Betty at one of her official duties

In April Buckingham Palace will receive $57 million (36 million pounds) from the public dole to bankroll Betty’s royal duties in 2013. That’s an $8 million raise from last year. Up until now there has been no accountability & a lot of secrecy about how the dough is spent. But in accordance with a recent law a watchdog committee from Parliament will now audit her finances to see if taxpayers are getting a fair return on their money. For $57 million she better be a mighty busy girl.

According to the Buckingham website her official duties are considerable. She is after all the UK head of state with authority over the courts, armed forces, Church of England, & with Commonwealth matters to attend. She has papers to sign, receptions, investitures, garden parties, film premieres, concerts, ceremonies, different venues to visit (like hospitals & schools), the management of her several estates. She appoints ministers, judges, diplomats, bishops, governors & officers in the armed forces.

So if Betty is so damn busy how comes there’s no photographic evidence of all this? How come the only pictures we see are of her at the horse track or counting her gold bullion? British taxpayers are advised to hire a watchdog committee to monitor the Parliamentary one. Politicians are a fragile lot & very corruptible. She’ll invite them to one of her garden parties, ply them with caviar & champagne, & make them feel too indebted to expose the scam she’s running.

(Photo of Betty at Ascot races, 2012 by Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images)