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The Queen and her entourage only cost a couple of annual bonuses for some of these greedy bankers. She is worth a great deal more and should be cherished. Have a look at the alternatives. Are the badly behaved presidents and their entourages any less expensive? Burma is another alternative - look at it! It is not a monarch's job to keep the government under control. This is a democracy and it is up to every one of us to vote for a suitable government - not easy, but it is our responsibility to get out and vote at the General Election. LibDems, perhaps?

- Dian Elvin, Witney, Oxfordshire, UK

Just cut aid to Africa, use the money for a good cause, dont waste it on dicators and africa. The future of the nation is paramount. Let the people vote and its not for africans

- Tony, Londin UK

I think QEII is a asset to the UK and deserves a rise in the annual payment she receives from the Government. Her sons, particularly Charles and Andrew, are killing the Monarchy. Prince Andrew (plus Bea and Eugenie) is a lazy money grabbing second rate Royal. Monarchy means duty, honor, stability and 'Unity'. Prince Charles gets too political and divides people. His intervention cost 5,000 jobs! MonI think QEII is a asset to the UK and deserves a rise in the annual payment she receives from the Government. Her sons, particularly Charles and Andrew, are killing the Monarchy. Prince Andrew (plus Bea and Eugenie) is a lazy money grabbing second rate Royal. Monarchy means duty, honor, stability and
'Unity'. Prince Charles gets too political and divides people. His intervention cost 5,000 jobs! Monarchy and politics don't mix, to avoid any suggestion of abuse of power. Public opinion made Charles pay tax since 1992 (but clever accounting has meant that he was able to write off almost two thirds of his salary every year). archy and politics don't mix, to avoid any suggestion of abuse of power. Public opinion made Charles pay tax since 1992 (but clever accounting has meant that he was able to write off almost two thirds of his salary every year).

- James, UK

"If the Royal family took back their money".........

mmmm let's not forget that the wealth of our head of state has accrued as a result of the unique position of the institution of monarchy - allowed for generations and which has never been subject to a vote from the british people.

the reputation of this lot stinks the world over too - and how can people seriously justify any institution on the grounds of tourism?!? the palaces wont go with them! now more than ever this lot are impossible to justify in a modern democracy.

- Phil, london

OK - are public servants in the Treasury, and their masters, the best people to decide on what funds are paid to the Royal Family? Look at their record and decide. These are the same people who work out MP's expense allowances and state that pubic sector pensions are "fully costed and fully affordable". If the Government considers that the Monarchy and Commonwealth are important (we already know that they think the public are not), why do they not index the state pensions of former National Insurance Fund contributors (using part of the 52 billion pound surplus in the NI Fund)? Retirees in loyal countries like Australia and Canada, do not receive increases on 6 April, but those in Republics like the USA, Israel and the Philippines do.
Does this mean if Australia and Canada become republics UK state pensioners there will get their UK State pensions indexed? Give the Queen the money and sack the bad decision makers and Treasury public relations people.

- Richard Lane, Kariong, NSW, Australia

Ma'am. How many people are employed to stir one's tea?
As many as stir things up whenever I ask for more money.

- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.

It appears to be time for the Queen to drop the civil list and reclaim the income from the crown estates. Then sit back and listen to the cry from all the leftie lovies because their benefits would have to be cut by a very large amount.

The government makes more from the crown estates than they give back via the civil list. If the Royal family took back their money and just paid tax there would again be an outcry because everyone would have to pay higher taxes to keep this broken government going in the way it has become used to.

For all the republicans, an elected president is the worst form of head of state known to man.

- Ivan, Rodes, France

Why not add the £100 million spent on security to this cost?

- Overtaxed, Farnham UK

If she can use her royal prerogative to stop this venal gang of crooks in parliament dragooning us into a European superstate without the promised democratic referendum then she's worth every penny. If However she sits supinely by and nods it through against the will of 80% of her subjects then bin her so to speak and save us all a few bob. She will have proved herself to be unimpeachably a waste of space, time and money.

- Steve, Brentford

It is time that the Royal Family Paid their own way !!!

- A.Taxpayer, london

@ Dr.Rashid Manzar, Kolkata, India

Yeah, our money matey, we'll sort it out not India.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

@ James, Dubai UAE
"Comments should be based on fact and logic not jealousy or pettiness."

Seeing as her internal audits and accounts are not made public, how can you whittle on about facts?

We petty jealous people know how much she costs, but have no idea how our money is being spent. So I have no idea how it is you talk from a stand point of fact and logic. Are you in with the Royals some how?

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

I would much rather see my tax going to the Queen than going into the grany train MP's expenses pot!

Long live the Queen.

- Mrs, London UK

It's better if a census is taken in U.K whether the kingship should continue or not. As U.K. is a democratic country,it is better if royalship is discontinued. Let the royal family generate their own revenue & stop wasting public money.

- Dr.Rashid Manzar, Kolkata, India

The Civil List, should be decreasing not increasing. Get rid of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth tier royals, and put turnstiles on the palaces... problem solved ...

- Ade, London

Well she is okay but it is true she has done nothing to stop labour loony policies and the civil list is too long ..prince Andrew will have to pay for own daughters if they are too lazy to work or want protection!!!

- Jean, London England

Those that want to should pay for the monarchy, I do not, and would like a refund.

- Vic, London

Cheap at the price considering the revenue the family generates for this country. If they were on commission it would cost a lot more!

- Steve, London, UK.

spelling people please...! On topic, as a Brit born & raised abroad then being forced to live here for over 25 years, paying taxes, NI, etc etc; direct your approbrium towards the Government, elected by the people, who have got the UK into this mess, rather than the monarchy, who haven't. You have no idea what the monarchy means to this country in many contexts as you've never experienced it.

- Hmmmm, London

They've had their time, now get rid. I dont care if I have to wait until her madge retires, just get rid...

The tourists will still come if she's not there - the USA, France and other republics have tourist economies that seriously put us to shame...we really dont need them.

- Jason, London

Yeah, yeah more excessive spending. 96p for Civil list, 40p for the BBC, who knows what pence for MPs and civil servants. Everyone, in this country wants a handout.

- Taxfreetv, London

The queen and her family before her are filthy rich from the money they have taken from the hard working tax payers; it's high time she used her wealth to support herself.

- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London

she could sell that crown of hers at Cash Convertors

- Dc, Ealing, London

The queen and the Royal family has a huge puiblic role locally but also internationally. Who knows the name of the president of Germany or Italy, but everyone knows who is the leader of Britain. Also the image of stability that the monarchy gives this nation gives investors the confidence to place their money in our banks. Further of course the world likes to come and see Britain. Further how often has the presence of the Prince of Wales or the Queen helped a multibillion deal. Thats jobs and foriegn exchange. Give her the money and keep the mystery of the monarchy.

- Jas, Camberley UK

The Queen and the Monarchy don't fit in with the new federal state that is being created -- in all but name -- by the Lisbon Treaty. Provinces of federal states don't have monarchies; it's a non-sequitur. Thus Labour has to squeeze out the monarchy -- and what better way than by stopping/decreasing the funding. The creation of the new E.U. country is a rare example of existing countries voluntarily merging together to form a new country. The only other example I can think of is when Scotland agreed to merge with England to form the United Kingdom at the start of the eighteenth century. There have been examples of countries merging in the twentieth century, but they were forced mergers of countries which had lost in war, i.e. involuntary mergers.

Thus we have the shameful act of the Government of the day putting the financial boot to a beloved institution as a first act in destroying it. It's not just Labour. Cameron would be into the same game if he were in power. The U.K. political elite just want to see the Lisbon Treaty in place and to deal with necessary consequences of the new federating process, such as disbandment of the monarchy, as expeditiously as possible. I'm sure the Queen can see the writing on the wall, but has no means for speaking out. She doesn't deserve such disgusting treatment.

- Phil Jones, London UK

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson spent £30 million a year, but you're telling me that our real Queen isn't worth half that?

And think how easy it would be for her to earn the extra cash. all she has to do is drop to the level of dignity that we are all becoming used to with our sleezy MPs. How many sponsorships would she have to take on to earn the odd £7 mill or so? How about she lends her name to a bank? or a royal charter to an airline? do you really want to see her advertising Coke on TV? i'm sure the deal would be lucrative.

But no, thankfully, we still have one decent role model left in this country. God Save the Queen.

- Barry, woking, GB

The Queen should send her expenses to the "Fees office".

I've heard they will pay out anything - even without receipts.

- Pat Morgan, spain

roberto from new york hit the nail on the head thank god some one has sense.that woman sat on her throne and watched thousands loose thier jobs and watched over her crooked government and did nothing absolute nothing now everyone is unemployed she shows concerne that her money is running out sorry dear everyone must have a job to pay tax and they are far running out do what your lousy government does borrow billions from the chinese,lollol

- Jim, london

It's amazing that Labour can spend billions of pounds on ID cards, road pricing and other madcap schemes that nobody wants, and they can borrow a mind blowing £30bn last month alone in a desperate attempt to keep Gordon Brown in his job, but they can't spare a few quid to maintain the Royal Palaces in a good state of repair. Scrap ID cards and we could afford more than 500 royal families!

- Ian, London

PETE FROM LONDON SHOULD TAKE A CHILL PILL YOU ARE MEANT TO COMMENT ON THE TOPIC IN HAND, NOT ON OTHER FOLKS COMMENTS IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS DONT READ, WE ALL WANT TO HERE EVERYONES POINT OF VIEW,NOT JUST THE ONES WITH ROSE TINTED SPECS ON. I THINK THE GUY TOLD A FEW HOME TRUTHS AND GOT YOU THINKING JUST LIKE BROWN BLAME THE AMERICANS NOT ALL THE FREE LOADERS GET BACK TO WORK AND PAY YOUR TAX AND MORE TAX AND MORE TAX LO LOL

- Jim, london

Windsor plc gives excellent value for the money.

We think we would like their job - and it is one, one they can neither choose or resign from...(well, it gets complicated here, lets summarise: France for Life).

What we mean is, we would like being important; purple air space, posh do's.. after a spot of polo. But we really only want those bits, and even then I suspect not 24/7/infinity.

Seen from without, I'm afraid that Windsor plc is probably the only thing Broken Britain has left going for it.

I'd like to know, of the staff bill, how many individuals is that keeping away from the oversubscibed benefit queue? - and rather contributing towards that bill, instead.

The measure of an economy is the rate of movement, not (any)one expense.

- Helen, Reading

Will you please, Please, PLEASE STOP implying that the monarchy is funded by the tax-payer; this is not the case, since the Crown cedes all of its revenues to the Exchequer and in retubnr receives the Civil List payment which is a diminishingly small sum in comparison.
If the Treasury/Government is reluctant to make more money available then they should allow the Crown to receive all of its revenues and then pay tax on what is left after expenses - just as any corporation does.
If saving money were really important to the Government, then they could start by withdrawing the 24-hr police guard on Tony BLiar's London home (4-5 officers at a time, all day, every day) which I personally consider to be an insulting waste of money and resources.

- Paul G, Newbury, Berks

Versailles gets a lot more visitors than any royal palace in the UK, and they famously disposed of their royalty over two hundered years ago. Whatever the arguments for retaining the royal family, the idea that tourists would not still come if we were a repulic is risible. I have lived in London all my life and only seen the Queen once (and then from a considerable distance).

- Alan, London

The UK's monarchy could easily be downsized to something more like the Netherlands' royal family. In my opinion that would be vastly preferable to becoming a republic - imagine, Gordon as our head of state?? However, doing so would not necessarily save the taxpayer any money. Visiting dignitaries like being wined and dined by royalty in opulent surroundings, and the cost of running the royal family may be more than balanced by overseas business won for UK companies during these royal-hosted visits.

Perhaps the queen should consider selling Buckingham palace to a foreign gazillionaire? She reputedly doesn't much like the place. That would call the government's bluff, and start some honest debate over the value to the country of the royal family.

- Nigel, London

I getting a little tired of people claiming that the Royals work tirelessly in our national interest.
Britain hating NuLiebour have spent the last 12 years doing their damndest tro destroy this country, and despise everything that it has come to stand for over the centuries.
This culminated in the treacherous reneging of a promise to give us a referendum of the EU Constitution (cynically renamed the Lisbon Treaty), a treaty that will substantially abolish the overwheling majority of out remaining right to self determination.
The Queen's response- deafening silence.
If she is, as appears to be the case, incapable of protecting our constitutional rights, she serves no useful purpose and should be dispensed with.
I only hope that she will do her duty and prove me wrong.

- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster

It is always interesting to read the negative comments whenever there is a Royal Family article about money. All Heads of State whether elected or unelected cost the taxpayer money.

The unsubstantiated abuse directed towards our Head of State for asking for her costs to be met from the public purse for carrying out State duties is ridiculous.

Comments should be based on fact and logic not jealousy or pettiness.

A Head of State costs money, FACT! We have our system, it works. We do not have petty, greedy politicians representing us globally but rather a decent well respected individual.

I say give our Head of State as much as is needed to carry out the role in a dignified and respectful manner.

- James, Dubai UAE

The Queen may wish to plead poverty, but first of all she should get a grip of her two sons, Charles and Andrew, both of whom believe themselves to be superior beings who live on a different level to the common herd.
Charles has already proved that he is not trustworthy by his disgraceful treatment of Diana and his long standing affair with his present wife. Having someone put his toothpaste on his brush for him illustrates what a useless and pompousindividual he really is.
Andrew has proved that he is no slouch where the public purse is concerned by his preference for helicopter travel when attending golfing events around the country, none of which have anything to do with aiding a sinking economy.
His insistence that his daughters be given the 'full royal treatment' is costing us a fortune in security alone, and goodness knows who is paying for their travel costs.
Then of course we have William and Harry, the part-time servicemen who appear to come and go when the mood takes them. Great on photo opportunities but not much more.
Times will change when the Queen is no longer with us and the subjugated commoner might have a few words to say about royals who take everything but give nothing back.
Only Princess Anne comes out shining like a diamond in a sea of royal milk bottles.

- Scotty, Cambridge UK

@ Mike Newland, London, England
"Currently 69p a year each."

That is one of the most spurious arguments churned out every time this issue raises it's head. You could argue that MP's expenses only costs us 1p each a year, doesn't justify it though does it?

Time to shake up the system and get a proper business management team in there, put our head of state on a salary. We need open scrutiny of where and to whom our money goes and certainly an independent auditor.

That civil list needs trimming/scrapping. Rich free loaders - get a job.

- Frank, Home Counties, England.

To Roberto, New York.

WE HARDLY NEED ADVICE ON FINANCIAL AFFAIRS FROM A COUNTRY THAT IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CURRENT GLOBAL MELTDOWN. OR HAS YOUR SELECTIVE MEMORY FORGOTTEN ENRON, MADOFF, FANNIE MAE, FREDDIE MAC, LEHMAN BROTHERS ETC, ETC. AS FOR CORRUPT MPs HOW MANY OF YOUR POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN INDICTED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES IN THE LAST 20 YEARS?. READ THE ARTICLE BY ROBERT LONGLEY(Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress and five to watch)WHERE HE OPENLY NAMES AND IDENTIFIES A NUMBER OF SENATORS/CONGRESSMEN SUSPECTED OF CORRUPTION OR MISSFEANCE IN PUBLIC OFFICE. THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE OF CURRUPTION BEING THE ATTEMPT BY ILLINOIS GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH TO SELL PRESIDENT OBAMAS FORMER SEAT IN THE SENATE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. AND IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT POVERTY, AMERICA HAS SOME OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE WORLDS POOREST AND MOST DEPRIVED PEOPLE AND CITY AREAS LOCATED WTHIN THE US ITSELF. NOT EVERYTHING IS SO PERFECT IN AMERICA!!!.

- Pete, South London

Fifty five thousand pounds for air miles andy to have a jaunt to Egypt,or ten times first class cost, abusive use of RAF helicopters to visit a girlfriends house, a civil list longer than the channel tunnel. Its wake up time for HM we the public are sick and tired of paying out for your family excesses, and spare me the "HM is worth every penny" bleat the reality just does not support it. Also if the palace needs repairs, do what the rest of us do, PAY, you and your family have the use of the place why should you not pay for it.

- Alan Davey, London UK

Roberto you have a point, as we know the politicians are crooks charging more for meals per week than a pensioner receives for an example. Look at Cameron who lets off his chums when they have been caught with their hands in the till! But the Queen herself is good value for the money. The "petulant" Prince Charles has done some good work with his Princes Trust & his stand against dreadful modern architecture,but should just have his income from the Duchy of Cornwalll with no "top up" from the Taxpayer. Princess Anne is the most hardworking & comes fairly cheap,her kids are no charge to the Exchequer unlike Andrew & his daughters. Andrew should get nothing,he was a part time Naval Officer & is now a free loader swanning around the world at the Tax payers expense.As for his kids,I see no need whatsoever for costly Police Protection.If they stopped dressing like tarts no one would notice them.

- Mordwinoff, Lisle France.

You'd have to have a heart of stone not to laugh! The Queen and her family of scroungers with their various hangers on should do what the rest of us do when we're a bit short of the readies - as many of us are at the moment - spend less. It aint rocket science, cut your cloth according to your means. Sell a few bits and pieces, ebay's quite good for that, use scheduled airlines, and regular trains, halve the staff you have running around after you, and for a real shocker Prince Charles could put his own toothpaste on his toothbrush.

- Anna Tomlinson, London

Ian of Cranbrook, Your dead right about the economy of windsor. i am travelling from Australia and am forgoing a day in London to visit Windsor, purely for the castle.
The royal family is a wonderful institution and I agree that they would draw in more tourist dollars than is spent on them.

- Damien Crossling, Naracoorte, South Australia

She could always draw benifit.

- Stephend, London, England

HM The Queen draws in more indirect money for the UK than most people realise. HM has worked very hard to further the interests of the UK over the years. Naturally, with the increased terrorism threats and the fall of the UK£ the costs of doing international visits by herself & family have increased way out of proportion.
Many rock stars have an annual larger spend than HM, but his is quantifiable with their earnings and even so, some of them (MJ for example) get in enormous troubles.
Naturally, with so much cash flying around, their will be individuals who don't carry their weight, but this will happen in any large family.
The main problem for the UK has been its governmental-or mentalgovernment style since 1997 which has richly rewarded the do nothings, and heavily penalised the achievers.
In closing, I am not especially pro Royalist, but it should be realised that this family do more for the UK than all other taxpayers put together. Who of us would like to be obliged to work, and perform duties dictated to us by others for all of our lives. And you can't even go down the pub afterwards!

- John Clifford, luzern, Switzerland

I presume it's the same bitter and twisted left wing loonies who smiled and danced with glee when London as a financial centre virtually collapsed last year who can not once more see passed their communist influenced noses? The banks provided £billions in tax revenue as does indirectly the Royal Family by tourism alone. I can not see the same happening for a mendacity Blair presidency nor would I wish it upon anyone with the exception if all the left wing loonies disappeared to some remote isle then they are welcome to him and doom & bust Brown.

It's also quite amazing that left wing loony Labour members, ie John Prescott, can spend what they want from the public purse but do you hear the left wing loony masses then groan?

- Joe, Thornton Heath, UK

Welcome to the real world luv!!

- C Cusano, Bedford

greedy woman, greedy family. Take the lot off them and send them to the Falklands. The French had the right idea.

- Thomas, London

People should be reminded of the benefits the Queen brings to the country. Britain is one of the few western countries to still have a legitimate royal family going back centuries. Tourists come in their droves to share in this legacy, spending substantial sums of money whilst they are here. The Queen is also a major employer direct and indirect. These days multi-national companies close down entire factories for the benefit of the bottom line at the expense sometimes of whole towns' economies. The Queen would never do this. I should imagine a large part of Windsor's economy is based on the fact that it has a royal residence.

The fact is that wage costs are rising and the Civil List is now inadequate to pay for these increases. The people who like to imply that the monarchy is a waste of money are closet republicans (most of the Labour Party to be sure) who, if they had a President, would have no qualms of awarding him and his cronies whatever increase they might consider necessary. We have just heard the new speaker pronounce that each MP is worth £100,000 per year on top of whatever they may earn as consultants in the private sector. We have MPs fiddling their expenses from pure greed.

The Queen has shown her high moral standards by using her own money to fund what is effectively state expenditure. Would any politician do the same? I think not. Consider all this before expressing outrage that the queen would need an increase from the Civil List.

- Ian, Cranbrook, Kent

If the royal family does manage to eat away its reserves by 2012 they will effect the sort of revolutionary down-sizing of the monarchy in the next generation that republicans could only dream of. I thought the Queen's greatest statement of opinion about her successor was simply to stay on. Now we see the unfolding of a far more cunning plan.

- Bloke, London

HRH is a good value Head of State compared to the French or US President.
However the knee jerk rantings of the Republicans are as badly thought out as ever.

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants

She could make a start by cutting the civil list. Better still the whole monarchy could be abolished as this would save millions.

- John, London, UK

welcome to the real world

- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france

Come on down and join the rest of us on the financial downward spiral- your Mother liked to be seen to be 'mingling' with the commoners, it'll give you the same opportunity to get an even better taste for a tad longer perhaps?

- Earthmother, Basildon

UNLOAD THE CLINGONS AND TAKE A LOAN OUT FROM HER SON

- Anon, leicestershire

Her Majesty could begin by insisting that Andrew seek gainful employment and stop asking tax payers to fund his lavish lifestyle. If he wishes to travel from one golf course to another by private helicopter - and from one country to another by private jet - then he must be made pay for it himself. He could also start paying for the pub crawling lifestyle enjoyed by his two daughters. If she struck the Kents and the Gloucesters off the civil list that would save a few million. Tax payers are currently having to pay the expenses of the most corrupt MPs in history, the bale out of the banks, and billions for Coe's olympic gravy train. A "pared down" royal family would help sooth the anger currently felt throughout the U.K.

- R.F., Yorks, UK

That's the best news I've had this month. There's many of us who do not know how we'll cope with this recession or if we'll still have a job at the end of each day.

HRH might be feeling the pinch now, but there's many of us that have been feeling it for years!

- Joon, South London

Queen runs out of money? don't make me laugh She could cut quite a few corners methinks.

- Ruth Shepley, Edinburgh Scotland

There´s no need to shout, Roberto, NEW YORK, USA, we can hear your loud-mouthed rantings clear enough. Suffice to say, you are totally wrong, so please sit down and be quiet. Say no more.

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands

Could we have a halt from the left to the ritual nonsense about the huge cost of the Royal Family?

Currently 69p a year each.

- Mike Newland, London, England

We should pay for her majestyand the duke for there role as head of state the rest should fund them self

- Terry Chambers, London

I suppose she could always take in lodgers. I´m sure she could find room for one or two at Buck House.

- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands

ABOUT TIME TO, THIS SHOWER OF FREE LOADERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AWAY WITH LONG AGO, THEY JUST MAKE THE UK CITIZENS LOOK AWFUL, BETWEEN CORRUPT BANKERS, CORRUPT MPs, AN OUT DATED TV LICENCE SYSTEM ,CAR TAX, YOU ALL MUST BE THE MOST HEAVILY TAXED PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND MOST OF YOU JUST LIVE ON OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE HOW CAN YOU ALL SIT BACK AND LET ALL THESE OBNOXIOUSE PEOPLE HAVE ANY EASY LIFE WHILE YOU ALL WORK TO YOU DROP MY MIND WONDERS WHAT YOU ARE ALL ABOUT,DEMOCRACY I DONT THINK SO ,

- Roberto, NEW YORK USA

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