The TV licensing people made a right royal cock-up and people loved it

John Plunkett. Updated August 27th, 2020

There’s no shortage of debate about the TV licence – how much it should cost, how they should collect it, whether it should be decriminalised, whether we should have it all – you know the sort of thing.

Fortunately this is nothing to do with that. This is a right royal cock-up/unfortunate oversight (delete according to mood) by the TV licensing people, and one that appears to happen every year, which makes it even better.

It was shared on Twitter by Rachel Mackay, who is manager of Historic Royal Palaces at Kew and, well, over to @rachmackay.

Oh good, it’s the time of year where I have to explain to the TV Licensing Authority why King George III hasn’t paid his TV licence since 1820 pic.twitter.com/9vYma2DSlz

— Rachel Mackay (@rachmackay) August 27, 2020

Just in case that address is tricky to read …

The Current Occupier
Kew Palace
Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew Green
Richmond
TW9 3AQ

And it’s fair to say people loved it, they really loved it.

He’s refusing to pay because he only watches The Crown and it’s on Netflix.

— Maximilian Hardy (@MaxJLHardy) August 27, 2020

Seriously? This is brilliant. Must be a little marketing play you could do in the museum with this

— Mark Barrett 🇬🇧🇱🇧🇮🇸 (@Mbarrettmuseums) August 27, 2020

They could send someone in a early 19th century outfit to the TV Licensing office, and pretend they don’t know what a TV is it how this letter was written so neatly,etc

— Brandon Martin-Moore (@BrandonMartinM2) August 27, 2020

I’m sure a lot of Americans will be amused that the govt is asking George III to pay a tax.

— Dr Stuart Auld (He/Him) (@StuAuld) August 27, 2020

No taxation without TV reception.

— ADKing (@a_d_king_) August 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/HRP_palaces/status/1298941191812251649?s=20

You just can’t get the staff these days… sorry George https://t.co/dp8RfIMJoo

— Rachel Mackay (@rachmackay) August 27, 2020

Source @rachmackay