Alex - I do agree that things "evolve" and my own understanding of aspects has changed and shifted over the years, particularly with the benefit of these types of exchanges with other people on the boards.
If the monarchy is brought to its end by an oppressive and abhorrent dictatorship then all bets are off, as the saying goes. Goodness knows what would happen.
If the monarchy ends through a legitimate and transparent, democratic act of the people, state or nation, take your pick, then I believe the royal family would not want to depart with anything more than is currently their own private property. That is simply my view according to my views on the principal members of that family.
Legislation would set up a newly constituted "royal estate". I'll use that term to identify a future legal entity that would hold all the stuff identified now as royal and not private. Royal would include all the heirlooms of the crown because they are no longer private property. In fact the royal family might transfer some private property to the new royal estate.
In my scenario, the royal estate would be more or less the Royal Collection, expanded, to hold and maintain and exhibit everything royal. I do think that the Royal Collection operations have been developed in recent decades, to become a future standalone, independent, and self-supporting legal entity, in the museum industry.
We would no longer see the wonderful jewels worn regularly, publicly by the royal ladies. Instead there would be staged events from time to time, to raise funds, with models, stars and so forth wearing royal stuff and faking situations. Yuk!
--Previous Message-- : Oh, the expression is of little importance to : me as well, what I am more interested in is : the ownership itself (in various scenarios). : I think it is debatable who would keep these : pieces were the Monarchy to be abolished ( I : insist on this scenario as it is the : ultimate ownership "test"). : : I understand your point about their : "going with the job", but I still : think the last Sovereign would have a strong : claim to them. Such a claim would, of : course, depend on the circumstances of such : a dramatic change (as you pointed out) and, : also, on the wordings of the bequest : "documents" and how they would be : interpreted at that point. : : I wonder to what extent these things are : clear for Roberts, other authors, people in : the Royal Household, or even the Queen : herself. Some things are probably quite : blurry and evolve, as the whole official : gift issue showed us a few years ago. : Anyway, it has been great to exchange : thoughts on this subject, makes my : understanding of the matter evolve ! : : PS Point taken about the "new : Government" wording, it was I who was : not being clear on that point. : --Previous Message--
on January 11, 2014, 5:18 pm, in reply to "