When a new royal baby is born, I often wonder how subjects of the British throne explain the occurrence to their kids while gathered round the telly eating breakfast that for some reason includes tomato and beans. Does one explain that this new royal person is owed a lavish lifestyle at the expense of working people? And if so, does one explain why? And if so, why?

When I teach my son that he is not innately or inherently better than anyone else, that requires also concluding that there also is nobody innately and inherently better than him. I consider this lesson as essential as any I’ll ever teach him. He should never show deference to a human being simply on the basis of whom her parents were, and neither should any American.

When our kids learn their history and the role monarchs played in it, it’s very important that they understand that not having monarchs is philosophically, morally, and culturally an improvement over having monarchs. In America, this is generally what we should teach our kids.