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

They just announced that a body has been found at Sandringham.

But then it was explained that the estate is simply huge. I didn't realise its enormousness.

The Royals only go there for a few weeks at Christmas.

I'm sick of it, as some of my friends this year really couldn't even afford have a proper Christmas.

This is 2012.

http://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/

And then it's back to Buckingham Palace; Windsor at Easter, I think? Back to Buckingham Palace; Balmorral for half the summer.

Wake up, big rambling family. The Empire is over.

We're all in this together...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_royal_residences

It's incredible this is tolerated IMO.

Effers, they are all fully working areas. Not everyone is employed in the 'Big House'.

Sandringham is a huge farming estate. Much of it sold locally.

Windsor has Royal Farm which also has the Queen's major Stud farms.

A lot of the land is leased out, which is how the Queen is able to pay taxes.

There is so much more going on than we would normally think about.

It disgusts me in this day and age.

All it does is carry on the old forlock tugging attitude.

I have a huge respect for the Queen...and don't have a problem with the concept of monarchy. But one you start investigating the whole rambling lot of them...and you live in area where people are really struggling...it stinks.

Other countries don't behave like this. It's related to Empire the way things are structured.

The whole thing should be re-managed for the better good of the people.

I find it an embarassment that we still allow these people to swan around their palaces all during the year...whilst the rest of us are lectured about sacrifices etc.

>>> The Estate is one of the 40 growers in the UK who produce blackcurrants for Ribena.

http://www.sandringhamestate.co.uk/Estate.asp?S=9&V=1&P=28

A bit more down to earth than Duchy Originals. I wonder if it has a royal warrant?

I believe it does

I saw this in the Wiki.

>According to Halsbury's Laws of England, it is not possible to arrest a person within the "verges" of a royal palace (though this assertion is contradicted by a memorandum by the Clerk of the House of Commons in respect of the Palace of Westminster),[1] and when a royal palace is used as a residence (regardless of whether the monarch is actually living there at the time), judicial processes cannot be executed within that palace.[2]<

Fore crying out loud...

>>...within the "verges" of a royal palace...<<

What does it say about outside those verges? or doesn't it need to be said?


Effers, right or wrong, it's not so far removed from Parliamentary Privilege, is it?

Here, if you address a Select Committee, you can say anything you please and cannot be penalised while within the grounds of Parliament. That, apparently, is enshrined in the law.
There's no mention of when you leave to go home.

What is said in 'The House' remains in 'The House'.


As long as it isn't repeated outside of Parliament no action will be taken, other than, maybe, a demand for an apology or retraction. And even they are not always forthcoming.

I like the phrase, 'Parliament is Sovereign'.

We vote for the representatives there...we can turf them out every few years.

Anyway this is getting away from my point.

I think they should be slimmed down.

>>What is said in 'The House' remains in 'The House'.


As long as it isn't repeated outside of Parliament no action will be taken, other than, maybe, a demand for an apology or retraction. And even they are not always forthcoming.<<

As Dr Fox said to Mr Werrity. Whispering sweet nothings into another guys ears doesn't make you gay so long as you do it Parliament.

The standard response to someone who uses parliamentary privilege to say something illegal is "Say it on the stairs" - the stairs of Parliament and outside the safety zone.

Parliament is immune to pretty much every law it passes, which is why you can still smoke inside there, get a drink from a bar at whatever hour you choose and a whole heap of other things.

I think they are a bunch of over-exposed over-privileged bunch of wasters.

However, at least, in the direct line at least, they are training the next (and currently next but one) in line for the job, on the job, and we can all see what we are going to get.

you might want to check out what the German President* has been up to - it's not just in a monarchy and at least you know who you're getting next when it's not a washed up politician.

And if we sold off the palaces, etc, and the lands to private owners would they be used for the common good, or to reinforce someone's own riches?

*how many of you non-Germans knew we had a Prez as well as the Bundeskanzler**

**sorry, I'm absolutely not ever going to use the feminine form

Parliament is of course housed in the Palace of Westminster

>you might want to check out what the German President* has been up to <

Is the German President and all the many daughters, sons, cousins, nephews, nieces in for the long haul?

Like centuries running into millenia?

How many Palaces do they have?

I'll stick up for the ramshackle brood of them, when I'm not ridiculously lectured by the elected leader that we are all in this together....and friends and acquanitances aren't having to choose between paying the heating bill, or buying an extra nice present for Mum at christmas.

They are a total embarasment without an Empire.

They are mostly a bunch of 'Miss Havershams' though. Their days are numbered. Everyone knows it. Everyone sees the Emperors New clothes...

So why the delay?

Effers, have you ever considered running for parliament? Perhaps if you stood as an individual you might get elected and could then make the changes you call for?

No Pastey I would never run for Parliament.

I couldn't cope psycholgically I think, even if I was male.

You hear the sanest women talk about the old boys club it still is...and you have to really cripple yourself to have and chance..Jesus even Mow Mowlam was crucified.

And I don't quite understand your reasoning of one lickle elected MP being able to make a change.

Could you explain better how as an *individual* that's elected I could make such profound changes, and undoo centuries of British/English history?

I do my little bit on hootoo...when I'm not on a 'punishment'.

<>

Imagine someone like SWL being an elected representative. He would make himself heard, often with opinions that run counter to
'traditional' methods. Those sorts of opinions and outbursts are the kind that really catch the media attention, bringing ideas and
thinking to the voting population. The people that can poke at their local representative by voice, e-mail and votes. One voice that
says the right things can, in fact, cause changes.

Mind, as I understand it, the actual cost to the individual in the UK to support the Royals is reasonably well off-set by the amount of
tourist and other coin that their pageantry bring in. No longer seen as 'Empire' and colonizers around much of the world, I think they
are seen as a quaint flashback to simpler and more colourful times.

Of course, this is just the opinions of a 'colonial' ... Well removed

The Royal Fambly, both directly and indirectly, put far FAR more into the economy than they take out of it. Slimming them down could actually be a self-defeating exercise.

Not just tourism either, those estates which you think need slimming down generate millions from farming and whatnot.

If not you, who?

Whenever I see change I want made, I try to do something about it.

Saying you can't because you're a woman us self defeating, and quite frankly an insult to the large number of female politicians trying to make a difference.

Don't put yourself down, at least look into it

Is it just me who saw the title and thought - "they all look quite slim already"?

Who was the last proper fatty Royal? George III?