King Chuck is Here
Why Does the King Matter to Americans?
Friends are arriving at my home very early tomorrow morning for a Pajamas and Tiaras party. With mimosas in hand, we’ll watch King Charles III and Queen Camilla take ancient oaths with their medieval garb and platter-sized diamonds.
My interest in the royal family dates back several years, when a bad bout of insomnia had me reading gossip blogs at 3 am. (Archives here.) Harry and Meghan already had insiders buzzing about bad behavior. Later, the royal soap opera became front page stories in the American press when they stormed out of the country in 2020.
So, why is this American, with ancestry from County Fermanagh, watching the King’s Coronation? We still have family stories about English cruelty to our people. Personally, I am repulsed that we have people trotting about on our side of the Atlantic, who are using their titles here.
I’m watching because, in addition to the Shakespearean family drama, this event itself is a time machine to 1066, when the magnificent and the horrific stood side by side. From a safe distance, we are monarchy-curious, when our own rudderless democracy seems to be on the verge of another messy election. And I like quiche and mimosas.
Let’s talk about the Shakespearean drama first.
For many years, the royal family was put-put-putting along, doing what it always does — cutting ribbons, wearing fancy outfits, shaking hands — with few ripples or drama. And that worked for them. They had plenty of time and freedom to engage in weird hobbies and gross behavior (Hello, Andrew) with very little attention. Then Meghan comes along and stirs the pot.
Her California publicity team, which she never fired after joining the family, used modern social media methods to promote their activities. The old dudes at the palace had no clue how to harness the power of Instagram, until Meghan came around and forced them to catch up. Also, Meghan and her pals back in Los Angeles talked and talked. The gossip bloggers laughed that they never had good royal gossip until Meghan came to town.
To sum up a huge story in a few sentences — Meghan and Harry were upset about being spares and wanted to make a lot of money and not open up supermarkets in Wales, so they left. They spend two years making tons of money by trash talking his family in the press. But now, everyone hates them. In England, they are polling only slightly better than Andrew. Here, he’s less popular than Andrew.
While Harry might have made a lot of money with his book, their brand is on shaky footing. She keeps releasing statement about why she’s not going to the Coronation, which a new reason every couple of days. There are even small rumbles about a divorce or at least separate living arrangements.
The American press is trying to make something about Prince Harry at the Coronation, because drama sells. However, he’s totally irrelevant to tomorrow’s big ceremony. He has no role in the ceremony. He has no relationship with his family. He’s flying in and out with only two hours on English soil. Right now, Harry is a Zero Royal.
While British royals were definitely slow to modernize their publicity, they caught up. They hired the right people and are now looking very lovely on Twitter and Instagram. Will and Kate can’t take a bad picture, and the British public loves them. Once the Brits figured out how to do things, there was never any danger of damage from the Sussexes. Meghan and Harry’s recent efforts to gain attention here just seem sad and were widely mocked.
The European press is picking up on the real drama of the day, which is Camilla’s role in tomorrow’s ceremony. Charles has carefully orchestrated two decades of public rehabilitation for Camilla, who went from Meghan-level hatred to getting a big crown on her head tomorrow. Will the country finally embrace her tomorrow?
Can a woman with deep wrinkles and a matronly pouch ever compete with a glamour woman who died young and beautiful?
In some ways, Charles and Camilla got a raw deal. In our country with a 50 percent divorce rate, why does everyone give Charles a hard time about getting married for a second time to someone who he loved for a very long time? Are we all Puritans suddenly? Nobody feels sorry for Meghan Markle’s first husband. Charles got it wrong the first time, sure, but lots of people do.
Charles himself is definitely an odd duck. He’s only now, at age 74, taking a job that he prepared for since youth. Bookish, eccentric, and neurotic, his own mother was unsure if he could manage the position. There are a little anecdotes about him traveling with his own bedroom furniture and having a valet put toothpaste on his brush for him. With one foot in the Victorian age traditions, he never quite looks like he belonged here.
Some think his tougher sister, Princess Anne, was better suited to the role. She once fought back against a kidnapper, while saying “not bloody likely!” A recent interview cemented her popularity with the country.
But Charles wasn’t totally idle while waiting for this job. His charity, The Prince’s Trust, has helped over a million young people and dispensed $1.4 billion to worthy causes. He cared about environmental issues and talked about climate change long before everyone else. If had not bungled his personal life so badly, he would be sainted for his efforts.
But it’s hard to be popular when you’re old. A sad fact. There are rumors that Charles will abdicate in five years, so William can take over while he and his wife are still photogenic.
The coronation itself is going to cost around $200 million with most of it going towards security. Every Western democracy will be represented there. Harry ticked off the Taliban in January by talking about killing them in Afghanistan, so that’s increased security issues for all the royals. There’s some grumbling about those costs, but the British people are okay with it.
As an American, I shouldn’t have an opinion on the monarchy itself — it’s not really my business. Yet, I can’t help but cheer on this institution.
When done right, the monarchy has certainly played a role in stabilizing the British democracy. The international mourning of the Queen’s passing last year shows that the world has great sympathy for the values that she embodied — public service and tradition.
In preparation for the party, I’m going to do my own version of the Coronation Quiche — no beans, yes to bacon. I’ll also make buttermilk scones and mix up a pitcher of mimosas. Because who doesn’t appreciate an excuse to have a cocktail in the morning?
What to watch tomorrow: Appreciate the traditions that date back over 1,000 years. Check out the pretty outfits. Will the women wear jeweled tiaras or wreathes of flowers? What role do the cousins play in the ceremony and in later events? Does Louis show up and steal the show? How angry does Harry look? Does Meghan release her own PR this weekend to upstage events in London?
Issues going forward: Will the royal family expand or contract? Do people really accept Camilla? How will Will and Kate increase their visibility and solidify their power? With the attention to the British monarchy, are other nations going to do more royal type stuff?
LINKS
A few years ago, I developed an unusual interest in the British Royal Family. From time to time, I do a brain-dump and write blog posts about them. For the whole series of blog posts about the Royal Family, tag: royal mess. To start from the beginning, start here.
From the archive:
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