A keychain with the photo of Charles III, spoons, thimbles with the image of the king: there is plenty to choose from on a London market stall. Only customers are missing a few days from a coronation which arouses little enthusiasm among the British.
Charles will be crowned with his wife Camilla on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. The last coronation, in 1953, for Elizabeth II, gave rise to a grandiose ceremony in popular fervor.
We remain far from the great national momentum. A poll showed in mid-April that nearly two-thirds of Britons are not interested in the event.
‘People are buying less than for the jubilee’, for Elizabeth II’s 70th reign last year, sighs Kirtesh Patel, who sells knick-knacks celebrating the king in Walthamstow market, northeast London .
The mugs with the portrait of Charles and the mention “The Coronation of His Majesty” (“The coronation of his majesty”) are at 6 pounds (6.7 euros) and the key rings, at 3 pounds.
“People are less interested in this king,” said the seller, a 44-year-old Indian.
The queen who died in September at 96 was extremely popular. The new ruler is already a 74-year-old king and his relationship with Camilla is nowhere near as glamorous as that of William, his son, and Kate.
The seller also mentions inflation which persists in staying above 10% and hurts millions of Britons, who have other priorities.
Not far from this stand, Carole McNeil, an 82-year-old retired teacher, says upfront that she is “not anti-monarchy” and will watch the ceremony.
Yet she is “upset”. “It’s expensive.”. The ceremony will be much more modest than that of 1953, but it is not enough for Carole: “When we hear all the money they have, they should pay it themselves”.
Rose Veitch is she “Republican”. No question therefore of following the coronation. “If the weather is nice, I’ll go for a walk in the countryside to try not to think about the monarchy,” says the 49-year-old research professor.
His opinion remains a minority: 58% of Britons remain in favor of a monarchy and only 26% would like an elected head of state, according to a recent poll.
Some are therefore looking forward to this weekend of festivities, like Peter Haseldine, who in 1953, aged 5, was on the Mall, the avenue that starts from Buckingham Palace, to celebrate the new queen. “What a crowd!” recalls this former accountant.
“Long live the king !” proclaims in French his wife Lynn Jones, a retired civil servant, proud to present herself as a “great supporter of the monarchy”. They decorated their house with banners bearing the likeness of Charles. “The older generation is more favorable” to the monarchy, she admits.
Besides, Louisa Keight, a 25-year-old, has “not yet” taken the time to think about all this. She will “maybe” watch the ceremony, because it could be interesting “from an academic or historical point of view”.
Like many Britons, she says she is neither anti nor pro monarchy. “It’s complicated,” she says. “I don’t think they should exist (the royal family, editor’s note), but since they are there…”. For Louisa, who works in communication, the disappearance of Elizabeth II represented “the first stage in the obsolescence of the royal family”.
In the midst of all her questions about the meaning of the monarchy, one thing makes her happy: holiday Monday: “There, yes, I’m enthusiastic!”
On May 7, Britons are invited to participate in neighborhood parties. But even they are not always unanimous.
In north London, residents have suggested hosting a street party, sparking a heated debate with anti-monarchies on the neighborhood’s WhatsApp group.
All finally agreed, with humor: the monarchists will organize their party, the “anti” will join later, then all will take part in “a pitched battle to decide the future of the country!”
30/04/2023 11:29:11 – London (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
