£32m on a party? I don’t jubileve it!

For the last few weeks, the nation has been in a state of excitement, with no street safe from the invasion of bunting. Everybody has jumped onto the jubilee bandwagon, and who can blame them? The royal family are not only a massive draw for tourists worldwide, but they also have the ability to act as a national pick-me up.

Supermarkets and restaurants have all caught on, offering jubilee deals. Most magazines and newspapers have had at least one union flag on the cover over the last week and keepsakes have been bought up in record time. Yet, in spite of all this, it is important to question its necessity. I am not denying the important role of the Royal family, or the unity they inspire across the country in the spirit of patriotism. Even so, it must be remembered that we are in a recession and, although I am all for street parties, £32m pounds on entertainment seems a bit much.

It is here where the real issue lies, for there would be no problem if the Queen had spent her own millions. Celebrities throw lavish parties on regular occasions which inspire mild jealousy in the masses. Yet the Queen did not spend her own money, nor was it money she even truly earned; this lavish event was predominantly paid for by a combination of crown estate income, private donations and our taxes.

It is important to note that some events such as the Thames River Pageant, which cost £10.5m, were paid for by privately-funded charity trusts and a few small businesses which the royal family privately own also contributed to the cost. Yet, in spite of this, many falsely assume that the monarchy funds these events themselves, and while they do contribute, we, as tax payers, are left covering the cost of the increased police manpower, like the 21 marine boats, among other expenditures. Of course many have continued, and will continue, to argue that the royal family is invaluable to the British economy, and £32m is a small price to pay. Yet I would also argue that these people are merely optimistically holding onto the love of the Royal Family and ignoring the real figures.

Of course Her Majesty puts money back into the economy, with many thousands of tourists flocking to Buckingham Palace, plus the selling of royal souvenirs etc., but I really do not think the people who claim that the monarchy gives millions back into the economy are being truly honest. These tourists will come to visit London with or without the incentive of the Queen, and they would go and visit Buckingham Palace even if the Queen was no longer living there due to its historic significance.

If anything, events such as the jubilee only highlight the costs we incur as a consequence of having royalty, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport estimating that this extra bank holiday has cost our economy £1.2bn.

Now it’s important to state that I do not have a real problem with Britain having a royal family; however, it is essential to understand why so many people refuse to accept that we do not need them. Bar supporting British tourism and being a figurehead, they do very little for Britain. In fact, many who I have spoken to like the royal family just because they are ‘cute’ or ‘because it’s tradition’, but these people seem to forget that we live in a liberal society which is meant to be based around equality, something the royal family does not stand for.

I personally do not believe in the concept of God-given rights, and therefore fail to understand why the Queen is entitled to a £30m sovereign grant year on year for acting as a figurehead. Although it is fun to have days off work to drink and put up the union flag, let’s be honest: it’s not the royal family that we like, it’s the perks that they give us.

With happiness comes national unity, and this is important given the difficulties Britain has faced over recent years. But maybe it is time to find another way to restore national homogeneity without wasting so much money.