King Charles III Crowned Amid Dwindling Popular Support For British Monarchy

Rest Of The World May 6, 2023

King Charles III was crowned in a specular coronation ceremony held in the iconic Westminster Abbey Cathedral in downtown London just after midday on May 6, 2023.

The coronation ceremony aired live by various global television networks, is said to have been attended by over 2200 invited guests from 203 countries and that included about 100 heads of state. The ceremony also involved crowning of Queen Camilla, the King’s wife.

King Charles III took the throne immediately after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the crowning of King Charles III took place amid dwindling popular support for the British monarchy.

According to the results of a BBC monarchy poll reported on April 24, 2023, popular support for monarch as head of state in the UK is dwindling in favor of elected head of state. The results suggest that the popular support for monarchy, however, varies among age groups, with 18 – 24-year olds having least support for the monarchy. For this group of young Brits, 64% are in favor of abolition of the monarchy and introduction of elected head of state system alias Republic. Only 32% of this group support monarchy system. Overall, at the moment 58% of Brits support the monarchy while 26% prefer elected head of state system, the BBC poll results suggest.

The BBC poll results indicate future overall support for the British monarchy will decrease if the 18 – 24-year olds would maintain their current stance as they grow older, and future 18 – 24-year olds adopt the distaste for the monarchy. While this unfolding situation may not threaten the reign of King Charles III, subsequent British monarchies may not be as lucky.

At the same time, the British monarchy has been facing increasing criticisms in recent years, from some of its Commonwealth faithful subjects. For instance, in Jamaica, critics are said to be demanding apology and reparations from the monarchy, for crimes against humanity and looting done during the British colonial rule there. Jamaica is even said to be contemplating ditching the British monarch as head of state in favor of becoming a republic, following the footsteps of Barbados that became a republic recently.

Also making similar demands for apology and reparations from the British monarchy are said to be the Maori people of Australia and New Zealand.

Elsewhere, in South Africa, critics of the British monarchy are reportedly furious about a huge diamond said to have been looted by the British during the colonial era in the country, and that is now used in one of the British royal crowning artefacts. The critics are demanding the monstrous diamond to be returned to South Africa, if King Charles III is to expect any recognition and respect in the SADC nation.

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