It isnt just the Royal Family that draws crowds/tourism, but its the pomp and ceremony and traditions that only survive because of the royal family. The guards at the palace and the tower draw huge numbers of attraction. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo draws around £77m a year for the local economy and growing bigger and bigger year on year. Traditions set as standard from following the royal family and the traditions that includes.
Yes, tourist might still go to Buckingham Palace, even if it wasnt lived in by a serving King or Queen. Yes, theyd still come to London. But there are a LOT of people from outside the UK that are fascinated by the Royal family and what it is and stands for. Like Shakespeare is a huge draw for crowds to visit Stratford, the Royal family is a huge draw to London/The UK aswell. Would people still visit Stratford? Probably. Would there be nearly as many? Definitely not!
Hundreds of people line the streets every day to watch the changing of the guard. All tourists, all feeding the local economy. The changing of the guard only happens because of the Royal family and the traditions around it.
To people outside of the UK, the UK is black cabs, red phone boxes, soldiers in red tunics and bear skins, and the Royal family.
Even in Australia, when a Royal household member tours, people line the streets 5 or 6 deep, just to say the seen William and Kate, or The Queen etc.
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