Love, love, love all of the thinkpieces about the British monarchy ahead of the coronation. I acknowledge that some of the predictions of gloom and doom are palace-approved – they want to set the bar very low (in hell) so that King Charles at least meets expectations. But mostly, it feels like every editor gave carte blanche to their reporters to write anti-monarchy screeds and the result is column after column, report after report of why this coronation sucks and King Charles is showing everyone why he’s a crappy king. The Daily Beast published one such screed from royal historian Clive Irving, and it’s all about how King Charles is dreadfully out of touch.
King Charles III’s coronation shows a man who has lost the plot: Piece by piece as they are disclosed, the details of Saturday’s crowning in Westminster Abbey show a monarch seriously out of touch with his subjects. Whether this reflects his own insularity or the work of courtiers trying to pump up the pomp and circumstance as part of a re-branding based on a kind of zealous flag-wrapped nationalism is unclear. It may well be a combination of both, in which Charles is being willingly manipulated into a more assertive role as head of state than his mother thought right.
The oath of allegiance: Nothing more clearly warned of this that his agreeing to the idea of making a brazen break from the protocols of Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. In place of the tradition of requiring only aristocrats to pay homage to the throne, at the same point in the cathedral ritual all of his subjects will be invited to take a personal vow of allegiance to him, “in heart and voice to their undoubted king”—a move with more than a whiff of the “dear leader” in North Korea.
Republican rhetoric or the actual national mood? Comments from republicans reflect that people are only now discovering that the king’s personal wealth has soared to almost obscene levels while their own, at best, has barely moved in 15 years. The coronation occurs at a time of rising destitution – former Prime Minister Gordon Brown listed 7.5 million households in fuel poverty, 14 million living in damp or substandard housing, 400,000 children without a bed of their own, and nearly 10 million people cutting back on food for want of the ability to pay for it.
People are mad about the coronation quiche: It is against that background that Charles and Camilla chose quiche for the traditional coronation dish to be served at street parties—Elizabeth II’s was coronation chicken. They offered a recipe for it: “a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavors of spinach, broad beans and fresh tarragon.” It is in such banal details that the condescension of the king and queen consort is revealed and becomes most offensive—in effect, this is the “let them eat quiche” coronation.
Viceroy Charles: Today, King Charles seems to struggle most with the loss of that public deference to the throne. He’s always believed in the simple superiority of royal rank, no matter that in his case it is automatically bestowed, not earned. As soon as he puts on a uniform, with a carapace of medals and heavy with trimmings of gold braid, he seems reinforced in his own sense of stature, if not exactly a commander-in-chief, an imperial viceroy with a striking resemblance to his uncle and mentor Lord Louis Mountbatten.
The vanities of the king: Of course, the king’s merits have yet to be fully tested. The missteps of the coronation could be just a bump in the learning curve. But calling for blind allegiance not simply to him but to the Windsor “heirs and successors” is a cringe-making demand that reaches back to the vanities of George III.
Not a reference to Mad King George! Oh well! I’ll admit, I didn’t think the coronation quiche was that big of a deal. It made Charles look sort of elitist, but he’s a king, isn’t elitism part and parcel? The more pressing concern is absolutely how much personal wealth Charles has inherited and how little transparency there is around any part of the financial aspect of the monarchy. I also think it’s telling that Charles and his advisors really bungled the whole national-oath-of-allegiance thing. You knew it was bad when even the die-hard royalists were criticizing it and saying that they would never make that pledge.
Oh, and South Africans want the Star of Africa back.
Some South Africans are calling for Britain to return the world's largest diamond, known as the Star of Africa, which is set in the royal sceptre that King Charles III will hold at his coronation on Saturday https://t.co/1qH9cJ6SUx pic.twitter.com/ceYDn5uFSy
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 4, 2023
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- CAMBERLEY, ENGLAND – APRIL 14: King Charles III inspects the 200th Sovereign’s parade at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on April 14, 2023 in Camberley, England. The parade marks the end of 44 weeks of training for 171 Officer Cadets. It is the first time King Charles III has inspected Sovereign’s Parade at Sandhurst since becoming Monarch.,Image: 769448817, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Dan Kitwood / Avalon
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Oh goody more truth tellers. Keep spreading the news. Great article.
Personally i think this is KP sanctioned. Maybe they’ve learned a thing or two and are starting to make it less obvious
An even better article from The Guardia.. No one wants to spend any money or time on the Con-A-Nation!
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/05/caldicot-wales-cancels-coronation-party-money-costs
I used to pay more attention to Clive Irving since he sounded saner than other DB royal reporters. But then he coughed out some crap contrasting M-H accepting Ripple of Hope Award to Willy (&Kitty) Earthspit dingus in Boston implying that W-K would somehow ‘win’ the contest because of higher “production values” of Earthspit. Huh? Dude is not a royal historian despite being British cum-American biographer of “The Last Queen.” He’s a journalist specializing in air travel who edited Sunday Times probably before Murdoch takeover.
Does anyone really care about this Dysfunctional family besides the Brits. Charlie should have paid the cost out of his tax free inheritance of $750. Million that’s been spread around publicly, think the people should know the exact figures that aren’t public
I think we’re going to see a slight divide within commentators and the royal reporters because the tone about their tone about the royals is still sycophancy but there is definitely a shift. I think reality has set in for a lot of them that this is it. Meghan and Harry are gone, gone and they’ll never have access and the rest of the royals are old, stale and boring. Even the Waleses putting in their Sussex impression isn’t working. I wonder what they’ll do next?
Make up more lies about the sussexes and stir faux outrage. Same modus operandi. They’ll never stop.
Yet reality doesn’t seem to have clicked with Charles. After the coronation, Charles will have distanced himself from much of the aristocracy— including multiple members of his actual family. There are no planned major weddings, and I doubt that the Trooping of the Color will pull the kind of audience that the Real Queen was traditionally able to attract.
An un-photogenic family, at war with itself, won’t even be all that attractive to tourists. I wonder, too, what will happen with the Royal warrants. Will the Queen’s expire? Will the Wales’s grant new ones? While I might purchase the Real Queen’s warranted Jams and preserves, somehow, Camilla’s cigarettes and Kate’s wiglets and mascara don’t have quite the same pull.
I guess they’ll keep doing what they’ve been doing – even as interest in them dwindles.
@Blithe, yes, you know it’s bad because earlier today at early cocktails, Baroness Big pearl and lady silly sod were talking about the clowning. Baroness BP was saying how sad it was that Lady silly sod wasn’t invited (whilst inside gloating because she had been). “I think it’s disgusting” said Lady BP, “especially as those low rent middletons will be there”. What even uncle Gary, the one who always has talcum powder on his face “? Asked lady S.” TALC “Said Baroness BP,” Talc, only if talcum powder grows on a bush in a very large greenhouse!!! “. Will Tom PB be there, Asked Lady S, oh yes says Baroness BB, he has to have a staring role because of his little black book!”
Does he have a little black book asked Lady S.?” Good god woman says Baroness BB of course he does, it’s his meal ticket for life, especially when I believe he knows of all willy boys pegadillos. “, and as for Ma middleton, I wonder if she will have to go back to being a trolly dolly now the business has gone, mind you she will be pushing a supermarket trolly now as she is much to old to be a dolly, on a final note about the middletons dear, they will never be short of money, because between Kate and her mother, they have enough plastic in them to print their own credit cards. Now dear Lady S, shall we get another drink, oh and can I borrow your tiara 😂🙄
@Mary Pester 🤣🤣🤣
Mary Pester, I wish you would write a book about the royals. That’s one royal account I would definitely buy!
@Mary Pester — I can totally see your comments about the effing royals being scripted into an Oscar-Wildish sort of play, a satire on the uselessness and pomposity of KC3 and CCCC (the last C stands for you-know-what). It would be a Broadway hit!
Pegadillos!
Talcum powder!
Thank you MaryPester for sharing the light that is your sense of humor.
First, we’ve had to live through the lead up to the Chubbly, next the actual Chubbly, following that weeks of dissection of the minuiae of the Chubbly, lastly several books published about the Chubbly
You are so right. It will be endless lol
The British tabloids have nothing else to write about that sells newspapers.
The royalists are going to love the coronation but sane people are going to see it for the freak show it is.
I (of all people) have been invited to a coronation party tomorrow! I’m selecting my tiara now (I have several!) and deciding what to wear with it. Defo going for “absurdity” here!
The idea that Charles is worth 2 billion and still won’t pay for his own dang coronation is rotten. The people are expected to pay for it and then pledge allegiance to him. And yet so many truly are okay with that. Not all but some. It feels like a drug really. I’ve been seeing online clips of royalists, setting up camp for the coronation, essentially defending Andrew.
I saw that video too. Sickening. And the pics of Keen doing a selfie with a known online racist who is constantly harassing and hate/racist-posting about Meghan.
The supporters of the British royal family are a mirror of the family itself: pedo excusers/deniers and racists.
If so, I’m sure she knew exactly who that woman was. I’ve no doubt the KP staff are close to many derangers – and have burner deranger accounts too.
He’s not behaving like an imperial viceroy, he’s behaving like a king. That’s what kings are – not some romanticized fairy tale character. You’re a historian, Clive – open your eyes.
100%, wrote the same before seeing your comment! He’s the King, the UK has a Monarch as its head of state. I mean this is just literally a direct result of that reality. There’s nothing abnormal or ‘unkingly’ about it. It’s like people are catching on that having a constitutional monarchy is not just castles and funny sashes, but fundamentally defines their relationship to the state…
Yes, I read an interesting piece by a British writer the other day. He said it was hard for him to explain the coronation details to his American friends because he himself didn’t know or understand them. The Orb of This, the Stone of That, various Swords of This, That and The Other, Coronation Chairs and Oaths and bowing and scraping. Just because the UK has a monarchy doesn’t mean the people actively think about it and what it means
My Scottish friend was telling me just this week how she used to have a “feu tax” that she paid annually. It was something nominal, 5 pounds or something not huge. She said that land in Scotland is basically owned by like two people, one a Scottish aristocrat and then the King. A feu tax (may not be spelling correctly) stood for FEUDAL tax!! Because that’s where it derives from and people in Scotland pay, in the 21st century!!!, a tax to the “feudal” lord who still owns the land their houses are on! I just paused for the longest time and finally she was like “huh, that’s super messed up, isn’t it?” and I was just like “errrr, yes?!?!” haha
Yes and it formally declares that at least in Britain they believed in Constitutionally mandated elitism where certain groups are given financial and life advantages by an accident if birth.
He’s acting like a jerk, which is nothing new for him.
Who really expected him to change?
“King” is definitely sufficient. I might even go so far as to say he’s behaving like a tsar. How did this sort of willful indifference to the people work out for Charles’s Cousin Nicky?
Great point. He is acting like a king.
Like your other comment – the issue is that he is actively reminding people how WEIRD this all is. There’s an anointing screen because people can’t see the sacred moment when he’s anointed? The different chairs? the orbs? The allegiance oath?
It seems weird and out of touch in the 21st century because it IS. this was Charles’ big chance to show that he actually meant it when he talked about modernizing the monarchy etc, and as it turns out, he’s just as much about tradition and pomp and being the center of attention as his mother was.
EXACTLY. This is a MONARCHY (constitutional, but still). It’s the oldest form of government. The coronation rites are a mash-up of traditions that have evolved since the year 886. (Eight-eighty-six!) Of course it’s weird and out of step with modern sensibilities. The only leadership transition that’s weirder (and older) is the election of a pope. That’s what makes stuff like this worth watching, but I guess that’s the historian in me.
I don’t understand some of the commentary on this website. If you’re not British (or maybe a citizen of a Commonwealth country), the coronation is literally of NO importance to you. It is *not intended for you*. It’s like complaining about the pomp around the American president’s inauguration when you’re European. It isn’t for you or directed to you and if you’re not interested in it you have no dog in the fight so ignore it!
Has anyone else been reminded of the scene in the King’s Speech, where Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) slumps in St. Edward’s chair and tells the king (Colin Firth): “It’s just a chair. People have carved their names on it. It’s held in place by a large rock”. Meanwhile, the king is having a fit that Logue is sitting in it.
I’d never heard of St. Edward’s chair or the Stone of Destiny before the movie. The scene popped into my mind when I heard the stone had to be transported to London from Scotland. It sums up the ridiculousness over golden sticks, etc. in this day and age. It is just a chair, it is just a rock, and the days when the public truly believed anointing someone with “holy oil” confers, well, anything, really, are long past.
@prairiegirl – “It is *not intended for you*” Sorry, but i completely disagree with this. The Palace AND the UK government have been quite explicit about the importance of the coronation in terms of a soft power show for a “global audience”. The choice to invite the President of the United States, other elected heads of state, etc., as opposed to a UK-focused event with UK aristocracy for example, make it quite clear that it most certainly is intended for a non-British audience. To pretend that it is not is to ignore the stated goals of the UK government for this event.
ETA: In the US, we don’t invite the UK PM or RF to our Presidential inauguration- it is indeed *not for them*
@LadyE – I stand by my comments which are based in history. The UK government is completely confused about their country’s place in the world post-Brexit. Coronations are NOT about soft power and it’s completely ahistorical (and pointless, imho) to invite non-affiliated world leaders at the expense of the nobility. That’s not on me: that’s on the current government and on the people advising the king. It’s a huge error.
@prairiegirl- I don’t disagree with anything you’ve written, it is however the reality of this coronation and, error or not, it’s the purpose of this coronation and its corresponding target audience. Whether or not coronations as such are about soft power or whether this is ahistorical does not change that *this* coronation is. I agree that it is an error and a symptom of the confusion post-Brexit, but deeper than that, I would say post-Empire and continuing to now with Brexit a part of that same line.
@Prairiegirl – I’d go further and say that the entire contents of all celebrity websites have nothing to do with the people who read them. It’s none of our business if Whoozits cheated on Whatsits, or if Whatever is getting a divorce, or if Whocares has side to side toilets so she and her husband can pee together. The only purpose for any of this is entertainment.
“He said it was hard for him to explain the coronation details to his American friends because he himself didn’t know or understand them”
No fan of Rishi Sunak but this reality is what makes the comments of David Starkey about how he wasn’t ‘grounded in the culture’ so obnoxious. Who is FGS?
I remember the Queen’s funeral where people were sitting around talking about a thousand years of history and then a commentator would confirm this or that ritual was something they made up the Queen Mother’s funeral less than 20 years ago.
They could make up anything and most Brits would not know any better, most Brits have the same ‘lack’ of grounding as Sunak the difference being he has another culture which sits in addition (not replacement of) to that.
Hope Atlantic contributor Helen Lewis is reflecting on her airy claim that Harry and Meghan’s documentary was wrong make mention of racism in the UK since our Asian PM is proof that racism has been defeated here forever…
Charles’ personal wealth hasn’t “soared to almost obscene levels”. It soared way past obscene levels years ago, especially in comparison to his so-called subjects who Irving correctly points out are struggling badly. But if this column is indeed reflective of the current national mood, in the immortal words of the great Bette Davis, “Fasten your seat belts. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.”
The Guardian had a cute cartoon about KC’s wealth: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2023/may/04/steve-bell-on-protests-at-king-charles-iiis-coronation-cartoon
Excellent caricature of KFC!! Brilliant as always at the Guardian!
They can’t use the excuse of bad weather for the many celebrations cancellations all over England (=Rain)
Yes Jan, there are 79 000,000 streets in the UK but only 3000 are having parties, THAT’S how popular this inept useless king is
I think spinach quiche is nasty and adding beans is even more disgusting, but I don’t think it’s particularly elitist. That seems like a no win situation for KC3.
On the oath, I’ve said this on other articles, I think this controversy is fascinating because it reveals the degree to which British people are actually completely unaware that this oath is used ALL THE TIME. Every single citizenship ceremony requires a personal oath (and an affirmation of the oath!) to the Monarch. Elected officials, including in the commonwealth?, have to pledge allegiance to the Monarch. It’s a part of the Bar swearing in for lawyers. I dunno, it just strikes me as funny, people getting so outraged about “how dare you ask ME to do this???” while never giving a second thought to all the people who have to do this exact thing all the time and that This. Is. Exactly. What. A. Constitutional. Monarchy. Is. I mean, hello?
It’s like they always thought the whole monarchy business was just for show and no one really believes any of that crap about the Windsors’ supposedly superior genes.
This is why I thought Princess Anne’s comments were interesting because she kept trying to make the whole “constitutional relationship” argument, which is completely correct and true, but ironically deeply unpopular and apparently not really understood well. It’s as if people are fine to have a monarch as head of their government so long as that is somehow not real and just a “show” as you say. Which is of course silly because a government or a head of state can’t function like that. It has necessary implications for all sorts of official things.
Yes, the way Anne was making the constitutional argument was interesting. Idk but it seemed like none of the royals really foresee a time in which the monarch will not be tied to the constitution. Not sure if that was bravado or arrogance or what. As in, there is no point in discussing the end of the monarchy bc it is a part of the constitution. Period. Not sure if that was the correct interpretation of what she was saying.
@jais – I think your interpretation is right. I guess to be charitable, she was maybe trying to also explain, weakly and not particularly persuasively, why it is both a simple reality and also a good thing- continuity, you know what you’re getting i.e. no surprises a la Trump. I have one acquaintance who is a hardcore monarchist and he constantly tries to make these arguments to me in a serious manner, as if I as an American would actually agree that an unelected, hereditary head of state is better than an elected head of state. It’s very tiresome because I try not to be too disrespectful as I just think that’s not a good way to communicate, but I finally just said “you know, your ‘head of state’ is legally, as in its in your law, not allowed to take counsel from Jewish British citizens. They are barred from that role. Because your ‘head of state’ represents only one religion, a state religion, and because that is the not often mentioned reality of the British monarchy. Of course I don’t agree with that. I think it’s incredibly offensive and wrong.” That ended the conversation.
I think its the idea of asking everyone at once to swear allegiance that is offputting. Like he thinks the entire country is going to stand up and “cry out” with allegiance, like they are going to be so overwhelmed with emotion and patriotism and love for the monarchy they won’t be able to control themselves.
I think if it had just been a line in the program or something people wouldn’t have even noticed and might have recited it just because in large settings like that people tend to just read what’s in front of them. Same with the swearing-ins etc. People tend to just say what they are told they have to say.
@Becks1 – yes, completely agree! I mean it’s interesting that had they not made a big thing about it, people probably would have gone along, maybe rolled their eyes when they actually heard what they were saying, but not been offended. The making a point of it seems to be the issue. Which is really interesting- people can continue to tell themselves that its just a silly part of the show, not real or relevant to their lives in any way. Fascinating misstep by Charles. People are happy to swear allegiance to you as long as there’s no suggestion that they really mean it
Haaaaa
Lol, about the quiche. It might have been elitist back in the 70’s; now it’s just a way to use up leftovers.
The Daily Fail declared quiche to be “woke food”! The laughs just keep on coming and roll like thunder.
A mainstay of the WI is now ‘woke”? What are these people on???
Eurydice – Love this comment, so funny and true!
It’s a good point that Charles doesn’t understand that much of the allegiance to previous monarchs was earned and not just automatically bestowed. Elizabeth earned it through her devotion to her work, starting at a very young age, George VI earned it through his leadership in WWII, George V earned it through his staidness, etc. Each had what was needed during their particular time period. Charles just doesn’t have what’s needed for our times, and has no desire to try. Thus, no respect.
When I think of Elizabeth, I think of her speech about service. Charles doesn’t seem to have any message other than, “it’s my turn, damnit!” Really, what is his reign about? What are his goals? What is his vision? Why is no one asking him this, and why is no one holding him accountable for not having a vision? The only consistent messages for Charles other than “It’s my throne now, I deserve it” are: “I love Camilla and I want you to love her too” and “We blame Meghan for taking Harry away from us.”
Charles seems to be an “everything’s okay because I’m fine” kind of person, but his kingship seems to be petty, insular, and personal. I can imagine him saying, “why are people protesting? I had a lovely lunch today, so it’s a beautiful day. What could possibly be the matter?”
“Earned” is just a coincidence. The oath is to the monarch – whether he’s good or bad, it makes no difference. William will receive the same oath.
Uh, no. Allegiance to the monarch was historically COMPELLED unless you wanted to lose your lands and/or your life. A “good” monarch would retain this allegiance of their nobles and/or their people by securing protection and prosperity. This holds true up to QEII’s father, a wartime monarch. The late queen was respected in part due to her work ethic and constancy… and that she didn’t share her private thoughts with the public. Arguably she was not a historical norm.
But will it make people angry enough to actually do something and get rid of those grifters? If not, then who really cares if there are more articles with a negative slant? King Chuckles will just go on as usual. He’ll continue enriching himself and his mistress queen (and her family) at the expense of the cold and starving masses, will continue threatening protesters, and will continue treating the Sussexes like pariahs.
My hopes for the king’s reign? I hope that the CW countries (especially the “white” countries, which we know are the only ones they really care about!) as well as Scotland/Wales/Northern Ireland all start voting for independence. I hope Chuckles and his bully wife continue being booed and egged. I hope the war between Buck House and KP escalates to a level not even seen during the war of the Waleses and that allll of The Other Brother’s secrets get spilled.
And I hope the Sussexes continue thriving from sunny California. Making headlines and winning awards for everything they do.
His shoes for tomorrow alone cost £3500 which is enough to provide a family with £70 per week for one year to buy groceries or supplement their heating costs. Guess who paid for the shoes? not him.
Well that isn’t enraging at all, nope, not one bit.
You wouldn’t want people to bow to Charles while he’s wearing old shoes, would you? Come on. New shoes it is.
A couple of days ago I caught part of a TV special about (the white-washed version of KC’s history and C&C’s love affair: blegh!) KC, and one of the things that rang factually true was that KC as a young adult until he “decided on” Diana was a very in-demand bachelor. He became used to being the center of attention. So this part of Clive Irving’s article, “Today, King Charles seems to struggle most with the loss of that public deference to the throne,” probably relates to KC’s struggle with being less interesting since Diana entered his life.
In other words, KC enjoyed a privileged life in an entitled bubble until reality popped it, and he’s been angry / bewildered / throwing tantrums about it ever since.
Charles should look in the mirror if he’s “struggling” to understand how and why he’s lost the attention of the public, of pretty girls, etc. It should also have dawned on him that perhaps some of that attention was due to his youth, but a lot of it was because of his bank account and future prospects — not him as a person.
One of the reasons Elizabeth inspired so much loyalty was that she did a great job positioning herself as both Queen and public servant. To this day, Diana is loved around the world because she was the “People’s Princess”.
Charles’ demand around the loyalty oath of allegiance is the exact opposite of that. He is King first and everyone else must exalt him. At the same time, you have the Tory government destroying the economy, stripping away civil rights, and destroying the public infrastructure. And then there is the media, which is in bed with the palace and the government, scapegoating everyone from rail workers to doctors.
I think Republicanism is going to be picking up steam for years to come.
Humility. QEII publicly approached her job as a servant leader (even if she didn’t truly believe in it), and that made all the difference.
KC – like many of the world’s most powerful people – doesn’t even understand the concept.
IMO, it is looking more likely KCIII will be the last King.
The wealth hoarding. The costumes. Harry shone a light on the dark side.
The world has moved on.
He’s already sent his lackey Dimbleby out to blame the Archbishop of Canterbury for the oath of allegiance mess. Guardian reported on it and making it clear in their report that they aren’t buying the spin.
Looks like the general populace isn’t supporting KC and mowed a big penis into the grass where the garden party was to be located.
https://news.google.com/articles/CBMiX2h0dHBzOi8vbnlwb3N0LmNvbS8yMDIzLzA1LzA0L2dpYW50LXBlbmlzLW1vd2VkLWludG8tbGF3bi1hdC1raW5nLWNoYXJsZXMtY29yb25hdGlvbi1iYXNoLXNpdGUv0gFjaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjMvMDUvMDQvZ2lhbnQtcGVuaXMtbW93ZWQtaW50by1sYXduLWF0LWtpbmctY2hhcmxlcy1jb3JvbmF0aW9uLWJhc2gtc2l0ZS9hbXAv?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen
Could only have been better if they’d dyed the cutout with vegetable dyes that would resist being washed out *even if* the rest of the lawn is cut down to disguise the image.
THE BALLS ARE A C AND A C HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I am dead! 😹😹😹 This person deserves a medal.
This is the sort of grass-roots (ha!) demonstration I am totally on board with. No one gets hurt and points are made.
Yah, about the quiche, Give me a good old Bubble & Squeak any day. I even found a vegetarian recipe for veggies, halal & kosher people – as often made with bacon https://www.tamingtwins.com/bubble-and-squeak/ Quiche is French (and elitist IMHO) Every one in Britain has some variation or family recipe of this much loved quintessentially British dish. Maybe C3 considers it peasant food
Charles is known for liking basic, unspiced ‘nursery food’ even as an adult. For him, this fake quiche is appealing.
Why is it a fake quiche? I was thinking of looking up the recipe because I’m making my first quiche this weekend. TOTALLY unrelated to the coronation. Just a super weird coincidence.
Charles’ overweening pride, insufferability and vaingloriousness will be the end of the British monarchy in everything but name. Camilla’s scheming brought her all the trappings that she apparently so desperately craved, but at the end of the day they go back to their musty, shabby palaces, are taken out of their finery, and go back to being the same dim, pinched, miserable people they were this morning.
It’ll never be any better for them than it will be tomorrow. Once all the spotlights and attention are gone they still have to live with themselves.
In a way, the “imperial viceroy” moniker is perfect for Charles, because a viceroy exerts power in one small corner of the world on behalf of the real monarch. The excessive flourishes are ridiculous in order to mask their lack of real power.
Most people will never really think of Charles as the “real” king – he’s at best a representative of his mother, like a viceroy.
It still makes me laugh that they thought the allegiance pledge would democratize the proceedings.
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
If we’re taking oaths of allegiance, I’ll happily swear one to the blessed Marina Hyde:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/05/britain-world-beating-royal-pageantry-coronation
#NotMyKing
Am I the only one sideeyeing the comparision to Mountbatten? Because this is the first time I see anyone mention he and Chuck look alike, and well… there’s one thing that comes to mind when mentioning Mountbatten and if anything it makes me think of Andrew, not Chuck. Or at least it didn’t until now. 👀
I didn’t realize the royal dish was quiche. How funny. My daughter, a staunch anti-royalist, and I had plans to make a quiche this weekend just for the fun of it! I’ve never made one before. I was going for tomato or mushroom. I guess I will have to look up this recipe.
I am not sure what everyone wants Charles to do differently with the coronation. It seems fairly lose lose for him. No matter how he does it, someone is going to be mad.
I can’t stand seeing Camilla crowned Queen and I’m going to be mad if no one else is allowed to wear tiaras. Show us the jewels!
Does Charles pay taxes on his personal money? He certainly should if he doesn’t.
“Let them eat quiche!” Scathing!
This bore-a-nation show is starting to hypnotize me.
Like an awful car accident, can’t look away.
What is the health problem with Charles big, puffy, swollen, bright red hands?
I know he’s had this for years but at mid 70’s and with the best healthcare available to him, why are they not doing something?
KC has some type of health problems, that are more than age related.
Quiche is an odd choice. I would have gone with a slightly elevated twist on a savory pastie. Something hot, filling and comforting, easy to make, and even easier to buy premade, hearty and appealing yet something you can easily dupe with vegan or gluten free swaps.
Quiche seems like they are harkening to their Norman, mostly white, roots, but it’s damaging since it make Charles look like a John Lackland compared to his mother’s exceptionally popular and beloved King Richard.
Ah, but quiche seems like a more practical choice in light of the protesters looking at eggs with a special glint in their eyes. Who can blame them.
I was hoping for a Camilla post so I could share this tidbit but I’ll just share it on Charles today: the recent The Royal Family Instagram account posted a “tribute” of sorts to Camilla a few days ago. It started when she was born and conveniently skipped ahead to the part where she married Charles lol, no mention of her first marriage, her kids or her grandchildren. The comments on that post are golden if you want to take some time to laugh. My fave was someone who commented “I’m going to tell my kids this is Jolene.” I reposted the post on my Instastories with the song Jolene playing. I think they locked the comments on that post because they got so vicious but I can still comment because I left one.
As for Charles being out of touch, he’s been out of touch his whole life. If he understood anything about the current climate, he would have ditched the formal coronation for a more simple investiture/swearing in ceremony and sworn his allegiance to serving his people.
I am already sick of hearing about the Coronation on TV. All the news programs here in the States are talking about it. Ugh.
The Recluse, I’ve been enjoying myself by watching Columbo (free on Tubi). It’s a great show with great acting. I don’t expect to see one second of the coronation this weekend. I just want to hear that Harry has arrived safely back in sunny California to the only family which loves and cherishes him.
I hope Charles wears a full face of make-up to hide the cover up the rosacea. I like the idea of it and I think he’d enjoy it, too.
Something about that cover photo is giving King George III.
I keep wondering about writing this but I’m going to: when I was last at Edinburgh Castle we waited in line to see the crown jewels on display there. The Stone of Scone was also there. It was a slow moving line and although I do not feel that I have any special abilities, I could feel a powerful projection of distressed emotion as we got closer. I was thinking perhaps from the jewels, but as I stood before the case, I realized it was from the stone. I do not believe that it likes having English kings sit their behinds over it!
He’s behaving the way he was raised and in the only way he sees himself. Utterly absent from those around him. The king. What he’s missing is it’s not the same world his mother reigned.
Using media shadow agreements to promote himself and lessen others. The vamped up focus and smear of Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry is only coming from KP and Buck it’s awful.
The further intensified review of Prince Harry’s finances and the desire to force him to be treated less than is because of the love that’s expressed towards him.
The jealousy from his family over his popularity because of his humanitarian work is unfortunate.
After reading Spare, and understanding he had no income from a massive estate but was expected to work for the Firm, yet there was no additional income to support his wife. He asked to be self sufficient and was denied. He offered to take on responsibilities for the Crown and be able to but casual clothes or a sofa. He was denied.
Such an antiquated life, so he left. Because of that
Charles is behaving the way he was raised to think and act-no surprise here-but small petty isle constant crying and smearing a couple everyday makes them look unintelligent and stuck on stupid-how is the UK going to improve with the Uk media doing everything it can to make the isle look uneducated and stone age-they don’t seem to have anything else to talk about.
Charles and Camilla aren’t evil. It just looks/looked worse because they’re in the public eye.
Camzilla must have royal staff find KC’s precious teddy bear. Charles needs teddy more than ever to quell his tantrums!