Today marked the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, a ceremony that marked the end of 10 days of official mourning for the late monarch and was attended by 2,000 people from around the world. It truly marked the end of an era: Elizabeth II was on the throne for 70 years, longer than anyone in UK history, overseeing decades of history. For most Britons, she was the only queen they’ve ever known. But now, attention will turn to her son and successor, King Charles III, who faces challenges ahead as he inherits a role he’s waited for his entire life.
Charles was next-in-line to the throne for 70 years, waiting longer than anyone in British history. At 73, he is the oldest person to become King. It’s a job he’s prepared for his whole life, but he still faces many challenges ahead. The controversies surrounding Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have damaged the public’s perception of the royal family, and Charles will have to maintain their image and relevance in the years ahead. Charles is expected to take actions to modernize and streamline the monarchy, while also upholding its customs and traditions.
“The style will be very different,” Vernon Bogdanor, a professor of government at King’s College London, told the New York Times. “He will be an active king and he will probably push his prerogatives to the limits, but he won’t go beyond them.” Charles, who was often vocal about his opinions as Prince of Wales, has also said he won’t “meddle” as King, and will withhold his views as soveriegn.
“I’m not that stupid,” he once said, according to The Guardian. “I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So, of course, you know, I understand entirely how that should operate.” “I you become the sovereign then you play the role in the way that it is expected.” These themes were reflected in his first official speech as King, in which he praised his mother’s ability to uphold tradition while adapting to a changing world — combining an “abiding love of tradition” with a “fearless embrace of progress.”
He also reassured the nation that he would follow in his mother’s footsteps as a devoted public servant to the people of the UK. “As The Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the Constitutional principles at the heart of our nation,” he said. “And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.”