London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Andrew Marr: Members of royal family ‘have been behaving like free riders’

Andrew Marr: Members of royal family ‘have been behaving like free riders’

The political interviewer also discussed the future of the BBC licence fee.

Andrew Marr has said there will be an “ethical earthquake” when the Queen dies, as he claimed some members of the royal family have been “behaving like free riders”.

The veteran broadcaster, 62, addressed the future of the monarchy during his first interview since leaving the BBC in December after more than two decades at the broadcaster.

He told The Daily Mail he expected the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge to “orchestrate a clear-out” with the aim of maintaining the support of the public.

"It won’t be the same: the modern monarchy under Charles has to earn its place every day, every week and every month in people’s affections"


He said: “There is a sense that the whole issue of the future has not been discussed for a very long time, because the Queen is so admired and so revered.

“When that terrible day comes that the Queen is no longer with us, the country will go into a state of shock.

“It will be like an ethical earthquake and I do not think it is fully understood or appreciated how this is going to be an absolutely massive moment in all our lives.

“It will shake the whole country in a way that will be hard to explain until we actually live through it.

“I know the Prince of Wales has plans for reforming the monarchy; it appears Charles and William will orchestrate a clear-out.

“It won’t be the same: the modern monarchy under Charles has to earn its place every day, every week and every month in people’s affections.

“I’m sorry to say some members of the royal family have been behaving like free riders.

“They assume the monarchy — the institution itself — can never be questioned. But the reason it is not being questioned is because of the Queen herself.”

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the licence fee is to be frozen


Marr also said that in “the long term” the BBC may have to fund itself via a subscription model.

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries confirmed this week the licence fee is to be frozen at £159 a year until 2024, after which it will rise in line with inflation for the following four years.

She also said the next announcement about the fee “will be the last” – indicating a different funding model could be introduced from 2028.

Marr said: “In the long term, it might have to have a subscription model. But it is odd to announce the end of the licence fee without a replacement.

“It’s hard to resist the suspicion that it came at a time to save the Prime Minister’s skin.”

Marr will now host an opinion-led programme on LBC which will see him “give his view on the biggest issues of the moment” alongside guests, and write for newspapers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×