William and Kate to marry

[marina]

[hillside]

quote:Originally posted by marina

Originally posted by Jacqui Harvey

I really don't like the idea of her getting Diana's engagement ring.  I know I would want my own ring, Diana did not have a happy marriage which is a good reason to keep this in the box and make William stump up for a new ring.  
P.S. I am now sick of it being on the news, it's getting boring.

I was so shocked to see Diana's ring on Kates finger. I know it must have great sentimental value to Wills but it is hardly iconic of a happy marriage and to me seeing it I was touched by a great sadness, remembering Diana as she was just started out as a 'Royal'. My friend says I'm too superstitious but if I was Kate I'd want my own ring to celebrate my engagement and not one that is touched by such tragedy.

[Colwyn]

quote:Originally posted by stoop

I know which I would get rid of!

So do I, and I would start by looking for the bunch of wasters in Buckhaming Palace - and then Balmoral, then Sandingham, then Clarence House, then Highgrove House, and then ..........

[stoop]

Well I'd start in Brussels! They waste more of our money and cost us in the UK 365x more than the royal family. At least Liz brings a few million tourists to the UK.

The taxpayer profits from the vast income from the Crown Estate, which owns great chunks of London, including Regent Street. Each monarch signs over these profits to the government in exchange for the much, much smaller Civil List. So in fact the money they get from the Civil List is their own anyway.

[mike A]

"I think my £1.33 per year (as a tax payer) is something I am willing to pay to keep the Royals."

I am not, but I don't get the choice

[mike A]

quote:Originally posted by stoop

Well I'd start in Brussels! They waste more of our money and cost us in the UK 365x more than the royal family. At least Liz brings a few million tourists to the UK.

The taxpayer profits from the vast income from the Crown Estate, which owns great chunks of London, including Regent Street. Each monarch signs over these profits to the government in exchange for the much, much smaller Civil List. So in fact the money they get from the Civil List is their own anyway.

Thats odd, Charlie owns vast estates in Lambeth, some of it slum housing, with all of the profit going to The Duchy of Cornwall estate, IE Highgrove.

[Sleuth]

I / we are quite pleased about it.I think the wedding is going to be a real, much needed `tonic` for the country next year, something at last traditionally  English / British ... lots of flag waving and all the pomp, and ceremony etc ...and yes  the papers and the media will be full of it from now til then ...  good... a  welcome change from the daily depressing reading about rising immigration :-(  , rising costs, benefit and welfare cheats making the headlines , and other depressing news.    So bring it on !!

[c1]

I would rather pay money for this than the millions given to "victims" of the American prison in Cuba. Sleuth has the right answer it's dome thing to be cheerful about.

[Scunner]

{A Link to an old CBF topic was here - no longer available}38517

[stoop]

Mike,

I thought Lambeth was part of The Crown Estate and not The Duchy. Even so - if he does own it then it's nothing to do with this discussion really. The Duchy of Cornwall is separate from Crown Estates (which is how the Royal Family is funded) and he pays something in the region of £3.5 mill per year (40%) tax on his income from the Duchy.

As Sleuth says - 'bring it on'. The country will benefit massively from tourism income as well as sales of all the tacky crap that will be made over the next few months.

One thing we do very well is pomp and ceremony and over 40 million people will watch it worldwide. What an advert for the UK! We will reap far more than it costs in monetary terms.