Why Do Some People Hate the British Royal Family?
The British royal family has fans all over the world. Special events such as weddings, funerals, and coronations often attract lots of people to the United Kingdom, while many more tune in to watch from far away.
While the royal family is no doubt very popular, it also has a number of critics. Why exactly is it hated by some folks?
What is the purpose of the British royal family?
The royal family these days serves a different purpose than it did centuries ago. Its members are essentially public servants who represent the U.K. and promote charity organizations that help citizens.
According to the royal family’s official website, “about 3,000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president.” Working royals often spend their days having meetings with charities and doing engagements to help promote the charities’ work.
“The huge range of these organisations – covering every subject from education to the environment, hospitals to housing – allows members of the Royal Family to meet people from a wide spectrum of national and local life, and to learn more about the challenges they face,” the website reads.
Royals also sometimes make official visits to other countries for events such as royal weddings, funerals, and coronations. In other instances, they also visit with the purpose of helping to “strengthen Britain’s diplomatic and economic relations.”
Why do some people hate the royal family?
Although the royal family has many fans, there are some critics who do not support it.
According to Newsweek, a large number of critics view the monarchy as a classist and outdated institution. Writer Katie Jagielnicka said, “No human being is born better or worse than any other human being. And no human being deserves more privilege and more rights simply because they happen to be born in the ‘right’ family.”
Other critics also do not support the royal family because its members have not publicly apologized for their ancestors’ wrongdoings in former British colonies. Uju Anya, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, wrote on Twitter after Queen Elizabeth’s death, “If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star.”
Meanwhile, some people believe the royal family does not always treat its members well. In the 1990s, Princess Diana sparked outrage when she alleged in interviews that she did not receive support from Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles when she was struggling mentally. More recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle accused an unnamed royal of racism and others of not supporting the couple’s mental health.
What would happen if the royal family was abolished?
According to royal expert Marlene Koenig, an abolishment of the monarchy requires cooperation from the government and the monarch.
“It would take legislation, an act of Parliament, and signed by the Sovereign to end the monarchy,” Koenig said (via Insider).
Afterward, the government will likely take control of some royal family residences and open them up to the public. Koenig explained, “Most of the former German royal families stayed in their homes. Some property was confiscated, others received compensation, including the Kaiser’s family.”
Members of the royal family will effectively become private citizens. Thus, they might have more freedom to pursue careers in fields like entertainment and politics.
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