God save the King! Cannon fire and bells from Westminster Abbey echoed throughout London. On May 6, 2023, Charles III was crowned king alongside his lifelong love, his wife, Queen Camilla. Faced with a jubilant crowd and millions of viewers transfixed in front of their screens, the new monarch girded the crown of Saint Edward during a ceremony combining tradition and modernity. A grandiose coronation which brought together the English people behind their new king, after saying goodbye to the late Elizabeth II. A ceremony without incident, which suggested a peaceful start to the reign. And yet… It is clear that the sequence of events resembles a path of the cross for the new monarch.
Indeed, the one who waited all his life to become king has gone through many trials since his coronation. The latest: his cancer, revealed to the whole world last February, after having undergone benign prostate surgery. Neither the nature of his cancer nor the treatment followed have been revealed by Buckingham Palace. At 75 years old, when he had only just ascended the throne, the announcement was experienced as a hard blow. The king must temporarily step back from his functions. But don’t give up completely. There is no question of him abandoning the reins of the Kingdom. “Frustrated” at not being able to fully carry out his functions according to the confidences of Peter Philips, the son of Princess Anne, Charles III continues to manage current affairs and speak with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during their weekly meeting, sharing his time between Clarence House in London to follow his treatment and his residence in Sandringham, in leafy Norfolk, to recharge his batteries.
The shock announcement of another cancer, that of Kate Middleton
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A cancer announcement that worried an entire Kingdom. Each of Charles III’s appearances is therefore scrutinized. If the British press emphasizes the will of the king and his unfailing smile, the rumors behind the scenes are much less optimistic… And the American press mentions the emergency updating of the “Menai bridge”, a very formal operation aimed at organize the funeral of the monarch. Information brushed aside by Buckingham Palace, which immediately unveiled a photo of the king all smiles alongside Camilla to announce the resumption of his official commitments. Even if it will be gentle, with only a few events on his calendar, this announcement moves and reassures. A relief for the British people, but also for Prince William.
Indeed, the other main bad news to tarnish the start of Charles III’s reign is the revelation of the cancer of Kate Middleton, the British Crown’s greatest asset. After being hospitalized at the London Clinic for abdominal surgery last February, the announcement of her cancer in a video revealed to the world on March 22 caused a shock wave. The Princess of Wales has withdrawn from the media scene to undergo chemotherapy out of sight. In this ordeal, the future queen can count on the support of her husband, but also of her father-in-law, who openly showed his affection for her on numerous occasions. An ordeal which unites the king and his daughter-in-law more than ever, while the links between the Windsors are not all in good shape.
Princes Harry and Andrew, disruptive elements
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If the start of Charles III’s reign was tarnished by the announcement of these two cancers, but also the terrible death of Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, it was also tarnished by the numerous internal wars which continue to rage. destabilize the Windsor clan. Family storms inherited from the time of Elizabeth II, which Charles III failed to put an end to. First, the Andrew case. Entangled in the scandal of the Epstein affair, the Duke of York is a real stone in the shoe of Charles III. Recluse in Royal Lodge, deprived of his military titles and royal sponsorships, the man who withdrew from public life continues to give his brother cold sweats. The film Scoop broadcast on Netflix which looks back on his disastrous interview given to the BBC has only put a coin back into the machine. But at least he seems controllable…
Unlike Prince Harry, who has never stopped openly settling scores with the royal family since his resounding departure from the United Kingdom in January 2020. More than ever, the Duke of Sussex is a constant concern for the king. In addition to private revelations in the media and the constant denigration of the institution, Charles III suffers from not seeing his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet as he would like. And if relations between father and son seem to calm down with the announcement of the king’s cancer, relations between the two brothers William and Harry continue to spark. While some speak of an annus horribilis for the British Crown, Charles III tries at all costs to stay the course. To face the illness with courage and manage behind the scenes the bickering which tarnishes the image of the Institution. Only one objective for him, to advance and show that he holds his crown firm.
Photo credits: Julien Burton / Bestimage
