After a successful first Christmas address, King Charles will have many challenges to face in the coming months.
It was a crucial test to which Charles III had to submit on Sunday as the new king: the Christmas message to the British, recorded by the monarch and broadcast on television every year since 1932. This speech is above all a harbinger of Charles’ first year as king, following the death of his mother Elizabeth II on September 8. And it will present many challenges.
Charles III knows that, on May 6, the cameras of the whole world will be trained on him to broadcast his coronation in London. The ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as it has been since 1066.
A ceremony which was announced as sober, in response to the cost of living which has soared in the United Kingdom. Preparations have already begun, with some modifications made to St. Edward’s crown in preparation for the event.
“She was cut to her size”, explains to BFMTV Thomas Pernette, journalist at ‘Point de vue’ and author of ‘Highnesses in distress’ (Flammarion).
“This crown is not the crown that we are used to seeing for the opening of Parliament”, continues the specialist. “It is the crown that is only used once, on coronation day, it is very important for the English and the whole world.”
New controversies in sight
But the most difficult subject the monarchy will have to face as these ceremonies approach will be to watch for on the side of the guest list: “The big unknown is whether Meghan and Harry will be there.”
The two terrible children of the monarchy continue to give a hard time to the royal family, two years after their controversial exile in California. After an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, during which they notably assured that a member of the royal family had worried about the skin color of Archie, their eldest son to be born, they made new embarrassing statements for the crown in Harry and Meghantheir documentary series unveiled a few weeks ago on Netflix.
They notably claimed that Meghan Markle had become the “scapegoat of the palace”, and accused the royal family of having deliberately mounted the press against them. It also reveals the stormy behind-the-scenes of their departure, and Harry claims that the British tabloids caused Meghan’s miscarriage.
For Thomas Pernette, their invitation to the coronation of Charles III is beyond doubt: “One cannot imagine the king not inviting his youngest son.” But will they come?
“It’s something else,” says the specialist.
“Do the other members of the royal family want to rub shoulders with them on the benches of Westminster Abbey, that’s also another question. Everything will be decided in January.” Because the royal family is preparing for a new explosion, expected on the 10th of next month: the release of Prince Harry’s memoirs, The Alternate (Fayard).
A Convincing King
On the side of public opinion, Charles III seems to be gradually winning the hearts of the British. Thomas Pernette underlines the “modernity” of his Christmas message: “He spoke of all the communities, he was not addressing only Christians. He wanted to associate both public services and associations committed to the weakest .”
Sunday, at the end of the traditional Christmas mass, at the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church in Sandringham, he displayed a united front with his family: his wife Camilla, his son William and his daughter-in-law Kate, as well as the latter’s three young children, George, Charlotte and Louis. For the DailyMailit is now time to forget the “fantastic four”, the nickname of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan before the latter two abandoned their role within the royal family: “We now have the magnificent seven!” , rejoices the British daily.
