The United Kingdom continues to mourn the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral will take place on September 19. It is a delicate period which opens for the British monarchy. Charles III, the new king proclaimed at 73, has long remained one of the least popular figures in the royal family. Will he be able to meet this challenge?
From our special correspondent in London,
The hour is to meditation in this small church in central London, located not far from Picadilly and Trafalgar Square. That morning, the prayers are dedicated to the deceased queen but also to her son, the new King Charles III, explains Reverend Mariama Ifode-Balease leaving the church. ” As Shakespeare said: “heavy is the head that wears the crown”. So my hope and my prayer is that our new king will wear this crown with integrity and dignity. “, she says.
King Charles III was prepared all his life for this role of monarch. To achieve this, he can count on the power of pomp, tradition and the fascination that the Crown exerts on the British, as evidenced by the enthusiasm aroused in front of Buckingham Palace by each of his appearances.
” I was able to shake his hand a few minutes ago, it’s amazing exclaims a Briton, who has come to meditate. ” He shook everyone’s hand and said thank you for the flowers. He’s grieving and it’s the last thing he wants to do, but he takes it upon himself, and he’s with us! »
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Succeeding a hugely popular queen
But it is a difficult task awaiting the new king: succeeding an immensely popular queen who has known how to embody the function of monarch to perfection. Among the qualities of Elizabeth II: the ability to never give her opinion.
” It’s a very delicate balance for the king, who has to keep his nose out of politics. If he crosses that line, then he may fall out of public favor “, warns a Briton. ” The queen, she never did: no one ever knew what she was thinking… and everyone loved it! I believe that Charles must find this magic formula, if he wants to have the same success as the queen. »
For Rebecca, who came to lay a bouquet of flowers in front of the palace, Charles III will have an additional challenge to take up: that of guaranteeing the stability of the country in the midst of an economic crisis. ” What the monarchy knows how to do very well in times of crisis is bring people together… A monarch should not be flamboyant, he should be a solid anchor in difficult times », underlines Rebecca.
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To ensure the future of the Monarchy, the new king will also have to show that he can modernize it. For example, by reducing the lifestyle of the royal family. The British remain attached to the tradition and the stability brought by the Crown, but they are annoyed by the lavish expenditure which results from it.