... and What Do You Do?

... and What Do You Do?: What the Royal Family Don't Want You to Know | Norman Baker

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So the royals are something I‘ve always disagreed with in principle but been infinitely fascinated with. This book has turned my mild annoyance at a privileged institution into full blown rage and disgust at what we as the taxpayer pay for. This book will infuriate you from not paying real tax whilst accumulating massive amount of wealth to some other stories of a more personal note (one about the queen mum made me sick to my stomach)
But

Weaponxgirl This book is very fair. It‘s not just ragging on the royals for all and sundry. It acknowledges that as people they have a right to a private life and is in no way evil like our tabloids who seemed to mostly ignore Andrew raping young women and Charles supporting a pedophile bishop even though the allegations were out there to focus on how “bad” Meghan is. 4y

Weaponxgirl He talks at one point in the interest in a story about how a certain royal may be having an affair but says whilst it‘s of interest to the public doesn‘t make it of public interest. This seemed very fair to me, some things don‘t affect how you do your job but seriously we should know more about how much money the royals cost us and then get to accumulate privately at the same time. Everyone comes in for some criticism 4y

Weaponxgirl Except strangely enough Anne. It seems Anne is dirt free and refuses personal security even though there was an actual violent kidnapping attempt made on her in the 70s. So if you are ready for some infuriating information about the royals that will make you rage then this is your book. 4y

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GingerAntics Wow. What did the Queen Mum do? I‘m intrigued. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics in the 40s 2 of her nieces were put in a mental institution when they were 15 and 25 as they had mental disabilities. When this came out in the early 2000s the queen mum said she only found out about it in the 80s. They never even got a Xmas card according to staff there and it‘s highly unlikely she didn‘t know about this as I‘m sure most people would notice when their nieces suddenly disappear 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics she was a patron on mencap for a long time when this scandal came out and the royal family never did anything to rectify the situation. It literally made me sick to my stomach reading about that. 4y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl She has to have known! I agree with you on that. I get that there was no “special ed” or anything back then. The answer was always to lock people up, but sheesh, send a letter every now and then. Don‘t lie about even knowing. Ugh. 4y

GingerAntics 🤦🏼‍♀️ wow 🤦🏼‍♀️ just wow 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics yes I get at the time things are different, not right but they were. It‘s the fact that also she was a patron for people with disabilities when this came out and just sorta went not my fault and nothing I can do. Really?! 4y

GingerAntics Such a cop out. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics I think you‘d find it interesting too. I didn‘t realise just how much power they have. Think it would be interesting from an American perspective 4y

GingerAntics Yeah, we tend to rather like them over here. Maybe because we can lay some claim to Harry and Meghan now. lol Maybe because none of them are orange. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics yea, I know very few royalists in the uk but have noticed lots of Americans love them. Most people in the uk are indifferent to them as an institution and it‘s normally only right wing people who seem to love them and all that queen and country crap. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics most brits I know just look to them for new bank holidays tbh. 4y

GingerAntics That‘s just sad. lol 4y

GingerAntics It‘s clearly an outdated system, and the fact they don‘t even rule makes it almost ridiculous. But then again, our electoral college is just as outdated. I think, as Americans, we‘re looking at these two outdated systems and at least yours sparkles on occasion when they put the diamonds on. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics at taxpayers expense though! It sparkles but us ordinary brits don‘t benefit from it. I‘m getting very close to eating the rich in general 4y

GingerAntics lol fair enough. I‘m ready to do that here. Ours never sparkles and seems to think crazy far right crazies think they‘re more mainstream than they really are. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics they seem to be that way around the world! I need a break from this world I swear 4y

GingerAntics Oh my god, you and me both. 4y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics let‘s arrange a self care day 😘 4y

GingerAntics I wish I had time for one of those. Now that the semester has started, I get 3x the ridiculous homework I‘m required to give my students. 4y

WomanistBibliophile I already have all the rage I can stand towards the monarchy! It‘s beyond time to get rid, but all too many brits adore them and are determined to remain in denial about the reality of the institution and the family 4y

Weaponxgirl @WomanistBibliophile honestly before this book I didn‘t like them much and wanted the institution gone. I just didn‘t know just how bad they were in certain ways. We can‘t even keep a proper tab on them! 4y

WomanistBibliophile the lack of transparency & accountability regarding them is maddening, especially given how the privacy of ordinary people is eroded—including victims of misogynistic abuse & those who claim benefits & are subject to demands to expose all sorts of personal information in exchange for what should be theirs by right. People really lose their heads when it comes to putting fairness & integrity into action. It‘s good a book like this is out there tho! 4y

Weaponxgirl @WomanistBibliophile I agree completely. As a woman your rape may not be investigated now if you refuse to give up your phone to the police when it isn‘t relevant yet the royal family can seal up their wills so we have no idea how much money they‘ve amassed and passed on when they die. And we pay for the privilege. Buckingham palace is theirs until it needs repairs yet more people are pushed to using food banks. 4y

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