with political leaders adopting a position of deference to royalty that really is quite sickening. The media is little better and there is very little, if any, real and worthwhile debate about moving over to a Republic. Our Education system does little also to challenge the status-quo with its simple approach that 'passing exams' reflects a good education when, of course, it often does not. So, I say again, that your approach is a combination of idealism and simplicity, presuming that there are effective non-violent means to abolish the monarchy. Quite simply, such means do not exist. I only hope that the Australians and other commonwealth countries abolish the Queen as Head of State and that this will lend some impetus to eventually leading to the abolition of the monarch in the UK, although in the context of my comments as just given, I cannot really see how.

01/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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Royalist

Boaz, That'll teach you for getting involved with miserablemoaningminnie. Just scroll thru the rest of the topics and see how many arguements she starts!!!

01/05/11 Royalist

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miserablemoaninggit

Boaz, your 'idealistic view of society' is just that - idealistic. Simplistic. Reflecting a 'text book' analysis that simply justifies the status quo and a 'do nothing' approach to politics. Quite simply, I'm not impressed, and I suggest that your position as an RGN is quite commendable but your study of a Business Studies degree has left your without any further inspiration. The study of History should be one that inspires, challenges, that demands an application of knowledge and experience earned in a previous age. Your posts refect a 'do nothing' approach that, quite sadly, suggests an ability to absorb knowledge but an inability to apply it, and it is this that is the real test of intelligence. Oh well, onwards and upwards.

01/05/11 miserablemoaninggit

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Carrot

What "constitutional right to abolish them" is Boaz talking about? First I heard about it.

Did anyone tell the queen? It may come as a surprise to her.

30/04/11 Carrot

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miserablemoaninggit

Bless you Boaz, a successful hospice eh? Yes, well, erm, very impressive . . . most people get over their inferiority complex earlier on in life. I wish you the very best of luck with your Business Studies degree . . . the very best of luck indeed! You'll be quoting Maslow's theory of hierarchy at me next - that old chestnut! I remember an ambitious Sister quoting that to me in my days as a personnel management trainee in the NHS. I concluded that there were lots of ambitious, often single, women in the NHS and they weren't particularly impressive then. In the meantime, following your well-thought out, well-analysed and intelligent advice, I'll humbly ask the Royals for some of my money back, or I'll use my constitutional right to abolish them. Erm . . . yes, of course I will!

30/04/11 miserablemoaninggit

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miserablemoaninggit

thanks for your post Boaz, it says a hell of a lot about being a RGN nurse and studying for a business degree.

30/04/11 miserablemoaninggit

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The Queen

Michael how dare you insult me and my family, one should show some respect and start behaving oneself otherwise ill get Phillip to tamper with the brakes on your car.

29/04/11 The Queen

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MikeP

An event of utter boredom and insignificance.

Given the choices of watching football, which I hate with a passion, or paint drying, or the wedding, I would rather have watched football.

29/04/11 MikeP

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artuk

We will never know the real cost of this wedding, probably hundreds of millions if truth be known, for all the guest expenses, food and accomodation, a days shutdown of the UKs economy. It isn't just the wedding that annoys me but that we still have this archaic system that forces the taxpayer to pay for one family to live a life of idle pleasure from the day they are born to the day they die. I understand the queen has 600 servants, an absolute disgrace in a modern society and now we have a another scrounger who was signed up today.
We applaud when benefit cheats are apprehended for stealing a few hundred quid, I think it is time the royals had to fill in application forms of income etc and be means tested like everyone else who wants to live on the taxpayer.
Please don't tell me these people work, who would call it work to spend your life attending expensive functions all over the world and read the prepared speeches handed to you.
The queen always seems to be about to yawn she sounds so bored when speaking.
The royal family are totally, completely and utterly out of touch with reality and always will be although to be fair I suppose we'd all like to be idle rich people.
At least they could stop pretending they do actually know what reality is all about.

29/04/11 artuk

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