Royal Wastrels

This story got me in a froth. What an anachronism! How can a mature (so-called) democracy tolerate royals? Even more flabbergasting was the comment of Alan Reid, keeper of the privy purse - He said said the Royals gave "value for money" Sic! What value? By the way, What does a Keeper of the Privy Purse do?

Most of the Royal lineages have their origins in marauading plunderers and the British Royals are no exception. They trace their origins to the Normans, who invaded Britain (Thanks a lot to Thomas Paine's "The Rights of Man", to which I owe my education in this matter) . The absurd logic for supporting these profligate monarchies are not valid anymore. There is no natural law that validated the monarchies in the past or the present and nor will these be valid in the future. Why should the public finance the royals' extravagant way of life? Why do they need speically chartered flights or royal trains? How does the nation stand to gain?

I am aware that the right to maintain or scrap the monarchies rests with the citizens of the monarchies. Still, 37 million Pound-Sterlings is a lot of money to subsidise the extravagant, scandal-ridden, unproductive lifestyles of these people. I can list scores of deserving causes that his sum of money will serve better.