With the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascent of her firstborn son, Charles III, many commentators have questioned the relevancy of the monarchy. So, it begs the question: why have a monarchy? After all monarchies belong to another era-Germany, Russia, Turkey, Austria-all became republics following World War One. Then after the fall of
Nazism and the ascent of the Iron curtain the great monarchies of Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Hungry all fell to republicanism. More recently Iran, Greece, Egypt, Vietnam have seen their royalty discarded.
So why has the United Kingdom’s monarchy endured against this growing tide of republicanism?
The House of Windsor, the royal family of the United Kingdom has a strict sense of duty, patriotism, honor, and neutrality. Many of the previously mentioned monarchies meddled in internal affairs of their countries, violating their constitutional oaths. However, the House of Windsor maintains its constitutional oaths by not involving themselves in politics. There have been times however when the monarchy’s fate was far from certain. Following the abdication of Edward VIII, the then monarch, many feared for the future. Despite that, the house fought on displaying immense bravery during World War Two. George VI became a national hero lead- ing the commonwealth to victory. Following his death, his daughter Elizabeth II continued her father’s legacy. Her reign saw the disillusionment of the British empire, the cultural revolution of the 1960s, victory in Falk- land’s war, the Good Friday agreement, the intervention in Iraq, the Scottish referendum, Brexit and the COV- ID-19 pandemic response.
Thus, the traditional Anglican Britain of Elizabeth II birth has been swept away. Three out of four of the Queen’s children are divorced, and the established Church of England has been effectively decapitated. Many Anglicans have fall- en away from the faith. The United Kingdom is no longer a Christian country, or at the very least a religious one. Marriages are at an all-time low, church attendance has been greatly reduced, the country is in all but name secular; No longer unified by a common faith.
The economy is in tatters gripped by inflation, high gas prices, and the NHS is overstretched. Society remains polarized between the right and left, many resent Brexit, and the referendum results. Covid 19 lockdowns have blighted the economy amid a rescission, and the national debt remains high. Now more than ever is a strong unifying force. The monarchy is precisely that unifying force which has and can save Britain again. Charles III may in fact become the greatest monarch in British History if he can maintain Britain. The union is on a knife’s edge with the rise of regionalism, Scottish nationalism, Irish unification, and Welsh estrangement, the country needs a unifier now more than ever. Therefore, the monarchy has never been so relevant as it is today. God save the King and his Kingdom. Long may he reign.