Daily Politics from the New Statesman

Abolish the rotten monarchy

6 snips
Oct 29, 2025
Will Lloyd, Deputy Editor at New Statesman and advocate for abolishing the monarchy, explores the need for change in British royalty. He discusses Prince Andrew's controversial past, linking it to wider institutional problems. Lloyd also analyzes the media's role in shaping royal narratives and the idea of 'Windsorism.' The conversation dives into the monarchy's political influence and the contradictions in royal personas, while laying out a compelling republican case based on equality and humanist values.
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INSIGHT

Monarch Holds Real Constitutional Powers

  • Oli and Will stress the monarch's real powers over religion, military, police and Privy Council oaths.
  • Those constitutional powers matter in crises and can conflict with elected government priorities.
ANECDOTE

Queen's Shah Intervention Shows Divergent Interests

  • Oli recounts the 1979 Shah of Iran episode where the Queen wanted to offer refuge against government advice.
  • Thatcher then changed course fearing for embassy staff, showing royal interests can diverge from national security.
INSIGHT

Palace Influence Shapes Policy Before Contact

  • Civil servants preemptively worry about upsetting the palace, altering policy decisions before royal input.
  • That precautionary deference demonstrates institutional influence without formal intervention.
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