Importance Of The Royal Family In British Society

1590 Words4 Pages

One of the oldest still functioning monarchies in the world is the British monarchy. Due to its historic status in a continually modernizing country and world, this system of government has been at the center of much political, socioeconomic, and cultural controversy. While the structure of Britain’s government has changed over the years, the monarchy is an element of it that has been in existence for centuries, and despite its varied roles throughout history, has played an integral part in defining British culture.
For the people of Britain today, the Royal Family is a part of their nation’s history that extends into the present. They stand as a pageant of the past that has and will continue to remain relevant. While the idea of castles, …show more content…

The Queen is a patron to over 600 charities, while the Royal Family has a total of around 3,000 patronages. In a BBC article about charities and their royal patrons, Vanessa Barford highlights the benefits of such partnerships. Not only do patrons help draw what is sometimes much needed attention to charities and their causes, but their support also acts as a stamp of approval for the reputability of a charity. Royal patrons thus play a strong role in connecting citizens to their community, and acting as influencers when it comes to public opinion and …show more content…

The monarchy may be highly scrutinized for good reason, as the people of Britain are the ones investing in it and debating whether or not they are getting any value for their money. To some people, the hundreds of thousands of pounds in taxpayer money that goes to upholding the Royal Family’s lavish lifestyle makes them a symbol of growing inequality amongst the nation. The Royal Family also plays a role as the greatest indicator of economic disparity, as the rich seem to continually become richer, leaving the poor only poorer than before. As reports show that their electricity bill is the “equivalent of around 2,288 British households”, the question rises about how worthwhile upholding the Royal Family really is. Extreme critics of the monarchy have even gone so far as to say that they “embody the exact opposite of hard work, aspiration and innovation”, instead serving as symbols that represent social immobility and stagnation (Chalabi,

Open Document