The British monarchy’s survival is a deadly chess game. The moment Big Ben rang out the death knell for Queen Elizabeth II it announced the commencement of a deadly chess game. Finally, a woman who was loved and respected on around the globe, was gone. An era had come to an end.
The realm of Great Britain covers England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The death of the queen could be the beginning of the death of the monarchy in some areas. There are people who feel the need to claim their independence although the monarchy is only ceremonial and adds a richness to life.
Final Days
The Queen chose to spend the final days of her 70-year reign in one of her favourite places, Balmoral Castle in Scotland. As the longest reigning British monarch’s health began to fail, she moved to the one place she felt comfortable in. This gave Scotland a unique chance to pay tribute to the monarch after her death, including an additional lying-at-rest and a supplemental memorial services and funeral procession.
These events became a fantastic opening gambit in the game of monarchy survival in the deadly chess game. It created a new bond with the Scottish people, and in particular the younger generations. An opportunity that would not have happened had the queen died at Windsor Castle.
Since the death of Queen Victoria the death of a monarch has been a public affair. When King George V died in 1936, over 750,000 people attended the lying-in-state. Public ceremonies were broadcast by radio for the first time, allowing for mass participation. King George VI’s memorial services and funeral procession in London were broadcast by television and radio.
Military Precision
Nothing about Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, or the time of national mourning was an accident. ‘Operation London Bridge’ has long been in the making with careful planning since 2005, involving the then living queen. Planning included dealing with which dignitaries, both national and international, to invite to the state funeral, to how to handle the tens of 1000s of people who waited up to 25 hours, so they could walk past the queen’s coffin in safety. Over ten thousand police were involved on the day of the state funeral, apart from the regimental involvement.
The logistic of such an operation is beyond belief. Several hundreds of personal alone were involved in the moving of the coffin, as it traversed its way from Balmoral, to Edinburgh, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Hall, to Westminster Abbey and finally to St George’s Chapel. Let alone organizing the numerous memorial services in all 4 home nations, plus the constitutional duties the new King had to perform. Then there are the 96-gun salutes to announce the death of the monarch and the 21-gun salutes to proclaim the new king.
The RAF plane carrying the queen’s coffin was the most tracked plane in history. Flightradar24 recorded 4.79 million users viewing the Queen’s final flight. A further 296,000 followed the plane via YouTube live stream.
This far succeeded the precious record, when the US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, controversially visited Taiwan, and around 2.9 million people tracked the flight. Flightrader24 is the website that tracks every plane in the air.
The unbelievable interest across all generations has added a whole new dimension to the monarchy’s survival in a deadly chess game.
Greatest Treasure
Some countries have oil or diamonds, or other mineral wealth. Britain’s greatest treasure is the monarchy, but in particular Queen Elizabeth II. The monarchy annually adds £1.766bn to England’s economy. Maintaining the royal house costs the people of Great Britain a mere one penny a day. The value of the UK Monarchy as a business, is valued at £67.5bn.
Royal tourism is a thriving business, but now they won’t have a female as the main attraction, unless they turn their sights on the Princess of Wales, Kate. In America, 60% of the population look favourably on the British monarchy and are now turning away from those who would discredit the monarchy. It’s not that critics need to do this, but that they can.
The Monarchy’s Survival in a Deadly Game of Chess
Nations are maturing in their sense of national identity and their position in the world, but retain shared traditions that link back historically. The future survival of the monarchy is how they deal with the way nations choose to express their identity. The new king must continue to embrace these differences as he attempts to follow his mother’s fantastic example. Few sons have such an opportunity, or the ability. King Charles III is under the spotlight that few envy.
The King knows he needs to be visible and engage directly with the people. The future of the unity of the United Kingdom is at the heart of the monarchy’s survival in a deadly game of chess. The King took every opportunity over the period of mourning, to embrace distinctive, time-honoured traditions. The cultural and political heritage of every nation is entirely different.
Arrogance is the greatest danger to the continuation of the union of the Commonwealth and the monarchy. King Charles must remain sensitive to the people and nations under the Commonwealth umbrella. Politicians come and go, but the monarch is constant, as was seen in the life and service of Queen Elizabeth II. As some people say, “A leading light has gone out and the world is a sadder place for the loss.” 250,000 people filed past the Queen’s coffin to pay their last respects, including many of the world leaders.
The Place of Monarchy
The British Monarch is Head of 14 Commonwealth Realms, including countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Grenada. They are all sovereign nations with their own laws and governments. However, the King or Queen of England is the most senior person in their constitution and their Head of State.
The monarchy is represented by a Governor General in each nation, but the executive power and day-to-day running of society, politics and the economy, is firmly in the hands of each duly elected government. The monarchy plays a special role that lifts people from their day-to-day life.
BBC is the British global voice, taking an historical event to the people in the comfort of their home. It plays a vital role in presenting the monarchy to the global audience, as the Commonwealth plays a vital role in the unification of 54 independent nations. The Queen called it the “Family of nations” and became the most travelled royal person in history, as she took her place on the world stage. Her unique smile sold magazines for 70 years and is the only person to stay ‘in the job’ for all that time.
Prince of Wales and the Monarchy’s Survival in a Deadly Chess Game
Charles became the Prince of Wales in 1958, at age nine, six years after the Queen began her reign, with an official ceremony in 1969. The Welsh parliament did not exist. Wales did not have significant political autonomy until 1998.
Even though the nation is in a state of mourning the day after the death of Queen Elizabeth. King Charles bestowed the title Prince of Wales on his eldest son, Prince William. It was the king‘s first televised address the day following his mother’s death. Bestowing the title on William was a ceremonial gift from the King. It also meant that Kate Middleton takes on the role of Princess of Wales, following in the regal footsteps of the late Princess Diana.
King Charles’ public declaration revealed the Crown’s desire to project stability and continuity following the queen’s death. Prince William is aware of the sensitivities surrounding the title and his reason for doing it so quickly in a brilliant chess tactic. It is expected William will establish an official residence in Wales and learn Cymraeg, the Welsh language, as his father did.
Many Welsh people hold strong opinions on the monarchy. The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, was not given any advance notice or consultation of the appointment of Prince William as Prince of Wales. Protocol does not dictate this as a necessity and the Welsh government has no formal say in the matter.
Within days of the announcement a petition garnered 25,000 signatures. They say the title undermines the stature of Wales as a country and a nation in its own right. The deadly game of chess has only just begun. Watch how William and Kate rise to the challenge. Both are quite capable of meeting it.
King Charles III
Bonny Prince Charles of Scotland proclaimed himself as King Charles III of England. Only the remnants of the Jacobite rebellion in Scotland and Ireland acknowledged the pretend King Charles III. Charles attempted to take England, but lost the battle of Culloden. He escaped into exile in France, then Italy. His days became a blur of drink and the misery of a mis-matched marriage.
There would have been a lot of discussion with Queen Elizabeth as to the title Prince Charles would take on his ascension to the throne. He could legally be named King Charles III. However, Charles must continue to fight for the monarchy’s survival in a deadly chess game.
It was a very nervous King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, who descended from the car at the gates of Buckingham Palace, on their return from Scotland. He must have given a huge sigh of relief as the crowds readily accepted the new king and his queen consort. It was clear for all to see that he realized the full weight of his situation as the last farewell to his mother was played out in St. James Chapel.
The king has had 70 years to prepare for his role as king and one he has taken to with all his heart. King Charles is known for his strong work ethic and is equal to this deadly game of chess. The survival of the monarchy depends on him and how readily the public accept him from London to the other ends of the earth, New Zealand.
Duke of Edinburgh Title in the Deadly Chess Game
The monarchy’s survival in the deadly game of chess, has many far-reaching fingers, other than centering just on King Charles.
Prince Philip remained a consort prince to Queen Elizabeth, because of British royal tradition. King George VI bestowed the title of Duke of Edinburgh on Philip Mountbatten in 1947, prior to his marriage to Elizabeth. In 1952, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish royal titles along with his rights to the Greek throne. The thing that upset the Duke of Edinburgh was when the Queen chose the children to be called Windsor instead of Mountbatten.
The queen designated Philip a prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1957. Upon the death of Prince Philip in April 2021, Charles, Prince of Wales, automatically succeeded to all Philip’s hereditary titles.
In 1999, when Prince Edward married, it was announced he would eventually become the Duke of Edinburgh. However, the title reverted to the Crown the moment King Charles III ascended to the throne. Like all other peerages, they cease to exist the moment there is a new monarch. It is up to the new king to re-create the peerages at his will.
The Monarchy’s Survival in a Deadly Chess Game
For 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II was the nation’s Brand and National Treasure. The big question remains, will King Charles III be able to fill the shoes of the most photographed woman in the world? Will King Charles and the British monarchy survive the deadly chess game in a time when other monarchies are stepping down or have abdicated because of their age?
Yet Queen Elizabeth kept true to her promise at 21, to serve her people for her entire life. Bravely, she faced every hurdle thrown her way and became a stately and elderly stateswoman who commanded respect around the world. King Charles III can aim for nothing less, as the Queen’s unique voice will be heard long after her death. She was a woman who started her reign in a man’s world and succeeded like no other. Women everywhere can be inspired by her outstanding example.
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