Sao Paulo
Proclaimed king in September last year, Charles 3rd, 74, has gradually won the support of the British public, but he is still a long way from the support his mother, Queen Elizabeth 2, had.
He was brought to the throne with the challenge of continuing the legacy of the most beloved member of the royal family at a time when questions about the monarchy are mounting due to the high cost of living in Britain, soaring inflation and frequent strikes on health professionals, education and transport.
At the same time, the king has only modest approval. A study published by the YouGov Institute indicates that the monarch is accepted by 55% of Britons, a figure higher than the 42% at the start of his reign but below the 75% recorded by Elizabeth II before her death .
Today Charles III. fifth in his relatives’ popularity rankings, losing to his sister, Princess Anne (66%); son William (65%); and daughterinlaw Catherine (65%), in addition to Elizabeth II.
In a global list, the British monarch even appears behind foreign politicians such as President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (57%), whose country was invaded by Russia in February last year, and American couple Michelle (58%) and Barack Obama (72 %).
After Charles III. longer than any other heir has waited to become king, he is committed to the environmental and social agendas, which helps improve his image. Before being made king, he was honorary president of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the most influential NGOs in the world, and founded the International Sustainability Unit in 2010, an umbrella of sorts for his environmental initiatives.
Activism has branded itself by showing an interest in issues that directly affect issues, from protecting the environment to education for underprivileged youth, a cause he defends through the organization Prince’s Trust.
At the coronation ceremony this Saturday (6th), Charles III. show much of the costumes already worn by other monarchs to make the event more sustainable, something that brings him closer to younger people who are more committed to protecting the environment.
According to YouGov, only 36% of 1824 year olds support preserving the monarchy. Another 40% support the election of the head of state. Ten years ago, 72% of respondents in this age group defended the continued existence of the monarchy. Looking at the British population as a whole, support for the monarchy was 62% when Charles III took over. down to 58% in the last month.
The fall was marred by scandals that did not directly affect the king. Since March, news of negotiations between publishers and Prince Andrew, Charles III’s younger brother, for a biography has been viewed as a potential explosion in the royal family. People close to Andrew are trying to get him to give up the idea, in what is seen as a form of revenge after allegations of sexually abusing a minor forced him to relinquish his military titles last year.
With support for the monarchy at an alltime low, just 33% of Britons say they would love the coronation of Charles III. is at heart. This time, the Oath of Allegiance to the King will be taken by the British people everyone in Westminster Abbey, as well as viewers of the event from around the world, are invited to do so.
The choir of millions, called “Homage of the People”, replaces the traditional “Homage of Peers”, when only the nobility swore allegiance. The change drew criticism, as revealed by The Guardian newspaper, with reports from citizens pointing to the king’s detachment from current society and the high cost of the coronation.
Last month, official data showed that the UK was the only region in Western Europe with doubledigit inflation. Consumer price inflation fell to an annual rate of 10.1% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics, down from 10.4% in February but at a slowerthanexpected slowdown.
The crisis is putting the UK government under pressure with the worst spate of work stoppages in the UK since the 1980s. Especially between June and August last year and since the beginning of December, public sector workers of various categories have crossed arms and demanded wage adjustments above the inflation ceiling.
The fortune of King Charles III. is estimated at £1.8 billion (R$11.3 billion), larger than his mother’s. When the Queen died last September, the sovereign’s personal fortune was estimated at £400 million (about R$2.5 billion).
The coronation ceremony will take place from 7am (Brasília time). The ceremony will bring together heads of state and thousands of Brits in the streets of the English capital, who will see increased security and also have protests from antimonarchy groups.