How British society experienced the coronation of Carlos III | Between pomp and apathy, the show goes on

From London

Between luxury and indifferenceCrowds in the streets and festive events are cancelled “For lack of public interest”, Charles III Achieved the dream of every successor: The Coronation ceremony. In the shadow of Amma’s long 70-year reign, Isabel IIHe has withstood calls to step down in favor of his son William And now to the severe criticism his marriage with the Queen had roused Camilla Parker-BowlesThe fairy tale witch surrounds his ex-wife, still very popular, Lady D. But of course, time and scandals do not pass in vain. The monarchy that Carlos III represents today is an astral distance from the one that crowned his mother in 1953.

Coronation and Enthronement

on the surface The two coronations have many similarities. A fancy party ClothesHe stir Global Media, The gossipA popular combination to follow the route of the Royal Carriage Buckingham Palace Historically Westminster Abbey They look like a carbon copy of the black and white coronation of Elizabeth II in the post-war years. The presence of heads of state, presidents, prime ministers, royal, aristocratic, political relatives and celebrities is different, but their role is not. Staging.

The texture and solemn tone of the television presenters added centuries to the event. There are surprising data. For more than 900 years, Westminster Abbey has been the scene of royal ceremonies, and that has not changed their ethos.: 39 coronations, including 16 royal weddings Lady D’s grand funeral in 1997. With the deep, calm and sensible voice of these events BBC Abe commemorates the remains of around 30 kings and queens, along with iconic figures from British history. Isaac Newton To the father of evolutionary theory, Charles Darwin, And Stephen Hawkings.

He Suspense It was loaded with magazines and newspapers in anticipation of the coronation Who will be there and who will be clear by their absence Analyzed in minute and minute detail by cameras. There were no big surprises in the final lineup. Prince Andrew was in hiding Third row So it doesn’t stand out That too is recent Out-of-court settlement to avoid pedophilia trial. In the same line of exiles from the kingdom was the youngest son of Carlos III. Enrique abdicated from the monarchyBut his wife is not an American actress. Meghan Markle.

French President Emmanuel MacronToo busy with street protests in his country, He excused himself Like the US, Joe BidenWHO He sent his wife. There were about two thousand guests at the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and the list is too long for the patience of this reporter and the reader who accompanied him at this point.

Two communities

In 1953 The United Kingdom was a new society World War II Rebuilt with ration cards, dizzy The end of the imperial dreamHe clings to the crown like a slippery dream of grandeur that slips away forever.

A lot has changed in these 70 years, from technological revolutions to customs, social mobility and ethnic diversity. The monarchy continues to have an aura of respectability for minority sections of society And the support of the “mirror community” seen in the proliferation of prizes, trophies, glasses, coins or participation in a “historical” event that will not change anyone’s life, but will be in all media. Between the monarchy and society as a whole, a visible and irreparable rift appeared.

One of NatCen’s most thorough studies based on decades of research is “British Social Attitudes Survey“, shows that The decline in popular support is even more pronounced. 45% of Britons say the monarchy should be abolished or that it is not “important”, up from 35% a year ago. Raising this issue was unimaginable in the 50s. Today, another opinion poll of under-25s shows that 45% want to abolish the monarchy.

Change is more pronounced Scotland. In 1953 it was dominated by the Conservative Party and the Nationalists were a minority. Libertarian today Scottish National Party is in the government and its new leader, Hamza YusufHimself a Republican and In favor of abolition of monarchy.

Coronation put all these changes on the table. Lack of interest or rejection led to the cancellation of popular celebrations of the event Organized in various parts of England due to “lack of popular support”. A clear example is the city of Nottingham in the center of England. In recent decades, the city has hosted Queen Elizabeth 10 times, now King Charles twice, Princess Anne and Prince William, but not even that: 41% expressed no apparent interest in the event.

William Cattrall, a 78-year-old engineer from Nottingham, still remembers Elizabeth II’s coronation. “I was five and there were about 20 of us around the TV. There was a lot of interest, a lot of excitement. On the other hand, this coronation doesn’t interest me at all. I was raised to respect the royal family, but with all the scandals, that respect was gone forever.”, he pointed out Guardian In advance of the event.

Conservatives and pro-monarchy

For monarchists, coronations are a rallying cry. One of the most conservative and backward tabloids, The Daily Mail, released a poll on its cover on Wednesday that claimed “full support for the monarchy”. The last sentence of the title revealed some trepidation and subtlety: “Republic has little enthusiasm, but needs reform” (“Reform is needed“).

On the inside pages, the poll showed a different balance: 39% in favor of the establishment (7% staunch monarchists, 32% traditionalists) and 38% Republicans (18% “raging abolitionists” and 19% “moderates”). Decisive The remaining 24% were classified as “neutral pragmatists”. It is, in England, very traditional and conventional, referring to people who don’t care much about the whole thing.

Like most conservative newspapers, The Daily Mail Emphasized the need for reforms. According to the survey, 73% of those surveyedIt includes three of the four monarchies. He thought that “the monarchy must be modernized to survive”.

Quo Vadis Monarchy?

The debate about this modernization has been around since the scandals of the 90s, but “There is not much clarity on what needs to be done to protect the parliamentary monarchy”. Economic problems always arise. Pandemic, war in Ukraine and skyrocketing inflation, The privileges of the royal family are more unjustifiable than ever. Prince Andrew’s out-of-court settlement in February last year over pedophilia allegations was one of the Crown’s lowest points this century.

Weekly magazine Guardian Released in installments from early April “The Price of Monarchy” In it he revealed aspects that were usually hidden by tradition, custom and the media The royal family’s immense wealth, its opacity, its historical links to slavery and its state funding (Equivalent to about 100 million dollars).