![]() He will also have to contend with an increasingly vocal republican movement. While the most recent YouGov poll shows a majority (59%) think Charles is doing well, support for the institution in general fell as those questioned got younger, with 80% of the over-65s voicing their approval but only 37% of 18- to 24-year-olds. How the king will overcome this remains to be seen, but an ageing royal family could affect its popularity. “You’ve lost Prince Andrew and Prince Harry. They will keep going as long as they can,” said Hugo Vickers, a royal historian. “The Duke of Kent and the Gloucesters and Princess Alexandra, they can’t take on anything more. ![]() In the official coronation photograph featuring the remaining 11 working royals, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra are 87 and 86 respectively, the king, 74, the queen, 76, Princess Anne, 73, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester 79 and 77 respectively, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh 59 and 58 respectively, while the Waleses are both 41. With Andrew and Harry out of the picture, and the death of the late queen, what to do with all the patronages is a big question. The Princess Royal may have had a point when she told Canada’s CBC News that a slimmed down monarchy “doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing”. “I suppose it was important to be seen to be addressing the issue head on, as opposed to the way that other issues, such as bullying allegations, are being treated as private matters,” Little added, referencing bullying allegations made against, and denied by, Meghan.Īnother challenge Charles faces is the “slimmed-down” monarchy he is said to have wanted, which now looks positively skeletal. The reaction to that was surprising, particularly from the Prince of Wales,” said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, noting Hussey was soon back in the royal fold. “One could almost argue it was dealt with too swiftly. Hussey immediately resigned from the royal household for making “unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments”, and later offered an apology in person, which Fulani accepted.įor Charles – who is very close to Hussey, godmother to William – it was a difficult situation. Some royal observers were surprised at the speed and ruthlessness with which Charles’s aides dealt with the fallout. ![]() His love for his younger son, though, is demonstrated in his invitation to Harry and Meghan to his coronation, although only Harry turned up and then made a swift exit back to LA.Īnother early challenge was the race row involving Lady Susan Hussey, the late queen’s lady-in-waiting, and a black female charity reception guest, Ngozi Fulani, of Sistah Space. So far, there has not been a day when he has thought saying something was going to make things better, the Guardian understands. It has never been an established position that nothing would be said, rather in what way would saying something make things better. Photograph: Reutersįrom Charles there has been silence. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s protracted onslaught against the royal family and institution in general, and Harry’s criticism of his father in particular, have played out across the world.Ĭharles made his debut as king on the international stage by addressing the German Bundestag. He has also hosted the US president, Joe Biden, and the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa.īut, while he would like to be seen as a unifying figure, the challenging dynamics of his own fractured family have dominated his first year. He has made his debut as king on the international stage, addressing the German Bundestag, a first for a British monarch, and a similar honour will be accorded in France this month when he addresses their parliamentarians. The political turbulence of the early days of his reign saw him no sooner having his first meeting with one prime minster than he was on to his second. He also sees himself, as head of state, of being a symbol of continuity and stability, said sources. The nature of these receptions has changed from the late queen’s days, precisely because Charles is no longer able to become involved in certain areas, sources indicate. ![]() Receptions are larger-scale events – such as that in February for the British east and south-east Asian communities. Now, “informal formality” are the bywords. Photograph: Jonathan Brady/AFP/Getty Images Charles at his eve of Cop27 reception at Buckingham Palace with the Cop26 president, Alok Sharma, Rishi Sunak and Stella McCartney.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |