What Do English People Think of the Royal Family? | Easy English 98

Hello, welcome to Easy English.

So today, I’m on the beach and I want to find out

what the people of Brighton think of the monarchy.

This is what Brits think of  the royal family, here we go!

I think the royal family is…  they have a lot of secrets.

I think sort of, the royal  facade needs to be broken down.

I think people are really  interested in finding out

about what their life is really like

and all of the things that people  have hidden like, in the past.

I think the royal family is a great institution.

I'm glad it's gonna be slimed  down, I think it's too big.

Yeah. - Too cumbersome. - Yeah.

What is your general opinion of the royal family?

I think my opinion of the royal  family have changed over the years.

I… When I was younger, I’m from  a Welsh background, obviously.

I kind of like, always questioned  about the… the kind of,

the value and worth of the royal family.

But, as I've grown older and  certainly (with the) environment

in which we live in now, when  we talk about the environment,

I think they’re at the cutting edge  of it and I think they are leading.

Well I think they're generally an anachronism.

But, as I… my life has progress,

I've gone from thinking they're sort of,

the devilish side of society, over-privileged,

over-educated, but in a very narrow band. - Right.

To thinking that actually, many,

many people love that feeling of continuity,

in times of unprecedented,  catastrophic sometimes, change.

Okay so, let’s ask the question then;

what are your thoughts,  generally speaking right now,

on the royal family? - I think they do a good job,

I think this next generation will change things,

I think they’re gonna be  more modern, they gonna be…

I think they’re gonna interact with the public

in a more approachable way, not so aloof.

I think it's quite exciting.

Yeah, what are your sort of,  general thoughts on the royal family

as a whole, as like, the  firm. - I hate the word firm,

I think it's a horrible way to describe them.

I think they are the royal family,

I’m very proud of them, I’m  proud to be British and erm…

I think they do an awful lot  of good, by just being there,

holding the country together,  particularly the Queen.

Yeah. - I think she’s done the most wonderful job,

all these years that she’s been on  the throne, which is a long time.

Yeah. - And erm… they bring a huge  amount of tourists into the country,

which brings an awful lot  of revenue into the country.

And I think one of the things  that people forget, when they say;

''Oh well, of course they own  all these palaces and this,

that and the other''. They actually  belongs to the nation, most of them.

And they employ a vast amount of people.

If you want to improve your  English through our episodes,

then you could consider  becoming an Easy English member,

through our Patreon!

We offer reading, video and audio based extras

to help you follow along with all our episodes.

You can get learning material  for each one of our episodes,

including a transcript; to help  you read along with the episode

and a vocabulary list; providing you definitions

for the more complicated vocabulary.

And lastly, our new British slang worksheets;

covering over the more  colloquial and informal words

used in each episode.

What your thoughts? - Yeah, very  similar actually, very similar.

Yeah, I think… I think Charles was a…

has probably been a… a sort of, go-between.

Between the old traditional  royalty that, as you say,

stood aloof and was slightly  remote. Which I think, to be honest,

the generation probably before ours enjoyed,

because they sort of set them on a…

on a pedestal and they represented  something quite iconic and different.

Whereas, I think as the  generations have changed and the…

and the world's changed, really.  That sort of… that sort of,

different hierarchical structures has…

has become very much softened  and therefore the sort of,

the royalty has had to move  towards the… dare we say it,

the common man. You know, more… in a more, yeah.

In a the more acceptable way, really.

I mean, I think the royal family  through the years has been like,

a lot of people were really interested in them.

But, I… there's a lot of like,  misconceptions about the royal family

in like, what they are actually like in real life.

I think they're kind of, glorified and their life

is probably not as like, sort of,  romanticised as what people think.

It’s probably quite hard to sort  of, keep themselves to themselves

and actually do like, their royal  duties as people hope that they do.

But I think that prince William and prin…

and Kate are doing a great job at the moment.

And erm… he’s doing his ''Earthshot'' thing,

which I think is a wonderful enterprise.

And particularly as he’s not  just leaving it in the UK,

he's taking the ''Earthshot'' around the world.

And so, I think the next one is the United States,

so I think that's a very important time.

So he's championing something,  but the other thing I think…

I think about him is that, he's  thinking about the young people

and their futures. He said at the time,

that he's concerned about his family  and he was able to take the conc…

concerns for his family to a  greater audience… audience,

all the families that have young children;

how nervous they are, how  challenged they are, by the future.

So I think he’s flagging up some  real issues, so come on William!

Give us some more! And the Queen  is wonderful, we love Queeny.

Yeah? - We love her to bits and she’s  served her nation with diligence,

throughout the years. She said  she’d serve and she has served.

Wow! - There are a few wasters  on the edges, but that's life.

Charle… Charles I think, has  started it in a very limited way,

but I think he's sort of,  not exactly broke the mould,

but he… he certainly sort of  er… started to put sort of,

steps out there to… to… to make some changes,

not always appreciated as a…  as I’m sure we all realise,

but in his own ways. And then… and then, as I say,

William and Kate have really picked  up the mantle and… and… and gone on.

I'm not sure whether Harry has  probably gone a step too far, really.

I think he's probably… I dunno, what do you think?

in terms of, you know… - I think  he’s… he’s… feels free enough to say;

I don't want to do this, I'm  gonna go do something else.

No, he’s not hidebound by the traditions,

that a younger sibling would  have been perhaps, historically.

In the sense that, the way Anne  and Andrew were behind Charles.

I suppose, he's broken those  boundaries, hasn’t he? He’s said;

well, you know… - He’s opting out, a little bit.

Yeah; I’m not going to be part of  the… the… the firm, as it were.

The firm, yeah. - So I'm gonna,  you know… - Do my own thing.

And I don't think the Queen has  had a lot of choices, really.

I think she's been bound by protocol  and ''this is what you gotta do''

and ''this is how you do it''.

And… and I… yeah, I just  think this next generation

will do it a little bit more their way.

Would you say… do you think  which is still need them?

Are they still relevant? Do we  benefit from having a royal family?

Well, only relevant, I think as society has become

more fractured and strange.

And although they are strange,  I think in an odd way,

they represent some people, I  do. And er… I would never of…

you know, 50/60 years ago, if  I’d had an opinion 60 years ago,

I wouldn't have, ever thought I'd  hear that come out of my mouth.

Do you think we need a royal family, still?

I would say not, but I think  a lot of people really like,

idealise them and see them as  massive celebrities. - Yes.

So, dunno. Difference of opinions, I guess.

Do you think there’s erm… positives  and negatives to not having them?

Yeah, definitely. So, the positives  to not having the royal family;

I think, there's less sort  of, hierarchy in our society.

But I think the negatives of not having them;

a lot of people would feel  like, the past is kind of,

not carried into the present. And  they’ll feel like, really sort of,

nostalgic about what used to be  really important in our society.

Okay, So are you kind of summarising that kind of,

keep them, but that we give them less sort of er…

we idolise them a little bit less  or give them a little bit less

power in certain aspects? -  Yeah definitely, I think so.

Interesting that the point  you were making last… a bit…

a minute ago about you know, Harry kind of,

opting out and the Queen kind  of, maybe having to just,

take this all on. - Yeah. - Do we need them?

Do you think we need the royal family, anymore?

I think… I think it's gonna be…  I think they… I think Charles…

I think William and Kate will  thin… thin the royal family down.

I think it’s gonna get thinner  and thinner and thinner.

Yeah, in terms of the sort of,  hangers… not exactly hangers on,

but the… historically it’s been a…  it’s been a lot of people, hasn’t it?

You know, the royal family… - Do we need them?

We probably don’t need all the Duke of Gloucesters

and all that sort of, lot. I think…

I think in terms of the core,  I think they do… you know,

they are still very well  respected around the world.

And… and I think they do offer  a… a balance in the community.

Well, all of them really.

I think they… bec… because they have shown…

the Queen has demonstrated her father's values.

I mean, she did take on her father's valued…

values and erm… has not changed very much.

And I think that's kind of,  representative of her generation.

You know, very much the war  years and all that and then,

you've got her son particularly, Prince Charles;

brought up in public school,  if he’s odd, well that would…

that would account for it, I think.

Not… not having a… a broad enough chil…

range of experiences as a child.

And then, the younger royals; they you know,

Prince William wasn't expected to marry a virgin,

was able to establish a relationship,

an adult relationship before  any commitment was made.

And met his wife's family, who  were you know, they'd worked, they…

what do they call them?  Trolley dollies, on an airline.

Oh yeah, trolley dollies, yeah. - You know I mean,

so I think the young royals  might have a happier experience

and I hope they have a happier experience.

Can I ask then, because usually,  my next question to people is erm…

do you think we still need them?  Which… and I think you’d say yes,

because like you say, we… it keeps  jobs and they actually do bring…

Huge amounts of people in, a lot of revenue.

Yeah, but my next question for you then, would be;

as you think they are important  to kind of, British… to Britain,

do you think they’re still  relevant or they’re still

current with today’s climate,  today’s society, today’s culture?

Yes, yes I do. I think the Queen… I mean,

being 95 now and not so well, has got to sort of,

I’m mean, I’m sure she cares an awful lot,

which is not sort of, quite  out there at the moment.

You know, they’ve got to be careful with her.

Charles has always, always being  very conscious of being green

and the future and climate  change and everything else.

And all his speeches attached to  that and his projects and things all…

and his you know, if one  went to Highgrove (gardens),

which I haven't done, but I…  I’ve… some of my family have,

say it’s wonderful.

You know, he's very caring about how things work

and keeping wildlife going  and all that sort of thing.

And William, being next in line, as we know,

has just done these various global…

can’t remember what it was called  but, global-something or an other.

And gave out these prizes to people  who’d got initiatives into how to…

you know, get power from the sea, or  whatever it was that they’re doing.

And I think he’s highly  motivated and… and hopefully,

if he gets the chance a very…  will be a very good king,

with a modern twist.

Thanks for watching this week’s episode.

Let us know in the comments below you thoughts

on the British royal family  and of your royal family…

if you have ‘em.

And we’ll see you next week, bye.