Has the Royal Family's image been tarnished?

The Royal Family has faced widespread criticism over the last week, in one of Buckingham Palace's most difficult periods in memory.

The collapse of former Royal butler Paul Burrell's trial and the subsequent publication of his story turned the spotlight firmly on the Palace with a number of potentially damaging revelations.

The Queen's privileged position in the law was called into question and conspiracy theories abounded over the nature of her recollection of a key conversation with Mr Burrell, which led to the trial's collapse.

Further allegations by a former Royal valet that he was raped by another male servant have added to the strain on the Windsors.

Do you think the Royal Family's image has been damaged? Does Buckingham Palace need to take steps to improve its image? What does the future hold for the Royals?

This Talking Point is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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I can't understand how sensible Brits believe in the false magic of monarchy

Gutchen, USA

The Royals are ordinary human beings. Their privileged position gives them the opportunity to behave stupidly. I can't understand how sensible Brits can still believe in the false magic of monarchy. It's time to sweep them away - humanely - and go for a 21st century republic.
Gutchen, USA

Why would anyone need to bring up what Diana wore or did not wear when meeting boyfriends when the topic was alleged theft?
Mary J, US

In Japan, the royal family command great respect, mostly because they very quietly go about their business. They are not in our faces every day in the newspapers. Nevertheless, like the British royals, they only exist because of an enormous entourage of hangers-on who benefit by the continued existence of an aristocracy. The system is out of date. It is time for a republic and the election of a head of state who can truly represent the British people.
Robert Ridge, Japan

I would not fight for any politician but I would fight to defend the Queen

Frank, England

Despite all of the efforts of the politically-motivated gutter press, the Royal Family have survived remarkably well. If a fraction of that "investigative effort" were expended upon any other target (eg Messrs Blair, Prescott, Straw or Bush) then there would be a new privacy law in days. I would not fight for any politician but I would fight to defend the Queen.
Frank, England

Nobody seems to have justified WHY the Royal Family deserve their status. It is an anomaly; a birthright.
D Sinclair, UK

One of the best things that has happened for democracy for a long time.
R Court, UK

The monarchy continues to provide an unending source of entertainment for the masses. The Royal Family are hilarious caricatures of upper class life, priceless sources of both inspiration and comic relief, all rolled into one uniquely British package. Anyone who wants to do away with them must be a humourless bore, who can't tolerate human frailties at all.
Jan Skiba, USA

The Royal Family are humans after all and as such prone to make mistakes. The Queen should not be blamed for not remembering a discussion that was held five years ago. I am 27 years old and I can assure you I can't remember a discussion I had two years ago with anybody. The press are making too much of this really, they should give the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family a break. The British public should know one thing the monarchy and its tradition in British history make Britain a popular tourist attraction.
Joy, Nigeria

The only reason that I can see for retaining the monarchy is that having a clapped-out politician as head of state instead would be no great improvement. The Royals themselves could live much happier lives without the unrealistic expectations that their status forces them to try to live up to.
Rod Parkes, Hong Kong

I think that it is disgusting and treasonous to try and cast any shadow over the greatness of our beloved Royal Family, especially the Queen. Our monarchy is the backbone of British greatness, or at least what is left of it. The Queen is our national identity - remove that and we have absolutely nothing left. The monarchy is the only link to our heritage and pride of this nation and the empire. God save the Queen!
David, UK

"Our monarchy is the backbone of British greatness, or at least what is left of it." I think this says it all!
Charlie, Netherlands

The Royal Family remain what all of us are, human, with all of the failings that the rest of us have. What has altered over the past 30 years is the explosion in intrusive and speculative journalism which is not challenged by the readership. It examines every public figure with the same thoroughness as a pathologist dissecting a corpse. Which of us could stand up to such scrutiny? If journalists and editors had the spotlight turned upon them for a change, I wonder what we would find. In effect, this country and the world would benefit from a few less scandalmongers.
Steve Davy, UK

The Queen remains the only respectable member at Buckingham Palace

Akhil, India

Of course the Royal Family's image has been tarnished - the family is not one the whole of Britain should be looking up to. The Queen remains the only respectable member at Buckingham Palace. All the rest have been mired in some controversy or the other. It is up to Her Majesty to bring back the good image of Britain's Royal Family.
Akhil, India

I cannot understand the duality that exists in the UK regarding the Royals. You take such pride in the history and the establishment yet seem to go out of your way to tear it apart at the first opportunity. If you did not buy the tabloids, which thrive on such despair, be it royal or otherwise, these 'stories' would cease to be newsworthy. There are some important issues to be faced at the moment, and the royals are not one of them.
Dan, New Zealand

The Royal Family has long outlived their importance in British society and what is left of the commonwealth. They should all live ordinary lives like the rest of the population, and the Queen's wealth should be used to finance all her expenses, travel etc. I, as a Canadian taxpayer, resent her spending taxpayers' money on some whirlwind trip she recently made to Canada when the majority of the Canadian public do not identify with her. We are a multi-cultural society and the rest do not even care.
Eleanor McFarlane, Canada

What have the Royal Family done, except perhaps hire unsavoury, untrustworthy staff and marry unstable incapable partners? Are there any laws about treason towards the monarchy? Why isn't our good Queen protected from all this rubbish? She is a remarkable woman with an unwavering sense of duty and love for her country.
Carol, Canada

It's such a shame that these allegations should come now. Together with the death of the Queen Mother, they have cast a sad pall over what should have been a happy jubilee year. I am tired with the tabloids seeking muck to rake. The Royals are human beings just like the rest of us. They do their best to set a good example but we can hardly blame them if they sometimes turn out to be less than paragons of virtue. The Royal Family play an important role in our society and work very hard. I believe that if are to be blamed for their failures they should also be applauded for their contribution.
Matt, UK

Many earlier monarchs have had worse public standing

Steve, UK

Yes, the Royal Family's image has been tarnished, but more by its members than Mr Burrell. Is it important? Not in the historical perspective. Many earlier monarchs have had worse public standing. The palace should take a lesson from industry: If you want to improve your image, behave in a way that engenders respect. Cut out the behaviour that gets bad press. But the palace should stop worrying about image - leave that shallow game to politicians - it's their substantive contribution that they should emphasise.
Steve, UK

The Royal Family's image has been damaged for sure, and yes they do need to make steps to improve it. Their longevity depends on their ability to stay out of the newspapers for the wrong reasons. For some reason the anti-monarchists seem intent on vilifying the royal family for in essence representing a good cross-section of our country's inhabitants. Divorce, adultery, feuds and the embarrassing grandfather are part and parcel of everyday life. Presumably all the anti-monarchists enjoy perfect marriages and utopian peace at home. I am not a monarchist, leave them alone, trying to abolish them would cause more harm than good, just imagine a country split in two over the meaningless status of a family that has no power. It's just not worth it.
Martin Haigh, USA/England

The Royal Family carry out their public duties and serve the UK well. Having lived in several European republics during the last 30 years, I am convinced that the alternative to monarchy is hardly more appealing! I feel sad for the Queen that this latest scandal has come at the end of her jubilee year, when we were reminded just how well she has performed an all-too-often thankless task over the past 50 years. No, it is not the Royal Family's reputation that has been tarnished, rather that of the tabloid-buying public. If Royal scandal stories did not increase sales, the editors would soon drop them.
Jenny, Switzerland

I think it is the image of the media which has suffered most, and which will continue to suffer. They have mercilessly hounded the royal family, and even when it is apparent that the royal family are not involved, they care little for such niceties. The news media's behaviour has been downright disgusting.
Noel Cox, New Zealand

Normal service has been resumed after the blip of the jubilee

Shula, London

Normal service has been resumed after the blip of the jubilee. What has been most interesting has been the way the debate has moved onto areas like the Queen being outside the law. It's opened my eyes to some of the astonishing and archaic rules about the way we are governed and the hold the unelected monarchy has still over our Parliament and the legal system. Time for a change I think, because I thought we lived in a democracy.
Shula, London

The Queen stands head and shoulders above the other Royals - but what is the alternative to the monarchy? Surely we do not want a politically appointed president? The examples of France and US in recent times are a warning about that road. Of course, we could always learn from Bernard Shaw's play The Apple Cart - do away with the monarchy and let William stand for president, he would win by a mile.
Helier Brown, UK!

The press - which includes yourselves - seems to be determined to attack the institution of the monarchy. There is no better, or cheaper, system of a head of state. Would you prefer an elected crony of Mr Blair or Mr Major? An elected president would be more expensive to "deliver", no cheaper to run, and would cost the country untold losses in tourist dollars. It will not take a great deal more sniping by you all to cause the Royal Family to leave the post altogether.
Guy Burn, USA

They are their own best reasons for the dissolution of the monarchy

Frazer Goodwin, UK/Belgium

What on earth can the justification for an unelected head of state be in the 21st century? We lecture the world on the importance of democracy and yet we continue to let ourselves be ruled by privileged birthrights. Their continual inability to perform at anything like an acceptable level counters the argument for their existence strongly. They are their own best reasons for the dissolution of the monarchy.
Frazer Goodwin, UK/Belgium

Why don't you get a new Royal Family? This one seems to be well past its sell-by date.
Mark Strijbos, Netherlands

Mark Strijbos suggests a new Royal Family. How about the Beckhams, who have both managed to earn money on their own merit and appear to be a loving and stable family unit? They also seem to be far more intelligent than the entire Royal household put together. Long live King Becks!
Dan Brett, Cambridge, UK

If Paul Burrell loved and respected Princess Diana half as much as he says he did, he would stop dragging up the past and let her rest in peace. At the same time he has cast a shadow of doubt over our monarch.
Simon, UK

They have not only tarnished the image of the country, but have made themselves a laughing stock in front of world, after breaching the confidence of many who were once very proud of Her Majesty's dignity and position.
Shubhashish Gupta, India

If Mr Burrell was such a rock to Princess Diana, he should not be coming over here to hide, while further disclosing more information about her. He should simply go hide under the rock he came from.
Faith Allan, USA

This will blow over just like any other scandal that the Queen and her family have gone through

P Smith, USA

This comes up every time some guy working for the Royal Family or any other public figure in this world has something bad to say about them. My advice: If you have nothing nice to say to them, do not say anything at all. Mr Burrell should have kept his mouth shut when it comes to the Windsors. This will blow over just like any other scandal that the Queen and her family have gone through, and they will come out stronger in the end. We need to pray for them and support them, not criticise them. As an American I would do the same for our president, even though some of his policies stink.
P Smith, USA

Their reputation has been further tarnished - but how much further can it go? It seems the more we hear about it the worse the whole Royal set up is. Please let the monarchy slip into oblivion. They are a very expensive embarrassment.
Alex Carlyle, UK

Who really knows what the truth is now given the systematic claims and counter claims - disinformation or just an attempt to sell newspapers? In my view it is now impossible for the general public to have any confidence in what the truth exactly is. There remains an impression that anyone associated with Diana has been "muddied" since her untimely death. Undoubtedly the monarchy has also been damaged.
Andrew Thompson, UK

The image of the British monarchy tarnished? Look at this monarchy historically - the current day British royalty are saints compared to some of the past upstanding Royal figures. The Queen Mum apparently lived a spotless life, Queen Elizabeth has been outstanding as a Queen, her children have had some problems, primarily with personal relationships, but for the most part they have performed in their official capacity remarkably well. The paparazzi that make much ado about nothing are the characters with the tarnished image.
Linda, USA/Europe

If the Royals do not improve their image then the public will desert them

Trevor Piper, UK

Yet again another public relations disaster. What are the Queen's advisors up to? She is supposed to be the most informed person in the world, yet they completely got this wrong. I believe that the Queen needs to look seriously at her advisors who all too often are completely out of touch with reality. It is a great shame because she is a wonderful lady with a great sense of duty to the country, badly let down by some of her family and so called advisors. If the Royals do not improve their image then the public will desert them.
Trevor Piper, UK

I feel that the Royal Family must change and become less remote. We the public have a right to be aware of exactly what it is in our interests. However Prince Charles' divorce was a very bitter one and I feel that the bitterness is still there on both sides. It seems to me that other people have been asked to pay, Paul Burrell for one, and that is not just. The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen do have to realise that their duty to their children should be just as strong as their duty to this country. I feel sometimes that has not been the case.
J M MacQueen, Britain

I think that members of the Royal Family should no longer be above the law. How can the Queen end a trial with such arbitrariness? All citizens of this country ought to have equality before the law.
Joseph, United Kingdom

It should not be the Royal Family who are tarnished, rather the tabloid press who are wallowing in their usual cesspool and selling prurience to the gullible.
Sarah, England

I am not a fan of the monarchy. The only reason I see for having one is for the tourism industry. However, I don't feel that the Queen did anything badly wrong. From what I understand, she was given incorrect information and therefore she cannot really be blamed for not bringing forward evidence that would have been irrelevant if what the police had told her was indeed true. So in my eyes, the Royal Family are no worse now than they were before the start of this affair. But that is not to say their image is good.
Russell Lambert, England