h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

and the Queen dropped in when passing through and bought something for £10 would you make her pay for it?

no, but would get her to get me one of those 'suppliers to her majesty' signs. She prolly wouldnae have cash on her anyhoo Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

As the queen quite famously doesn't actually carry any money it'd be a bit pointless...

However, as she walked out of the shop I'd probably collar one of her staff and mug him/her for the money

Bloody right I would. What do I look like, a charity?

If I sold shoes and there was a homeless guy selling the Big Issue outside who looked like he could use a pair, I might offer him some for free, but the QUEEN? I already finance that freeloading old bag quite enough from my not inconsiderable taxes without doling out free gifts she's perfectly capable of paying for herself.

Plus, if some sour-faced old crone walked into your shop and claimed to be Queen, wouldn't you assume she was a brass-necked lookalike?

H.

Considering her fortune, I also see no reason why she shouldn't be charged.

I'm sure one of the chronies following her about; body-guards, Corgi's, would have a tenner, otherwise I wouldn't let her get off without paying

I'd go for Cresent's option - a 'proud supplier of X by appointment to her maj' jobbies

Do you reckon she's into second-hand books?

Cus if I owned a shop it would be second-hand bookshop.


Geggs

I'd be rather supprized if she came in and wanted to buy something from an 'adult' store

If you owned a shoe shop and were allowed to use 'By Royal Appointment' you could put a sign in the window saying 'Cobblers to the Queen'.



F

I'm sure if Brian May didn't have the money, he could have a whip round with John Deacon and Roger Taylor.... Oh, THE Queen....

Citizens arrest, just so i could see on the ourt papers: The Crown v. The Crown.

Well, I did own a shop for 17 years - and the answer's no. Anybody who says yes isn't a *real* shopkeeper, just a wannabe. Heck, I had a man with a gun come in once, and even *he* didn't get credit. He did get three years though

Noggin

>> I already finance that freeloading old bag quite enough from my not inconsiderable taxes <<

No, you don't.

RF

Care to expand on that assertion at all RF?



Oh, and Noggin, I think you mean "yes" - you *would* charge her.

It displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the relationship between Sovereign, Government, and Citizen. Your taxes go to Her Majesty's Government, not to Her Majesty. In fact, there is a net outflow of money from the Crown Estate to the Exchequer. The Queen pays for you, not vice versa.

RF

Actually, it's *not* quite like that - I just checked, and her expenses are indeed paid by the government, which in turn is paid by our taxes:

"Head of State Expenditure is met from public funds in exchange for the surrender by The Queen to the Government of the revenue from the Crown Estate and other hereditary revenues. The Treasury receipts in respect of the Crown Estate were £170.8 million in 2002-03." [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page3263.asp]

Looking around that site a bit further, I gather that what it means is that property that would have been hers had we been an absolute monarchy (it's all because of the Restoration) is used by the government to pay for things that she would otherwise have to pay for for the good of the country; in return for which, they give some of it back again to support the fact that she still exists and we aren't a republic. [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page361.asp]

Beyond that, I get a bit lost, so whether the country would be better or worse off financially if we were to just get rid of the monarchy altogether (the "Crown Estate" would presumably then belong to... the Nation? be divided up amongst the rest of us?) I'm not quite sure!

[IMSoP]

I'm sure I heard on the radio last night (Radio 4 - so it must be true...) that the cost of the monarchy equates to about 60p per head of population.

And to coin a phrase: I didn't vote for her

Head of State costs £36.8m (from tht link you posted IMSoP), Treasury revenues £170.8m. I call that a net flow of funds to the Treasury.

RF