The United States and Monarchy

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Somebody

With the latter I beg to differ. Lucas van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven was promoted way faster (while he didn't meet the criteria) than anyone would expect based on his experience - the Ministry explained that 'because of the special bond between the military and the House of Orange-Nassau a special trajectory had been created for him... The Dutch public broadcaster (NOS) reported the story about Lucas with the heading 'Preferential treatment for members of the royal family at the Armed Forces'.

And many royals indeed do also keep moving up the ranks after leaving active service which has very much to do with them being members of the royal family.

I don’t follow the Dutch royals closely, but, in the British Royal Family, I don’t think either Harry, or Andrew, or, before them , people like the Duke of Kent were fast-tracked.

[SLV]

I think there are few people in the Netherlands that even knew that he was in the military. (That is, if they ever heard of him at all). I certainly didn't. Last time I saw a picture of him, he was 9 years old.

[SirGyamfi1]

Plus the privilege of being a member of a Royal family is limited to a few key members, extended family members don’t get pensions for life, security for life or at all, free housing, they can be sued or taken to court, and they receive overwhelming scrutiny, they don’t get state funerals, relatives who go into politics are usually very distant relatives who may not be titled.