Behind the label and a protocol respected to the letter, there is a man. Our colleagues from across the Channel BBC have achieved a documentary about the first year of Charles III’s reign. While waiting for its broadcast on the small screen scheduled for December 26, 2023, the British media is publishing small extracts of what awaits viewers. There is no need to recall to what extent the English are attached to the symbolism embodied by the Windsor dynasty, although this explains the fact that this film is probably one of the most anticipated of the year. In addition to the official and protocol images of the appearances of the brand new monarch, journalists from the BBC wanted to show behind the scenes, with new interviews and more intimate sequences. Thus, it will soon be possible to discover that the successor of Queen Elizabeth II has a great sense of humor, towards others, but also when it comes to laughing at himself. During a scene where Prince William tries to attach a ceremonial dress with great difficulty, the person concerned encourages him by explaining to him that he will necessarily succeed, and for good reason: a question of morphology. “But you don’t have sausage fingers like mine.”he whispers to her, letting out a little laugh.
Jokes and failures
It is also important to note that this documentary is a first in this area. Until now, coronation preparations have never been filmed in such detail, even if it means showing the public that failures exist. We see, for example, moments of rehearsal where nothing goes as planned, but the atmosphere is far from being as rigid as one might think. Behind the scenes of the enthronement of Charles III was punctuated with fits of laughter from members of the royal family, enough to unwind before the big day. We also see in this film that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who is struggling to remember his text. “I have a memory that is probably as good as our spaniel’s, in other words, it’s rubbish”, we see him admit in front of the cameras. A scene probably embarrassing for the person concerned, but one which Charles III had great fun with.