On Saturday, King Charles III had his meeting with the Accession Council, which was part of the first-ever televised Proclamation Ceremony. Basically, King Charles III made a speech to such luminaries as Boris Johnson, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and the new prime minister Liz Truss. Then the new king signed some papers. Queen Camilla and the new Prince of Wales, Prince William, were there. Charles’s siblings are all still in Balmoral, with their late mother’s body. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in Windsor while this happened at St. James’s Palace. Charles’s speech starts around the 8:30-mark. Watch everything around starting at the 14-minute mark though.
The business with the fountain pen and the ink pot is so… odd. Apparently, the document signed by Charls is the Accession Proclamation, and Charles merely had to sign two large documents with the pen. Charles motions for someone to get all of the extra pens off the table to he can sign the second document. Charles makes a “come on, do it” face at some aide. Then William, as the witness, has to motion to the same aide to present a pen to him because the king hijacked the good pen. The whole thing was extra awkward because Charles is a righty and William is a lefty. At no point did any aide or courtier simply suggest putting the inkwell and extra pens at the top of the desk. “No, that is how The Awkward Proclamation Inkwell has always been placed on the table, why would we do it differently, it’s HISTORY!”
Meanwhile, on Friday, the new PM Liz Truss had her first audience with the new king. Absolute shambles, made even funnier and more bizarre by the fact that Truss apparently can’t curtsy, she can only sort of halfway buckle uncomfortably. She tried to keep a respectful distance from Charles but he told her “come in, my dear.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- King Charles III during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, confirms his role. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022. . .,Image: 721404798, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- The Prince of Wales and the Queen during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, confirms his role. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022. . .,Image: 721406177, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- King Charles III during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, confirms his role. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022. . .,Image: 721406187, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- King Charles III and the Queen during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, confirms his role. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022. . .,Image: 721406196, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- (Left-right) The Prince of Wales, the Queen and Lord President of the Council Penny Mordaunt during the Accession Council ceremony at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch. Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Councillors, confirms his role. Picture date: Saturday September 10, 2022. . .,Image: 721406288, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
Did y’all see him baring his teeth like that? How he behaves behind the scenes won’t be surprising.
But hey, Meghan’s the bully who lowered somebody’s confidence.
@Mooney – right? I can see his reign being rocky from the jump. Even Camilla looked a bit abashed, that’s saying something.
Camilla’s face when he did that shooing motion says it all. She knew that looked bad. Looks like she even said something under her breath. I get he’s under stress but if he is this imperious in full view of the cameras, what must he be like behind the scenes? That’s his true self showing right there. But yeah Meghan is the mean bully.
Okay, @Jais, almost 99% of the time, I agree with your posts. I’m going to disagree that he’s under stress. As a previous defender of Charles, I will say, he’s been preparing for this moment for a long time.
If I didn’t know better, this whole video/situation, is a parody. He’s baring badger teeth and looks like he’s shoosing away a tarantula….on camera, in front of people.
lol, he is looking overly imperious at a time when he shouldn’t be-his mother just died and he did this fussy nonsense on camera/video. (how much is the Keeper of Pens paid? asking for a friend who might be known as a swiper of pens-not inkpots though) Agree with your take on Camilla’s reaction.
You just know the pen guy is going to get hit in the head with a sink when they get home.
I am a terrible person, because I can’t quit giggling at this image.
That inkpot got felt-up more than anything in that room! They were each fondling it. Seriously though, why did Charles act like everything had to be done for him?
Charles seems very incandescent with rage for such a petty thing. But I do understand the pen highjacking, it’s the pen that made him King. That pen right there is going to be William’s heritage and will be passed on to his son 100% sure. In a few years, we will be able to see a bigger table and the new rightful place for the ink pot and pens when it’ll be William’s turn to sign this as King. And each person will be presented with their own pen. Clowns. lol
What was linked here wasn’t the entire video. Charles fusses before those two large documents even get set on the table, so he’s having to asked a second time. Although I’m not sure why he can’t move things out of the way himself (which all the rest of us would do).
Wait, watched it again. This is the first time he gestures for things to be taken away, then he does it again at the end when he sits down yet again. This guy.
It’s all over Twitter with people saying how terrible he is to treat someone that way and it is time to end the monarchy.
I am in full agreement.
I dislike Charles on every level, but this is one display of frustration I kind of get? Like it was a really fragile ink pot on a tiny table, and they’re historic documents that will be preserved for hundreds of years or a millennia. I’d be anxious and freaked the f**k out about knocking over an inkwell while signing them, too, let alone on an international broadcast a couple days after my mom died. As a former stage manager, it looked to me like the performance didn’t match the rehearsals and someone on run crew wasn’t doing their job.
He’s a grade A jerk, absolutely. Like he could have just turned and said “Could you move this, please?” and it would have been a non-story. It’s not hard to not be an a*s, Charlie. But if I were ever inclined to be understanding of him, this would be the one time.
Yes @BeanieBean! Charles was a fussy badger not just once but twice..on video!
At first I thought it was a nervous tic. I’ve seen it with people in my real life(usually with flies or mosquitoes) this was something else. And not in a good way.
@Houlihan, the problem with your argument is that Charles is completely familar with the size of the table and documents and inkpots. These are not new things to him. Ya know? After waiting decades of waiting and watching and learning. .. he was baring teeth about inconsequential things. I’m in Wisconsin. We’re considered a deciding state for elections (sometimes sadly re:Trump). Sometimes good. Charles acting like a prissy ant about an inkpot and speculation on his removing of titles from his biracial grandchildren is not a good look.imo Still want to know what the Keeper of Pens is paid? Instead of slimming down the monarchy, they should be slimming down the people who are doing simple jobs for the Monarchy. Keeper of Pens might be worth applying for but not wiper of a$$es.
well this is the guy who apparently have his toothpaste squeezed for him by his staff, so yeah he expects everything done for him. That interaction with the inkwell was just his mask already slipping.
But will he get a Lord of the Stool?
No way! I hadn’t heard that. It reminds me of Coming To America when Prince Akeem’s ‘handler’ calls for the Wipers!
I know. WTH was that? So awkward
Fascinating to see him get the Olivia Wilde treatment on Twitter. That’s my name now when someone in the public eye does something that seems a little off and you see people who’ve been following the nonsense stopping by and spilling tea. Then everyone starts going full “Christ, what an asshole.”
It really is a disaster for the person it hits, because an initial bad impression that would probably have passed because of all the usual fawning press, but when the truth is told in these moments of weakness, the veil lifts. Very hard to overcome.
Exactly! He couldn’t act like a screaming a**hole, not with the whole world watching. I bet he is a rage-monster in private. May his reign be eventful and interesting, in the worst possible way.
Camilla’s expressions says it all. She never wanted this, but she’s trapped.
Kaiser, thank you for spending a lot of your free time over the last few days to keep us updated. I know many of my uneducated questions will be answered on this forum.
I second this comment!
Thank you for the Saturday special, Kaiser.
Yes, more thank yous to Kaiser! I hope you get overtime $ or comp time off!
Agreed! Thank you for the extra coverage.
Thank you, Kaiser. I was resigned to waiting until Monday for more updates and was pleasantly surprised.
Charles will not be popular – he always appears so contemptuous. The Queen was given a lot of grace because of the era she grew up in and because of who she was.
They have already started editing his gaffes and nit-picking against him. It’s going to be painful to watch….
Life comes at one fast. As a young politician Truss wanted rid of the monarchy, and look at her now. Doffing her metaphorical cap, as it were.
If she didn’t want to curtsey (fair) I think a nod of the head would have sufficed. I cannot stand her, but I am glad that she’s doing this rather than Boris Johnson. The boor would have made it all about him.
Everything about her is ridiculous. It would be hilarious if she wasn’t such a nasty piece of work.
She will be a disaster as PM. Charles may very well have preferred Johnson.
I think Truss is still republican leaning. She did not curtsy to the queen when they met on Tuesday. But I’m guessing Charles would rather have her as his first prime minister than Boris.
I noticed that she did not curtsey when she was presented to The Queen on Tuesday, I wonder if she regrets that now.
OK, everyone is tired, grieving, nerves on edge, etc.
Charles is under a large amount of pressure and scrutiny, etc.
The aides were unsure and nervous too.
I’m not a royalist but, the family is grieving.
Be kind.
I have never understood how the BRF are expected to perform like robots for days on end in these huge public ceremonies following a family members death.
The worldwide press is on them like dogs during all of it too.
I’m surprised no one has ever fainted during these situations.
Give me a break. She was 96, he is 73. Yes, it’s always sad and painful to loose a loved one, but again, she was in her 90s and not doing well. If he can’t handle this occassion when people have goodwill towards him, he has a hard road ahead. Any gaffe from him would be forgiven. I lost my mother when I was in my mid 30s and I never snapped at anyone. He is just an ass. Snapping at people over an inkwell not being moved is a douchbag behaviour. That inkwell doesn’t weight a ton, move it yourself. He is just an entitled inbred and invertebrate.
A little empathy is needed for Charles. It doesn’t matter that his mother was 96 years old. He knows he has enormous shoes to fill.
That was BEYOND the pale. You could use that video as a textbook example of workplace harassment.
I heard he likes dogs and plants, maybe they need to keep him away from people.
@HeyKay & Snickers, empathy is a nonfactor in an event that has had a comprehensive operational plan detailing every moment prepared, rehearsed, and at the ready for at least the last decade. This isn’t an average man mourning the death of his mother, and you’d have to be pretty naive to believe that Charles hasn’t practiced the precise moments of this occasion at length. If there was a problem with how the desk was setup, it’s not a ‘poor Charles’ moment, it’s another signal of how inept the courtiers are at their jobs that they couldn’t logistically plan for space for an inkwell and papers on a desk. Nobody is ridiculing his grief or nitpicking indiscernible body language cues, we’re commenting on the blatantly obvious demonstrations of who he is and has always been as a person. This was his natural reaction, and that itself is very telling.
@Sunday 💯% agree
Hell, they couldn’t protect the Queen from covid—likely sent her to grave, sooner.
@Heykay
Oh dear oh dear oh dear….methinks the ship has sailed on that there sentiment for the racistroyals, milove.
For those of us decent folks who believe in reparative justice, Charles & the rest of tht cabal will get exactly as much as they gave in consideration when Harry & especially Meghan were on the receiving end of hateful British bile. At least 6 years’ worth of it.
Buckle up, buttercup.
Hope this, i’ve been making those comments on the Daily Mail (I know, I know ) for the last few days. Just today someone commented about “the respect Harry showed by accepting William’s -offer for the two brothers and their wives to go out and meet the people”. My response was, “ Like the respect shown to Meghan and Harry in the last few years,- you mean?” Another comment was about how Regan showed grace and respect for Harry in doing that. And I said, “ i’m sure that was unintentional, and he’ll get over it soon, so don’t worry.” And I got booted off.
William has up to 20 years to learn how to be a good king, and he certainly has a lot to learn. I don’t think William has the goods to be a decent king or a decent man. But that will not matter one iota; he will be king simply by dint of
parentage.
If he hasn’t figured out by his 70s how to be a decent human being he’s not going to.
Exactly. The optics were not good but I actually think that Charles was very nervous, unusual for him. He never really loses his temper in public and what happened has been blown out of proportion, he was not being nasty.
It was an enormously momentous and historic occasion for him and he did not want to mess up his signature or the the document. Also the table was far too small and awkward for such large documents.
Please note that Charles did not ‘steal’ the pen, he took it from his inside pocket and put it back when he finished. That pen now has special significance. Someone said William uses a special pen because he is left handed.
Men only have to “bow” with their head. They don’t even bow with their body. Yet women are expected to do a physically awkward, twist legs, bend body cursey. It’s ridiculous. And if a person has stiffness from say arthritis in their knees, impossible. Women should be able to do the same head bow as the men.
If I were supposed to curtsy, I’d go down but I’d never get back up!
Mycatlovrstv I have to say as someone post 2 knee replacements her curtsy looks a lot like me trying to bend my knees prior to getting new ones lol. I too would have gone down and kept right on going. Don’t mind me sir I’ll just lay here mortified if that’s ok
Very true.
It was awkward and seemingly contemptuous, but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here — he must have been incredibly nervous. Just imagine if he spilled the ink or sent the whole thing crashing down when trying to reshuffle it around the table lol.
Nervous people don’t bare their teeth and growl, but nice try.
The Keepers Of The Pens have a long and storied history. For millennia they have been there, 4 steps aways to move the pens slightly to the right, or slightly to the left because god forbid that the royal person next to the pen would have to pick up his god damned arm and move it himself.
He did spill the ink. He knocked the inkwell over as he stood up, which is why William’s lefty arm curl had to be more exaggerated than it ordinarily might have been. He had to avoid that big ink spill.
My sentiments too.
Yeah this was…….not good. He could have gestured without growling or whatever. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
It was not great. But already he’s getting the benefit of the doubt that Meghan has not received and her alleged bullying was never truly explained or described.
He really did growl didn’t he? I keep remembering the story where his groom hid in the closet for 20 minutes…
Ok, I just laughed. I don’t know that story. But after seeing that face growl, I totally get why someone hid in the closet.
Chuck is a lot like the Queen Mother, she was said to be prickly with the staff. And William is like his father like that as well.
As a fellow lefty… signing such an important document with a fountain pen with wet ink, after someone else has already signed said document with wet ink, would be a nightmare! No wonder he has the awkward lefty arm curl going on. I’m one of the few lefties I know who doesn’t do the arm curl, and as a result I end up with ink smeared all down my hand. And that’s just with ball point pens!
Same here, Haapa. I don’t do the weird wrist curl, and always end up with pen or pencil hand. An inkwell is my idea of a nightmare, I’d be holding that pen by the upper third, which screams classy!
YES. I’m not a William fan but as a fellow lefty I was really stressed for him! I’d be freaking out that I’d smear the wet ink, and that ink pot was in such an awkward place.
Well, William got his rage from somewhere, didn’t he?
As for curtsying…I suspect it looked much more graceful in the days when women wore long skirts. I agree it would be better in this day and age to let women just bow their heads, too. In the meantime, for the love of God, Liz, Google “how to curtsy” and take in a few YouTube videos!
The PM should bow regardless of gender. But this is still a country that refers to women as Mrs or Miss in professional settings, which is bizarre in a North American context where Ms is the norm regardless of marital status.
Perhaps a trip to Royal Lodge and a tutorial on curtsying from Sarah would help!
That lady in the black headband at the proclamation ceremony (don’t know her office) just bowed her head several times to Charles. I don’t know why Liz Truss couldn’t do the same thing.
No one should be bowing or whatever to anyone. Its nonsense.
At one point he pulls her closer towards him while shaking hands – she seemed too far away from him that that handshake looked really weird.
Given that Twitter was all ‘is she going off her 2nd Monarch in a week?’ I don’t blame her for being nervous. She got a LOT of stick online.
Been an interesting week in the UK – a new PM and a new Monarch within 2 days.
And the handshake lasted too long. I would have thought by now Charles & Liz Truss knew how to do an appropriate, businesslike handshake.
And maybe she was trying to leave some distance because of covid. I sure would!
I grew up in England and we had inkwells in our desks. At the TOP of our desks, not in the front.
But why is there an inkwell, when they’re signing with fountain pens that have their own ink cartridges? Nobody dipped their pen in the ink.
Charles dipped his pen. The sort of grimace he made with the shrugging of the tray is how I interpret him being lighthearted actually
I was intrigued by the pen and ink-well business that vexed Charles so. At first I thought he must have been using an old-fashioned dip pen that had to be dipped in an inkwell, because if it was an ordinary fountain pen, as it turns out was, why would he need to dip it into the inkwell? And if he used a dip pen, why did everyone else use a fountain pen? But on second watching I realised he was using his own fountain pen that he retrieved from his pocket. And since it was his own pen, surely this fastidious man had tested it to make sure the pen was clean and the ink was fresh and would flow because sometimes it can take a moment for ink to flow in a fountain pen and this was not the document to scratch around on a few times to make the ink would flow, so he would surely have made sure it was primed and ready for action. So why have an ink well at all? And why didn’t William also have his own pen so he didn’t have to make use of one of the provided pens in that pesky pen tray that cluttered up that too-small-for-purpose desk? But Camilla didn’t have a pen pocket so there had to be a pen tray for her. Maybe that was a special desk and special ink-well set that tradition dictated had to be used. Did tradition also dictate that they use a desk that was far too small for purpose, leading to the need to shuffle the ink-well and pen-dish around it so much? The pen and ink-well incident and Charles’ grimace – which I also took to be a lighthearted reaction – was a highlight of the occasion for me.
I am certain I saw something on People online that said the inkwell was a gift from “Charles’ sons”, which makes it all the more hilarious that it was moved around, like a chess board.
@roslyn LOL
Good point Carrot….that grimace was not an angry grimace…it was saying….quick! quick! help me.
Please note that the inkwell was a gift from William and Harry and therefore had been brought in specifically and symbolically.
@carrot- I have never defended this man or his terrible family (aside from harry) but I agree with you it was his joking face. The man has a weird mouth to begin with imo and the faces I’ve seen him make over the years lead me to believe he was joking or at least trying to come off as being playful because I’m sure inside he was seriously annoyed.
I guess that’s one reason Camilla kept her home raymill as a retreat
LMAO!
Everything the Royal Family say about Meghan is really about themselves. Charles is a bully but there won’t be any investigation on him
Was there a reason why the new princess of wales was not at this ceremony? I realize she’s not a counsellor of state, but even being in the crowd as she is the second highest rank female royal now would be expected. It looked weird that she was absent.
She has no official role in the proceedings and given that there are over 700 members of the privvy council and that there was allegedly a bit of a bum fight to get tickets, I don’t think it would have been well received if she had turned up flouncing around the stage playing with her hair.
I did think it was odd that neither Kate nor Harry were there. Let’s be real, sure there were a lot of people vying for spaces to be present, however, if they could invite Helen Taylor and other minor, minor royals, surely there would have been room for Kate and Harry?
Even though she has more/better titles now, she has been treated like a glorified nanny the last few days. William finally let her out of the deep freeze for the walk about.
We were taught from a young age to bear our teeth and growl at the peasants. I mean really, how else is one expected to get them to do anything?
This proclamation ceremony was fascinating to watch. Thanks for the link, Kaiser. I especially liked the outdoor portion with the trumpets and the oversized shaggy bear hats. Antiquated, but apparently not outdated…still it all seems so Game of Thrones to me! Defender of the Faith, and all that. God Save the King.
One thing KC3 said about dreading this day for so long…that’s dread mixed with saliva, I daresay.
Question: will the E II R insignia on the throne and uniforms be replaced with C III R ?
Yes the insignia will change although it will likely take a bit of time and cost to redesign things.
Letterhead is likely already set up.
The whole thing reminded me of the time Trump came out for a press conference and sat at a tiny tiny desk.
😂
OMG I had forgotten about that. But yes the table looks way too small for those giant papers and all of the pens and inkwells and stuff there. I don’t understand why he simply didn’t move the tray of pens himself, but he clearly was afraid he was going to knock the whole thing over. He handled it in a very poor way with the shooing and the grimace, which after 70 years of living the life he has, you would think he would always know how to appear gracious and calm.
Oof that grimace says it all huh? Not a good look. First this and then Kate ignoring Meghan and Harry and shirking William, whatever happened to stiff up lip and keeping up appearances? Certainly a new chapter has begun!
Never seen someone go from hero to zero so fast.
Poor Harry is home thinking, “Really Dad? Did you have to go with the baring your teeth and growling at another human being thing this soon?”
Can’t wait to see how the BM spins this one.
And no, for the last time, bereaved people may behave differently, but they don’t growl like dogs at the waiter when he is slow serving the canapés at the funeral.
That was not bereavement that was straight up bullying belittlement and disrespect used to cow a human being and the way it came so naturally to him, you know he has had a lifetime practicing it.
💯
I completely agree with this. This isn’t grief—this is acting aggrieved over a simple task he could have done himself.
Well, that whole thing was weird. It’s all so hilariously antiquated. I feel like any minute it’s going to devolve into an episode of Black Adder. Where’s Hugh Laurie’s Prince Regent when you need him? I could use another laugh.
I don’t think Charles growled so much as grimaced? It wasn’t a good look, and it seems silly that he couldn’t just move the thing himself, but I didn’t really see a growl.
What a tedious job. I don’t envy him.
BAgree. It was a grimace…not a growl. Done by someone who thinks he’s charming and amusing. People have told him so so true right? He really doesn’t understand people. I think Camila translates for him. She’ll probably translate this later. Hope he learns human soon or he’s going to find this really hard.
“Hope he learns human soon or he’s going to find this really hard”
Truer words never spoken.
What a di#k. He can’t move pens??
anyone see peggers face ?! hes such a sourpuss
It’s his default face at official events. Almost as if he has something up his…never mind.
I know, right? William looks like he’d dearly love to push Camilla over a cliff.
Interviews from the past and current faces he makes (along with clenched jaws and fists) cause me believe he despises the duty of being a monarch / future monarch. I do think perhaps he’s tried to get on with it some but he hates it to his very core. Both he and Harry admitted no one wants to be king. The job requires so many tedious tasks and showy ceremonies. It’s exhausting. I wouldn’t hide it well either.
It is so weird to see this in a democracy. Didn’t his siblings have to kiss his hand/ring? And the curtsy business? It’s so 1400’s it’s not even funny. Time to end it UK.
I totally agree. So bizarre to still see this.
I just really feel like the whole inkwell/extra pen situation would never have happened if they just would have used a bigger table? Like in the whole of all the royal stuff all they had was this very average looking occasional table? Not excusing Charles awkward behavior or anything but for as much as this has all been planned for, it feels like a gaffe 🤷♀️
I know! This occasion has been planned for many years, and no doubt rehearsed more than once. But they managed to overlook planning for the table that would be used for signing these important historical documents. I am envisaging an “Oh shit! We forgot about the table; grab a table from somewhere” moment as people were starting to walk in for the ceremony. 😀
Yes, the table was ridiculously small.
How can someone wait over 70 years for something and eff it up so badly?
Talk about a low bar, all he had to do was go out there and sign his name on a piece of paper without looking like Cruella de Ville.
He couldn’t even do that. He could not hide his distain for the peasants for long enough to sign his name on a piece of paper and he has no idea why that is a bad thing.
God, this was so painful.
I understand the historic reason why Henry the 8th (I am, I am…) decided to become head of the Church of England. Not the most religious or moral ruler on the planet, but hey, he still had a lot of power as a monarch and used it accordingly.
I hadn’t realized that Elizabeth was STILL head of this Church, and considering both her supposed non political response to say genocide in Kenya or her non response to Diana’s passing or her choosing to protect Paedrew above his victims… I’m horrified! I realized during these videos that Charles is now head of a church, and quite frankly (as someone who was raised Catholic and left), I can’t quite fit my mind around what makes Charles fit to be a moral, religious leader??!
The fountain pen incident: Charles was clearly disturbed by the placement of the pens. The consequence is that he very publicly “non verbally” and with visible irritation indicated that they be removed. The treatment of that poor person responsible for removing the pens was fodder for world news organizations (not smart of Charles). “How are the people working behind the scenes treated?” is now an issue.
I’m going against the grain here to say…maybe Charles was kind of needing help with the pens quickly and like “the world is watching please move faster” to the aide? Like not an angry growl/grimace but an almost jokey way to get assistance. I say this as I have a LOT of experience helping VIPs in this type of way (doing presentations or rehearsed bits of business at televised events or on stage with large crowds) and this is kind facial cue is par for the course. Everyone wants it be smooth and seamless and if a bump happens (like someone drops the pen or the mic gives sharp feedback), there’s always a nervous smile/laugh/wide eye moment. To me, Charles didn’t seem cruel, just a bit awkward. You can tell they didn’t do a run-through.
Imagine talking to someone like that? Especially someone with less power and social capital? I hate the power dynamic I have as an owner of capital and make sure I treat people who rely on me with respect.
Hilarious how he can’t think to move the pens to the top of the document as William did when he sat down. When I saw this yesterday, I immediately cringed at the rough start. He is not going to be popular.
The elaborate rituals with costumed adults apparently taking this seriously is ridiculous. Soldiers in Beefeater hats with weapons, balcony fanfares, hundreds of people standing to watch Charles sign papers, bowing, curtseying? Surprised they left out the forelock tugging.
Will the woman in the big headband be punished for her occasionally mis-spoken words? Flog her!
I can’t believe that 21st century people want and endure this melodramatic nonsense to seat a new monarch. They should slim down this mob scene & sell or donate the costumes to opera & theatre companies. This throwback to spectacles from Tudor times is absurd, as is the concept of a monarchy & Commonwealth..
ITA tuille. I was watching some clips of the various costumed men proclaiming QEII’s death and Chuck as king, and all I could think was how goofy so much of it looked. Like it belonged in a Monty Python sketch.
Yes, without the laughter.
How much will they spend changing the insignia on the fanfare tunics from E II R to
C III R?
And a traveling coffin? Imo, waiting in line to see an occupied coffin is ghoulish. Not even a glass top ala Joseph Stalin?
She died at age 96 after a long & healthy life, leaving many offspring. Why is that so sad to people who didn’t know her personally? It isn’t as if her life was cut short by a tragic accident – Diana, JFK, et al.
The understudy has waited many decades to take the stage so that’s no surprise.