The Crown Estate was not ever the Queen’s personal property. She couldn’t “turn it over” because it wasn’t hers (except in the very broadest sense, where she is the state). It is (and has for centuries been) state property, and the revenue it generates is no more related to the monarchy than any other revenues collected by the Treasury (income tax, licensing fees, etc.).
A decision was made to index funding for the monarchy to the revenue received by the estate so that neither the government nor the palace would have to be seen giving or asking for more money. The Crown Estate was chosen to provide this funding because there is a common (and largely false) urban myth about the significance of the Crown Estate to the finances of the monarchy, and using it would lead to the fewest questions. In reality, it makes no more sense than reserving a fraction of income tax for the palace, or letting the Queen collect a portion of TV license fees. There just isn’t a widespread folk tale about how the monarch magnanimously turns over their hereditary television revenue in exchange for a lesser amount of money.
I don’t see the monarchy as ever being abolished. It was tried once, and the king was even executed. But it took less than thirty years and they brought back the monarchy, the son of the dead guy.
There have been really odd kings and very unpopular ones, I think the present set are fairly mild when compared to some of the past monarchs.
will it happen in the next number of years - unlikely.
I do talk to (British) people who say the finances disgust them (etc). It’s not a very simple equation to work out. Out and our worth of the Queen wouldn’t even pay the bill for conversion, even if you could “claim it back”. It’s clear to me that there are many many tourists that come to London to see Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and so on. The monarchy sells!
I did see a figure a while ago (on SD I think) that the US presidential office costs $1Bn a year. the monarchy is a fraction of that, plus you don’t have to have an election every few years!
I’m far from a fan of the US presidency, but our president serves two roles, head of state and government. How does the cost of the US presidency stack up against the cost of the Queen and the PM together?
Also, how does the cost of maintaining the queen and royal family compare to heads of state in non-monarchical European countries?