Yes, and it's good that they are not getting forced. That is a good thing about the USA. People CAN choose to go against the stream, and nothing very serious will happen as long as they don't take it too far.
I saw a film about some people who were Jehova's Witnesses and had some trouble because they did not want to salute the US flag. But it was nothing major, just inconvenience.

I don't know about the USSR either, but I think they could opt out of most patriotic stuff, but probably at a higher cost to their career etc than in the USA. I remember Crocodile commenting that he joined the Komsomol organisation despite the fact that he did not really want to. Not sure what would have happened if he had just said "stuff it I can't be bothered." Does anyone know?

As for the royals, I don't care for the monarchy at all and I am not defending it! I would not care if they disappeared tomorrow. (But I would not get rid of them in the way that the Russians did!!!! )

They are not allowed to do or say ANYTHING political, they just perform official duties inside the country, and add a bit of glamour outside the country.

The curent King of Sweden is dyslexic and has a mild speech problem. He could never run the country.
These people are basically just ambassadors.

The media obsession with them is really terrible, I think. Obsessing about the royals is a kind of modern "opium for the people..." Why worry about the state of schools and hospitals when you can talk about Kate Middleton looking too skinny, or what Princess Madeleine really is doing in New York..