STORY: The Queen is resting at her husband’s side, a major national, even international event has come to an end, the official phase of mourning is over. Time for a critical look at the effort that was made to pay tribute to the monarch. Asked about by passers-by in London. “It was appropriate to mourn, it wasn’t that difficult. That was largely to be expected given her tenure and age. It was a sad time for the country, but in a way it brought people together, this national event.” this banker from London. This South Carolina couple is impressed. “It was impressive to see the whole country on its feet. That wouldn’t happen in the US, we don’t have that kind of reverence for our heads of state.” “I think 10 days was the perfect time to mourn. Had it been longer, we as Londoners would not have had a chance to move on. And it’s a good opportunity to focus on the king now. As for Prince Charles as a king , he is the epitome of the British attitude to life. What more could you wish for?” This young woman, on the other hand, would have preferred a shorter period of national standstill. “Ten days is quite a long time. I think there has been a lot of talk about how much other things have been disrupted. I think a lot can relate. But it was also really bad timing considering what else you know, the cost of living, all those things. A lot of the grocery stores were closing right around that time. I think maybe a better decision could have been made.” As far as decisions are concerned, many Britons are likely to look to King Charles with interest from now on. Recently, reports of upcoming layoffs at Buckingham Palace caused a stir. British media reported that Charles had sent out letters before the state funeral to inform all employees of the planned cuts, which was sometimes criticized as heartless. Even before the Queen’s death, the press had been discussing how the monarch would shape his tenure and the country. Will he succeed in modernizing the monarchy – by streamlining the court and reducing costs? It also remains to be seen whether Charles, who is considered quite impulsive as king, will succeed in remaining silent on political issues, following the example of his mother, and thus maintaining neutrality.