Eight months is Charles III. was already king – an office for which he had been preparing and becoming for a long time and for which he had to wait many years. What did he make of it – and what accents did he set?
Long lines formed when the coffin containing the Queen’s body was laid out in Westminster Hall in September 2022. The British want to say goodbye and stand in line for many hours.
A moment when King Charles III. and his son William approach those waiting, shake hands, exchange a few words. Right at the beginning of his tenure it becomes clear: Charles III. is a king who wants to meet his people, who approaches people – much more than his mother.
More political than a king should be
As he succeeds her to the throne, he promises continuity – and yet is different. His commitment to environmental protection is pronounced, he is considered a political head. More political than a king should be. When the government formulates plans to deport refugees to Rwanda, he criticizes this.
King Charles has let it be known that he finds the government’s plan appalling. However, he cannot address refugee policy directly in public, explains Catherine Mayer, journalist and Charles biographer.
Pass the crown on without prejudice
Charles always has to weigh up how political he wants or can be without harming himself and his role.
“One of his tasks is not only to be king, but also to pass on the crown unscathed,” says Catherine Mayer. “If he becomes too political and loses his distance, the critics, including conservatives, will accuse the royal family.”
The right tone on the first state visit
His role as head of state abroad was obviously easier for him. During his first visit as king to Germany, he speaks partly in German in the Bundestag, including on Ukraine, and emphasizes the common values:
The security of Europe is under threat, as are our democratic values. But the world has not stood idly by. We are shocked by the terrible destruction. But we can draw courage from our unity.
King Charles approaches the Germans, picks up on similarities, and is entertaining in his speeches at the state banquet and when visiting an organic market.
The visit to Hamburg with the wreath-laying ceremony in the war-damaged St. Nikolai church and the visit to the memorial for the Jewish children who had been sent to England by their parents so that they could escape extermination are very special moments of this state visit.
tricky family matters
Another challenge for Charles is the royal family itself. Because they have many members. Until recently, 15 people were working as so-called “working” royals, which means they received public money for their work. But Charles wants to reduce the number.
Prince Harry and Meghan turned their backs on the family, Prince Andrew was forced to back down over his closeness to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A leaner monarchy – without scandals – so the calculation, finds more support in the population.
Again and again, the royal family has to justify the comparatively high costs. Critics compare the expenses with those of other monarchies and republics in which the head of state is elected and is not already determined by birth.