We are just a few days past the anniversary of our 1776 Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. We recall that the American colonists protested against “taxation without representation.” Today in the United States we complain about “taxation with representation.”
Today’s British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is respected not only in her country but also in the United States (although she wears “funny” hats, in addition to the crown — but not at the same time).
Maintaining the monarchy in Britain isn’t cheap. It costs about 38.2 million pounds ($57.8 million) a year, we are told. That’s a lot of money.
But per capita, the British report, the queen’s maintenance costs only 94 cents a year per Briton. Apparently, most of the British people think it’s worth it.
Since we gained independence, we don’t have to pay for that.