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MONEY

Royally Squeezed

Even the Queen's feeling the financial pinch.

By Barbara Kantrowitz | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jul 15, 2008 | Updated: 3:15  p.m. ET Jul 15, 2008

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  • Posted By: DeeVee5 @ 07/30/2008 1:59:22 PM

    Comment: I'm glad that we don't have royalty here in America, but I'm also glad that Britain does. Just as I'm glad that the Statue of Liberty is here, and the Eiffel Tower is in France. What a wonderful heritage the royal family is, with all the history behind it. When you give up your rich cultural traditions, then you sacrifice your national soul. Not everything needs to be justified on pragmatic grounds. The preservation of beauty for its own sake is well worthwhile, and one of the essential things that makes us human.

  • Posted By: republicans.suk @ 07/29/2008 1:04:03 PM

    Comment: While typical comments laugh at the monarchy of Britian, let's remind readers that american come out in droves when the monarchy travels to US shores. While I don't believe in monarchies, I may have wished anyone, even the royals to have been running the US over the last 8 years instead of George W Bush. Aside from that I have no idea why Newsweek published this article. It doesn't pertain to us.

  • Posted By: republicans.suk @ 07/29/2008 1:03:45 PM

    Comment: While typical comments laugh at the monarchy of Britian, let's remind readers that american come out in droves when the monarchy travels to US shores. While I don't believe in monarchies, I may have wished anyone, even the royals to have been running the US over the last 8 years instead of George W Bush. Aside from that I have no idea why Newsweek published this article. It doesn't pertain to us.

  • Posted By: jane.simpson.wilson @ 07/24/2008 7:57:07 PM

    Comment: For those of you who have forgotten recent History, let me fill you in.

    The Queen is not the Exchequer, or Financial arm of Parliament. If you have an arguement about expenditures, file it thus.

    Second, the Queen watched her Father die from the excesses of running the Second World War as King. She became Queen at the tender age of Eighteen, and had to take on the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill. You try that with one of your teens. She not only rose to the occassion, but she has since, conducted herself in the manner of a Royal Servant, giving all of her time, talent and efforts to Great Britian. What is the Price of that committment?

    Leave this Legacy alone. First, it is none of our business, we did cut the ties. Second, if you ask any bloke, or the majority therefore, ye will find that the Royals are just fine. Try cutting Will and Harry out of the picture and Diana's Ghost will rise to take the Day.

    Once again, as Americans, keep your nose out of other's business. I know it is hard, but it is essential. Long Live The Queen.

  • Posted By: AprilC @ 07/23/2008 3:02:31 AM

    Comment: Oh, the Poor Royal Family...who cares? This is America, we don't have royalty here. I'm tired of hearing about wealthy people who are having financial trouble, whether its so called royalty or celebrities. We should focus so much more on the rest of the population, and elevate these idiots up onto the pedestals that we place them on.

  • Posted By: Floridave @ 07/21/2008 9:55:10 AM

    Comment: How can any America feel proud to be an "anglophile?" The whole monarchy thing is an insult to its citizens. England elects it's prime minister, so what good exactly comes out of maintaining it's royalty except to remind people of the inbred hostility and oppression that made England so unfairly dominant over the centuries?

    America freed itself from the chains of England for very good reasons. We wouldn't have won the war except for the help of France, who pitched in partly because they wanted to trade with us, but primarily because they hated England.

    Some misguided Americans actually cried when news broke that Lady Di had discovered that the laws of physics do indeed apply to blue bloods. Personally, I thought there was a valuable lesson to be learned that even though she thought she was above the common people, her marital vows, her duty to her children, and ultimately traffic laws.... she learned a little too late that even royalty is not above wearing a seat belt. I thought it was an excellent opportunity to teach seat belt safety, but the press felt celebrating the fantasy life of inbreds was more important at the time.

    Being an American that gets all giddy about royals is a lot like a black person getting excited about historic slave traders. England needs to put royalty in the same place we did: In the history books.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/16/2008 7:30:02 PM

    Comment: We can throw ours out every four years and you've got to feed yours for an eternity. Our sympathy.

    • Posted By: waterylemonade @ 07/22/2008 4:14:22 AM

      Comment: My thoughts exactly! Speaking of which, November's coming quick.

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/16/2008 7:28:38 PM

    Comment: I guess that we're just not the kind to have kings and queens here, any more. Been too long without one and did okay on our own. Go ahead and enjoy this while you can there in the British Empire and we will try to keep our George under control over here. Even though he might think that he is a king, we know that he is just another horse's butt trying to mess up our country in sort of a democratic way. Cheers.

  • Posted By: heytonester @ 07/16/2008 6:09:23 PM

    Comment: Too bad for her. Why is she queen again? Lineage, that's right. Those people do nothing for anyone but themselves.

  • Posted By: LIKEITIS @ 07/16/2008 1:51:58 PM

    Comment: Even the Queen's feeling the financial pinch.

    THIS IS THE LADY WHO PROUDLY PROCLAIMED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT SHE HAD NEVER OPENED OR CLOSED A WINDOW IN HER LIFE!(SERVANTS DO EVRYTHING EXCEPT WIPE HER BUTT)

    ..............NOT FEELING SORRY FOR HER IN THIS LIFETIME!

  • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/15/2008 8:34:40 PM

    Comment: The queen could pawn her hat for a week's groceries. A real collector's item. She's got enough loot to pawn to keep her in food and clothing for the rest of her life. I don't get it about paying for her travels out of tax money. The interest alone on her money is enough to keep her going. Greenspan and Bernanke would advise her to borrow on the castle homeowner's equity to get by. But, that's one of our problems, not hers.

  • Posted By: garylhern@hotmail.com @ 07/15/2008 8:10:07 PM

    Comment: You've got to be kidding! My IQ in 1968 was 135 and I had just finished school and went into the Army.
    Usually your scores will reflect you education and what has crystalized in you fields of interests. Be-
    lieve me if George bush was a C+ student in college, then he has faired well sense then. So don't be
    suprised if those who challange him today come up short.

    • Posted By: summer4077 @ 07/17/2008 1:46:47 PM

      Comment: If you had an IQ that high, you'd realize that IQ usually isn't determined by education. Education can help, sure, but IQ tests initially conducted during grade school can show high IQs. I was tested in first grade and, while not 135 (which is genius level, I think...clearly not you), it was high enough to be considered "gifted." Obviously I had not had much education at that point. IQ has almost nothing to do with education...generally, those with higher IQs do go on to receive more education like college and grad school, but that's a consequence of being intelligent, not the other way around.

    • Posted By: hillplus @ 07/17/2008 9:35:56 AM

      Comment: Tell the truth now, you have never had an I.Q. of anything remotely close to 135, have you?

    • Posted By: mike1964 @ 07/16/2008 7:52:15 AM

      Comment: You figure with an IQ of 135 you could at least spell since (sense?) and challenge (challange?) correctly. And how about "your" education and "your" fields of interests.

  • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 07/15/2008 7:29:20 PM

    Comment: Long live the Queen! I for one am an avid anglophile and love the Royal Family more than I ever liked any of our own bubbas in the White House.

    Perhaps Obama will change that for me - I can see no other candidate as exciting or as promising as Obama for Prez.

    The Royal Family of the UK is a great institution and good for the country's tourism, sense of history, and its morale. It's only the Americans (and the Brits who like to think they're "cool" like the Yanks, ugh) who deride the institution and who don't really understand the patriotic symbolism... This is a family who is really maligned - not that I understand remotely their economic pinch, nor their richesse! - as they are only human, all things told.

    Cheerio - A Kennedy Fan too.

  • Posted By: bweber12 @ 07/15/2008 7:27:52 PM

    Comment: I've never understood why a country with such high unemployment like Great Britian, continues to support an ancient tradition of a Royal Family. It's bad enough that taxpayers have to pay all the expenses of their President or leader, but to dish out millions of dollars every year to have a bunch of rich people pretend like its the 1400's is ridiculous is this day and age.

    • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 07/15/2008 7:34:39 PM

      Comment: The UK doesn't suffer from "high unemployment" any more than we do - where are you basing your judgment? I think you must be thinking of the mid-20th C (or the 1970s, etc.) when they did suffer from unemployment woes, but they're generally doing fairly well these days, last I checked...?

      We pay more for healthcare, education, taxes and other social necessities than anyone in Europe pays in taxes - they get free education (college included), free childcare/day care, free health care, and so much more for their taxes... WE are totally HOODWINKED by the Right-wing Propaganda that calls this "socialism and evil" but actually, it's a much better deal for most of the country. Okay, it's not perfect, bur own system falls far short.

      All we get for our taxes is a lousy war. Our infrastructure is crumbling, we have bums on the streets, we have shitty health care (that is expensive to boot) and we pay a TON of out-of-pocket expenses for education, child care, maternity, etc.

      And now it seems we're going to have to put up with bailing out the banking system, or at least the federal mortgage system, in this country. Aren't ya'll just so HAPPY TO BE American?! Yiiipppeeeeee, we're the "greatest nation in the world" --- NOT.

      • Posted By: sjbrock80 @ 07/16/2008 4:36:28 PM

        Comment: Stop your whining!! Do you have roads and highways to drive on? Do you have police to protect you? Do you have social security or a plethera of government programs designed to help you in times of need? Do you have a library, courthouse, and fire stations in your town? Public schools?

        I suppose you think the government should wipe your butt for you and make sure you never, ever get hurt. If you really are so upset by our country and think life will be roses in another country, go there!! It all sounds so good in your mind, try it and see what it's really like...

        • Posted By: summer4077 @ 07/17/2008 1:51:09 PM

          Comment: Um, are you serious? Our antiquated infrastructure is crumbling--built in the 50s and 60s and expanded little over that time. Social security is going to be gone in the next 15 years, so no, we won't have that. Fire stations and public schools (which are becoming a joke), yes, we do have. You missed notrouble's point. They have all of that AND MORE and still pay less in taxes.
          You really have no grasp of world economies and politics. I'm blessed to live in America because yes, it could be much worse. But wanting things to be better is never a bad thing. For some people, any criticism at all of our country is considered unpatriotic. Isn't it patriotic to want better and more for our citizens? Isn't that what our country was founded on? This country rewards people for sitting on their butts, which is ridiculous. We should be helping those WITH A JOB out with healthcare, child care, etc., not rewarding professional breeders to sit on their worthless butts.

      • Posted By: olderwiser @ 07/15/2008 7:46:59 PM

        Comment: Enter Your Comment notroubleatall1963, add to that, the Clinton Royal Family with only 89 million left after loaning themselves 20 million for Hillary's primary campaign, asking her supporters to bail her out and give her 20 million so that she and Bill can have the 109 million again that they reported during the primary. This gives audacity a bad name.

        • Posted By: waterylemonade @ 07/22/2008 4:18:49 AM

          Comment: haha. Can you believe that? She chooses to run a campaign and asks her supporters to SUPPORT her when most families are struggling to get by.

  • Posted By: Quincy @ 07/15/2008 7:24:03 PM

    Comment: Someone can correct me if I am wrong but my understanding is that the Queen does not own Buckingham Palace. Buckingham Palace is State owned. If that is the case why should she pay for the repairs with her personal money? Is the US President required to pay for White House repairs with his personal money even though he is not the owner?

  • Posted By: walter17 @ 07/15/2008 7:22:55 PM

    Comment: boo-hoo for her. my toilet has a crack in the tack. my roof has leaks. the shingles are old and falling off. my home is being eaten by termites. last winters rain knocked off half the electric outlets in the house and my bathtub drain has fallen leaving water to drain in the foundation.

    i feel for her. maybe i can send her some money to help?

  • Posted By: RiverBoy @ 07/15/2008 6:34:21 PM

    Comment: What a gosh darn shame the powerless figurehead of a monarch, who fleeces her subjects as badly as our US gov't does, doesn't have enough money to fix her own home. Why can't she take 10% of her $650 Million and fix it her own self?! How can I feel sorry for her when I am sweating it out (literally) trying to pay my air conditioning bill this summer!?

  • Posted By: RiverBoy @ 07/15/2008 6:32:06 PM

    Comment: Such a shame she fleeces her taxpayers as much as our government does us...How can you feel sorry for a figurehead with no actual power, worth $650Million, who can't spend 10% of her own money to fix up her own home. And I worry about paying my air conditioning bill this summer. Woe is her...

  • Posted By: mcleodmn @ 07/15/2008 6:25:08 PM

    Comment: How sad. The McCains are in the same tax bracket. They must be feeling it too.

  • Posted By: paulte @ 07/15/2008 6:19:49 PM

    Comment: I think the British government should increase her purse. From the picture it looks like she is wearing the same hat she wore when she went to one of her former colonies, Australia, last year!

  • Posted By: ptrowe@aol.com @ 07/15/2008 4:33:55 PM

    Comment: Phil Gramm would call this a "mantle recession", what!!

 
 
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