Republic CEO: The British monarchy ‘is a weakened institution… it will sink’

It’s remarkable to watch the Windsors stagger around, offending everyone, wasting money and being incredibly nasty to family members, and then wonder why they’re historically unpopular. Most of the time, the Windsors and the royalist press are happy enough to lay the blame entirely at the feet of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, because they were the ones who got away from the sh-tshow. But even the royalist media outlets have to admit, it’s getting to be a lot bigger than the Sussexit. Charles can’t leave the house/castle anymore without protesters turning up and chanting. He’s had multiple eggs thrown at him. His wife is reviled by a huge chunk of the population. His heir barely does anything because he’s a blundering rage-monster. It’s gotten pretty grim. So, this Telegraph piece is fascinating: “The monarchy is a weakened institution… if we keep pushing, it will sink.” Some highlights:

Scotland is talking a lot about independence: If Humza Yousaf had his way, the Republic of Scotland would be voting for its first ever president before the end of the decade. The SNP leadership candidate has set himself apart from his rivals by suggesting that Scots could replace the monarchy within five years of achieving independence, and polls suggest that young people north of the border agree with him.

The growing anti-monarchist vibe in England: While Republic undoubtedly represents a minority, it is a minority that is steadily growing, and unless the Royal family can persuade the under-30s that the monarchy is a force for good, that minority could one day be a majority. The polling firm YouGov has been studying attitudes towards the monarchy for more than a decade, and its findings are instructive. When asked last September whether Britain should continue to have a monarchy, 67 per cent of people in the UK said yes and just 20 per cent said no, though a decade earlier 75 percent of people said yes. But support is much softer when people are asked whether the monarchy is “good for Britain”, and it is eroding year by year. More worryingly for the monarchy, in May 2022 only 24 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 49 percent of 25 to 49-year-olds said the institution was good for Britain.

Republic’s Graham Smith talks about the vibe: He says his pressure group’s income has almost trebled in the space of two years, from £106,000 in 2020 to £286,000 in 2022, much of which came in after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September. “In the last couple of years republicanism has been boosted by the Prince Harry row and the scandal over Prince Andrew. But people are also unhappy about the cash for honours affair involving the King, so it’s a different ball game now, because people are very happy to criticise Charles. He has 70 years’ worth of baggage and in the three or four years leading up to the Queen’s death it was one scandal after another after another.”

Graham Smith thinks the monarchy is weakened: “Charles hasn’t inherited that deference that people had for the late Queen. The monarchy is a weakened institution, it’s holed below the waterline, and if we keep pushing, it will sink. People didn’t believe that was a possibility 10 years ago, but they believe it now. We are not a country of royalists and we are not a country of republicans, but the chances of Prince George becoming king are rapidly disappearing.”

Charles isn’t worried: Those who know the King say he will not be worried about the polls, or Republic’s slick marketing campaign, having seen support for the monarchy wax and wane over the years. “There was never any doubt that the death of the late Queen would strengthen the voice of republicans,” says one ally. “The late Queen was held in such respect that the King was fully aware there would be a dip in support. But he also knows that the monarchy, like a lot of our national institutions, is not something that young people immediately think about, but it is something they tend to connect with as they get older and think more outside their sphere of influence. So the King will disregard the opinion polls of the day and simply do the job which he is asked to do. He won’t play to the gallery or try to lean in to any particular audience. He has a very long-range view of what his role is and he believes people will also take a long range view of his contribution.”

[From The Telegraph]

The piece goes on to analyze the numbers from yet another dreaded YouGov poll, and it continues to be insane that the Windsors take these YouGov push polls so seriously all the time. In this case, they’re taking the numbers seriously because there’s been a steady decline in even philosophical support for the monarchy, especially among younger people. The Windsors have lost touch completely with the public because they believe that as long as they have the support of the media, everything will be fine. How is that working out?

Graham Smith also says that Republic is going to stage big protests at the coronation, and the Telegraph sniffed at him because “millions” will be “celebrating” the Chubbly. Won’t most people just be… enjoying their day off from work? I don’t know – I feel like people will watch it because it’s “historical,” but I also think the coronation is a bright, white, hot spotlight on Charles and all of his flaws. Not to mention Camilla prancing around like queen of the world.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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45 Responses to “Republic CEO: The British monarchy ‘is a weakened institution… it will sink’”

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  1. ThatsNotOkay says:

    Charles sure does care about polls. The only thing that saved his arse years ago was his, in retrospect, offensive and horrendous parading around of his kids when Diana died. Then there was sympathy and people gave the institution some grace. Won’t be the same this time around. Support is eroding and there isn’t enough sand on the dunes left to build it back up again. The monarchy is gonna slide into the ocean for good and I can’t wait for see it.

    • kirk says:

      Chuck should care about polls. Especially after the one they commissioned that showed Camela was more popular in USA than native daughter Meghan!

      • Emily says:

        Luckily for Harry and Meghan they don’t need to worry about poll numbers because they are private citizens not running for elected office or taking public money. The success of their Netflix series and Spare suggests they command the public interest. The UK royals should be worrying about a decline in interest and popularity in the UK and Commonwealth because their position is not secure without public support.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        kirk, in America we don’t do polls like this, so I have to wonder where it came from. My guess is that this was like a lot of the YouGov polls in the UK where it’s the far right, royalist base who is polled. I suspect the same is being done here in the US. For the record, this poll is full of sh!t. I will go so far as to say that Camilla is NOT favored over Meghan. Believe me when I tell you that too many people remember exactly who the Escort is and what she and KFC did to Diana. Saying it doesn’t make it so. This is wishful thinking on someone’s part, but it isn’t representative of the American masses.

      • kirk says:

        Woops. This American didn’t foresee having to accompany sarcastic comment with a joke sign.

      • Cara says:

        @ Kirk, most Americans aren’t really that interested in the British monarchy in the first place. (It’s kind of like watching a freak show really.) Americans do despise that shameful Camilla and think Andrew is a sex offender, but I guarantee no one is polling Americans about Meghan and Harry. It’s all lies. We have our own issues. The British press is entertainment and not true journalism. I’m afraid the Brits come off as gullible and rather stupid for not demanding more from their press … such as honesty, accuracy, and objectivity backed by facts and named sources. Our Fox news is like this, but most of our news is actual news. It’s like all you have is Fox news. That’s both tragic and terrifying.

  2. equality says:

    Considering that YouGov pads their polls and selectively chooses whom they poll, the numbers are likely far worse for the monarchy. Charles probably isn’t worried about it since he will get his coronation and most likely rule until his death. He is set up. I doubt he cares if Will or George ever get to reign.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ equality, hopefully the Monarchy ends with his death. KFC could live another 3 decades and the amount of unhappiness in that the Gov Poll should worry him, but arrogantly only support positive polls. If KFC thinks that after his con-a-nation will improve his standing makes him a greater fool that he is. KFC is utterly wrong and pathetic to insist on having a million pound con-nation during the crises that everyone BUT the BaRF are experiencing.

  3. C says:

    I mean, they’re right.
    It was bad enough for Charles given what people remembered of the War of the Waleses but the whole Meghan chapter undid everything they tried to clean up from that. Even if you’re on Charles’s side (the few who are, lol), it’s messy overall. And he just doesn’t have that link to history that his mother had. His mother’s first prime minister was Winston Churchill (who has a bad legacy in a lot of ways but his status in British history is undeniable). Charles can’t compare. He had a link to someone hugely influential in world cultural history, his first wife, and he botched that and continues to.
    He has no perception and none of the rest of them do either. Everything else aside, Kate is the most glamorous member they have, which doesn’t really hint a bright future for the family.

    It would take a long time to disentangle the monarchy from British culture and politics and economy so popularity isn’t the only factor here but as far as it is, it’s not looking good long term.

    • Tessa says:

      Sorry I don’t think Kate is glamorous. She dresses badly and is plain looking and lacks initiative. The glamorous ones and ones with initiative like harry and Meghan are not wanted
      Maybe there will be really glamorous family members some years from now.

  4. Jan says:

    Graham Smith is a joke, I would not be surprise, if he is getting paid to stage these rallies.
    This is the same turd that had a full scale investigation into the Sussex Royal Foundation after they left and was left with egg on his face, chucky had shopping bags filled with millions, but not a peep out of Smith.
    All the Royal family have to do, is offer him a honor award and he will be bowing and scraping.

    • SURE says:

      I remember that when Smith’s organisation set up anti-monarchy billboards featuring Charles, William and Andrew they intriguingly chose a photo of William wearing glasses. William seldom wears his glasses. Why choose an unfamiliar image of William if you’re genuinely serious about working to abolish the monarchy? I agree Jan, Smith is a pretender.

    • Fawsia says:

      This isn’t about Graham! The fact that gen Z seem to be more progressive and that trait seem to stay with the general gen Z doesn’t abide well for the Windsors!

      • BothSidesNow says:

        They should all take into consideration that those who had only QEII their entire lives are dying in droves each day. Those generations will be gone within years and the up and coming generations are not silent nor are they willing to turn a blind eye at the uselessness of the Monarchy. KFC should be extremely worried as every outing that he attends, along with his Rottweiler wife, will increase as the con-a-nation comes closer and it will not cease once he is crowned.

  5. Brassy Rebel says:

    He needs the support of the British people, especially young people, but he “won’t play to the gallery or try to lean into any particular audience.” That sounds like he’s planning to whistle past the graveyard. He’s not “taking the long view”. He’s just pretending he doesn’t have a problem. Sure, the media is propping the whole wretched institution up for now. But eventually, they will have to train their fire on royals not named Harry and Meghan. That’s already getting tiresome. When the media turns on them (and it will), Charles or whoever is monarch will wish they had a plan.

    • notasugarhere says:

      His attitude and comments, through a trusty ‘source’, sounds a lot like the offensive anti-Independent Scotland campaign. The one John Oliver mocked so beautifully – the poor wee Scottish woman who couldn’t understand the issue, it was too much, best to vote to keep things as they are.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Brassy Rebel, you are right with regards to the royal rats….they will want blood as the tide is turning with the public as they are tired of reading about H&M. They are done with these hit pieces and are ready to sink their teeth into Bullyiam. And CopyKeen isn’t too far behind. The public was furious about her £3,000 Erdem outfit as everyone is suffering.

  6. Dee(2) says:

    If they didn’t care and were sure of their support they wouldn’t need to constantly run these polls. It’s not like they’re elected, they don’t need to keep their hands on the pulse of the electorate that often. And if they weren’t worried they definitely wouldn’t constantly poll about the popularity of two people who have nothing to do with the daily roles of that institution in that country, and several other countries around the world.

  7. Pumpkin (Was Sofia) says:

    It will take years to be quite blunt for support of the monarchy to erode to a level that’s low enough that active steps are taken (such as a referendum) to get rid of them. Not to mention the years and legal headache it’ll take to untangle the monarchy from the institutions/government.

    I could also be wrong though.

    • notasugarhere says:

      The support is low enough now. What Republic needs to do is lean heavily into how much Charles inherited without paying a penny of tax, the 600+ million wasted every year on these people, William of the 5 houses parading around about homelessness, etc.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        I would include the blaring fact that given that there are two LESS working royals the percentage of their annual tax payers funding has increased dramatically. Why is that?? On top of the fact that for 2 years they were facing lockdowns to boot.

        They are scamming the public whilst leaving people to fend for themselves as they pretend that the issues with the financial crises isn’t due to any participation of how richly they live. On top of not having any compassion or willingness to understanding how everyday Brits live.

    • Jenss says:

      I agree it will take a while – the monarchy is deeply ingrained into British culture, and people tend to prefer the status quo. But I do think the process has already started – we are already seeing critical pieces in the UK press that would’ve been unthinkable even a year ago.
      I also believe it will be William, rather than Charles, that will accelerate the end.

  8. UnstrungPearl says:

    I’ve no doubt there will be reasonable viewing figures for at least parts of the coronation, simply out of curiosity bc most people have never seen one. It might be the last one (fingers crossed) so make the most of it…

  9. Harper says:

    Funny how William got audibly booed and “not my kinged” going in to the Commonwealth Service but that clip didn’t seem to get any airplay. I doubt Willy and CopyKeen are as sanguine about the protesters as C-Rex pretends to be. And if it gets consistently louder, Cams is going to go AWOL; she didn’t sign up for more negative press.

    • SURE says:

      I wish more people would give them crowns from Burger King like the one Camilla received on their visit to Colchester. Funnily enough I don’t think that incident got much media attention.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        Maybe we could all collect some Burger King crowns and mail them to our Brits CB crew!!! I’m willing!!!

      • Seraphina says:

        I’m in too. As far as it sinking – it can’t sink fast enough as far as I am concerned.

  10. PrincessOfWaffles says:

    I’m going to be tuning in to see the windsor’s reaction to the protests and how well they will be dodging the eggs the as they march to their clowning. Also how well the princess of waffles will be dressing her back side. I wonder if we’ll get a day off in canada?

    • BothSidesNow says:

      Rest assured you won’t be paid for the time off. I do wish that those of you who are victims of these grifters were able to cut all ties. I simply adore Canadians and none of you deserve this treatment.

  11. Digital Unicorn says:

    He’s spot on – in the current political and social climate in the UK they won’t last after Chuck unless he does something drastic to ensure the survival of the institution. The current Tory gov will happily chuck them under the bus to save themselves if it comes to it.

    WandK are not a popular as the press would have everyone believe – they are popular with a certain demographic in England but the rest of the UK, not really. They are the poster couple for the right wing Brexiters ‘stop the boats’ lot.

    The family is imploding and Chuck ego’s is hastening that implosion along far quicker than I think anyone ever saw coming. Also helping are WandK’s egos as well. Chuck’s reign got off to a bad start and its been downhill ever since, if he wants to turn it around he’s going to have to grow a pair and sort his family out.

  12. Noor says:

    “Charles hasn’t inherited that deference that people had for the late Queen. ”

    Deference cannot be inherited. In today’s world it cannot even be earned. The time for deference to royalty and inherited privilege is long gone.

  13. AnneL says:

    My sense is that William will get to reign but George very well might not. I don’t think Chuck will live as long as his mother did, so there’s not enough time for the whole thing to fall apart and be legally abolished before he pops his clogs and Will takes the throne. But as problematic and lacking in charisma as Charles is, he has some degree of competence and a legacy. Will doesn’t. I doubt his reign is going to help the cause of the Windsors much either.

    For George’s sake, I hope he never has to be King. I think it seems like a miserable job. Sure, there are a lot of perks, but they don’t seem worth it.

  14. Eurydice says:

    It’s a weakened institution because it has no obvious purpose. Even the psychological purpose of “shared cultural identity” doesn’t fly anymore because that identity is changing. Charles had his chance with Harry and Meghan, but his “long-term view” couldn’t accept them. It’s too late now.

  15. Mslove says:

    The world is slowly changing, the monarchy refuses to do so. If the Windsor family had any humility or compassion for those in need, that would give them more time perhaps. Harry was the only one capable of compassion, that’s why they needed him. Harry took everything good with him when he left that wretched family and all they have left is the stench of greed, racism & unkindness.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ MsLove, you are right about Harry and Meghan as well as they brought the Monarchy into the 21st century. But the jealousy and envious sniveling couple, along with KFC’s own jealousy, made certain to exile the only compassionate members of the BaRF. On top of how cruel they were when H&M were still royal members, they have compounded how utterly cruel they are. KFC didn’t play the long game with his youngest son and DIL as he simply gave into to his ill tempered son and his lazy, useless DIL.

  16. JackieJacks says:

    I think if the RF stopped taking money from the government and just supported themselves from their own coffers and investments, doing that would go a long way with the U.K. if they still want to remain relevant for the future generations. Shut down that sovereign grant.
    They get millions and basically do nothing substantive and meanwhile people are going hungry or freezing to death.

  17. Jillianirish says:

    What would it actually look like if the royal family was thrown out. Would they just become wealthy private citizens? Would they get to keep their hoards of treasures or are those property of Britain?

  18. tamsin says:

    I don’t think the British monarchy will be gone any time soon. I think they will be very diminished in the future, and eventually only kings of England. It might even start with George. The diminishment will have been greatly accelerated by a lack of inspirational leaders and too many corrupt ones who do not care about the country, but only about power and wealth. It seems the UK is pretty well an oligarchy already. As history has shown, all empires fade and die eventually.

  19. Could it be possible to get rid of the extra people, including the Rottweiler, and only have KFC do the red boxes and open parliament, those kinds of duties? Then that sovereign grant could be all but cut out

  20. RoyalBlue says:

    From his lips to God’s ears, let it be so. I am not fighting with Smith, the more warriors we have in this battle the better.

  21. Saucy&Sassy says:

    Has anyone seen anything about the YouGov polls about politics. Supposedly 68% of DEMOCRATS think Biden is too old, and DenSantis is sliding behind to Trump. Now, I don’t know much, but I know that 68% of Dems do not think Dark Brandon is too old. I don’t know who they survey or where, but I’m getting to the point that I never believe polls. They never get it right. I think this is an effort to sway public opinion.

    Having said that, I have to wonder about the accuracy of the YouGov poll here. Could it be that the public view of the Monarchy is much worse than stated? I believe it needs to be considered.

  22. QuiteContrary says:

    It’s always an excellent idea for an institution getting public money to ignore the inclinations of the taxpayers (snark).

    Graham Smith is an ass, but you fight with the army you have, not the one you’d rather have, so I’ll continue to root for his efforts to highlight the utter uselessness of, and active harm caused by, the monarchy.

  23. Deering24 says:

    “But he also knows that the monarchy, like a lot of our national institutions, is not something that young people immediately think about, but it is something they tend to connect with as they get older and think more outside their sphere of influence.”

    Bwahahahahahahahah! So young people become more Tory as they get older (i.e. richer)? Has he noticed that a lot of these folks can barely keep the lights on, much less accumulate wealth, because of policies he tacitly supports? Ah, well, he should ask the GOP over here how that attitude is working out for their prospective voter demographics. 🙂 🙂 Does having mass riches make one stupid, or something?

  24. Well Wisher says:

    Who are these people who speak on behalf of the king?

  25. Bisynaptic says:

    Charles thInks Britons will grow to support the monarchy, as they get older, because…? If only the rest weren’t word salad.