What Britons think about their Royals

As we continued to wallow in the stories, photos and fashions from the royal wedding, Catherine Mayer speculates in Time magazine about the place of royalty in the hearts and minds of the British.  She quotes an aide, “..the royal family are not politicians.  They’re not rock stars with a new album.  They are here for the long term.”  Commentators add that Britons can’t make up their minds what they want from them – pay them or not, reform them, empower them or fade them out – and are quite happy for the uncertainty to continue.  Meanwhile, the royals themselves try to perpetuate the mystique and prepare their succession.  Polls in Britain show that support for the monarchy, headed by Elizabeth II, remains firmly at 70 percent, rarely wavering. [“The Royal We. It wasn’t just a wedding.  It was the House of Windsor preparing for its next act” by Catherine Mayer, Time, 16 May 2011)]