Category Archives: Monarchy

‘Pace yourself’: lessons for King Charles on working in your 70s

Posted on by

From failing eyesight and tiredness to dealing with younger colleagues – some of the challenges facing the new king

The biggest challenge for those, like the King, who are working in their 70s is adapting to change, according to David Smith, 73, who, for the past 20 years, has been chief officer of the men’s charity, 15 Square.

“I think a lot of people get into their 70s and say ‘I’ve always done it this way and this is how I’m always going to do it’,” says Smith, who is the same age as Charles. “And that is a recipe for disaster. You have to embrace change.”

Continue reading...

Queen’s coffin leaves Balmoral en route to Edinburgh

Posted on by

Cortege passing through villages of Royal Deeside where many considered monarch a dear neighbour

The Queen has commenced her final journey from her beloved Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire and is heading down the north-east coast to Edinburgh.

The cortege carrying her coffin left Balmoral at about 10am and was making slow progress through the villages of Royal Deeside, allowing the thousands who lined the route to bid a final farewell to the country’s longest-serving monarch and the woman many locally considered a dear neighbour.

Continue reading...

Governor general proclaims King Charles III as Australia’s head of state – As it happened

Posted on by

Anthony Albanese has set 22 September as National Memorial Service Day for Queen Elizabeth II. This blog is now closed

Howard says the popularity of the Queen was the key reason behind the republican movement failing, but that the monarchy offers stability.

I think there’s also a keener appreciation of the value of the institution and its strength. People look around the world at the moment and the alternative governance systems on offer, everyone in democracies, don’t look all that flash on occasions. I think the strength and durability and flexibility of the constitutional monarchy is something that more people appreciate than is imagined.

That is fair enough. It’s a democracy. People can argue for change. My observation is the strength of the monarchy in Australia was immeasurably increased by the personal popularity of the Queen.

Continue reading...

Jacinda Ardern expects New Zealand’s royal ties to ‘deepen’ under King Charles III

Posted on by

New Zealand and Australia hold ceremonies to recognise new head of state and pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Australia and New Zealand have held proclamation ceremonies for the new head of state King Charles III, with New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern saying she expected her country’s relationship with the royal family to “deepen”, and Australia declaring a one-off public holiday as a national day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II.

New Zealand held its formal ceremony on parliament’s grounds, with the proceedings led by governer general Cindy Kiro and Ardern, beginning with the national anthem and a prayer in te reo Māori – the Indigenous language.

Continue reading...

Antigua and Barbuda to hold republic referendum within three years, says PM

Posted on by

Prime minister Gaston Browne reiterates plan for referendum in wake of Queen’s death

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, has said he will call for a referendum on the country becoming a republic within three years, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Browne signed a document confirming Charles III’s status as the new King, but minutes later, said he would push for a republic referendum after indicating such a move earlier this year during a visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Continue reading...

King Charles III: royal family, including Anne, Andrew and Edward, greet wellwishers at Balmoral – live

Posted on by

Charles publicly declared new monarch in series of proclamations after historic meeting of accession council

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have charted a path for themselves in California with King Charles’s stamp of approval. Will the Queen’s death change Meghan and Harry’s new chapter?

Lois Beckett writes:

The couple live in the celebrity enclave of Montecito, in a mansion reportedly purchased for $14.65m and have started Archewell, a combination of nonprofit and for-profit ventures that aims to “unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change”.

In a move that echoes the post-White House ambitions of Barack and Michelle Obama, the pair signed a reported $100m, multi-year deal with Netflix to produce TV shows, films and children’s programs. Meghan launched a Spotify podcast Archetypes, featuring interviews with American celebrity royalty such as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey and Mindy Kaling.

The duo is engaged in several humanitarian organizations, including Harry’s Invictus games, and frequently speak out on public issues…

More scrutiny of Windsor family dynamics and the role these two royal dissenters might play in the reign of Harry’s 73-year-old father, Charles III, is likely, especially given the anticipated release of Harry’s memoir, which is expected to delve into the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, and Harry and Meghan’s life in the UK before their departure to California.

Continue reading...

MPs and peers retake parliamentary oaths to swear allegiance to King Charles III

Posted on by

First MP to take new oath was Lindsay Hoyle, followed by Harriet Harman and Peter Bottomley, then Liz Truss

MPs and peers, among them Liz Truss, have formally retaken their parliamentary oaths to swear allegiance to the new King, followed by another round of tributes in both parliamentary houses to the late monarch.

The first MP to take the revised oath, which refers to the King rather than Queen, was the Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, followed by the two longest-serving MPs, Peter Bottomley and Harriet Harman, then Truss and a dozen or so other senior MPs, mainly ministers, shadow ministers and party leaders.

Continue reading...

Earl marshal: the duke coordinating the Queen’s funeral and King’s coronation

Posted on by

The hereditary behind-the-scenes role involves organising state funerals of sovereigns and arranging the accession of monarchs

As the nation mourns a Queen and celebrates a new King, a key behind-the-scenes figure is the earl marshal.

This hereditary role has responsibility for arranging the state opening of parliament, as well as organising the state funerals of sovereigns and the accession and coronations of new monarchs.

Continue reading...

Class or crass? Brands walk a fine line in marking Queen’s death

Posted on by

Posts by Playmobil and Legoland Windsor provoked comment, as did the Queen Elizabeth II workout

Content is king, in #marketingspeak at least, but many brands have discovered that the Queen is not content.

In the tumult of reaction to news of the Queen’s death, social media managers struggled to work out the best way to communicate to their customers.

Continue reading...

Prime minister of Barbados says King Charles is a ‘man ahead of his time’

Posted on by

Mia Mottley praised his environmental and social commitment and noted his recognition of the atrocities of slavery

The prime minister of Barbados, which became the world’s newest republic after removing the Queen as its head of state last year, has described King Charles III as a “man ahead of his time” because of his environmental views and commitment to young people, and noted his recent recognition of the atrocities of slavery.

Speaking to the BBC World Service programme The Newsroom on Saturday, Mia Mottley also paid tribute to the Queen, who congratulated the Caribbean island on a “momentous” day when it became a republic in November last year.

Continue reading...

Queen’s death intensifies criticism of British empire’s violent atrocities

Posted on by

American commentators, academics and others are calling into reconsideration of monarchy’s lasting influences

The death of Queen Elizabeth II revived longstanding criticism in the US over the monarchy’s enrichment from the British empire’s violent colonization of African, Asian and Caribbean nations and their diasporas.

Since her death on Thursday, American commentators, academics, and a former US diplomat, among others, took to social media and elsewhere to call for fully wrestling with the British monarchy’s lasting influence in light of the monarch’s death.

Continue reading...

Australian travel industry braces for ‘influx’ as royalists plan to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral

Posted on by

Guardian Australia understands the few remaining Qantas seats from Australian capital cities to London have been quickly booked since the news of monarch’s death

Australia’s travel industry says it is bracing for an “influx” of Australians deciding to travel to London to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

Guardian Australia understands the very few remaining Qantas seats from Australian capital cities to London have been quickly booked since the news of the Queen’s death. Peter Hosper, the commercial director of Travel Authority Group, said his agency was preparing for more inquiries on Monday.

Continue reading...

King Charles’s ascension ignites debate over royals across Commonwealth

Posted on by

Head of state role in doubt in realms from Jamaica to New Zealand after death of Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles’s ascension to the throne has reignited a debate over whether the royal family deserves a global role in the 21st century, no more so than in the 14 Commonwealth realms where the British monarch remains the head of state.

A legacy of empire and slavery that was entwined with British royalty for centuries has raised tough questions about the place of a foreign king, and republican movements from the Pacific to North America to the Caribbean will be assessing whether they should seize the moment.

Continue reading...

Queen’s death deepens UK’s downward spiral in global arena, US observers say

Posted on by

Boris Johnson scandals, energy crisis – not to mention Brexit – have undermined Britain’s influence

The prevailing view from America of post-Brexit, post-Elizabethan Britain is principally one of a country of declining influence which is in danger of sinking on the world stage as a result of mostly self-inflicted crises.

The US news coverage of the day of the Queen’s death was overwhelmingly reverent, but by Friday there was already a backlash, pointing to the inseparable bond between the royal family and the country’s imperial past.

Continue reading...

‘Everything kicked into gear’: how Australia’s media covered the Queen’s death

Posted on by

Broadcasters launched well-rehearsed plans – including pre-planned outfits – when news broke in the early morning

The sombre black outfits have been ready for years, the studio rehearsals done many times and the obituaries and highlights packages were ready.

Like the BBC and ITV, Australian broadcasters had careful plans to launch on the death of the Queen.

Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning

Continue reading...

Condolences and condemnation: Indigenous people and people of colour react to the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Posted on by

While some have offered unflinching takes on the damage of British colonisation, others say the monarch held ‘a special place’ in their hearts

The reaction to the death of the Queen among Indigenous people and people of colour, including those from Commonwealth nations, has been swift and, at times, unflinching.

For many the Queen was the personification of British colonisation and the damage it has wreaked in their countries – and they were not afraid to say so. Yet others expressed their condolences for the monarch who has long held “a special place” in their hearts.

Continue reading...

Charles III’s first speech: what the King said and why it was important

Posted on by

The King’s first speech to the nation was telling of his hopes for his reign and how the royal family will operate

King Charles III’s first speech to the nation as sovereign contained telling passages showing how he hopes the public, in the UK and abroad, will see his forthcoming reign and how he wants the royal family to operate.

The King said: “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well-lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”

“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.”

“In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths. The institutions of the state have changed in turn.” And he said: “Whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love.”

“My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities. It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.”

“I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.”

Continue reading...

King Charles III thanks ‘darling Mama’ for ‘love and devotion’ in first address as monarch – latest updates

Posted on by

The King also announced William and Kate would become Prince and Princess of Wales

This is a enjoyable series of tweets on some of the Queen’s quietly subversive moments

My colleague Dan Sabbagh has written a blow-by-blow account of how the news broke of the Queen’s ill-health yesterday.

It was immediately obvious that something grave was occurring. Shortly after noon, Nadhim Zahawi, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, headed urgently into the Commons chamber to pass Liz Truss a note. He lingered to conduct a whispered briefing with the new prime minister while Keir Starmer addressed the chamber.

Moments later, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, was also handed a sheet of paper. She digested its contents, before looking up in a moment of doubt and concern. The debate on the energy price cap continued, but suddenly the government’s £150bn bailout was no longer the story of the day.

Continue reading...

King Charles to address nation as period of mourning for Queen begins

Posted on by

Prime minister to meet new monarch as floral tributes are placed outside Buckingham Palace and elsewhere

The first full day of the reign of King Charles III has begun, with the new monarch travelling to London to meet the prime minister and prepare for a national address on Friday evening.

After staying at Balmoral overnight, the King will travel with Camilla, now Queen Consort, to the capital.

Continue reading...

Republic debate flares as Australia mourns its longest-serving monarch Queen Elizabeth II

Posted on by

Governor general says Queen ‘a symbol of stability, inspiration and servant leadership’ as PM calls 1954 visit ‘a defining moment in our nation’s history’

The death of Queen Elizabeth II, and the ascension of King Charles III as sovereign, has reanimated republican debate in Australia, as the country formally pays tribute to its longest-serving monarch, “a symbol of stability, inspiration and servant leadership”.

Australia’s governor general, David Hurley, described the late monarch as an “example of selfless service, devotion to duty and compassion”.

Continue reading...