After reigning 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96 on September 8, 2022. Two days after her death, her son, the heir to the crown, Charles, was proclaimed King Charles III. The one who was nicknamed the “trainee” will therefore have to impose himself on his subjects. A task all the more difficult because of the saucepans that the British royal family has.
“Elizabeth II over her decades on the throne, has managed to forge a strong bond between herself and the British. We see it at the moment, there is a lot of emotion”, commented for Planet.fr Christophe Gillissen, professor of British and Irish civilization at the University of Caen. “For Charles, the challenge will consist in forging a link between him and his subjects and this link cannot be quite the same. It is linked to the very personality of the monarch. He was a sometimes controversial character, because he took positions which were eventful and which were not always in his favor”, he explains to us.
A few days ago, the new sovereign had shown himself to be very close to the people, like his embraces and walkabouts which took place in front of Buckingham Palace. The father of princes William and Harry therefore seems to operate “a change of register” in order to be a more flexible king. “The Queen has changed a bit over time so as not to be out of touch with society. Prince Charles understood the need to enter the 21st century and therefore take a less formal approach with the British. are they waiting for today”.
The question is on everyone’s lips? A few days before the funeral of Elizabeth II, many are wondering where the new monarch and his wife will put their suitcases. The queen had decided to stay in Windsor, in her castle near London. What about his son? Since 2003, Charles had taken up residence in a royal house located in the capital.
“Queen Elizabeth II did not like Buckingham Palace, the monarch’s office, much like Prince Charles. They will use it for their official function”, explains Christophe Gillissen. It is likely that the new sovereign will continue to take up residence at Clarence House. “He will also have the option of staying at Windsor or Balmoral in Scotland. The Queen greatly appreciated the environment at Balmoral.”