Platinum Jubilee ‘last hurrah’ for royals says group fundraising for billboards in Cardiff and Swansea

An anti-monarchy campaign group fundraising for billboards in Cardiff and Swansea has said it expects the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to be the “last hurrah” in terms of major royal events.

Republic has already erected billboards calling on the public to ‘make Elizabeth the last’ in Scotland and England and has set up a crowdfunder with the intention of putting billboards up in Wales as well.

Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said that while the Queen was very popular, the monarchy would lose public support as soon as the current Prince of Wales, Charles, ascended to the throne.

“People do not think about Prince Charles in the same way they think about the Queen,” he said. “That conversation is going to be a very different affair.”

He said that his coronation will be “a political event” and will “trigger huge debate” over the monarchy and is likely to be accompanied by protests.

‘Expectation’

On what Republic’s supporters may be doing this weekend, Mr Smith said: “Most people (in general) are not engaging with the jubilee.”

He said they are “just enjoying the weekend” or going away – as long as their flights are not cancelled.

“There is no problem with having an extra day off,” he said, but added: “We can do that with or without the monarchy.

“Italy is dong a very similar celebration without a monarchy to celebrate the day it became a republic,” he said, referring to the Italian national day which takes place on June 2 every year.

He said: “The jubilee is the last hurrah of the monarchy in the next few years. We always hope that this is the last.

“We are moving from hope to expectation as it will be a very long time until Charles has a jubilee and hopefully the monarchy will be abolished by the time George is on the throne.”