Hardly any institution is sacrosanct, including the British monarchy. Although the modern monarchical tradition in Britain has existed for a millennium, the royal family has come under siege in recent years, perhaps because of questionable behavior of some of its younger members.

A major television channel brought the national debate to a boil by airing a live program in early January titled "Monarchy: The Nation Decides." Listeners were invited to phone in their opinions. Some 2.6 million people did. Surprisingly, the vote was nearly two to one in favor of a continued monarchy in Britain.

Ultimately the question of retaining a British monarchy rests in the hands of Almighty God. His is the only referendum that really counts. (Sources: The Times, The Independent.)