With many countries having abolished monarchies, it begs the question does Britain really needs a royal family?

According to me, it is not a question of ‘need’ but ‘want’. British Monarchy is one of the earliest monarchies in the world. For Britain, it is a major symbol of their culture, history and heritage. For some, the royal family is the center that holds together the national identity and provides a sense of stability. Loyalty to the Crown in now a habit instilled in them for generations now.

But what does the royal family do apart from looking pretty and drinking tea? The major role of the royal family is charity work. They have worked extensively in the areas of health, education and environment. There are currently 3000 charitable organizations which list a member of the royal family, with the Queen being a patron with 510 charities in Britain.

How can we forget the impact Princess Diana created on the stigma related to AIDS when she shook hands with one patient without gloves? Or when Prince William and Kate Middleton openly talked about the mental health struggles and the stigmas related to them? Undoubtedly, there is something influential about Prince and Princesses and the people we look up to talking about issues the general public might be shy about.

Also, in light of the recent interview of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with Opera, one fact cannot be ignored. The issue of racism is being discussed extensively now because the Duchess of Sussex is now a victim of it. We need to ask, would this gain this much traction if a regular person in Britain, a bank girl or even the CEO of a company would have come forward with it?

The royals, in my opinion are here to stay, whether they are needed or not. If not for anything, at least they provide us with entertainment and when have we ever shied away from grabbing our popcorn and being a spectator to some good old family drama?

Sources: Google and ImpactNottingham