From our special correspondent in London,
The queen is no more. Long live the king. In the aftermath of the death of Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday at the age of 96 in her Scottish castle of Balmoral, the British came by the thousands to Buckingham Palace to pay homage to their adored queen, transforming the gates of the palace into giant walls of flowers, between which tender messages have slipped. But from that day on, they must associate the crown with his son Charles, Prince of Wales and now King.
And many are those who also came to try to catch a glimpse of him, Charles III, who greeted the crowd this Friday afternoon, before delivering his very first televised speech as sovereign. “Wherever you live in the UK, or in the kingdoms and territories around the world, and whatever your origins or beliefs, I will strive to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have done throughout my life, he assured. This promise to serve you all my life, I renew it today before you”. But after the seventy years of his mother’s reign, what do the royal subjects think of the one who is now their sovereign? Do they trust him? Does Charles’ commitment to ecology allow him to make a place for himself in the hearts of his people? It would seem so.
“It’s not going to be easy to succeed your mother”
French living in London, Margot, tourist guide, saw her expatriate heart capsize for the queen. On the other hand, on the first day of her son’s reign, the 23-year-old young woman has some reservations. “In my opinion, the relationship of the British with their new monarch will change: Charles has always been much less appreciated, and I do not think he will arouse the same fervor, she says. What we experienced during the jubilee celebrations was incredible, and Charles will never equal that. Especially since unlike his mother, who signed the longest reign of the British crown, he will be at the head of the kingdom for much less time: he is no longer very young, she underlines . Perhaps from now on, the British will distance themselves more from the royal family.
British phlegm obliges, the subjects of the new king prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt. “We have no choice but to trust him, jokes Terence, a young father. But we are witnessing a new page in history. We are going through difficult times and I am sure that he will bring honor to his mother”. And among the youngest of the royal subjects, optimism is in order, even if a time of adaptation seems necessary. “The death of the Queen has hit the United Kingdom hard and I think it will be difficult for Charles to take up his new duties”, analyzes Atticus, 11, bowler hat so British on his head.
“I think it will take time for everyone to get used to the fact that he is our new king, and to say “His Majesty the King”, which is sudden, adds Tilly, Anglo-Australian from 15 years old. But he fits into his family line, so he’ll want to take care of his people. He is very brave, he will be able to embrace his new role and take care of the country”.
“I wish him to be happy”, “He will be a different king, but a good king”
Perched on her bicycle and her shoulders draped in a Union Jack, Jaclyn, empathetic, insists that the king is above all “a grieving son, we should give him time to overcome the death of his mother, he believes. -she. All I wish for him is to be happy and not to be weighed down by the weight of the royal commitment and his responsibilities. And I am convinced that he will be a good king”.
A feeling shared by Sharon: “It’s natural to have Charles on the throne, it’s part of the monarchy: when one dies, the next one takes over. Even if it is very important for us to salute all that Elizabeth II accomplished throughout her life, in particular the peace and unity that she maintained even when our policies were torn apart. And Charles will do the same, he has something to hold on to. After all, “he is his mother’s son, she trained him well to succeed her, abounds his friend Laura. He will be a different king from her, certainly, but a good king. I’m sure he’ll make her proud.”
As Welsh as Charles III, Nigel, who came with his wife Caroline to spend a few days in London, closely followed the evolution of the new sovereign. “Over the decades, we have seen Charles become a seasoned statesman, with strong convictions and a solid experience of the diplomatic scene”, observes Nigel.
“It is a precursor in terms of the environment”
And if there is one area on which Charles III seems to be unanimous, it is his longstanding commitment to environmental issues, which seduces the youngest of his subjects as much as their elders. Starting with Eileen, Irish, happy to have been able to see with her own eyes the sovereign who came to greet the crowd at Buckingham Palace, she who nevertheless “always had the queen in her heart since the age of 5 years old. However, I think he will be a good monarch, very committed. It is already on environmental issues, and works to integrate the people as a whole, beyond beliefs and origins.
“Charles is a precursor in terms of the environment, confirms Nigel. He seized on climate issues at a time when they were not taken seriously, campaigned for agriculture that was more respectful of nature and greener urban planning”. A commitment that Jaclyn also praises, who believes that, like Charles, “the environment is clearly the subject on which the whole planet must move forward”. If he is not yet an expert in green or geopolitical issues, the young Atticus already knows that “Charles is really interested in the environment, and hopes that he can do something for the planet, and make the United United a better place”.
Nigel has no doubts. “You can’t imagine a better person than Charles to take up the torch from his mother, except perhaps his own son [William], whose turn should come one day. But in the meantime, long live the king! “.