test on the throne

King Charles III has been in office for more than two months. (74) to the British throne after succeeding his mother Elizabeth II († 96), who passed away on September 8. The late start in a monarch’s life could hardly have ended better, says constitutional lawyer Craig Prescott of the University of Bangor in Wales. “There was a real fear that support for the monarchy would collapse after the death of the Queen,” said Prescott of the German news agency (dpa). “It seems to me that we are far from it.” Charles impressed with his presence and devotion to duty at the funeral services.

Catherine Mayer (61), the British-American author of the biography “Charles III. – With the Heart of a King”, believes that Charles has even developed sympathy for the emotional outbursts that are “typical” for him. For example, when he the camera cursed at a leaking fountain pen, making it seem arrogant to some, but more humane to others.

Difficult first months

She generally describes the start of his reign as “difficult” because of the tensions with the government. Mayer took a close look at the personality of the royal family in her bio. The result is a portrait of a man who has the indomitable will to be noticed for more than just the grace of his high heritage. Namely as a thinker and environmentalist who has designed a holistic concept for the problems of humanity and often feels completely misunderstood.

It was a “huge irony” that Charles came to the throne at a time when he disagreed with the government over his commitment to climate change, Mayer explains. “If he had become king a few years or even six months earlier, he would have agreed with the government on the subject of the environment,” the writer and journalist said in an interview with the dpa.

Not considered for “Brain Theme”.

Tensions reached a head when the palace announced that the king would not attend the UN climate conference in Egypt in consultation with the government. The then Prime Minister Liz Truss (47) had turned her back on the climate policy of her predecessors and promised to generously hand out new permits for oil and gas extraction. For Charles, who has long campaigned to fight global warming, it was a public humiliation. Charles later retaliated – intentionally or not – when he received Truss at the weekly audience in front of the camera with the words, “Back again – dear oh dear”. The king was spared a further escalation of the conflict – Truss had to abdicate a short time later under pressure from her own faction.

Tensions were tricky – Charles’s possible meddling in politics had always been seen as the greatest threat to his government. That must now be made harmless for the time being, because the Truss successor Rishi Sunak (42) is now back on the course of his predecessor Boris Johnson (58). After initial hesitation, Sunak decided to go to Egypt himself and reiterated the goal of making Britain the “green energy superpower”. But in other areas, further divergences threaten – for example, the government’s relentless course in dealing with migrants, which Charles apparently views with care.

The first big exams are coming

The politically turbulent early days also had a positive side for the new king: in the eyes of constitutional expert Prescott, Charles took advantage of the fact that the government sank into chaos in his first months as a monarch. As a result, he was able to appear as an anchor of stability without much effort, as his mother had successfully done for decades.

According to Prescott, the first big test is the Christmas speech. “He will address the nation independently for the first time,” the expert said. But the publication of the memoir of his son Prince Harry (38) announced for January is also “a cloud on the horizon”. It will be difficult for the monarchy to respond without damaging its reputation. Navigating the May 6 coronation celebrations amid a cost of living crisis will also be tricky, Prescott believes. Although the palace had already announced that it would keep the framework small, Prime Minister Sunak had already granted an extra vacation.

Family disputes as a test

Mayer also sees the dispute with Harry and his wife Duchess Meghan (41) as one of the biggest problems for the king. In addition, Buckingham Palace’s advisory staff still underestimate this. And then there’s the inglorious role that Charles’ younger brother Prince Andrew (62) played in the abuse scandal involving the late American multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein (1953-2019), and that he still hasn’t been completely removed from his public role.

Another danger Mayer sees is Charles’s often lax attitude when it came to accepting donations for his charities. For example, the “Sunday Times” only reported in the summer about bags full of money worth millions that a Qatari politician handed him. The incident, which has been confirmed by the palace, while not illegal, casts doubt on Charles’ judgment. “The risk of his own wrong decisions falling on his toes is not insignificant,” says author Mayer. (SDA/weld)