It was the British Monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday last week and so I thought I would ask you guys what you think about royalty.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about it. I do admire Queen Elizabeth very much, she has had a very interesting life, has always performed her duties with consummate dedication and dignity. Also I think the future King of England, Prince Charles, is a very underestimated man.

I don't think things will fall apart if Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada decide to ditch the British Monarch and become republics, but I would feel a little bit sad to see something with over 1500 years of history come to an end.

There are quite a few members of this forum who live in countries ruled by a royal family, but also it would be interesting to hear the views of members who live in republics.

So what do you guys think about royalty? do you think it is undemocratic and should be abolished?, or do you think it offers stability to have an unelected Head Of State who has been groomed for the role from birth?

I'm no respector of persons, so w/ that I guess you could say I don't think much of it at all. I think it has produced many social problems, mainly the way in which wealth is distributed amongst the citizens of the country. At the end of the day, it was it is, and people are people - and always will be.

I not sure what "social problems" you are referring to Deutsch - sure there have been (and still are) some corrupt royal rulers in the world but in Western Europe I can't think of any real social problems since the 18th century caused by royalty - apart from Kaiser Wilhelm II in World War 1.

Roberto, America has royalty- and it should never be abolished.

Hmm, I guess I'm thinking along the lines of the wealth divide. I've met many who have imparted to me in conversation this idea of a society in which only those who's family names associated or of royalty have any acess at all or oppurtunity.

LOL - yes - although she was born in South Africa - but sure, she is an American princess

Ah, if people see that royalty is some sort of generator of inequality and somehow false stratification and division in society, then do take a look around you - people don't need royalty to do that. They can make it up just the same with some other, different criteria. That's just life.

Perhaps in the past, royalty did mean getting special treatment. Now that special treatment is conferred upon people who are celebrities, as James said, or politicians, or anyone. Not quite royalty as such, as it's not exactly based on genetic inheritance, but the idea is similar.

Now, royalty is largely benign, and I think that's fine. For countries that are still under absolute monarchy, then I guess you'd best hope that you get a good one.

As for Australia, the Queen of England is supposedly our head of state, sort of. I'm against that, though I like the royal family itself enough. I don't see the relevance of an English royal family, when they don't really seem to have anything to do with us. I haven't tried it myself, but upon visiting the UK, Australians go in the 'aliens/foreigners' line, whereas I hear that even the French (traditional rivals of the English) go in a privileged line for Europeans. That speaks a lot to me about the reality of the relationship.

History is all well and good, but history is not the future. By all means, remain on good terms with England, but we don't need to be politically subject to them, whether in reality or in theory. For all that the royal family of England have had to do with Australia in the past, I'd like to see us move on and make our own way, now.

Modern royal families are, by and large, anachronisms propped-up by their own subjects. The reason England has its royal family is because their existance strikes a chord with the public. If the world ceased to give a rat's ass, then these royals would slip into obscurity.

We have king and queen in Sweden. I dont care if we have a king or not but I do know they cost me money but then again I know they are travelling a lot around the world and visiting events and I guess its good advertise for Sweden.

They have a very beautiful daughter , I think that the best part with king and queen