By Olusola Babatunde Adegbite, PhD Candidate at Hertfordshire Law School
The British Monarchy is one of the oldest in the world. With roots in the medieval Kingdom of Scotland and early Anglo-Saxon England, the monarchy has since evolved into a modern establishment known for pomp, pageantry, and grace. The current 73-year-old monarch, King Charles III, ascended the throne on 8 September 2022, following the demise of his mother Queen Elizabeth II who ascended the throne on 6 February 1952.[1] As a young 25-year-old monarch, the Queen’s deep spiritual leaning helped her assert herself as a stabilising force, as the country meandered its way through the challenges of rebuilding national confidence and managing the ripple effects of decolonisation. Weathering through landmark events such as the bloody wave of terrorism by the ‘Troubles’ of Northern Ireland, the Falkland Island War, and Brexit Queen Elizabeth II exited the throne 70 years after, leaving behind a country far different from what it was in 1952. Whereas Queen Elizabeth’s Britain of 1952, which was a gradually disintegrating empire, was a largely traditional society, modest in expectations, and one trying to gather some beauty from the ashes of World War II, King Charles’s Britain of 2022 is of an entirely different stock. It is a thriving democracy, a global military power, but at the same time a country grappling with a set of constitutional challenges, like its modern peers.
Top on the list of these issues is the agitation for independence in places such as Scotland, and the calls for republican status from some of the UK’s crown dependencies. With the Queen’s passing, these constitutional issues have become a part of the inheritances bequeathed by the late monarch to her son, the new King. However, the circumstances surrounding the Queen’s death appear to have helped the King kick off on the right note, at least with the issue of self-determination. The Queen’s death at her Balmoral Castle in Scotland, triggered a series of Scottish ceremonials, amongst which was a coffin lay-at-rest at St. Giles Cathedral.[2] Also, her son Charles III became the first Monarch to succeed to the throne in Scotland since a similar accession last occurred in 1542.[3] Surely, this is the hand of God, as it gave the Scottish people a sense of belonging and something to be proud of, which is worth more than some political horse-trading in Westminster.
Apart from this, the new King’s act as a sovereign was a tour of Scotland, as well as a meeting with representatives of the Nationalists and Unionists communities in Northern Ireland and an address before the Welsh Parliament.[4] This was to further assure the people of these regions of their importance to the Crown and the Crown’s readiness to listen and play its role in addressing their most pressing concerns. Clearly, this has calmed frayed nerves in these regions. However, given the character of the modern British kingdom, there is a need for robust thinking going forward to deal with this issue in a manner that will be acceptable to all. It must be said that the new King has his work cut out for him, especially given the unwritten nature of the UK Constitution. The country’s lack of written constitutional entrenchment makes it vulnerable, creating the space for problems like that of Scotland’s assertion of the right of self-determination to take root.
Also, following the ascension of the new King, the Canadian Prime Minster, Justin Trudeau, and the country’s Governor-General Mary Simon proclaimed the new King as the King of Canada.[5] Similar events took place in other crown dependencies such as the Isle of Man, Australia, and New Zealand. While these proclamations are reassuring, whether they will stand the test of time is a challenge the King must surmount. With these calls for republican status, the degree of influence the Crown wielded in 1952 is not the same as in 2022. While attaining republican status is in the best interest of these countries, the implication is that it will severely alter the Crown’s identity, as well as diminish its value as a global brand. It remains to be seen how the new King intends to navigate this issue, and still help the Crown come out unscathed.
It is also worth stressing that the current value of the monarchy can only be apparent if it is presented as a rallying point for all British people. Going forward, therefore, King Charles III should entrench in the minds of the British people what value the monarchy holds for them. With limited constitutional powers, his main job revolves around how he manages each PM and inspires confidence in Parliament to make laws that address societal problems. To deliver on this mandate, he should reign deploying the wisdom of Solomon. This will require him to feel the pulse of the people, be in tune with their problems, and advise every PM accordingly. Such wisdom will equally be useful when for instance, he advises Parliament during the final stage of legislative drafting.
In addition, as Monarch, he would be reigning in a much more culturally diverse and youth-led Britain, something evidenced by the fact that since he ascended the throne, his two PMs have been persons in their 40s, with the current, 42-year-old Rishi Sunak being the first British Asian to occupy the office.[6] He must be able to ride the waves of these rather unique developments. As a much older Monarch, who came to the throne as a septuagenarian compared to his mother who was in her twenties, he must see himself as the father of the nation and therefore acquire those skills that will enable him effectively walk that fine line of being the head of the British constitutional monarchy and a king reigning in a continuously evolving society.
As it is said, while some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust on them. King Charles III appears to embody the three and this may prove useful as he confronts his new mandate. Beyond being King, as a father and grandfather, he should keep the home front tidy and in doing so, acquit himself creditably. With his son, Prince Harry set to release a personal memoir in January 2023,[7] he should ensure that the British Crown is sufficiently insulated from whatever is to come. During the seventy years that his mother reigned as Queen, she was able to discharge her duties in this regard clinically. He should not just toe in her footsteps; he must be seen, and manifestly so, as raising the bar. We wish the King farewell.
[1] Robert Booth, ‘King Charles III Becomes Monarch After Death of Mother, Queen Elizabeth II’ The Guardian (8th September 2022), available at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/08/prince-charles-heir-to-king-death-beloved-mother-queen-elizabeth-ii accessed 06/11/2022.
[2] David Torrance, ‘The Ascension of King Charles III’ Common Library Research Briefings, (29th September 2022)1 – at 4, available at https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9621/ accessed 06/11/2022.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid, 21
[6] Jessica North, ‘Rishi Sunak: All You Need to Know About Britain’s First Asian Prime Minister’ Scottish Daily Express, (24th October 2022), available at https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/rishi-sunak-you-need-know-28316877 accessed 07/11/2022.
[7] Elizabeth A, Harris, and Alexandra Alter, ‘Prince Harry’s Memoir is due in January. How Explosive Will It Be, The New York Times, (28th October 2022), available at https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/books/prince-harry-memoir.html accessed 07/11/2022.
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