‘Make Elizabeth the last’ anti-monarchy campaigners urge ahead of platinum jubilee

#AbolishtheMonarchy advert reads above the faces of Royal family

‘Make Elizabeth the last’: Anti-monarchy campaigners’ call ahead of platinum jubilee (Republic)

An anti-monarchy pressure group has plastered billboards across the country urging ‘Make Elizabeth the last’ ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next week.

Campaigning group Republic has placed the large posters in cities around the UK, including Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Birmingham.

Above the faces of Prince Andrew, Prince William and Prince Charles, the advert says #AbolishtheMonarchy.

Republic first introduced the posters in late July last year.

The group wrote on its funding page: “As we approach the end of the Queen’s reign the country needs an honest, grown-up debate about the monarchy.

“We need to stop and ask ourselves: Can’t we just choose our next head of state?”

The Queen visiting newly opened Elizabeth line this week (PA )

Speaking for Republic, Graham Smith said: “These billboards are part of a wider move to generate a bigger, louder public debate about the future of the monarchy.”

“Recent polls now show more than 1 in 4 want the monarchy abolished, while support has dropped from 75% to 60%. Ten years ago around 10,000 street parties were registered for the jubilee, this time it’s just 1700.”

“The monarchy is increasingly out of touch and out of time. We need to prepare to move on and start electing our head of state.”

The campaign has divided Twitter users, with some critics of the billboards calling the campaign “pathetic” and a “waste of time and money”.

Referring to the money raised to support the campaign, one user said: “You could have put £40,000 to good use. Instead, you’ve squandered it.”

Another user said: “Seriously? With all the problems the world has at the moment, this is the thing you want to ‘fix’?”

However, the campaign also saw a lot of support with many expressing their disdain for the Royal Family.

One user said: “Wonderful! Money well spent. We can’t afford the Royals.”

Meanwhile, the country looks ahead to the Queen’s Jubilee which will celebrate 70 years of the monarch’s reign.

The jubilee be marked by a four-day bank holiday starting on Thursday.