Buckingham Palace to undergo US$ 455m renovation: not all taxpayers pleased to pay the bill

Wednesday, November 23rd 2016 - 15:31 UTC

Full article 17 comments

Buckingham Palace will undergo a ten-year US$ 455 million renovation process set to begin in April and needed to prevent potentially catastrophic building failure. It will replace decades-old wiring, radiators and lead pipes that currently put the 775-room palace at risk for fire, flood and other dangers. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who turned 90 in April, will stay in residence during the makeover. Read full article

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Think
US$ 455m... ?

That's about what British taxpayes spend yearly for keeping forteress Falklands/Malvinas...

What' s the fuss...?
Nov 23rd, 2016 - 03:57 pm - Link - Report abuse -5
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ElaineB
The usual complainers. They think the tax-payer is footing the bill for redecorating The Queen's private property.

It is not The Queen's home but an office for The Firm and is not owned by her.

90,000 people were hosted there last year on behalf of the nation.

500,000 visited.

It is the number one tourist attraction in London.

Why don't these articles mention how much money tourism brings to the U.K., or how we use our Royals to our benefit.
Nov 23rd, 2016 - 03:59 pm - Link - Report abuse +4
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Voice
I'm happy to contribute...
Well worth preserving...
Queen's a pensioner anyway and they are entitled to heating subsidies and improvements and a modern condenser boiler and radiator upgrades....
Nov 23rd, 2016 - 05:41 pm - Link - Report abuse -4
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DemonTree
“The Crown's wealth is inestimable.”

How silly. Firstly it certainly is estimable, and secondly the Queen doesn't get it anyway. The income goes to the government and then they give a portion to the Royal family. It's supposed to cover normal running costs, not this kind of renovation.

And the Queen's private wealth was estimated as £326m, not enough to pay for the repairs even if it was her private house, which it isn't.
Nov 23rd, 2016 - 06:47 pm - Link - Report abuse +4
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Think
You got to luuuuuuv them royalists....

IT AIN'T HER PRIVATE HOUSE...! they keep repeating...

Right... IT AIN'T...!

Its much better than that...:

Its legally owned “In Perpetuum” by the “Sovereign in Right of the Crown” but managed by “The Crown Estate”...
https://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/media/198768/tce-overview-pink.png?anchor=middlecenter&mode=crop&quality=80&format=png&scale=both&width=796&height=436

In plain Engrish...: The Monarch's property till the end of times... without any risk or expense...

S M A R T...
Nov 23rd, 2016 - 07:51 pm - Link - Report abuse -7
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Voice
...or until the end of the Sovereign, (the end of the Monarchy) would would also mean the end of the Crown and Crown Estate...
A future possibility Mr. Think...
Nov 24th, 2016 - 12:59 am - Link - Report abuse -6
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Troy Tempest
Only one taxpayer is footing the bill

http://royalcentral.co.uk/blogs/only-one-taxpayer-will-fund-the-buckingham-palace-repairs-the-queen-71930
Nov 24th, 2016 - 01:33 am - Link - Report abuse +2
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Think
Blasphemy..., Mr Voice.
Nov 24th, 2016 - 11:46 am - Link - Report abuse -6
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DemonTree
@ Think
Technically treason, but Corbyn hasn't been arrested yet so I think Voice is safe.

And he is right, till the end of the Monarchy, or until Parliament decides otherwise is much more accurate than 'till the end of times'.

As long as we don't have to have a popularly elected president. I don't trust the great British public to pick the right winner on a dancing show, let alone the head of state.
Nov 24th, 2016 - 01:15 pm - Link - Report abuse +3
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Think
Wrong Mr. DemonTree...

Mr. Voice claims to be a Non British resident in the UK...
Ergo..., no treason..., just good auld blasphemy...
Enough for some of this...:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nr5nFfWIqhQ
Nov 24th, 2016 - 09:36 pm - Link - Report abuse -4
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DemonTree
Actually Voice refuses to say what country he is a citizen of, so we don't know that he's not British.

In any case, apparently nationals of friendly foreign countries can commit treason while they are in Britain, so it doesn't matter anyway.
Nov 24th, 2016 - 10:44 pm - Link - Report abuse +2
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Think
Mr. DemonTree...

I would luuuuv to see that “piece of British legislation about treason by foreigners”...
Would you happen to have a link?
(Don't worry... I won't accuse you of lying if you can't... Not my style...)
Nov 24th, 2016 - 10:59 pm - Link - Report abuse -4
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DemonTree
I read it on Wikipedia, which unfortunately does not have a citation:

“An alien resident in the United Kingdom owes allegiance to the Crown, and may be prosecuted for high treason. The only exception is an enemy lawful combatant in wartime, e.g. a uniformed enemy soldier on British territory.”

However this article says the same thing: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7288516.stm

Also, there is the case of William Joyce aka Lord Haw Haw, who was hung for treason after WWII despite not being a British citizen. He was convicted on the somewhat dubious premise that he had fraudulently applied for and obtained a British passport, and this meant he was under the protection of the Crown and therefore owed allegiance to it.
Nov 25th, 2016 - 12:05 am - Link - Report abuse +2
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Kanye
DT

“Voice” is an enigma wrapped in an inferiority complex.
Nov 25th, 2016 - 03:05 am - Link - Report abuse -1
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Think
Mr. DemonTree

As everybody here knows, I luuuuv and support Wikipedia..., laddie.
But..., as I do with the Encyclopædia Britannica or any other reference source..., I normally consider not properly quoted contents to be just an opinion..., not a fact...

Besides... The BBC article you link to only seems to say that...:
“There are plans afoot to change the laws on treason in the UK, with a commission on citizenship led by Lord Goldsmith recommending reform...”

Soooo...
No life imprisonment for Mr. Voice... Just the comfy chair...
Nov 25th, 2016 - 05:21 am - Link - Report abuse -5
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DemonTree
Think, it's a quote in a box at the side, not part of the main article:

“ Treason can only be committed by someone owing allegiance to the Crown, but nationals of friendly foreign countries do owe such allegiance while they are within the realm, as do foreign nationals abroad who have British passports.”

In any case no one is likely to be prosecuted under our extremely dated treason legislation, so Voice should indeed be safe.
Nov 25th, 2016 - 09:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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Think
And comfy...
Nov 25th, 2016 - 10:29 am - Link - Report abuse -1
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