20 Reasons Why The Royal Family Is Outdated

1. It Is Undemocratic

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The Royal Family of the UK has been in power since 1603, with kings and queens reigning for 100s of years before that. Critics of the British Royal Family argue that it is undemocratic, as no citizen of Britain have the ability to cast a vote for who they want to become the next King or Queen, rather it is hereditary.

2. They Aren't Equal

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By the definition of 'Monarchy', the King or Queen is the decided Head of State for the country they reign over. Whilst the British Royal family are a constitutional monarchy, meaning they don't have any governing power, they are still seen as above the regular citizens, which doesn't have a lot of place in modern day, equal societies.

3. They Are Expensive

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Whilst the Royal Family does bring in a lot of tourism and wealth to the United Kingdom, it has to be argued that they cost the British tax payer a lot of money per year. This is paid through something called a Sovereign Grant, and is something in the region on 100 million dollars a year.

4. They're Over 400 Years Old

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Not one member is literally 400 years old (although the late Queen Elizabeth II gave it a good shot), but rather the royal family has existed in the United Kingdom, when Scotland and England stopped having separate monarchs, for well over 400 years. This is SUCH a long time to have a monarchy.

5. They Still Live In Castles

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Back in the olden days, where armies marched on foot and carried swords, axes and bows and arrows, kings and queens would be living their best life up in their expensive castles, hosting many a banquet and jousting tournaments. Much has changed in our modern way of life, but some of the British royal family STILL live in castles.

6. They Still Have Coronations

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When a new King or Queen is crowned, much like the recent coronation of King Charles III, there is a whole ceremony and festival-like celebration to welcome and officially crown the new monarch. It seems like a modern day event, but coronations have been happening in various forms for over 1,000 years and are seen as a formality. The most recent coronation cost the british public £100 million from their taxes!

7. They Have Televised Funerals

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We all saw the sad broadcast of the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on TV in 2022, and who can forget the images of Her Majesty standing alone at her husband's funeral the year before that. Critics in the UK argue that having a televised funeral is a huge expense, and appears out of touch considering the current state of the economy in Britain.

8. The King Or Queen Must Still Be Crowned

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Much like the coronation, it is royal tradition that the new King or Queen must have an official crowning, and must be crowned by the current Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst this is a formality, the crowning of a new monarch has been happening for centuries upon centuries, and isn't exactly a new thing.

9. There Is A Dark History To The Royal Family

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There have been plenty of secrets that the royal family have attempted to keep hidden from the public, ones that don't present them in the best of lights. Whether it be Queen Elizabeth's cousins that were kept secret due to their disabilities, and were reported dead whilst they actually lived in a mental home, or King Edward VIII's strange ties to Nazi Germany.

10. Some Of The Royal Couples Are Distant Relatives

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There have been plenty of examples of royal couples being distant to not-so-distant cousins. Whether it be Queen Elizabeth II getting married to her third cousin Prince Phillip, or even Queen Victoria marrying her first cousin, Prince Albert. This isn't practiced anymore, but marrying a family member is certainly not the norm in 2023.

11. They Still Perform Gun Salutes

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Royal gun salutes happen on various different days in the United Kingdom, and are usually done to mark a significant day or pay respect for a certain person. They happen at midday and old canons are used for the salute. This practice has been happening for literally hundreds of years, starting back in 1730.

12. They Are An Old Form Of Government

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Before the government began ruling in the United Kingdom in 1707, the monarch at the time would have had complete rule over Britain. They would have decided on laws, customs and traditions, and generally had a lot of power beholden to them. Now that a democratic government exists, the royal family doesn't have the same power they once had.

13. Heredity Or Marriage

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Another thing that critics of the royal family could argue is outdated is that, in order to receive the title of King or Queen, someone must either marry into the line of succession, or simply be born into it. In a world where most agree with and propagate the idea of democracy, gaining power through heredity could seem outmoded.

14. Having To Say "Your Highness"

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Whilst some people agree that this is purely traditional and doesn't have much meaning to it anymore, 'Highness' translates to something (or someone) literally being above. To call someone 'Your Highness', is to acknowledge that they're above you in terms of importance or rank. Some critics argue that this is out of touch in a modern, equal society.

15. They Don't Have To Pay Tax

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We live in a world where everything is taxed; food, water, housing and in some states in inheritance. It's just a part of modern life now and the old Ben Franklin saying seems to ring true: "nothing is certain except death and taxes". Not for the new King, who didn't pay any inheritance tax when receiving his mother's estate (British citizens must pay this by law) and doesn't legally have to make any tax contributions.

16. The King Or Queen Can't Be Accused Of Crimes

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Not only does King Charles III not have to legally pay any tax (the late Queen did contribute, and it is assumed the new King will), he isn't beholden to laws in the United Kingdom, and is essentially exempt from any criminal allegations that could be made against him during his reign.

17. They Are Out Of Touch

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Another critique that could be made against the royal family is that they appear to be fairly out of touch with ordinary British people whom they reign over. The majority of the UK is made up of working-class people and some of which are on the poverty line. Meanwhile, the royal family have literally millions of dollars to their name and, whilst they do a lot of charity work, they have a very luxurious lifestyle.

18. They Don't Represent Ordinary People

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Critics of the royal family argue that, whilst they bring in a lot of tourism and culture to the UK, they don't represent ordinary people of Britain. The argument can be made that having a royal family further highlights the class and social divide, and critics will accuse its' members of elitism.

19. There Have Been Some Controversies

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For all the good service and charity work that the royal family conduct throughout the year, it is hard to ignore the various scandals and controversies that seem to plague the British monarchy. With headlines involving Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, and horrific accusations made, it is hard for some to remain in support of a royal family.

20. They Don't Truly Have Any Power

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The royal family in the UK doesn't have any real power anymore, at least not in the same way that the British government does. Whilst the British government can pass laws and new bills, the King or Queen don't have any input on the day to day running of the country, although they do have some influence over certain decisions.

21. They Have Outdated Beliefs

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Young people in Britain are less likely than ever to believe in a God, especially one of Christianity. The royal Family practice a version of Christianity called Anglicanism, and a lot of their ceremonies and events are based around religious traditions. Young people generally believe this is outdated, and don't seem to buy that idea that a King or Queen is chosen by a God.

22. They Still Have Armed Guards

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If you've paid a visit to see our pals over the pond, there's a good chance you've visited Buckingham Palace in London, and you might have even seen the changeover of the guards. The guards all wear old-school uniform, including a black bearskin hat, and have to remain stoic when the public interact with them.

23. They Create Division

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Most of the more conservative people in Britain believe the monarchy still has a place in society, but, for a lot of the general population, it is understandable that they don't believe they should remain. With plenty of families on the poverty line in Britain, it is easy to see how a lot of people believe having an expensive royal family can create social and class divisions.

24. They Wear Outdated Clothing

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From the dresses that look like they came out of the 1800's, to crazy hats that the female royals' wear on horse racing days, the glad rags that don the King and Queen are often pretty outdated. Some of the clothing has been passed down the generations, especially precious jewellery and finery.

25. They Have Less Support From The Public

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Over the years, the royal family has received less and less support in their rule, and many people, especially the younger generations, believe that the monarchy should have stopped when the late Queen passed away. For some, they believe that they are simply a relic of a time gone by.

26. They Take Up Lots Of Land

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It would be super hard to imagine a King or Queen living in a 1-bed apartment in the bad end of town. The royals' have a LOT of official and privately owned residencies dotted across the UK and in Europe. There are 22 listed royal residencies currently in the UK, and most of these are either castles, estates or huge mansions.

27. They Must Get Written Permission To Marry

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This seems super formal and old-school, but is still practiced today. For anyone who is within 5 places of the royal succession, in order for them to get married, they must first get the royal seal of approval from the current King or Queen, in the form of an official, written document. We're glad we don't have to ask our Mom's permission!

28. They Can Only Wear Black At Funerals

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This one seems obvious, but still seems outdated. The ONLY time a royal family member is permitted to wear black in public is when they're attending a funeral. Other than this occasion, royals' must wear anything but black when making public appearances. Princess Diana famously wore black during her first ever public appearance which caused quite the stir with the media.

29. The Women Must Wear Hats To Formal Events

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We've all seen the crazy hats that the women of the royal family wear in public, and you'll notice that during formal events, whether that be attending Ascot or going to a wedding, they will ALWAYS be wearing a hat. This is a tradition that has been long-lasting in the royal family and, whilst it isn't a hard and fast rule, it seems no one wants to break the tradition.

30. Royals' Can't Sign Autographs

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There have been plenty of celebs that refuse to sign autographs, whether it be because they're tired and want to go home or have just had enough of fans that day. However, the royals' aren't actually allowed to sign autographs no matter how much their supporters or fans ask for it. Think about it, you never saw Queen Elizabeth pulling a sharpie out of her handbag to sign anything!