How relevant are the Royals today?

  Why, when nobody voted for the monarchy and half the population under the age of 50 doesn't think it should exist, does Britain still have one? […] “It's just part of our lives, our tradition and our culture,” said Penny Convers, a 64-year-old teacher who was interviewed as she enjoyed a few moments of rare London sunshine this week. “Most of us just see them when they come on the TV,” she said of the royal family, “but they are part of our British way of living.” Not for Jude O'Farrell, a 24-year-old pub manager from Southampton, England. […] “The monarchy doesn't really fit into my life at all,” he said. “It just exists. It doesn't really do anything.” Still, you can't walk around Britain for more than five minutes without running into or experiencing something that shouts “monarchy”: stamps, coins, banknotes, street names, pub names. […] Sure, there are implacable anti-monarchy campaigners like the Republic group, whose members regularly demonstrate at royal events. Recently, too, there have been increasing complaints from the former British colonies, which are demanding that the royal family finally face up to its colonial past by formally apologizing and making reparations. […] “The real question is not why they're a monarchy – they're the wealthiest and most powerful monarchy that still survives,” said Brooke Newman, an associate professor of history. […] “The question is, why does the public continue to support them? It boils down to emotional reasons,” she continued, “that people feel this intense pride in having a historic family with an unbroken chain through history.” […] It's said that an ideal monarchy should always be changing and always be the same, maintaining tradition and keeping up with the times,” said Tracy Borman, the author of Crown & Sceptre, a history of the British monarchy. […] “That ability to adapt has been a saving grace of monarchy.”