Crowns and controversies: the politics of King Charles III's coronation

Citation

Cunningham CE & Filet J (2023) Crowns and controversies: the politics of King Charles III's coronation. [Blog Post] 05.05.2023. https://historyjournal.org.uk/2023/05/05/crowns-and-controversies-the-politics-of-king-charles-iiis-coronation/

Abstract
First paragraph: With the release of Season 5 of The Crown on Netflix in November 2022, a worldwide audience gained access to a somewhat romanticised version of the adult life of the new monarch of the United Kingdom. The series depicts a reformer Prince of Wales, who has novel ideas about society and the defence of the environment. Is this image of the modernised monarch even remotely close to reality? On the eve of King Charles III’s coronation, let us question the continuity and modernity of the British monarchy. While the classic division between royalists and republicans still rages on, will the ceremonial aspects of the coronation bring people together or will it further divide country and Commonwealth? Should the Crown stay neutral, or is Charles trending towards a monarchy more involved in foreign affairs? Indeed, is the new British monarch up to tackle 21st-century politics and controversies, or is there a strong expectation of changes from the coronation onwards?