- Visiting Dignitaries -
This is not particularly a controversial subject, though my opinion on it isn’t too unusual as more and more people are thinking along the same lines as I am now.Most of my life I’ve been a Royalist, sworn allegiance to Queen and Country her heirs and successors etc. I proved this for twenty eight years [Army], most of it on active service also for a number of years after my service expired working on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, honoured and proud to have done so.
Now don’t go getting me wrong I swear my allegiance to my Queen and country. ‘Her Majesty’ in her long rein has done a powerful amount of good. Its all the ‘hangers on’ in the upper Royal Family/Circle that I have absolutely no tolerance and zero respect for.
I ask you to think on, in your family or circle of friends do you know another family quite like the Queen’s family and relations
The Queens sister: divorced, had a dubious life style and it is alleged had many ‘boy friends’.
The Queens eldest son: divorced, had a long adulterous affair during his marriage with his so called mistress.
The Queens daughter: divorced.
Second son: divorced.
Third son: I’ll make no comment here although it is alleged that there are number of questionable questions to be asked and answered.
There is no doubt in my mind the Royal Family who have a very privileged position should lead the country by setting an exemplary example, judging from the above what do you think?
Now I come to “Who pays for them”?.
The Queen, [7.1-million pounds] and The Duke of Edinburgh £359,000 are the only members of the Royal Family to receive an annual parliamentary allowance [The Duke of Edinburgh allowance to enable him to carry out official public duties supporting The Queen].
Most of the allowances received by members of the Royal Family are spent on staff who support their public engagements and correspondence.
In 2000 the annual amounts payable to members of the Royal Family (which are set every ten years) were reset at their 1990 levels for the next ten years, until December 2010.
Apart from an increase of £45,000 on the occasion of The Earl of Wessex's marriage, these amounts remain as follows:
Did you know since 1993, The Queen has repaid to the Treasury the annual parliamentary allowances received by other members of the Royal Family other than that paid to The Duke of Edinburgh. [I admit I don’t know nor can I research this but I wonder if the these repayments are paid from the Queen’s annual allowance.]
Parliamentary annuity Her Majesty, 7.1-million pounds, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh £359,000
Parliamentary annuities (repaid by The Queen)
HRH The Duke of York £249,000
HRH The Earl of Wessex £141,000
HRH The Princess Royal £228,000
TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent and HRH Princess Alexandra £636,000
[Of the £636,000, £175,000 is provided by The Queen to The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, £236,000 to The Duke and Duchess of Kent and £225,000 to Princess Alexandra.]
For me the Queen is value for money, but the rest of the hangers on, no way-!!!.
Note: I’m fed up to the back teeth hearing about whether Prince Harry should go off and do front line duties fighting for his country or not. So what-!!!. I know that if Prince Harry no doubt as good as a soldier he is, had join my troop of soldiers both them and me would put as much distance between him and us as possible. Why - you work it out.
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The very mention of a visit by a ‘Royal’ person, whether planned [a formal occasion] or private visit to any location brings with it a whole host of activities.
Suddenly, various agency’s find money to do a ‘Make Over’ on the planned route, pot holes get filled in, roads hosed down, graffiti mysteriously gets removed or painted over, over night flower beds which have been completely baron for weeks sprout flowering plants. Lorry loads of workmen appear erecting crowd barriers covering ‘offending’ signs, removing litter bins, welding manhole covers and storm drains grids tight shut, buildings repaired and tarted up, the list is endless.
Policemen by the bus load, police cars and police motorcyclist zooming around all over the place, police sharp shooters positioned on strategic roof tops. - [Under cover and plain clothed cops [?]], Special branch who appeared a couple of days before the Royal visit and possible still present. Roads get block off, traffic diverted, restricted area imposed and whoa betides anyone who falls foul of this. [I did once and got marched off very firmly even when I had a photographer’s pass to be in that area]. The public are marshalled into specially defined selected areas like a herd of sheep
A long line of local dignitaries [more often than not accompanied by their wives] to be presented to the Royal visitor. Why is this?, surprisingly they can suddenly make themselves available. I know when I have telephoned asking to speak to one of them to be told: “Sorry he’s [or she] not available: at a meeting, away on holidays, visiting another department, out on inspection, off sick”. I am told to write a letter or send an e-mail stating why I want to speak to them or the question I want answers for or why I want an appointment and they will get back to me. Yea sounds good but they never do. - Bah-!!!.
On the number of times I have bludgeoned my way through a whole hosts of underlings and get to speak to someone in authority, asked my questions: “Why is it that [various faults] are not being repaired, replaced, improved, only to be told there’s no money left in the budget to rectify the ‘fault’ - Really, then how come they can mysteriously find money for the extra cost for all these ‘activities’ for the Royal visit. I am baffled.
Off the boil now slowly simmering down - Rant over.
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