Members of the public attend a anti-monarchy rally on Calton Hill in Edinburgh on 6 May 2023 following the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles III. Picture: Andy Buchanan / AFP
The English are certainly the best when it comes to pageantry.
London, and the rest of England, became a sea of red, white and blue on Saturday at the coronation of King Charles III as monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth countries.
It was the first in Britain after 70 years.
Tradition and splendour was at its best as Charles was crowned as heir to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday.
A concert at Windsor Castle followed on Sunday to herald the new era and street parties went well into the night across England in a bid to bring communities closer.
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However, once all the cheers and partying has died down, the question remains: has the monarchy lost its lustre?
Support for the royals has certainly waned in recent times, especially among the youth. Television viewing numbers of the coronation was down compared with other major royal events.
Many Britons felt aggrieved to pick up the bill for the coronation – believed to be over £100 million (about R2.3 billion) – as they struggle to put food on the table.
At 74, Charles – the first British king to be coronated since 1937 – is the oldest sovereign to be crowned at Westminster Abbey. Will the youth relate to a new, older king?
There were plenty “not my king” protests, although police arrested many of the anti-monarchy leaders and organisers before they even got a chance to take to the streets, using a new law signed in this week to clamp down on protest groups.
Jamaica and Belize have already indicated they will ditch Charles as their head of state. Others, including Australia and Canada, could follow.
Still, thousands flocked to the streets to congratulate the new king, some camping overnight to secure a good spot to see the royal procession. These royal fans still believe the monarchy has a huge place in British heritage.
Charles pledged: “I come not to be served but to serve.” He will certainly be judged by these words going forward.
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