After waiting 73 years before ascending the throne, Elizabeth II’s eldest son became sovereign in September 2022. Since then, he had to face several problems, familiar and otherwise.
From egg-throwing protests to the “Sussex affair,” via his brother Andrew’s tantrums. With one unexpected fact: the king’s popularity is on the rise.
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Charles III, a troubled beginning of reign
In the first six months of his reign, Charles III has had to deal with problems of different kind. Such as the unprecedented political chaos unleashed by the change of two prime ministers in a very short time. Liz Truss, who remained in Downing Street for only 45 days, and Rishi Sunak, the current PM.
But first and foremost is the “Harry and Meghan affaire.” The Sussexes, who have not stopped hurling poisoned public rants against the royal family since they flew to California, have bedeviled Charles’ first four months as ruler with the Netflix series Harry & Meghan. In which, they returned to accusing the Windsors of racism and hurled heavy new accusations.
Much of the British public has panned both the series and the Sussexes, who among other things on Netflix allegedly told a lot of lies. But the American media largely sided with the dukes.
Not enough of the Sussexes, there is another relative who continues to give Charles III headaches. Namely his brother Andrew of York. As soon as Charles ascended the throne, Andrew – stripped of his royal and military titles and forced to retire from public life because of his involvement in the Epstein scandal that cast the shadow of pedophilia over him – reportedly ran to the new king and and demanded that he get back his royal representative duties.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla, popularity on the rise
Despite the many problems that Charles has faced until now, his popularity does not seem to be in danger. On the contrary. New polls show that the monarch has an approval rating of 54 percent. This is up 11 percentage points from previous surveys in March 2022. Indeed, many Britons think Charles will be “an excellent king of stability and continuity.”
Also, Charles can be considered the first “modern” heir to the throne in the the history of the royal family. Compared to Queen Elizabeth, who throughout her reign managed to maintain an almost mystical profile, detached from political issues and current events, Charles has always given a very different, more multifaceted and “human” image of himself. But in some ways also more problematic.
Unlike the queen, Charles has openly expressed strong personal opinions on several occasions. For example, declaring himself very much in favor of alternative and homeopathic medicine. In addition to spending heavily on environmental issues, he has spoken on several occasions about religious tolerance and against Islamophobia. Which was a problem in the UK especially after the 2005 terrorist attacks in London.
King Charles evicts the Sussexes from Frogmore Cottage, but invites them to the coronation
Well-known is Charles’ difficult relationship with his son Harry and wife Meghan Markle, who have distanced themselves from the royal family in recent years, even giving highly critical interviews with its members (described as mean-spirited and racist).
After the many accusations made by the couple in recent months, first in their Netflix docuseries and then in Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare, King Charles had remained silent. But now court sources reveal a snap decision made by the monarch. Namely, an eviction notice from Frogmore Cottage, the Sussexes British residence.
The couple have until early summer to move out, but a spokesman for them said they are “upset” about the king’s request.
However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been invited to attend the coronation on May 6th, the Sunday Times reports. But the couple, who left the United Kingdom to live in the United States in 2020, have not yet announced whether they will accept the invitation.
“An immediate decision on the attendance of the Duke and Duchess will not be communicated by us at this stage,” the Dukes spokesman said. The return of the Sussexes to the United Kingdom to attend the coronation has been the subject of much speculation in the British media in recent months after the couple’s virulent attacks on the royal family.
The big coronation concert, many stars decline the invitation to perform
King Charles III’s staff, two months before the coronation ceremony to be held on May 6th in London and culminating in a grand concert on May 7th in Windsor, has not yet announced who will perform on the castle’s grand stage in honor of the new sovereigns.
The reason? Not only has the guest list not yet been confirmed, but everything is still in flux. Artists who had been asked to sing have already said no, reports The Sun in an exclusive. The Spice Girls, precisely, but also Adele, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Robbie Williams have all anticipated that they will not be able to participate because they are busy with concerts or touring elsewhere.
At present, the only confirmed stars are Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald of Take That, Kylie and Dannii Minogue, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has also written a song dedicated to the event, and Lionel Richie.
Another node, the invitation to Sir Elton John, strongly wanted by the king. A great friend of Lady Diana, the artist has attended all the big Windsor family events, including weddings and funerals. Elton John also said he could not attend because he will be in Europe for his tour. In response to this news there has been no shortage of controversy. Some say that inviting a great friend of Lady D. to the concert to celebrate Charles and Camilla was in bad taste.
However, tickets for the grand event in Windsor are sold out. And the UK is preparing for the most vast and festive event of the century since Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.
Read also: British Commonwealth, is it falling apart? Which countries may leave it next and become republics
