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King Charles III: What Will His Legacy Be? By Nathan Wu; Layout by Aidan Kwong
By Nathan Wu | Layout: Aidan Kwong
On September 8th, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully in Balmoral Palace at the age of 97. The Queen was the longest reigning British monarch of all time, weathering through 70 years of tumult with the influx and efflux of Prime Ministers, the British Empire losing much of its holdings, financial crises crushing economies and wars erupting. Through all those years, her reputation remained largely untarnished. Her steadfastness projected a quiet strength that the United Kingdom could draw from. She lived a humble lifestyle, striving to serve the public, preserve the Commonwealth, and contribute to charities. Her simple yet tasteful pleasures like her hunting expeditions and love of Corgis made her very relatable to the general populace. In public, she was known for her iconic hand waves and elegant fashion that never failed to impress. People revered the Queen for her intelligence, self-possession and sense of duty. For over half a century, she remained a symbol of benevolence for the British monarchy. Her death shocked many and brought skepticism about how her heir, King Charles III who had lived under her shadow for most of his life, would be able to fill in her role. At 73 years old, he would go down in history as one of the oldest royals to ever ascend to the throne. The world can only speculate how King Charles would be able to preserve the monarchy in a modern world where Kings and Queens are antiquated. King Charles’ age may pose a question for the continuity of the monarchy since younger citizens do not seem to be as staunch supporters as the older generation. According to data from YouGov, a global public opinion and data company, 86% of elderly citizens aged 65 and above have steadily felt positive about the monarchy, while the younger generation seemed much more fickle. In 2015, the majority of citizens aged 18-24 expressed support for the monarchy, but only 35% of them remained supportive just prior to the Queen’s death. Data shows that the volatility of support for the monarchy over the past 40 years is correlated to incidents and scandals of the royal family. For instance, Princess Diana’s death and her alleged mistreatment by the royal family were highly controversial, resulting in a dip in support for 80 11
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the monarchy. On the contrary, the Queen’s first visit to Ireland in 2011, which symbolized reconciliation between the two countries, raised support for the monarchy. More recently, the controversy that erupted from Prince Harry’s relationship with Meghan Markle and his later withdrawal from Royal Duties caused the support for the monarchy to reach a record low of 31% among the younger population. Even provided that there are no scandals, the youth of the country’s support of the monarchy is still scant. Interestingly, the middle-aged population tends to have a more positive view of the monarchy than they did when they were 30 years younger. Therefore, not all hope is lost for King Charles. He still has the support of the middle-aged and the elderly, and as Brexit has shown, this group is collectively a more powerful political force than the younger voters. As the Crown Prince, King Charles had openly expressed his concern and passion for climate change. Unlike the Queen who never accepted any press conferences, Charles attended the 2021 COP26, an annual United Nations Climate Change conference. He was recognized internationally for his involvement in climate affairs. In fact, he and President Biden met to discuss solutions and ways to encounter problems that arise from our warming planet. John Kerry, President Biden’s climate envoy commented, “I hope King Charles will push for action on climate change.” Indeed, King Charles has been active with sustainability to reform the ways industries operate while taking into account the Earth’s limited resources. He established Sustainable Markets Initiative as well as an educational institution called “The Prince’s Foundation” which teaches people sustainable ways of designing and building. He has also expressed his deep views on hedgerows, fast fashion, and organic farming. The King often worries about the world he leaves behind for his grandchildren, and aims to alleviate the burdens that we put on the planet. Many hoped that his role as king would alter the monarchy to being more vocal and passionate about political issues.
XIAO HUA 6/12/2022 5:28 PM