Prince William + King Charles
Hard times! That is why they could meet more and more resistance
Prince William and King Charles
© Samir Hussein/WireImage / Getty Images
King Charles has not even been crowned when the monarch is already facing a stiff headwind. This could not only blossom more often for him in the future, but also for his son Prince William during his reign.
“Not my King,” read in large black letters on signs protesters used to greet King Charles, 74, on his recent visit to Milton Keynes. Such protests should await him and Prince William, 40, even more frequently in the future, says historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop. The reason for this is the “difficult to define roles” of the royals in our time.
King Charles remains calm
Just days before the Milton Keynes incident, police had carried away a protester on Charles’ visit to Cornwall after he held up a blank poster. “It’s the 21st century and we don’t need a monarchy anymore,” he said. Such incidents appear to be increasing in frequency, especially in the run-up to Charles’ coronation.
“There’s no need to panic just yet, these anti-royal excesses are part of a healthy democracy – which is probably why Charles stayed calm and continued his rounds of the crowd,” she said “mirror”. The King has had a lifetime of practice and the “much more aggressive Welsh nationalist opposition at his inauguration as Prince of Wales in 1969” was his baptism of fire.
The survival technique of the hereditary monarchy
A new head of state or a new term in office often meets with resistance, notes Dunlop. However, thanks to his mother’s “remarkable rule”, Charles initially met little resistance when he ascended the throne after her death in September. “Out of respect for Elizabeth II, anti-monarchists were persona non grata during her mourning and the police cracked down on any protest,” explains Dr. Tessa Dunlop. “This neat overlap between the departure of the late ruler and the arrival of the new ruler is one of the hereditary monarchy’s many survival techniques.”
On the other hand, it is now to be expected that tempers around the coronation will continue to heat up – an “obvious target for anti-monarchists, especially in a cost-of-living crisis,” notes Dunlop. “Before her death, Elizabeth II’s popularity in old age saved the rest of the family from much criticism as well. Our unique, aging ruler kept anti-monarchy sentiment (which has always existed) at bay,” she says . Without their protection, the royal family is more at risk. In addition, Charles has suffered from poor poll numbers since his divorce from Princess Diana, † 36. The “truth bombs” of his son, Prince Harry, 38, would only have made the situation worse.
“The Windsors are the new vehicles for our hate speech; apparently nowadays you’re either pro-Sussex (unlikely if you’re British and over 40) or pro-Royal,” the historian points out. “That sentiment makes booing Charles more socially acceptable among younger generations.”
Source used: mirror.co.uk