Every time I comment on the obscenity of royalty some apologist has to say they have no political influence, ornamental only, quaint little tourist draws.
Then I post the annual Queen’s Speech to Parliament:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/may/09/full-list-queens-speech-measures
and no response.......
Care to get to round two?
Why do you care? You’re not a citizen there, are you?
Again, an example of how the role of the monarchy can so easily be misread. That the monarch traditionally reads out a speech at the opening of each parliament which sets out the government’s legislative intentions is just one of those anachronistic oddities which can indeed readily confuse an uninformed observer. But what she reads is not written by her, it does not represent her views or wishes, and she’s not even consulted about its contents. It’s possible, even probable, that she’s metaphorically crossing her fingers behind her back at some of the things she has to say. But it’s just one of those things she has to do.