God Save the King?

In case it isn’t obvious, the British Monarchy is in it’s death throes.

I confidently predict that within my son’s lifetime the United Kingdom will no longer be United or a Kingdom.

Actually, the disunited bit will more than likely happen sooner, possibly -if the Scots have their way and referendum — ahead of legislation requiring that we all switch to driving electric vehicles in 2030.

If that happens, then this green & pleasant EV covered divided land, will in theory be reigned over by a 102 year old Her Majesty. (Not beyond the bounds of possibility — the Queen Mother was 101 when she died), but more than likely it will be His Majesty at the helm in the form of her son the current day Charles, Prince of Wales, or his son Prince William. But for how long?

Already there is talk that Charles may choose to pass the buck or the crown/sceptre straight to his eldest given that after a lifetime of waiting for the top job, he himself will be into his eighties by 2030. I am not sure of the Royal protocols surrounding such a decision, or whether it is his to make, but am more sure that a Coronation involving Prince William would attract a larger Global television audience.

Whether those ratings would translate into the longer term revival in fortunes and survival of the monarchy though, is a different issue. All the signs are that- while everyone loves a good wedding ( or Coronation), and nobody on the world stage does pomp and ceremony like the Brits- Royalty in its present format, may well have reached the end of the (blood) line.

Prince? ( He’s kept the title for the time being I believe as its good for his ‘brand’) Harry may have seen the writing on the wall, and had the sense to make a break for it ahead of the pack. Or possibly the Bright Lights of Hollywood, and an American actress Wife who has form in getting her own way, have really put the zap on his head..

But really who can blame him? Why suffer in dignified silence, when a deal with Spotify means you can have your therapy session in a Podcast studio, get your own back on your dysfunctional dad, and get paid for it!

Unfortunately, Harry’s Way ie. outright rejection of the Firm and its ‘values’, clearly has not endeared himself to his immediate family, in particular his older brother, and certainly his dear Papa, who I am sure did the best a single-dad (with a mistress known affectionately as the Rottweiler) could do in the circumstances. ( The circumstance’s being the death of the most glamorous ex-wife & mother on the planet).

But it hasn’t exactly endeared him to the Great British public either. Whilst we recognize that there is probably much to be said for letting the stiff upper lip wobble a bit, we are still not entirely comfortable with those who feel the need to bear their Souls in public, even if that soul was obviously heavily traumatized by having to walk behind his mothers coffin in front of that same public. Poor William had to do it, and he seems alright doesn’t he?

Well no actually. We get the sense that while William seems like a decent chap, he would probably like to do the same as Harry, and throw 2 fingers up to the Institution, but for the fact that he’s in line for the top job, and has probably had it drummed into him from an early age.

And now given that his brother has chosen to mix up the Royal gene pool a bit, and revelations of Royal musings over the exact shade of baby one might expect when Me-gan was expecting have emerged, it is not beyond consideration that brother William has taken the responsibility of being the last Great White hope, even more firmly on his shoulders.

But whilst this may sit well with the ( Ulster) Unionists, Nigel Farage, and other assorted Brexiteers, there is no getting away from the fact that Britain now is a very Different multicultural Country, and the throne to which his grandmother ascended almost 70 years ago, is now, despite her most valiant efforts at keeping things stable, starting to look rather like herself at the funeral of her dear recently departed husband -rather fragile, isolated, and in need of some support.

For most of us, with our attentions currently being demanded and fought over variously by Pandemics, Melting ice Caps, Food security, Wildfires, and the extinction of World Wildlife, and our wages and jobs and economic fortunes increasingly at the mercy of Billionaires and their plans for A.I driven automation, we have (for the moment until the overfished and plastic addled Oceans die too ) bigger fish to fry.

It’s not that we’re not loyal Ma’am. We’re just f*****d!