I wouldn't raise a hand to defend the British monarchy. And I wouldn't raise a finger to get rid of them.

I can't see any reason to feel antagonism against them. If they're parasites they're no worse than any of the other rich parasites that infest the place, and better than a lot. They haven't made their own money by manipulating the markets and twisting the economy, or debauching the entertainment industry, like the rich who get admired for making a fortune. That's in their favour in my book.

I think of the royals as a strange category of lottery winners, rich and seen as significant purely by chance, because we've decided that there ought to be some rich people about to defer to and sneer at.

Real royalty would be noble and dedicated, and living in poverty and hard ship. And probably a lot happier.

WH Auden wrote:

"Private faces in public places
Are wiser and nicer
Than public faces in private places.

Well I don't know if wiser and nicer are the right words, in the case of Princess Margaret. But definitely easier to feel sad for.