Palace: Prince William's wife Kate in labor

[MikeH]

Well, you know, as long as the royals are just there for entertainment purposes, it doesn't matter much if they are around while Parliament decides on things. Doesn't really hurt anything and brings in extra tourist money.

More the principle of the thing isn't it old chap.

[MikeH]

The question is why British royals get more attention than other European monarchs- which is obviously because America cares more about monarchs in English speaking countries and America is influential. Clearly America is propping up the British economy. Without our generous aid you'd be a third world country already. Luckily your country is one giant amusement park.

Maybe it's because half the world including the US used to be ruled by them?

[kentonio]

No. But nice idiotic rationalization.

Good comeback, cumbucket.

[Imran Siddiqui]

More the principle of the thing isn't it old chap.

Meh. The principle of the thing seems to be too much outrage for what it actually is.

This anti-royal stuff from some Americans reminds me of the morons who like to pile on against soccer.

[Elok]

Maybe it's because half the world including the US used to be ruled by them?

I'm not sure if there's been an unbroken succession since that one Holy Roman Emperor, but if there has, boy, the King of Spain must get TONS of visitors.

[MikeH]

I'm not outraged, I'm not really bothered either way.

[MikeH]

I'm not sure if there's been an unbroken succession since that one Holy Roman Emperor, but if there has, boy, the King of Spain must get TONS of visitors.

Has Spain got a King?

[Sava]

Good comeback, cumbucket.

Oh. I was actually trying to respond to your nonsensical statement. If you want insults, I can oblige.

You were conceived by sperm that your mom cumfarted out her ass.

Assbaby.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Castles are fun, but Britain doesn't really have anything like Versailles and people go to the Louvre for the fancy paintings.

Funnily enough, we have the world's most valuable private art collection just waiting to go in it. Guess who currently owns it?

[kentonio]

Oh. I was actually trying to respond to your nonsensical statement. If you want insults, I can oblige.

You were conceived by sperm that your mom cumfarted out her ass.

Assbaby.

"No" is not an interesting or useful response. Dicksplash.

[kentonio]

I'm not sure if there's been an unbroken succession since that one Holy Roman Emperor, but if there has, boy, the King of Spain must get TONS of visitors.

Hmm? Our Empire was miles better than theirs.

[Sava]

"No" is not an interesting or useful response. Dicksplash.

But it's entirely appropriate. If someone comes up to me and says something equally as stupid, I'm not going to write a paper explaining logically why their belief is stupid. I'm just going to call them an idiot. Such an argument would be lost on them anyhow.

The royals do two things other than suck up money. Jack and shit. And Jack left town. Tourists go to see the attractions/monuments. And those "trade agreements" or whatever sell themselves. As if two massive economies aren't going to do business just because some meaningless figurehead throwback to the dark ages wasn't there to give their blessing.

What you said was so stupid, it doesn't warrant a lengthy explanation why. You've obviously convinced yourself and have dug-in, ready to defend yourself against reality/facts/intelligence.

Or you were just trolling. In which case, you got me to stop raging for at least one post. Well done.

[Elok]

Has Spain got a King?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy_of_Spain

And, yes, it's an unbroken line of succession, so he's totally descended from that one Hapsburg who ruled Latin America and most of Europe simultaneously. He did avoid inheriting their looks, though. No news on whether he'd like to be used to absorb an ugly divorcee's menstrual fluids.

[kentonio]

What you said was so stupid, it doesn't warrant a lengthy explanation why. You've obviously convinced yourself and have dug-in, ready to defend yourself against reality/facts/intelligence.

The Queen gets a £44bn valuation for family 'Firm’

It is known as “The Firm” and perhaps with good reason. For a new study estimates the commercial value of the Royal family at more than £44 billion.

The report suggests that the monarchy — if it was put up for sale and valued like any other business — is worth more than Tesco and Marks & Spencer combined.

It concludes that the Royal family exudes a “halo effect … from the pageantry and history” that is worth billions to the British economy.

The total value of £44.5 billion includes £18.1 billion of assets including the Crown jewels and royal palaces. On top of that, the monarchy is reckoned to be worth an additional £26.4 billion because of the economic benefits it brings to the UK, through the boost to tourism and other industries.

It is believed to be the first time that the monarchy has been given what would best be described in corporate finance circles as a market capitalisation value.

Brand Finance, the brand valuation consultancy that compiled the report, says that in contrast to the monarchy’s value at £44.5 billion, Tesco is worth £33 billion while M&S is valued at £7.4 billion.

..

A Brand Finance spokesman said its estimates were based on what it called “the uplift to the economy attributable to the monarchy”.

The report reckons that the Royal family’s contribution to tourism is worth an extra £500 million each year to the British economy — which Brand Finance converts into an “intangible asset in perpetuity” of more than £16 billion.

..

The report states: “When special one-off events … are taken into consideration, the benefit for the economy is enormous.

“Novelty mugs and tea towels aside, the public relations benefits generated through the world’s intense interest in the Royal family are equally significant … The value of what is essentially free publicity for the United Kingdom when considered in the long term, is enormous.

“The halo effect which results from the pageantry and history it represents, is something which is leveraged effectively by numerous brands, as well as the Monarchy itself, to provide a boost to both the economy and the brand of the United Kingdom currently valued at £44 billion.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...mily-Firm.html

There are many reasonable reasons to oppose the existence of the monarchy, however trying to argue its monetary costs outweigh its benefits is only going to earn you first place in the special olympics. Pussytwat.

[Sava]

Pussytwat.

Uhm. Own goal. They have nearly $50 billion of net worth... which should belong to the UK government.

So yeah. That's money out of your pocket. Not mine. But whatever. If they make you island dip****s feel special. More power to you. Or them.

Moron.