# Queen Elizabeth II **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2003, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219 "2003-07-04T10:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/1 "2003-07-04T10:41:28Z")
Disregarding benefit from tourism is the Queen a financial liability to the UK? ---
**Author:** ![Tarantula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e274bd/32.png) [@Tarantula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarantula)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/2 "2003-07-04T10:52:24Z")
You mean does she spend more than she earns? Given that she earns nothing in a real sense, I’d say - YES. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/3 "2003-07-04T10:53:37Z")
It really depends, do you treat the money that the queen gives to the treasury from the rent of the royal properties or not? ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Planet\_of\_the\_Shapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_of_the_Shapes)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/4 "2003-07-04T11:08:05Z")
Well the government gives money to the Queen, so yes she does cost us money. Its not like shes some profit making private firm. She is the official head of state though, and has many other official functions. So she is providing (non monetary) benefits. Of course, she is also providing a lot of monetary benefit in the form of tourism, but you wanted to disregard that. ---
**Author:** ![nikotime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@nikotime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikotime)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/5 "2003-07-04T12:00:57Z")
No figures to back this up, but I understand that the monarchy cost the tax payer considerably less than similarly sized countries (ie. France) pay for their elected heads of state. Also, it is worth remembering that the greater proportion of what we think of as her great wealth actually belongs to the country, and is not hers to spend. She can’t just flog off another Canaletto from Buckingham Palace every time she fancies redecorating the bathroom. Prince Edward, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/6 "2003-07-04T12:38:45Z")
Surely if she “spends more than she earns” she is putting money **into** the UK economy? By buying her sherry, dog food, Mr Kipling cakes etc etc? ---
**Author:** ![nickannan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bcef8e/32.png) [@nickannan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nickannan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/7 "2003-07-04T13:08:19Z")
Firstly i’m not a royalist but ok, the queen might bring in the tourists. Whether than justifies the ‘support’ she receives is another matter. But the problem is shelling out for the cousins and nephews to enjoy a life of luxury. n. ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/8 "2003-07-04T13:08:44Z")
I really think that how much the monarchy costs is far from the most important question that this topic raises. It’s an annoying habit of the British to always try to bring everything down to money. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/9 "2003-07-04T13:10:44Z")
On a related note, is the American head of state a financial liability? ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/10 "2003-07-04T13:21:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zorro \* > I really think that how much the monarchy costs is far from the most important question that this topic raises. Yeah, important questions like “Come the revolution, what length rope should we use to hang them?”, “Okay, which one do we shoot first?” and “Where should we display the heads?” are often overlooked. ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/11 "2003-07-04T13:32:42Z")
Well I see it like this. They may be a bunch of overprivileged oafs, but they’re pretty harmless. They apparently cost me £0.60 a year. Now compared to the amount of money that Tony takes off me to fund expensive blunders, illiberal legislation and the latest dodgy as hell military venture, it really is irrelevant. They don’t harm anyone, leave them alone. Come the Revolution, who exactly are we going to be measuring ropes for? I’m going to have my arse kicked by the moderators for this post. Sorry moderators, I’ll shut up now. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/12 "2003-07-04T13:41:09Z")
I still say we should replace 'em with animatronics. Once the initial outlay is paid for, all you have to pay for is a bit of WD-40 and the electricity bill. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/13 "2003-07-04T14:18:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nikotime \* > \*\*No figures to back this up, but I understand that the monarchy cost the tax payer considerably less than similarly sized countries (ie. France) pay for their elected heads of state. > > \*\* That could be true, I wouldn’t know, but the french president has an actual political office, which makes a difference. Beside, it’s my understanding, that other monarchs in Europe (Netherlands, Norway, etc…) aren’t as “high-maintenance” as the british Queen, by a very long shot, though they have similar jobs. ---
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/14 "2003-07-04T14:29:35Z")
I pose the question because elsewhere I’ve seen a claim that the Queen contributes £130 million to the Exchequer. I’d like some authority to question this. ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/15 "2003-07-04T14:41:53Z")
It’s nigh on impossible to ever elucidate this, because the monarch doesn’t actually own the Crown Lands, Buckingham Palace, etc, or her art collection, and her personal wealth come from an investment portfolio built up over a few centuries. Mow the Prince of Wales, that’s a different matter. He owns the Duchy of Cornwall, and the accountys are available for all to see. Essentially, he pays his way. I do know that a few years ago the Royal family ceased to be exempt from tax, and the Sunday Times Rich list no longer lists her as the richest person in the UK, having decided to discount all the stuff that is actually the State’s. ---
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/16 "2003-07-04T14:58:13Z")
(Zorro) Come the abolition of the monarchy what belongs to the Queen and what would revert to the State? Who owns all the many expensive gifts the Queen has been given over the years? ---
**Author:** ![Zorro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ad7895/32.png) [@Zorro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zorro)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/17 "2003-07-04T15:47:40Z")
Essentially all The Crown Estates are the State’s. That includes Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, shedloads of land, the art collections, but not a fair few other castles and lands, and whatever investments they have. They would also no longer receive money from the Civil List (which is essentially a huge expenses account). It would all go to El Caudillo Tony… ---
**Author:** ![toscar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@toscar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toscar)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/18 "2003-07-04T15:57:20Z")
(Zorro) Would the same apply to the Duchy of Cornwall? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/19 "2003-07-04T16:15:28Z")
Doesn’t she consult with the PM? If she does so, isn’t that an actual service rendered? ---
**Author:** ![chiefgnome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@chiefgnome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiefgnome)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219/20 "2003-07-04T16:21:51Z")
The Crown Estates accounts are available online here - [http://www.crownestate.co.uk/index\_4.shtml](http://www.crownestate.co.uk/index_4.shtml). They brought in about £160 million last year. Until 1760 they were the personal property of the monarch, but they were then signed over to the State who now get all the money. They are the monarch’s property in purely nominal terms, for all intents and purposes they belong to the state. The civil list was started in return for this - basically, you give us all your property and we’ll pay you pocket money every year. It’s just rather a large sum of pocket money 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/queen-elizabeth-ii/186219.md?page=2)