Given the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week and the many words already written on the subject, I am going to keep this week’s blog short.
Indeed, a lot has happened since my last blog. In just over a fortnight, we have seen the appointment of a new Prime Minister, the arrival of a new Cabinet, the death of the UK’s longest-serving monarch, a new King and a Prince and Princess of Wales.
Much that has been written about the Queen has noted her steadfastness, and it is true to say that the world was very different when she took the reign in 1952. Many have commentated on how she provided a fixed point of the compass as the country underwent massive, even unprecedented, change.
That change is set to continue, however, as a new image starts to appear on everything from banknotes to postage stamps and the badges that our police wear. There is also a high likelihood that the reign of Charles III will be very different in style from that of his mother.
Elizabeth II’s reign started in an era without social media when stoicism and acceptance were at the fore. Charles III takes his place at the head of a much more public-facing organisation, a Royal family that has changed with the times and will surely continue to adapt.
The King is known for his passion for the environment, architecture, alternative medicine and organic farming – issues that were sometimes scoffed at 30 years ago, but which are now common currency. And, while the role of the King is more hands-off than that of the Prince of Wales, it is hard to see him dropping his concerns for these types of issues entirely.
As the country faces massive challenges like climate change, energy resilience and technological transformation, it seems that the Carolinian era looks like it will be just as exciting as the second Elizabethan times.
Let us all come together at this time of both sadness and celebration, and share a future that we can build for our next generations.
