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What Is the Monarchy For?
Does the British monarchy still have a place in today’s society? Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘exit’ cast light on institutional racism, Prince Andrew’s alleged sexual abuse highlighted troubling attitudes to gender and power, while the abolition of monarchy in Barbados accentuated its relationship to colonialism.
But what is the monarchy actually for? Does it benefit the UK, or cause more harm than good? The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the dawn of the Carolean age makes these questions more pertinent than ever.
Breaking longstanding myths around the monarchy, Clancy demystifies and evaluates the monarchy, showing why republicanism is nothing to be scared of.
But what is the monarchy actually for? Does it benefit the UK, or cause more harm than good? The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the dawn of the Carolean age makes these questions more pertinent than ever.
Breaking longstanding myths around the monarchy, Clancy demystifies and evaluates the monarchy, showing why republicanism is nothing to be scared of.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 29, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 24, 2026
Laura Clancy’s What Is the Monarchy For? is a brilliantly incisive, urgently needed interrogation of the British royal family in the wake of immense institutional turbulence. Spanning 169 pages, Clancy cuts through centuries of romanticized mythmaking to examine whether the monarchy still has a legitimate place in modern society. Drawing on high-profile flashpoints from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure exposing institutional racism to controversies surrounding Prince Andrew and Barbados moving toward republicanism, she tackles the big questions head-on.
What makes this book extraordinary is its fearless, evidence-based dismantling of how the institution operates, particularly in its relationship to power, wealth, and colonialism. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the dawn of the Carolean age, Clancy evaluates the actual costs and benefits of the Crown to the UK, arguing persuasively that republicanism is a rational, non-threatening alternative. Sharp, accessible, and deeply provocative, it is an essential read for anyone invested in the future of British democracy.
What makes this book extraordinary is its fearless, evidence-based dismantling of how the institution operates, particularly in its relationship to power, wealth, and colonialism. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the dawn of the Carolean age, Clancy evaluates the actual costs and benefits of the Crown to the UK, arguing persuasively that republicanism is a rational, non-threatening alternative. Sharp, accessible, and deeply provocative, it is an essential read for anyone invested in the future of British democracy.
May 25, 2025
No arguments
The book just state information that is already known. No analysis or proper argument to support the tittle of the book.
The book just state information that is already known. No analysis or proper argument to support the tittle of the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews