So thrilled we have a new prince here

[newfoundland]

The people who complain should consider this. Queen Elizabeth became Queen in 1952 and has been working ever since. How many of them can say that?

 

[oesdog]

Yes your so right about that as I am certain the folk who are making all the nasty comments probably have not worked as much as our Queen has. Some folk are really horrid and ungrateful. I do think that it is uplifting for the entire nation when there are weddings and births in the Royal household. It is good for everyone and it is like having an extended family in many ways. Folk who don't have a family of their own at least feel a part of them. Also if you notice whenever there is ever a time of national crises here. The crowds do not go to the houses of parliament. NO - they flock instead to the fountain outside the gates of Buckingham palace. That has to count for something.

Oes

 

[newfoundland]

I entirely agree that having a Royal Family is like having an extended family. In my family we have wept and cheered with the crowds on so many occasions over the years. There is a lot of comfort in the continuity of having one figurehead There have been times, one that springs to mind is the introduction of the Poll Tax, when she quite firmly told Parliament that they could not do that to the people. I see the Queen as someone who still has a huge influence for good in this country, because various Prime Ministers have said she tells them very candidly at their weekly meetings if she disapproves of legislation and is not afraid to wade in on the side of her subjects. She is like the mother who lets the children have freedom to grow but never lets things get out of hand. God Save the Queen, i say.

 

[oesdog]

Yes she is wonderful everyones "Granny/Mother figure!"
It is always nice to have cellibrations too - Growing up I shared a Birthday with Qheen Elisabeth the Queen mother and I was always thrilled to get the entire nation singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY on my birthday.

Anyhow I think we are blessed indeed for having such a figure head.

Oes

 

[KristyHall]

Sadly the native American "royalty" was murdered a long time ago.( Mostly by British and Spanish!) I don't know much about American history but when the Americas were first discovered - the then "leaders" were swiftly discontinued!

I think you have a good system of voting your leadership in - we do to in that we have a priminister etc.( Though as we all know there is always faults with them all!) - given the "history" of our Royal family left to their own devises they too kind of screwed up a lot in past generations! lol. As you have mentioned they are after all only human with human frailties. Though a deal of folk put them on a pedistal and imagine they will be "perfection". Then of course they are bitterly disapointed to discover they are flesh and blood like the rest of us. Only they usually have an army of press following them and a camera hanging from their left nostral. Not a life I would be wanting for sure.

It makes me sad when I read so many nasty awful comments about the Royal family and I know what you mean about folk bent on destruction. Over here they complain about everything to do with the Royals. - What they wear, especially if it is from a high street store or is damaged or has been worn before or worse worn by another member of the Royal family. - Then they complain about the money that is spent by the Royals? They moan about all the palaces and beautiful buildings because they are jealous and only see the cost of such places to keep up. Yet these places nice as they are don't actually "belong" to the Royal family - they cannot for example sell them! Can you imagine the Queen putting Buckingham palace up for sale - or the crown jewles on Ebay - no she cannot do just what she wants to do. Those things are national treasures and don;t belong to her or the family at all. In fact truth is they belong to the nation, the comon people and they are just castodians of those treasures. Sometimes it frustrates me how tunnel minded some folk are? -Do those horrible folk think they could care for such treasures better? Or maybe they would just have a gararge sale on Buck house lawn? Can you imagine the palaces being turned into flats for the "deserving poor?" What on earth would that achieve? When you see what happens to housing estates all over the uk. One wonders what these folk actually think they might achieve other than destroy the treasures that belong to the nation forever? - At least our Royal family "belong to us!" which is more than most of the shops and banks and busineses in our high streets these days.

I worry about our Royal family - about Young Prince William and Young Prince Harry a great deal. There is much presure on their shoulders. They are lovely boys indeed and I think their mom would have been so proud of them both. I wonder how they cope with all they need to learn and how they have to go face other countries and meet other leader and all of that stress. On top of that they have security worries and I guess wonder - how safe they and their loved ones are everyday. Then I think of our Queen and I think how she doesn;t have a great deal of freedom - like when she came to Ireland she went to loads of state meetings but she never got to explore or even sit in a coffee shop on graftan street and watch the world go by. How lucky we all are that we don't have their lives to lead - I am not jealous at all one bit of who they are and what they do and where they live. But I do worry about the amount of nasty awful comments I read and how horrible some folk are towards them.

Anyhow I am glad for the little darling prince and I am so happy that he was born safe and well and that is what counts a great deal. I am so glad of him being ok. And that Kate got through the birth safely and all is well.

Oes

Most Native American tribes, and I mean all but a small handful from the Arctic circle to the tip of South America did not have royalty. Most had elected officials and they found that anyone being born better than anyone else, or born into power to be an odd system ripe with abuse. Sometimes families would lead by generations, but most tribes led by councils, elected, or chosen leaders. Some had very complicated systems of different councils, elders, and leaders for different parts of tribal life. In some tribes they had separate leaders for war and peace times, for agricultural decisions, and even building and layout planning.

Also the whole quickly dispatched thing is too broad of a brush to truly comment on. Many tribes have "sovereign" (I put that in quotation marks because the nature of the US/Canadian governments and the First Nations is very complicated. If it wasn't we wouldn't be having the "Idle No More" movement occurring right now nor the AIM movement from the 1970's) status and we still elect our own chiefs, make our own laws, and so on. In fact not all tribes were completely under US/Canada control until the early 1900's and in south American, not all of them are under any jurisdiction by the very nature that no one can find them in the jungles.

Position by lineage such as princesses and princes is largely myth. There were some tribes that took ambassadorial advantage of European's obsession with royalty by naming people these titles to get the invading colonies to listen to them, but for the most part, it was seen as a novelty by the tribes, and a form of governing system to alien for them to truly adopt.

It may be why I still find the concept of royalty just so odd. The royal family lives in the lap of luxury simply because they were born into it. They are catered too and served not by money earned or family businesses managed, but because the right male reproductive cell fertilized the right female reproductive spell, in the right time, by the right sir name, in the right geographical location and boom, a royal person is born by no effort on the person born's part or actions.

Do I care if there are royal people? No. Do I think that a person should have power over my life simply because of who their parents were? Absolutely not. Would I accept serving under someone because they were born into a certain caste? HA! Not happening. Do I care if it is fine for someone else? No, not really. I only care about human rights abuses no matter the system, be it democratic, royal, imperial, socialist, what ever. To me that is what people should truly worry over. Not the title of the system, but how the people governed are treated.

 

[3goodeggs]

That's my feelings as well. But again, I think I have enough of the multitudinous of genes in my system that I feel I am a kaleidoscope of cultures and heritage. I have a 'Citizen of the World' sort of gal thing going on.
But by no means do I wish to diminish anyone else's sense of country or Kin. You all with royal families are lucky and blessed to feel such unity.

 

[oesdog]

Most Native American tribes, and I mean all but a small handful from the Arctic circle to the tip of South America did not have royalty. Most had elected officials and they found that anyone being born better than anyone else, or born into power to be an odd system ripe with abuse. Sometimes families would lead by generations, but most tribes led by councils, elected, or chosen leaders. Some had very complicated systems of different councils, elders, and leaders for different parts of tribal life. In some tribes they had separate leaders for war and peace times, for agricultural decisions, and even building and layout planning.

Also the whole quickly dispatched thing is too broad of a brush to truly comment on. Many tribes have "sovereign" (I put that in quotation marks because the nature of the US/Canadian governments and the First Nations is very complicated. If it wasn't we wouldn't be having the "Idle No More" movement occurring right now nor the AIM movement from the 1970's) status and we still elect our own chiefs, make our own laws, and so on. In fact not all tribes were completely under US/Canada control until the early 1900's and in south American, not all of them are under any jurisdiction by the very nature that no one can find them in the jungles.

Position by lineage such as princesses and princes is largely myth. There were some tribes that took ambassadorial advantage of European's obsession with royalty by naming people these titles to get the invading colonies to listen to them, but for the most part, it was seen as a novelty by the tribes, and a form of governing system to alien for them to truly adopt.

It may be why I still find the concept of royalty just so odd. The royal family lives in the lap of luxury simply because they were born into it. They are catered too and served not by money earned or family businesses managed, but because the right male reproductive cell fertilized the right female reproductive spell, in the right time, by the right sir name, in the right geographical location and boom, a royal person is born by no effort on the person born's part or actions.

Do I care if there are royal people? No. Do I think that a person should have power over my life simply because of who their parents were? Absolutely not. Would I accept serving under someone because they were born into a certain caste? HA! Not happening. Do I care if it is fine for someone else? No, not really. I only care about human rights abuses no matter the system, be it democratic, royal, imperial, socialist, what ever. To me that is what people should truly worry over. Not the title of the system, but how the people governed are treated.

Thank you for such a great history lesson about native americans you know such a lot. We are not taught much about that part of American history so it is very interesting.

Maybe you get the wrong idea about our Royal family - I see you say "The royal family lives in the lap of luxury simply because they were born into it. They are catered too and served not by money earned or family businesses managed," Actually that is not true at all. Our Royal family work incredibly hard and the Queen more so than most. Yes they do live in lovely homes but they do not own them and are castodians of them only!!! If they owned them they could sell them but they can't. (One recent example of this was the Royal Yatch which the Queen loved but she did not own it and it was taken away with our dear Queen in tears). With reguard to the Palaces In fact there personal private quarters are only a small part of the larger biuldings. They don't actually "live in the entire place!" As for busines and comerce you will find that especially Prince Charles is very into working with and promoting busineses and Prince Philip worked a great deal with young folk trying to get them ready for the working world through the Duke of Ed and princes trust charity work . In actual fact the very "royal family" is in itself a Business to be managed. I think also that perseption of "lap of luxury" Probably means different things to different people. Can you imagine being draped in Gold for years and years having to wear the heavey crown and all those glittering jewles! I think you would probably get pretty fed up with all the weight and fuss and the headaces that would cause and instead long for ordinary clothes! As for luxury food when Prince Philip first came to the palace he was asked what he wanted to eat and told them Sausage and Mash which left them in quite a dilema as to how to make that "royal?" They don't have choices and their lives are pretty much maped out for them. Luxury is I thinik more the right to choose ones own path in life, being able to buy and sell what one would like - having the opportuniy to serve in the armed forces without being "re-called" because of who you are. Wearing what you want and going where you like without worry of attack, being able to wear the same outfit twice without fear of nasty comments, having a baby without the world camped outside the birthing room! Luxury, freedom , life? You can simply put your coat on and go where you want for as long as you like with whomever you choose. You don't think OMG will I get shot or blown up today???? Will my kids get kidnapped and have we got enough security to keep everyone safe? - Who is really living in Luxury? I guess it depends on what your idea of that really means. As for Human rights - I wonder just how many times our Queen has had to put her own wants and dreams on hold or cancel them because of her duty to us. Do we serve her or does she serve us? Her entire life is dedicated to our country and those of us who live within it and yet we do not recipricate that dedication. Our Queen has been on the throne for 60yrs doing the same job day in day out and she will do that job until she dies. The Royal family work incredibly hard they are not idle lay abouts getting hand outs for sitting on their backside playing computer games - but a deal of folk who critasize them are and have never worked a day in their lives. Yet they feel it necisary to complain that our Queen lives in a guilded cage and dedicates her life to our country.

Oes

 

[newfoundland]

Couldn't agree more Oes. Freedom of choice is surely the ultimate luxury. Not a luxury the Queen has had since she was a little girl of about eight and Queen Mary, seeing which way the wind was blowing with the Duke of Windsor, made her memorise every country and it's position on the globe in preparation for the day she would be Queen. She was tutored and groomed from this age in order to be ready to ascend the throne. Don't suppose that anyone ever asked her what she wanted. The Queen's holiday to Sandringham and later Balmoral is probably her only 'down time' in the year. People might be surprised to learn that she regularly cooks supper for herself and Prince Phillip and washes up afterwards. She loves to tend her garden and of course her dogs and horses. She describes herself as an ordinary countrywoman at heart, but this was her destiny and she has fulfilled it with dedication and a self-sacrifice we will never have to make. For that I am glad!

 

[KristyHall]

Thank you for such a great history lesson about native americans you know such a lot. We are not taught much about that part of American history so it is very interesting.

Maybe you get the wrong idea about our Royal family - I see you say "The royal family lives in the lap of luxury simply because they were born into it. They are catered too and served not by money earned or family businesses managed," Actually that is not true at all. Our Royal family work incredibly hard and the Queen more so than most. Yes they do live in lovely homes but they do not own them and are castodians of them only!!! If they owned them they could sell them but they can't. (One recent example of this was the Royal Yatch which the Queen loved but she did not own it and it was taken away with our dear Queen in tears). With reguard to the Palaces In fact there personal private quarters are only a small part of the larger biuldings. They don't actually "live in the entire place!" As for busines and comerce you will find that especially Prince Charles is very into working with and promoting busineses and Prince Philip worked a great deal with young folk trying to get them ready for the working world through the Duke of Ed and princes trust charity work . In actual fact the very "royal family" is in itself a Business to be managed. I think also that perseption of "lap of luxury" Probably means different things to different people. Can you imagine being draped in Gold for years and years having to wear the heavey crown and all those glittering jewles! I think you would probably get pretty fed up with all the weight and fuss and the headaces that would cause and instead long for ordinary clothes! As for luxury food when Prince Philip first came to the palace he was asked what he wanted to eat and told them Sausage and Mash which left them in quite a dilema as to how to make that "royal?" They don't have choices and their lives are pretty much maped out for them. Luxury is I thinik more the right to choose ones own path in life, being able to buy and sell what one would like - having the opportuniy to serve in the armed forces without being "re-called" because of who you are. Wearing what you want and going where you like without worry of attack, being able to wear the same outfit twice without fear of nasty comments, having a baby without the world camped outside the birthing room! Luxury, freedom , life? You can simply put your coat on and go where you want for as long as you like with whomever you choose. You don't think OMG will I get shot or blown up today???? Will my kids get kidnapped and have we got enough security to keep everyone safe? - Who is really living in Luxury? I guess it depends on what your idea of that really means. As for Human rights - I wonder just how many times our Queen has had to put her own wants and dreams on hold or cancel them because of her duty to us. Do we serve her or does she serve us? Her entire life is dedicated to our country and those of us who live within it and yet we do not recipricate that dedication. Our Queen has been on the throne for 60yrs doing the same job day in day out and she will do that job until she dies. The Royal family work incredibly hard they are not idle lay abouts getting hand outs for sitting on their backside playing computer games - but a deal of folk who critasize them are and have never worked a day in their lives. Yet they feel it necisary to complain that our Queen lives in a guilded cage and dedicates her life to our country.

Oes

That is something I did not know. About the wealth belonging to the people and can be easily removed. Too bad such tax payer funded luxuries could not be removed so easily from the leaders here!
Still your assertion that being born into royalty is a burden does not improve my image of a lineage based system. It seems to be highly limiting all the way around. Of course the US system is not without its problems either. It is clear that my opinion is largely based on how I was raised and what is normal for me, as it is for most people. Also I am in no way saying that the system you live under is directly linked to human rights abuses. I am saying I do not care what any system is called, or how it is ran, as long as the right of basic human life and dignity is preserved.

 

[oesdog]

That is something I did not know. About the wealth belonging to the people and can be easily removed. Too bad such tax payer funded luxuries could not be removed so easily from the leaders here!
Still your assertion that being born into royalty is a burden does not improve my image of a lineage based system. It seems to be highly limiting all the way around. Of course the US system is not without its problems either. It is clear that my opinion is largely based on how I was raised and what is normal for me, as it is for most people. Also I am in no way saying that the system you live under is directly linked to human rights abuses. I am saying I do not care what any system is called, or how it is ran, as long as the right of basic human life and dignity is preserved.

Well it is good that we can all learn things new about each others country and ways.

If we went down the road of taking things from our royal family - what would we take??????? Palaces, Jewels, perhaps the Royal library or maybe the art collection???? Then what - ??? Should it be broken up and sold and the funds be spreed out amongst the "needy poor???? " So then nothing would be left and our countries assets would be in the hands of others! At least if our Queen has those things we as a nation cannot lose them as they belong to us all! They are not things to be waisted as these things are our history, our past and our future. They are our treasures that have taken centuries to biuld up, and if it were not for the Royal family they would be broken up and lost forever. When we walk down our high streets now there is barely a business or bank that actually belongs to British folk. Our businesses and lands are bing sold from under us - should we add to that our collection of centuries of historical treasures? Just because some one somewhere feels they should be able to take what they have not earned! "The needy poor" - why should they get handouts from what rightfully belongs to us all? Our Queen belongs to us all - she is our figure head and the mother we look to in times of trouble and cellibration. Moreover she is the protection of our inheritance and that which should be left for our children and their children to enjoy. - No I do not agree with taking things from our Royal household. It is taking things from our country - it is robbing ourselves and our children. It is squandering our inheritance.

You are right about oppinions and we all have our own views and you are right when you say it is largely influanced by what we are used to. The last time we had a system anything like yours a King was murdered - I for one do not ever want to see that happen here again. I do not think that having a monarchy in any way takes from the human rights of folk (Other than they feel agrieved that they were not born a Royal?) - and as I said I think the ones who have the least "Human rights" in this system is the Royal family themselves. Our country gains far more from having a Monarchy than if we did not have them anymore. I love my Queen dearly - I am proud to fly her flag here in Ireland !!!!! Long live the Queen!

Oes