King Charles III is moving full speed ahead with his plans to reshape the British monarchy. The change from the Queen Elizabeth era is happening on different levels.
The first order of business for the new King is to ensure that the line of succession is clear. The Monarch is doing this by putting Prince William and Kate Middleton at the center of the monarchy.
An official photo that was shot on the eve of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral shows King Charles with wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales, and his spouse, the Princess of Wales.
The image marks the beginning of King Charles’s reign in a powerful way. The Sovereign appears relaxed and confident with a hand in his pocket and an arm around his wife.
It seems evident that King Charles is choosing a different route when compared to his mother. He wants to present a modern version of the monarchy.
The ruler is putting less emphasis on extravagant displays and wants to be seen as someone who understands that the times are changing. The King does not really have a choice; he is doing the best he can with the cards he has.
British people still have a lot of appreciation for their monarchy. However, more former colonies are choosing to remove the monarch as their head of state. It might be symbolic, but the monarchy has less influence globally.
This explains why communication is more important than ever. King Charles needs to be forward-looking and accessible. In that sense, the Waleses are essential assets. In the photo, they look young and fresh and are seen smiling.
The British media is embracing this upbeat posturing, The Daily Mail even calls the quartet, the new “Fab Four.” This is a reference to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The now-California residents and the Waleses used to be called the same thing by the local press before “Megxit.” Royal observers say the picture also shows the Sussexes what they are missing because many believe they would have been included in it without all the controversies of the past two years.
However, King Charles is putting all of this behind him. He wants to make them less relevant. They have even been demoted on the official website of the Royal Family.
Royal expert Phil Dampier stated via The Sun Online: “Harry and Meghan must be worried that they are slowly being erased out of the royal picture. And the fact that they have been ‘demoted’ on the Palace website is another indicator that they are not seen as working royals.”
There is a new chief in town, and he does not seem to have a soft spot for the Sussexes like the previous boss.
