Last weekend’s Coronation celebrations, both national and local, were a tribute to the many people who organised them and the hours of effort put into preparation. The weather did not cooperate of course, but anyone concerned that this was a bad omen should keep in mind that the 1953 Coronation which ushered in an unprecedented 70 year reign took place in even worse conditions. It was a real pleasure to be part of some of the events in our area and to share in the pride, happiness and sense of unity that the weekend brought to so many.
Not everyone is a Royalist I accept, and the Coronation has re-ignited for some the debate about the desirability of a Monarchy in 21st century Britain. I understand the Republican argument, but I still take the view that the Monarchy’s benefits far outweigh its costs. That equation relies of course on the approach to the role of the Monarch themselves. The late Queen Elizabeth II was the consummate public servant and is an extremely hard act to follow, but I found myself becoming increasingly confident during the weekend that King Charles III will follow her example and develop it with his own style, as he must.
The Coronation itself in Westminster Abbey was a thoughtful blend of ancient and more modern, but I was struck by something else. With all of the power signified by the ceremony and the homage paid to the crowned King, the most significant theme of the proceedings was the service the King offers to his people, not the other way round. I think you could see in the King’s face how seriously he takes the duties and responsibilities he has held since September but which, for many and perhaps for him too, only really crystallised and began to feel real on Saturday. Far more than the death of Queen Elizabeth or her funeral, this felt like the real transitional moment from one reign to another. On all these occasions, I like to try and see the personal among the procedural and it is hard to imagine how the King must have felt at the point at which the role he has (quite literally) spent his whole life preparing for finally became properly his. Among all the precision pageantry that we know no other country can do so well, the Coronation was really about the re-dedication of a life to public service – surely something to celebrate for Royalists and Republicans alike.
God Save the King.
