Global Courant 2023-05-08 11:00:42
The party is over for King Charles – now it’s time to get back to work.
Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son was crowned Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London. After the pomp and circumstance, the monarch will have to head an institution that has been criticized by many for being outdated and irrelevant today. Still, several royal pundits insisted that the 74-year-old is not afraid of naysayers and will instead follow his mother’s mantra: keep calm and carry on.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, kneels before his father, King Charles III, during the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in central London on May 6, 2023. (GARY CALTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images))
“The king has some tough challenges ahead of him after the coronation,” British king expert Shannon Felton Spence told Fox News Digital. “The affinity that existed for Queen Elizabeth II kept the monarchy afloat, as much of the public saw her as a grandmother-type figure. , its colonial past.”
King Charles III ascended the throne upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
“(But) King Charles III is the right king at the right time to handle this,” shared Felton Spence. “He cares deeply about securing the institution, but in a way that is pragmatic and modern. He has shown the ability and willingness to lead the British monarchy into a new era. He was present in 2021 when Barbados became a republic and effectively removed the British monarch as head of state.”
King Charles III is crowned with St Edwards Crown at his coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, London. (Victoria Jones/Pool via REUTERS)
“He works daily on all diplomatic endeavors – both inside and outside the UK,” she continued. “He is meeting with his staff about his patronage – the Queen has been a patron of more than 500 organizations – acting as CEO of the Royal Family institution and making decisions on how each working member can best serve the government and the public and acts as CEO of the Duchy of Lancaster.”
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Prince William, the eldest son of King Charles III and the late Princess Diana, is heir to the British throne. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
And Charles is not alone. The king has his eldest son, Prince William, in his corner. The 40-year-old is heir to the throne. His charities and causes — from mental health to the environment — have hinted at what kind of monarch he could one day be.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, kisses his father, King Charles III, wearing St Edwards Crown, during the coronation ceremony. The fixed-feature coronation is the first in Britain for 70 years, and only the second in history to be televised. (Yuki Mok/Getty Images)
According to palace insiders, father and son have become closer than ever after the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have expressed their grievances over the years, sparking a painful split at the House of Windsor.
Royal pundit Duncan Larcombe told Fox News Digital the King is still coming to terms with the impact of his youngest son’s tell-alls.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced that they will be stepping back as senior royals in 2020. They now live in California with their two children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. (Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
“Since the Queen’s death, Charles has been beyond reproach so far and has won over new fans and people who may have thought he wouldn’t make a good king,” Larcombe said. “I think it’s a matter of trying to build on that. But he has specific challenges ahead… That will be a priority, as will running William as his heir and the job William inherited.”
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
And Larcombe suspects Charles could look to his son for fresh ideas. In November 2022, William, 40, and his wife Kate Middleton landed in Boston, Massachusetts, for their first trip to the US in eight years. The Prince and Princess of Wales were in town for three days of engagements leading up to their Earthshot award, which celebrates environmental innovators.
Larcombe noted that there is a possibility that Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, are considering a trip to the US to boost their public image.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales arrive at Logan International Airport on November 30, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Prince and Princess of Wales were in town to attend the second annual Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony to honor those whose work helps restore the planet. (Samir Hussein – Pool/WireImage)
“As king, he is expected to circumnavigate the world,” Larcombe explained. “Meeting with foreign rulers and visiting places where the then government asked him to go, because it is the government that decides where the royals travel. Things that are very high on the priority list would be visiting America for example. Places like Canada or New Zealand. They want their first picture with the king and he wants to be seen.”
There’s nothing in the books for a trip to the US – at least not yet.
“From sunrise to sunset the king works,” British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. “He doesn’t like frivolity. He will continue to officiate over 200 royal events each year, with at least a day and a half to prepare. That’s almost every day! Does anyone know anyone 74½ years old who does that? (We can do) expect) more connection with people. He even walked up to the ‘Not My King’ protestors last week! He has guts and courage.”
The former Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are seen here visiting the Lincoln Memorial on March 18, 2015 in Washington, D.C. Royal experts suspect the King may soon be considering a trip to the US. (Chris Jackson-Pool/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales have kept in touch with the public. In the run-up to the coronation, they poured a pint of beer, boarded the subway and even took an order at an Indian restaurant. In between, they chatted with royal fans, tourists and locals. Hundreds of well-wishers, some from China, Canada and the US, lined the streets, hoping for a glimpse of the couple, a handshake or a selfie. At one point, William joked that he should watch how much he drank and “get back into work mode”.
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Prince William, Prince of Wales takes a restaurant reservation alongside Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they visit the Indian Strateery, a family-run Indian restaurant in Birmingham, England, on April 20, 2023. (Arthur Edwards – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
But not everyone was in a festive mood.
Protesters hold signs reading “Not My King” as Britain’s King Charles III arrives at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Milton Keynes, north London on February 16, 2023. (Arthur Edwards/Getty Images)
Activists have long tried to build momentum to oust Britain’s 1,000-year-old monarchy. And many have argued that the monarchy should have ended when the queen died. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch died in September 2022 at the age of 96.
Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. (Max Mumby/Indigo)
Opinion polls suggest that both opposition and apathy towards the monarchy are on the rise. In a recent survey by the National Center for Social Research, only 29% of respondents thought the monarchy was “very important” — the lowest level in the center’s 40 years of research on the subject. The opposition was greatest among the young.
British broadcaster Jonathan Sacerdoti told Fox News Digital that growing backlash is not new territory for the Windsors. So it will be business as usual.
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Catherine, Princess of Wales, talks on a phone from a member of the public as she meets well-wishers during a walk on May 5, 2023 in London. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
“Charles knows the role well because he grew up and grew old watching his mother do it,” explains Sacerdoti. “Indeed, since she could do less, he took on many responsibilities even during her reign. So in that regard, he will not be surprised by what he has to do as king. Also, despite the coronation this week, he is already king for a few months and has had plenty of time to get used to it in practice.”
According to royal experts, King Charles III will lead his son Prince William as monarch. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
“He may find it challenging to reform the monarchy or the family if he wants to,” he shared. “He has spoken in the past about ‘slimming’ the working royal family… With the death of his parents and the fact that Prince Andrew and Prince Harry are no longer working royals, there are now fewer of them to work take on that needs to be done. So in some ways the slimming down may have already happened in a different way.”
“The King will continue to emphasize service to the nation and the Commonwealth in his work, as well as continue the support for the monarchy that his mother enjoyed,” Sacerdoti continued. “There are always contemporary issues that every monarch faces, but with the support of his highly capable staff and advisers, King Charles will most likely work hard to address any issues he encounters in a constructive and considered manner.”
Felton Space pointed out that the monarch has a private meeting with Britain’s prime minister every Tuesday. Larcombe said that “no law will be fully passed without his final signature” and “there will be a lot of paperwork that he never had to worry about before.”
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King Charles III is greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at an informal meeting with Commonwealth leaders at Marlborough House in London on May 5, 2023. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
“These meetings are completely unofficial and only the two of them are in the room,” Spence said. “It’s an opportunity for the prime minister to keep the monarchy abreast of their priorities and the goings-on of government affairs, as well as a space for the monarch to provide advice.”
In terms of what kind of King Charles will be, time will tell. But so far he has looked to the past while bracing for the future. And he has William beside him.
“Each monarch does the job in their own way, so we can still expect some differences and changes, but that’s the nature of a monarch,” Sacerdoti said. “As with the coronation ceremony itself, King Charles is likely to change and modernize certain things while keeping tradition and history at the heart of what he does.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment on Foxnews.com.
