The mummery surrounding the succession of the new King continues with the ‘proclamation’ staffed by what appear to be extras from the court of the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland. The glitteringly archaic heraldic costumes just add that air of luxurious absurdity to what it, after all, an absurd custom to match the absurd reality of a seventy year old man given the throne because he happened to be the first born of a woman whose father was king because his elder brother had an affair (entirely unreported in the British newspapers at the time) with an American divorcee, and chose abdication rather than giving her up. The stuff of soap operas on daytime television. But, hey, it’s the way we choose our heads of state in Britain!
I am beginning to wonder if I can keep up this carping for the whole period of mourning, up to and beyond the funeral. That was, of course, a rhetorical question as I have no end of dissatisfaction with the way that things are happening at the moment.
The Minority Mandate Prime Minister looks way out of her depth, politically, socially, and culturally. She is going to be thrust onto the international stage (admittedly as something of a bit player) in a cast of characters all of whom have more experience than her at this level. It is as if she has been promoted from spear carrier to main role and she simply does not have the character or background to make anything of the dramatic opportunity, which she must see is much more of a very real threat!
Meanwhile the rest of the world looks on with amused envy: laughing at the blatant silliness of the ceremonial, but secretly wishing that their countries could do something like that to add to the jollity of nations.
I do not dismiss ceremony, it can usefully add layers of meaning, and be an efficient focus of emotion and awe, I feel less happy when the ceremonial trappings appear to take on a life of their own and become the thing that they are supposed to represent, then I am concerned.
The Monarchy is an expensive figurehead for Britain. Given the way that our parliamentary democracy works (in spite of the best efforts of Johnson and the Tories) the Monarch is a cypher. In theory the Monarch is immensely powerful, but in practice, without the acquiescence of parliament the Monarch is nothing. A very, very wealthy nothing, admittedly, but with little command. But the way that we treat this figurehead with robes, crowns, coaches, servants, soldiers, palaces, castles, particular forms of address, etc makes the person ‘special’ in a way that no other person in the country is, no matter how gifted, intelligent, knowledgeable, and rich other might be. The trappings of the role and the flummery that goes with it, separates the person from the rest of the country and gives the Monarch a unique place – irrespective of that individual’s personal ability, or lack of it.
I recognize that people feel that they are caught up in an historical moment, a new monarch, the first in 70 years. Although born in the reign of the previous King I have no recollection of him, and my only early memories are of the late Queen. When I was a Cub Scout, part of my oath was, “I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and the Queen”. QCs, God Save The Queen, Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State on passports, ERII on pillar boxes, her face on stamps, coins, notes – it is a monumental change as uniforms, badges, documents, and a way of thinking has to be changed.
But, as the days of mourning progress and we work our way to the emotional outpouring of grief that will accompany the magnificence of the funeral, what we are actually seeing is the ruling class cementing its advantages, closing ranks to ensure that the status quo is not challenged, reinforcing the inequality which is exemplified in the very existence of a Monarch in an advanced democracy and watching and encouraging those who lose most by this unfair system actively and joyously celebrate their powerlessness!
Charles III cannot fail to be an odd king. He is the oldest heir apparent to finally accede to the throne. He has spent over half a century waiting for his turn. He has been a controversial figure and has made his views felt in a plethora of subjects over the years. He has passions and on occasions he has made his preferences clear and has used his position in the royal family to advance his agenda. This must all now change. He is no longer the heir; he is the Monarch, and he will have to follow the ‘neutrality’ of his mother – or there will be trouble.
He made it clear, or at least he suggested strongly that he has no intention of abdicating and handing the throne on to a younger generation. Like his mother he is in the job for life and if he follows her example, he has a couple of decades on the throne left in him. But he is coming to the job as an old man, beyond retirement age. He will be dealing with a Government almost entirely younger than he is, in a country that is overwhelmingly younger than he is.
He has a hard job ahead of him and a lingering fear that the ceremony of accession televised for the first time today, could also be the last.
