On top paper, na only few transitions dey smooth like British monarchy succession: In less than 48 hours afta di death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III dey officially proclaimed Britain new sovereign.
Things no dey as simple as dem look, though: Charles ascend throne for time wey dey challenging for di UK and dia royal family.
Historians wey di BBC interview believe say di new King dey face “challenges wey neva happun before” wey go dey define – for better or worse – his reign and those to follow.
From dealing wit di impact of di energy crisis for di kontri to facing changing perceptions of di monarchy afta im mama 70-year-long rule, testing times dey ahead for Charles III.
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Here na some of di main issues wey fit need di new King attention.
A ‘down-to-Earth’ monarchy?
Millions of families in Britain face potential fuel poverty this winter due to spiralling energy prices triggered by the war in Ukraine. The most pessimistic forecasts say that up to 45 million people will struggle to pay their bills – that’s two-thirds of the country’s population.
Millions of families for Britain dey face potential fuel poverty dis winter sake of di increasing prices of energy wey di war for Ukraine cause.
Di most pessimistic forecasts say up to 45 million pipo go struggle to pay dia bills – that na two-thirds of di kontri population.
Dat kain tin dey likely to put di royal family finances under more inspection than usual.
In fact, even before di war, rumours dey for di British press say di then Prince of Wales wan scale down di big celebrations of royal occasions, namely im coronation.
Di Daily Telegraph newspaper speculate on 13 September say di event go dey different from di late Queen lavish coronation for 1953 – wey be di first ceremony of im kind dem to air for television.
Quoting royal sources, di newspaper say Charles III coronation, wey no dey expected to take place before June next year, go dey shorter, “less expensive” and importantly more multicultural to reflect di diversity for British society.
Charles bin don tok of im desire to have a slimmed-down monarchy – which go likely to translate into a smaller core group of working royals, wit di King and di Queen consort Camilla, Prince William and im wife Catherine for di centre.
“E dey quite likely say we go see things scaled down, especially di coronation,” royal historian Kelly Swab tell di BBC.
“Di royal family suppose show say e dey aware of wetin dey go on for di kontri these difficult times,” she add.
Di finances of di Royal Family na complex mata wey dey always front anti-monarchic arguments:
Dia funds na mainly from one taxpayer-funded yearly payment, wey dey known as di Sovereign Grant.
For 2021-2022, dis Grant dey set at $99.8m – equivalent to $1.49 per pesin for di UK, but dis no include di substantive security costs for members of di royal family.
Dwindling reputation
Support for di monarchy dey for it lowest point in over 30 years, at least according to di British Social Attitudes Survey, wey dey regularly measure di feelings of a sample of di British population towards di royals.
Di latest edition of di survey wey dem publish for 2021, show say only 55% of Britons tink say e dey “very important” or “quite important” to get monarchy. In past decades, dat support swing between 60% and 70%.
In May dis year, Charles appear for number three for di list of pipo favourite royals, behind di Queen and im eldest son, Prince William. While polls dem conduct afta Elizabeth II’ death don show increasing support for di new King, signs dey say Charles III get work to do in terms of royal reputation.
“One of di challenges for King Charles III na to make di monarchy appealing for di younger generations,” royal historian Richard Fitzwilliams tok.
Di British Social Attitudes Survey support Fitzwilliams’ opinion, wey show say for 2021, only 14% of pipo between di ages of 18-34 consider say e dey “very important” for Britain to get a monarchy, while di proportion among those over 55 dey 44%.
And according to one YouGov poll, conducted for di anti-monarchy group Republic for May, 27% of di population support say make dem remove di monarchy altogether – dat na ogbonge increase on di 15% wey don be di norm for most of dis century. And considerably higher dissatisfaction dey recorded among di younger generations.
Kelly Swab also point out say “plenty things don change since 1952” (di year Elizabeth II become Queen). She refer specifically to di sporadic anti-monarchy protests wey don taken place in di last few days.
“Pipo no too dey reason di monarchy these days and much more scrutiny of di royal family,” she tok.
” Dis na something wey King Charles need get for mind.”
‘Never complain, never explain’
King Charles III na UK head of state. But under di British constitutional monarchy model, di sovereign powers na mostly symbolic and ceremonial.
Thus, royal family members dey expected to stay politically neutral.
Di late Queen restraint dey seen by many as result of her belief for di adage “never complain, never explain”.
Charles for di past dey always speak out on different issues wey mata to am.
For 2015, dem reveal say e write plenty letters to goment ministers to express concerns on issues ranging from finances to di Armed Forces and herbal medicine.
Im stance go change? Leading constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor believe so.
“E don know from im earliest days dat im style go gatz change. Di public no go want a campaigning monarch,” Prof Bogdanor tok.
On 12 September, while addressing Members of Parliament, di newly-proclaimed King already give signs of an adjusted approach. Plus acknowledge say some interests dey wey im no go pursue again.
Charles III tok say di Parliament na “di living and breathing instrument” of British democracy.
Commonwealth and colonial legacy
Afta di death of im mama, King Charles III don become di Head of di Commonwealth, one political association of 56 kontris, mostly former British colonies.
E also be di head of state of 14 countries alongside di UK – di list wey include Australia, Canada, Jamaica, and New Zealand.
For di last few years, however, some Commonwealth nations don start debate dia relationship to di British Crown. As part of dis process, Barbados make decision to become a republic for late 2021, wey effectively comot di late Queen as head of state and dat end Britain centuries of influence over di island, wey be hub for di transatlantic slave trade for more than 200 years.
Prince William tour of di Caribbean for early 2022 cause anti-colonial protests and calls for reparation for slavery, and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness publicly tell di royal say di kontri go “move on”.
Sean Coughlan, one BBC royal correspondent, believe say redefining a more modern relationship wit di Commonwealth go be “a major challenge” for King Charles.
“As dia new head, how im visits to Commonwealth kontris fit navigate didifficult legacy of colonialism and issues such as slavery?”
“Veteran” King
At 73, Charles III na di oldest wey go ever dey proclaimed King for Britain.
One of di questions about di day-to-day of im reign na how much of di extensive list of royal duties e dey expected to carry out himself.
Plenty speculation dey say im son and heir to di crown, Prince William, go step in share for di burden of royal engagements, especially foreign tours. Queen Elizabeth II herself stop to dey travel abroad for her eighties.
“Charles na old king. He no fit do everytin,” historian Kelly Swab believe.
“I expect we go see more of Prince William as a result.”
Huge shoes to fill
Elizabeth II na very popular monarch as e show for her funeral.
That per se na challenge for di new King – but no be one wey e no fit overcome, according to royal historian Evaline Brueton.
She refer to di circumstances in which Edward VII inherit di crown for 1901 afta di death of Queen Victoria, another beloved monarch.
“Interesting similarities dey between di moment we dey now and di end of di Victorian Era,” Brueton tok.
“Both Edward VII and Charles III take over for periods of social change for Britain. And both no dey as popular as dia mamas.”
Edward VII bin dey for power for only nine years (1901-1910) but e dey fondly remembered as a king wey engage in diplomatic efforts wey lay di foundation for di famous Entente Cordiale, a ground-breaking series of agreements between di UK and France wey dey signed for 1904.
“Edward VII perform well-well and nothing dey to suggest say Charles no go dey remembered as an important King either,” Brueton believe.
“E get Queen Elizabeth II as a great role model and bin get time to prepare for di task.”
