It is right to talk about the future of the monarchy, given the upcoming coronation of King Charles III, but the “genuine benefit” provided by the institution means it needn’t be too worried about the future. That is according to Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, who this week gave a rare interview to Canada’s CBC News.
The discussion came after polling suggested that only one in three Britons believe the monarchy is “very important,” giving rise to the suggestion that public support for the institution is at an “historic low.” (It is worth noting that other surveys have expectedly produced rather different findings.) Newspapers, the Princess Royal appeared to suggest, set aside too much column space for such reports. Often described as the most hardworking member of the British Royal Family, she said the monarchy does much good for the country, particularly for those individuals who spend time with its members, but added that “if you look at the media, you tend not to get that impression.”
Commenting on ongoing discussions around the relevance of the institution ahead of the May 6th ceremony, the Princess said:
There will be [such discussions] everywhere. It’s not a conversation that I would necessarily have. I think it’s perfectly true that it is a moment where you need to have that discussion, but I would just underline that the monarchy provides, with the constitution, a degree of long-term stability that is actually quite difficult to come by any other way.
Princess Anne appears unworried about the health of the monarchy, the interviewer suggested. She responded that “I think you’re putting words into my mouth,” but when pushed, she added:
No, I wouldn’t [say that I am worried], because I believe that there is genuine benefit from this particular arrangement, the constitutional monarchy, and I think it has good long-term benefits. And that commitment to long term is what the monarchy stands for.
Also in the interview, Princess Anne laughed off the much-discussed (though little-understood) notion that the monarch under King Charles will become more “slimmed-down.” The question, discussed in detail by royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams for The European Conservativehere, was, she said, “more justifiable” when there were “a few more people around.” That is, before the passing of Prince Philip and, of course, the Queen, as well as the stepping back from royal duties by Princes Harry and Andrew. In the current context, however, the Princess said this “doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing.” Princess Anne did, however, note that the coronation will be “such a different scenario” to the 1953 event. Here is what you can expect from the highly-anticipated event.
