Until quite recently I was very confident that the monarchy would survive for the foreseeable future. Polling suggested that support for a republic was becalmed at around 20%, although always higher among younger age groups, and that this figure had barely shifted in decades. Big occasions like royal weddings and the old Queen’s Jubilees brought forth an enormous groundswell of goodwill. Protests by anti-monarchists felt mean-spirited and joyless.
King Charles III is officially in charge of saving the planet: his role has been redefined to include leading on “environmental sustainability”.
The monarch’s job as “Head of Nation”, which he undertakes alongside that of “Head of State”, will now include four key themes, confirmed by Buckingham Palace in an annual report.
The King and his household will work on the topics “national unity”, “community impact”, “environmental sustainability” and “cultural heritage”.
Well, you can’t say that we weren’t warned. Repeatedly. At the beginning of this week, the Duchess of Sussex wrote in a subscriber newsletter, in that inimitably faux-chummy way that she has perfected:
“First off, a sincere thank you for making the debut of As Ever absolutely extraordinary. We had a feeling there would be excitement, but to see everything sell out in less than an hour was an amazing surprise. We are pleased to share that on 20 June, we’re going live with the products you love – plus, some new delicious surprises.
‘Absolutely extraordinary’ is one way of describing the profoundly underwhelming launch of a few pieces of overpriced tat. But as veteran Meghan-watchers know, such barrages of hyperbole are par for the course, and so I lay in wait, metaphorically speaking, for the ‘delicious surprises’ that we have been promised.
The British monarchy stands as a symbol of national continuity, tradition, and sovereignty. At its heart lies the Coronation Oath, a solemn vow the monarch makes to rule according to law and custom, to maintain the Protestant religion, and to uphold the rights and freedoms of the realm. This oath, taken before God and country, is more than a ceremonial rite; it is a pledge to defend British sovereignty and constitutional heritage.
I like King Charles. I visited him at Windsor Castle recently as Mrs. Miller picked up a gong. The castle has been beautifully restored. It is full of treasures, looted from the Empire. There were no refreshments, only a porcelain water bowl for the service dog of one of the honorees.
The King was charming, looking a little the worse for wear, perhaps. He graciously laughed at Mrs. M’s joke. He’s a thoughtful guy. A little odd, which is no bad thing. But he seems to have gone completely nuts on his trip to Canada this week, where he opened Parliament with the most modern of empty gestures.
Ever since Donald Trump began issuing threats about absorbing Canada, Canadians have been unusually rattled and resolute. In our hour of peril, we thought leaders from around the world would stand up for our country – and especially, King Charles III.
Why Charles? It’s not only because he is Canada’s sovereign, which has certain obligations. It’s that Mr. Trump admires him. Had Charles uttered something definitive in response to Mr. Trump’s rhetoric, that might have deterred the President. The King did not.
King Charles’s big day on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, May 27, began with a welcome by four First Nations men in native costume. They sat in a semicircle around a huge drum and banged on it with sticks while wailing loudly. A war chant? Who knows? It did seem to be right out of an old Western — the Indians getting themselves all revved up just before leaping on their horses, tomahawks in hand, to take on the palefaces. Through it all, Charles and Camilla stood there like a couple of chumps, he with a dozen or so shiny medals pinned to his chest, her in a wide-brimmed hat not unlike the one Melania wore to the inauguration.
By all accounts, King Charles III’s major address on Tuesday in Ottawa was meant to be a rebuke to Donald Trump and all his taunts about Canada becoming a 51st state if it had to depend on money from the U.S. in order to survive. Yet when Charles finally delivered his highly anticipated address, he ended up undercutting Canadian sovereignty more than supporting it.
Prince Harry has made a surprise visit to China to give a speech highlighting the importance of sustainable travel.
The Duke of Sussex made the long-haul trip to Shanghai to remind travel industry executives of the urgency to meet “vital climate and conservation targets by 2030”.
He was invited to a tourism conference in his capacity as the founder of Travalyst, a sustainable travel organisation whose motto is “changing the way we travel, for good”.
There has been much ballyhoo about this week’s Royal visit and, more importantly, King Charles III’s throne speech, heralded by many as a defining moment in Canada’s constitutional history that reinforces our sovereignty.
Ouch.
From CBC – King says ‘strong and free’ Canada is a force for good in historic throne speech
King Charles delivered a historic speech from the throne Tuesday and he used that platform to praise Canada as a force for good that will remain “strong and free” as its relationships with longtime partners are “changing.”
Charles, who delivered the speech while seated next to Queen Camilla in the Senate, the royal chamber, laid out the new Liberal government’s agenda for the parliamentary session ahead but also subtly addressed the issue that’s on the minds of many Canadians in the portion of the speech that he himself crafted: U.S. President Donald Trump, his tariffs and the 51st state taunts.
“When my dear late mother addressed your predecessors seven decades ago, she said that in that age, and against the backdrop of international affairs, no nation could live unto itself,” Charles said, referencing Queen Elizabeth’s 1957 throne speech to Parliament.
And … King Charles warns Canada is facing ‘unprecedented’ challenges in apparent rebuke of Trump’s annexation threats
King Charles III has warned that Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in a dangerous world as he gave a rare address to the country’s parliament at the invitation of new Prime Minister Mark Carney in an apparent show of defiance against President Trump’s repeated threats to make the country America’s 51st state.
“We must face reality: Since the Second World War, our world has never been more dangerous and unstable. Canada is facing challenges that, in our lifetimes, are unprecedented,” Charles said to the parliament in French.
The pomp and pageantry will be on full display when King Charles arrives in Canada for the first time since his coronation.
He is due to deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the 45th session of Canada’s parliament in Ottawa on Tuesday.
The King is the head of state of Canada – and of 13 other Commonwealth realms such as Australia, New Zealand and several Caribbean states – as well as the UK.
Charles has brought dignity back to the throne.
OTTAWA — As an institution that has for centuries employed symbolism with surgical precision, the timing of the King’s visit to Canada may be more revealing than the itinerary itself.
It’s considered a core principle of the British constitutional monarchy that the ceremonial head of state of the United Kingdom, Canada and other Commonwealth countries not comment on or become directly involved in politics. It’s also a key component in trying to maintain the public’s trust.
“This is a big deal for the King to do this,” says Jeremy Kinsman, former Canadian high commissioner to the UK, as King Charles prepares for a historic visit showing support for Canada, which is facing pressure from US President Donald Trump.
“I hope that Trump understands,” says Mr Kinsman, ahead of the King becoming the first monarch to open Canada’s Parliament in almost 70 years.
So what can we expect from his speech as Canada’s head of state, to be delivered in French and English in Ottawa on Tuesday?
I don’t think Woke King Charlie is the flex they imagine.
The Duke of Sussex’s popularity in the UK has plunged after a BBC interview in which he claimed the King refused to speak to him.
A new YouGov poll revealed Prince Harry’s favourability rating had dropped to 27 per cent, its lowest for more than two years.
The Duchess of Sussex has also seen her popularity drop to 20 per cent, its lowest since YouGov began tracking it in 2017, the year before she married into the Royal family.
Carney says Canadians ‘weren’t impressed’ by U.K.’s offer of second state visit to Trump
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canadians “weren’t impressed” when the U.K. decided to offer U.S. President Donald Trump an unprecedented second state visit while he was threatening Canada’s sovereignty.
“To be frank, they weren’t impressed by that gesture, quite simply, given the circumstance,” Carney told British news channel Sky News in an interview posted online Wednesday.
“It was at a time when we were being quite clear, some of us were being quite clear, about the issues around sovereignty.”
That was a stupid move by Carney.
