The British monarchy stands at a defining moment as it emerges from Queen Elizabeth II’s death with an increased burden on fewer members, a royal historian has said.
Kelly Swaby identified challenges to King Charles III’s reign that include a slimmed-down palace without the much adored and unifying figure of the late Queen at its helm.
She spoke to mark the 71st anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation at Westminster Abbey, when 27 million UK viewers watched Britain’s first televised investiture.
The elaborate event, when she was aged just 25, would lead to her reigning longer than any other monarch in British history up until her death on September 8, 2022.
King Charles, who witnessed his mother’s ascension at the age of four, is widely viewed as favouring a streamlined monarchy in step with more financially straightened times.
His Coronation was shorter and had around 6,000 fewer guests than at his mother’s ceremony, which took place on June 2, 1953.
But the monarch’s hand has been forced as senior royals grow older, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue their split with the palace and by his and the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.
‘The Queen’s Coronation was indicative of a time when deference to the monarchy was high; people doffed their caps and curtsied and bowed to royalty,’ Swaby said.
‘The arguments around paying for the monarchy, and over whether it should even exist, were certainly much less prevalent in 1953 than they are today
‘Last year’s Coronation faced a lot more questions and resistance than the Queen’s did, which is a sign of how much the UK has changed.
‘King Charles has wanted for many years to slim down the monarchy, but in effect he has been left with no choice because it has happened naturally.
‘It’s a great soundbite and works well on paper but now it’s happened it doesn’t look like such a good idea, especially in light of his and the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.
‘Many of the senior royals, such as Princess Anne and the Duke of Kent, are getting older and are not able to do as much.
‘The late Queen understood that she couldn’t do everything herself and while she was the main attraction she remained incredibly humble and had lots of other members of the royal family deputising for her.
‘I fear that the slimmed-down monarchy will backfire quite significantly in years to come as the older members step back from public life.’
In his accession speech at St James’s Palace, the grieving king said he was ‘deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty’ and would “strive to follow the inspiring example’ of his mother’s reign.
King Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis in early February, returning to public duties three months later.
He is regarded as a workaholic by those who know him well and his forthcoming diary shows he is determined to see through a packed summer of high profile engagements.
The King and Queen Camilla have taken on the bulk of public engagements in 2024, followed by Prince William, although other royals have stepped in, with the Duchess of Edinburgh becoming the first UK royal to visit Ukraine.
However there is no sign of Harry and Meghan in the official schedule for coming weeks as they continue their pursuit of philanthropic and showbusiness interests in the US.
Swaby, of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, University of Manchester, said: ‘The King is a very fit and healthy-looking 75-year-old man but he is still the oldest monarch at the time of ascension to the throne in history when other men his age have their feet up at home and are living their best lives.
Queen’s Coronation 1953
The Coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953, conducted by Dr Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Representatives of the peers, the Commons and all the great public interests in Britain, prime ministers and leading citizens of the other Commonwealth countries and foreign states were present.
Her Majesty took her oath to ‘maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine worship, discipline, and government thereof, as the law established in England.’
The ceremony was broadcast on radio around the world and, at the Queen’s request, televised for the first time. An estimated 27 million people in Britain watched and 11 million listened on the radio
A procession took place through London after the service, designed so that it could be seen by as many people as possible. The 7.2km route took the 16,000 participants two hours to complete.
Crowds of people viewed the 3km-long procession despite heavy rain.
(Source: royal.uk)
‘He is at the head of a 1,000-year institution that is being challenged — and has to prove itself — more than ever.
People often tell me that the Queen was the monarchy; no matter what situation it found itself in, she was the attraction and people adored her.
‘We need to be brutally honest and admit that the King doesn’t have that appeal, he won’t be able to put his feet up at Windsor with regard for the monarchy remaining high.
‘When historians look back on this period of royal history they will see it as a turning point with the passing of the Queen, arguably the most adored person on Earth when she was alive and possibly the most popular monarch in human history.
‘Her passing was transformative and King Charles doesn’t have the same appeal. I fear that, in the long run, the slimmed-down monarchy without having lots of royals out proving the worth of the institution, is a poor idea.’
Prince William may have dropped a hint about the future of the palace with his hosting of one of the sovereign’s garden parties at Buckingham Palace.
Kate Middleton did not attend but some of the younger royals, including the Duke of Cambridge’s cousins Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall, accompanied by her husband Mike, and Peter Philips turned out in the rain last week.
‘When Prince William hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace he included Princess Beatrice and Zara and Mike Tindall,’ Swaby said.
‘They are members of the royal family who know the ropes and what is expected of them but have been on the sideline in recent years.
‘I feel that it is a very subtle way of the palace recognising that it needs more people involved.
‘If you look at the history of the royal family it has always come through significant challenges and I feel that Prince William is trying to make the monarchy more relevant.
‘He is supporting causes that the younger generations can get behind, such as the environment, mental health and homelessness.
‘They are being targeted in the work they are doing but without the Queen the monarchy is in a transition phase.’
Swaby, however, believes the monarchy can weather the turbulence.
‘I feel that King Charles’s reign will make or break the monarchy as it finds a way to cope without the Queen and the huge appeal she had,’ she said.
‘As the great Shakespeare quote goes, “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”, and I feel the King will make it, but it is going to take some time.’
A year and one month into his reign, King Charles is pressing on with his public duties as he prepares for a series of centre-stage engagements.
The royal couple is due to take part in a series of major events next Wednesday and Thursday marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The programme includes attending a commemorative event being held by the Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer.
On June 15 the King and Queen are due to travel in a carriage for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony — which he attended on horseback last year.
He is scheduled to conduct the review at his official birthday parade from an Ascot Landau carriage, understood to have been adapted on doctors’ advice while he continues to have treatment for cancer.
The occasion traditionally has 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, a 41-gun salute and an RAF fly-past watched by the sovereign and other royals from the Buckingham Palace balcony.
MORE : Meghan and Harry celebrating their ‘sugar’ wedding anniversary – but how sweet are they right now?
MORE : King Charles III’s reign will ‘bridge Queen’s legacy and William ascending the throne’
MORE : Queen’s ‘incredible’ wartime service immortalised for Platinum Jubilee
Have you got a story you wish to share? Contact [email protected]
Get your need-to-know
latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.