King Charles will give the Commonwealth speech on television – and not in the abbey. And once again it falls to Queen Camilla to bear the honor and burden of leading the celebrations. And the King's speech will have a title that neatly sums up the future that lies ahead for the monarchy: “A Resilient Shared Future.” A shared future based on resilience. A perfect title to photograph the UK's relations with Commonwealth countries at this stage, many of which are tempted by a future without the Crown. But it also captures well the “resilience” that the Windsors will need to draw on even in this emergency in early 2024.
Result: The turbulent start of 2024 for the royal family would invite us to rethink the structures of the company, the “company”.
So much so that even the family's “acquisitions”, such as Camilla and the Princess of Wales when she is back in action, could be taken into account when bestowing royal honors. There is a general willingness to allow royal engagements to be managed, including the most prestigious, such as the awarding of honors, even to minor members of the royal family. The plan of a relaxed, streamlined monarchy that has been cultivated at court for years has narrowed the front line of the royals, but now the princesses of, for example, York are also necessary.
At the weekend, Queen Camilla is the last to cancel for ten days. Her office announces that the sovereign, who went on a real work tour de force after her husband's hospitalization, which culminated two days ago with the meeting with the Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska at Clarence House, must take a break.
King Charles was expected to be absent due to cancer treatment and Prince William was absent “for short-term personal reasons,” but the Windsors and royals of Europe were represented by princes and kings. Even the less obvious ones like Prince Andrew and his wife Sarah, Zara Phillips (Anna's daughter) and her husband Mike Tindall and with them of course the Princess Royal and Anna's husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, who a year ago represented the British royals at the funeral of the former King Constantine in Athens. And joining the Windsors today were the Dukes of Gloucester. The entire Spanish royal family, not just King Felipe VI. and Queen Letizia, but also the kings emeritus Juan Carlos and Sofia as well as the two infantesses of Spain, Elena and Cristina, with a son. And of course the entire former royal family of Greece. King Constantine had spent most of his life in exile in London. Text: Enrica Roddolo
Heir Pavlos of Greece with his wife
Prince Philippos of Greece with his wife Nina
Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, very close friend of Prince Philip, née Prince of Greece and Denmark, and Thomas and Alexandra Hooper
Andrea, Sarah and Anna's husband
Le Infante of Spain with her son
Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI
Camilla will remain out of the spotlight until March 11th. “He has found resources he could never have imagined.” And again: “She is resilient, positive and determined and the King is happy that the show goes on thanks to Camilla and the family,” palace sources tell the Times. .
The fact remains that the King and even the Prince of Wales are not very forthcoming in the first case with cancer treatment and in the second case with the treatment of his wife Kate, the first line of “blood” royals entering the royal family were born into it, always small, with more and more obligations.
For months we have often seen how the royal Princess Anna presented the honor of the kingdom to those deserving, at Buckingham Palace or at Windsor Castle. In fact, she too is the daughter of a king and can do it. But the situation is very precarious and there would have been meetings as early as the time of the Platinum Jubilee (when it was the Queen who shrugged off concerns) to consider opening the honor and also presenting the honors to Camilla and the Princess Catherine . Both born citizens.
“With a royal family in trouble, most recently the king, he has wisely already sent the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, cousins of Queen Elizabeth, to the front,” historian Hugo Vickers tells the Courier from London . The Duchess of Gloucester recently accompanied Queen Camilla to three important royal events. After all, the Dukes of Gloucester have carried out royal duties for 52 years and at this moment (of emergency) they are perfect to provide support.”
In addition, it has not escaped notice that a few days ago, at an official engagement in which Princess Kate was supposed to attend, the Princess of York appeared in her place. Vickers, author of many royal biographies and now of The Crown dissected on Kindle, also supports the possibility of giving Andrea and Sarah Ferguson's two daughters a more prominent role.
The princesses are two young “supporters” in the royal ranks: Will they be more involved in the future? “Beatrice and Eugenie are indeed two valuable resources, well trained… the company should make greater use of the Princesses of York.”
Beatrice von York was in Davos two months ago, like almost every year. The two daughters of the Dukes of York were groomed for roles in the royal family. And the necessity could prove it very soon.