The monarchies of Holland and Denmark have significantly cut back on the roles of their wider royal families in the interest of modernisation, and there is a case that the British monarchy should do the same.
It was whilst watching the ITV show "This Morning" that an astrology review of the royals suggested to me that the royals are desperately attempting to cling on to their power in the UK through trivial nonsense on daytime TV. The agenda setting by the UK media to uphold the royal family in high stature has undoutedly worked nevertheless, with 60% of the UK public saying that they have a overall positive opinion of the royal family. Yet, this proportion of positive opinions mostly derives from the older generation, a generation that has lived with the royal family in a post-WW2 period, viewing them as a paragon of British unity. The younger generation of the UK public do not buy in to this belief, and the attitudes towards their role in society is changing. The upcoming coronation is reinforcement of the UK establishment's belief in the importance of a constitutional monarchy, with expenditure estimates ranging from £100 million to £250 million on the event. This is money being taken from the taxpayers purse during a period of economic hardship in the UK, where children go to school hungry, parents can't find places to live, the cost of living is at its highest, and most of the public sector are striking due to low pay. The grandeur and majesty of such a celebration seems so futile to many younger people, and can seem like papering over the cracks of reality in the UK.
We can learn from other monarchies in this respect, where the ceremonial duties of royals are very much celebrated by the public whilst their hold on national infrastructure and money is not as severe. The Dutch royals still integrate with the public in their "duties" (I use this term loosely as parading and waving doesn't seem too tough of a job), but have cut back on allowances that royal family members are entitled to in order to decrease the burden on the taxpayer. In fact, apart from King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, their eldest daughter Catharina-Amalia and the Queen-mother Beatrix, the family members are expected to work and live normal lives, whilst still playing an important role in their symbolic and ceremonial obligations. Their downsizing is also due to changes in public attitudes across Europe. Whilst maintaining the symbolism of the Dutch royal family, they have recognised their role within the modern world, whereby their expenses were encumbering the nation, and have subsequently minimised the role that they play in the constitution of their country and the assets that they hold. In general, there is much to be said about the history of the symbolism that royal families represent regarding colonialism and religious persecution; the recognition and humility that decisions such as those that the Dutch royal family have taken should command huge respect, as they have actively decided to benefit their country as the expense of their power and stature. The Danish royal family have taken things a step further by stripping the titles of all but the Queen Magrethe and the Prince Consort. This decision hasn't been taken too well by the children of the Monarch, who have since ceased all contact with their parents as a result. Even the Prince Consort decided to retire from all official duties in 2020 because of the diminished role of the royal family. Nevertheless, the Queen still provides ceremonial and symbolic duties as a reminder of the consititunal role that they possess as a political cornerstone.
In essence, I think that the British Royal Family can take a leaf out of the books of the Dutch and Danish royal families. By not grasping on to the power that their freeholdings grant them, perhaps they can put aside their hubris for the betterment of society and usage of taxpayer money. It's a well known fact that the extension of the British Royal Family is ginormous, and allows relatives to maintain huge possessions of wealth via nepotism. However, I can't forsee a scaling down of the royal family any time soon. Per a TV interview with Princess Anne by The National, she chuckled at the sentiment, and stated that they intend to remain as figureheads of the British state for time to come. Her reasoning being a strong sense of 'stability' for the UK in troubling times, which I find to be no more than a PR push for the upcoming coronation. As public attitudes alter, we shall discover whether the stability she guarantees shall hold true.
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