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In the past week, King Charles III has had to deal with the challenging tasks of managing his own grief over the passing of his mother, speaking out about the loss of the country, and assuming the role of royal figurehead. Since Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8, Britain has been hit by a wave of pro-monarchy emotions, and the 73-year-old Charles has received virtually unanimous media acclaim. But there have been some blemishes during his first week in office.
Adapting to the situation
All eyes were on Charles as he gave his first speech to the nation the day after the queen passed away since he had the longest wait for the throne in British history and had the hardest act to follow.
On Friday of last week, while seated at a wooden table wearing a black suit and tie, he blended personal homage to his mother, whom he referred to as “darling mama,” with promises about how he would rule as a ceremonial constitutional king.
A big issue for a sovereign who is supposed to be impartial is that he also pledged to withdraw from his philanthropic endeavours and trusts that have in the past led to accusations of him interfering in national affairs.
He addressed a different, more sensitive matter that might have sparked conflict during the period of national sorrow by professing his “love” for his estranged youngest son Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan.
In one of many complimentary comments on social media, veteran BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt praised it as “pitch perfect” while the right-wing Daily Mail dubbed it “an beautiful and very personal tribute.”
coordinator of the event
After being sworn in and watching the queen’s body’s transfer from her Balmoral estate to Edinburgh, Charles’ next responsibility was to preside over a ceremony on Monday that saw his mother’s casket carried to St. Giles’ cathedral in the Scottish capital.
Despite having dedicated his life to environmental concerns, he racked up air miles travelling from London to Scotland, then on to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, on Tuesday for a meeting with the province’s quarrelling political leaders.
That trip and one to Wales on Friday are intended to show his dedication to the United Kingdom’s troubled relations amid concerns that two of its four nations, Scotland and Northern Ireland, may one day secede.
In a speech at Hillsborough Castle, he declared, “I take up my new duties resolved to pursue the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland.”
A far cry from the 1990s and early 2000s, when Charles’ relationship with Camilla during and after his marriage to Princess Diana was a costly scandal, the major role of Camilla, now known as the Queen Consort, scarcely garnered attention throughout the week.
