To Keith: Both? Speak for yourself!

And what exactly has Her Maj ever done to earn my respect? She owns land that her ancestors stole from my ancestors, and, to add insult to injury, keeps me off most of it. She spends my tax money (not to speak of the Beeb wasting my licence fee on her bloody ceremonial nonsenses!) on a massive four-day jolly. Like all unelected monarchs and dictators the world over, she is rich beyond our wildest dreams by dint of the impoverishment of other people, either by landlordism or via her crooked ancestry. There's no other way of getting to be that rich.

Note that the monarchy will not foot the bill for the latest shindig. We taxpayers gave her a cool extra million towards it. The GLA spent 600 grand on stewards and big video screens. The police and military provided massive support (not to speak of all that ceremonial nonsense) which must have cost the taxpayer millions (but you try finding out how much and who pays!) Those Red Arrows used more than a gallon or two as well, I'll be bound. Then there's the extra bank holiday. Another cool billion. ATOS will have to up their game robbing the sick to make that lot up! Oh yes, it costs us dear to help the royals maintain their popularity all right. Do they deserve respect for that? They do not in my book. Do I resent the cost? Yep, every single penny!