The coronation carriage, isn't this a bit excessive?

sakura said:
Yes, I was lol as a UK tax payer, I have the right to voice my opinion - which is every bit as valid as anyone else's.

Democracy is a bold word to use when talking about a monarchy.
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England stopped being an absolute monarchy in 1215. This is when the Magna Carta was signed. Magna Carta limited the powers of the king.
 
sakura said:
Right, but I still don't consider an unelected head of state to be democratic.
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In name only, UK monarchs have no actual power. We have an elected President; he doesn't have any power either, but we're all fond of him (mostly) and wheel him out for state occasions too. Your king is more blingy, and has more stuff to do, largely meaningless, just like our little guy.
 
I'm torn about the whole thing. I'm not interested in the coronation or the monarchy for that matter and do resent the cost of it all but I also recognise that others do like it and it will boost the economy - mainly in London and Windsor but parties etc will boost spending across the country. Plenty will use the bank holiday to go away for the weekend also boosting the economy (an extra bank holiday would also do this but we're very unlikely to get that without some sort of royal occasion). Whether the boost to the economy will exceed the cost is the question I suppose.

As a spectacle, it will be quite the sight. We do pomp and ceremony brilliantly in this country. That's beyond doubt - the question is whether we should and my jury's very much out on that.
 
We’re all entitled to our opinions.

The royal family reportedly cost me £1.29 last year in tax money. The queen chose to pay taxes on certain things and the future king is going to carry that on. So they are probably paying more tax than I am to them.

They do an awful lot more for charities than I do and can raise much more awareness for causes than I ever could. So for me personally that’s good value for money. I can think of many other things my tax money is being wasted on but as I’m not anti royals I appreciate not everyone shares my views.

ETA as @Annagain says they bring in a lot of money too whilst I do not 😂
 
Cortez said:
Of course it's over the top (the whole golden carriage/prancy white horses/loads of lackeys thing), it's meant to be! You're crowning a king, not doing the weekly shop.
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This! I am neither pro nor anti monarchy. But if we have one and intend to keep it, then we might as well use them for their intended purpose which is ceremonial, traditional and utterly over the top. Their whole USP is pomp and ceremony. They attract huge amount of tourism money. Not to mention keeping any number of sellers or Royal tat in business. If they really were treated just like ordinary people then they would attract a lot less of all that. I mean who can even remember who the Queen of Denmark is? Never mind go there just to gawp at her.
 
sakura said:
I don't want them in name either. But if tax payer money wasn't used at all, I wouldn't have such an issue. It is, so I do.
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Every country on earth has a head of state, as far as I'm aware (could Google, but not interested enough). Most are probably elected, most are a loooooot worse than poor old Charlie. Be careful what you wish for.
 
sakura said:
We'll have to agree to disagree :) I'll leave you all to enjoy the royal family
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That's gracious (dare I say regal?) of you. Of course you are entitled to your opinion, and I do even understand it, but as a foreigner and outsider I must say I do thoroughly enjoy all your (UK's) pomp, circumstance and marching up and down (with horses!).
 
sakura said:
It's not good value for national celebration if you don't agree with the whole thing. How much is the coronation costing - in general?
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Estmated at around 100 million. But will generate far, far more than that in income. Everything from street parties to pubs staying open longer, to every hotel in London being full, to tourism to souvenirs and coronation merch, to sales of TV rights around the world. I genuinely don't care about the Momarchy and have little interest in them but there is no denying they are big business.
 
Insanely over the top the whole thing. Dont use a carriage, but hell dont use 8 horses worth - the risk of incident must be massive. I bet some protestor will chuck something at the horses, why risk that? Poor horses is all I can say, way too stressful for them. The expense is horrific in current times when so many are struggling. I get the UK is famous for its ponce but this is going to be ridiculous. Leave the horses out of it I say. Dont even want him king, he should have gracefully handed it straight down to William! Its boring having old farts as the top dogs, someone younger would be better.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Estmated at around 100 million. But will generate far, far more than that in income. Everything from street parties to pubs staying open longer, to every hotel in London being full, to tourism to souvenirs and coronation merch, to sales of TV rights around the world. I genuinely don't care about the Momarchy and have little interest in them but there is no denying they are big business.
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A billion plus, income generation, I read.

So spend 100 million, get a billion back sounds a pretty good deal to me. Can’t see why anyone can/would moan about the cost when there doesn’t appear to a cost, but a profit.
 
MagicMelon said:
Insanely over the top the whole thing. Dont use a carriage, but hell dont use 8 horses worth - the risk of incident must be massive. I bet some protestor will chuck something at the horses, why risk that? Poor horses is all I can say, way too stressful for them. The expense is horrific in current times when so many are struggling. I get the UK is famous for its ponce but this is going to be ridiculous. Leave the horses out of it I say. Dont even want him king, he should have gracefully handed it straight down to William! Its boring having old farts as the top dogs, someone younger would be better.
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It's those horses' actual job though? And a major part of the whole show, it is for me anyway, that and the chance to see a beautiful historical artefact out and working: the magnificent Rococo coach; weighs 4 ton, needs 8 horses to pull it.
 
Cortez said:
It's those horses' actual job though? And a major part of the whole show, it is for me anyway, that and the chance to see a beautiful historical artefact out and working: the magnificent Rococo coach; weighs 4 ton, needs 8 horses to pull it.
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But do we really think its sensible these days to have 8 horses pulling an extremely heavy coach in a highly stressful situation? They can practice as much as they like but nothing will prepare those horses for the actual experience on the day. If one horse freaked out or fell etc. then it'd be pretty embarrassing and dreadful to watch on TV all round the world so why risk it? Chuck him in an open top bus, who really cares! Im not into royalty but Im not against them either, I enjoy watching this sort of thing on TV as much as anyone else however I do feel for the horses. Some traditions dont need to be carried on IMO.
 
Cortez said:
It's those horses' actual job though? And a major part of the whole show, it is for me anyway, that and the chance to see a beautiful historical artefact out and working: the magnificent Rococo coach; weighs 4 ton, needs 8 horses to pull it.
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I'm not a big one for pomp & ceremony but it IS their job and what they are trained to do and if I was about to be made Queen then golden coach for me too 😜

Open top bus not just the same. Plus rain is forecast...
 
MagicMelon said:
But do we really think its sensible these days to have 8 horses pulling an extremely heavy coach in a highly stressful situation? They can practice as much as they like but nothing will prepare those horses for the actual experience on the day. If one horse freaked out or fell etc. then it'd be pretty embarrassing and dreadful to watch on TV all round the world so why risk it? Chuck him in an open top bus, who really cares! Im not into royalty but Im not against them either, I enjoy watching this sort of thing on TV as much as anyone else however I do feel for the horses. Some traditions dont need to be carried on IMO.
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Huh? Horses work pulling carriages every day, in every situation. It's the handlers job to train the horses, and they will have done it many times before, most recently at the Queen's funeral. There have always been crowds, cheering, etc. throughout history for thousands of years, it's nothing new or different.

A bus? Pathetic.
 
I think its a safe option to have all those handlers especially with the things protesters are doing now, I remember the grey horse pulling Harry and Megan's carriage it was really full of itself and must have been a nightmare trying to battle with on your own, the rider might have been thankful for someone on the ground.
 
Pinkvboots said:
I think its a safe option to have all those handlers especially with the things protesters are doing now, I remember the grey horse pulling Harry and Megan's carriage it was really full of itself and must have been a nightmare trying to battle with on your own, the rider might have been thankful for someone on the ground.
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I think people may be projecting their own fears onto the experience: these riders and handlers are professionals, it's their job. One horse looking a bit wound up at an occasion (at which nothing untoward happened - other than the marriage itself, of course😁) does not constitute a need to ban all horses from public displays forever.
 
tristar said:
how about reducing expense and using a red bus, have a really modern, zany, fun process and bring the monarchy into the modern age.

they try to promote the touchy feely we are normal, of the people, then all this goes right over the top, but if you don`t care about the expense.......
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Except, they own the coach. Staff are already in employment and no less security would be required. A ‘red bus’ wouldn’t reduce any costs 🤷🏻‍♀️
 
Cortez said:
I think people may be projecting their own fears onto the experience: these riders and handlers are professionals, it's their job. One horse looking a bit wound up at an occasion (at which nothing untoward happened - other than the marriage itself, of course😁) does not constitute a need to ban all horses from public displays forever.
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Would be a shame to leave the horses out of it.
As for stressful, trained horses with experienced handlers that prepared especially for the occasion will be a lot less stressed than a lot of horses at a local dressage competition or out hacking this weekend…. Might as well not ask anything of any horse….
 
sakura said:
I don't want them in name either. But if tax payer money wasn't used at all, I wouldn't have such an issue. It is, so I do.
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The tax receipts from the extra tourism in London alone will dwarf the expense.

You do know they already have the carriage, right? It's not like they have gone out and bought a new one ;)
 
Just thinking, yes it’s expensive but at least you can see where the money is being spent… people being employed as security… craftsmen repairing and maintaining the coaches, etc etc…
Better than the millions/ billions disappearing into corrupt government schemes etc…
The money being spent is in Britain often on British stuff….
Yes we are going through a cost log living crisis but it doesn’t mean why have to go through the streets flogging ourselves and moaning… most of this cost of living crisis is because large companies profits disappear into off shore tax havens etc…
 
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