Royal Titles: The Ruling Class has survived for centuries because its ruthless
The political controversy over Prince Andrew’s titles continues. He has agreed not to use them (officially) but the Royals (aka the Firm) apparently have had no plans to actually remove them from him until now.
According to letter writers to the Times (21st October) this would be a fairly simple matter.
The reality is that the ruling class has survived over many centuries because it can be ruthless.
Consider for a moment an event on the other side of the class divide. Its summer 1972 and five dockers have been sent to Pentonville jail for allegedly breaking Tory industrial relations law. No sooner had the TUC called a General Strike than an unknown State functionary, the Official Solicitor, appeared to secure their release. The Strike was called off.
In 1917 legislation was passed to allow the King to set up a Privy Council Committee to identify enemies who had fought against Britain in the First World War. Queen Victoria had married a German, Albert. Several descendants held Royal titles while fighting for Germany. A 1919 report named four people who were duly purged of their titles.
Andrew has not of course been fighting against Britain, rather he fought for the country in the Falklands, but the real issue in 1917 was people who were bringing the monarchy into disrepute and from a ruling class perspective Andrew is doing that.
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