Right... (clears throat, rolls up sleeves)...
AT: 5th in line to the Throne? The Order of Succession is: Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward, putting our inept Royal Highness at 7th in line. Thank God! Don't think he'll sneak in by the back-door yet (though apparently he is not unfamiliar with the back-door...
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WH: We swear allegiance to the Queen, and our system of Government is such that Parliament speaks in HM's name. The Queen In Parliament principle. No one party holds a veto over the deployment of British forces. My point was that unlike nations who swear allegiance to a presidency, we do not owe our allegaince to a political executive.
SB: Fair point. But I still disagree with the republican argument that the Armed Forces have no regard for the system we swear allegiance to. I think most of us - certainly most of my colleagues - hold the Queen in high respect. Maybe I picked the wrong republican argument to pick on!
As for reducing the size of the members of the Royal Family on the Civil List... not an entirely unfeasable idea. I think it should be based on the extent and importance of their public duties. HM, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Prince Charles certainly do a hell of a lot of official work. Prince Andrew is Britain's International Business Ambassador, or something like that, maybe if we pointed out that golf (yes, even Captaincy of the Royal and Ancient) does not constitute official duties...? As for Prince Edward...
