FINDING ANSWERS

The worldwide audience was fascinated last Saturday with all the symbolism, glitter, and pageantry dating back to medieval times at the coronation of King Charles III.
In this age of live streaming and social media, it certainly was a spectacle dubbed once-in-a-generation. Just like when his late mother Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, all the glory and splendor of British tradition sparkled anew in brilliant colors of red, blue and, of course, gold.
And just like what the world saw seven decades ago, Britain’s royal family wore their finest garments, displayed their finest ornaments and regalia, and paraded in lavishly designed horse-drawn coaches traversing roads lined with red, white, and blue Union flags and cheering spectators.
But unlike the enthusiasm and  jubilance of the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II who ascended the throne at age 25 upon the death of her father King George VI in 1952, the coronation of the 74-year-old King Charles III was hounded by concerns of some that “he doesn’t have his mother’s long-earned affection or celebrity, and he may not have time to build either.”
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II was phenomenal in the sense that even in the dark years when many members of the royal family got mired in a variety of scandals that threatened to irreversibly damage the monarchy as an institution, she herself still managed to exude decency and dignity.
It was the kind of dignity described in the 1867 writings of acclaimed British economist and political analyst Walter Bagehot who promoted the idea that a constitutional system needs two branches of government – one branch must be dignified and the other ought to be efficient.
He argued that the function of the dignified branch, consisting of the monarchy, is to “win the people’s loyalty” while the job of the efficient branch, consisting of the prime minister and cabinet members, is to “use that loyalty to run the country.”
During her 70-year reign, many believe Queen Elizabeth II valued dignity and decency. She showed such when she stripped her second son, Prince Andrew, of military titles amid the sex abuse lawsuit that was beginning to seriously damage the reputation of the monarchy.
Her quiet dignity also showed when she never publicly took sides on heated and controversial issues, unlike many world leaders and politicians who have no qualms blurting out any ideas and impulses that come to mind. An example of her discipline as a public figure was seen when a former prime minister apologized for revealing that the queen was supposedly pleased that Scotland voted against independence in a referendum. Many believe that the fierce loyalty of people to Queen Elizabeth can be attributed to the kind of dignity she showed.
Winning the unwavering loyalty of the people is essential because such loyalty inspires citizens to act for the country’s interests not only in times of war, but in the pursuit of nationhood in times of peace. With such fierce loyalty inspired by a monarchy that can really move people to act, some may ask: Does the Philippines also need a king or queen?
Going back to King Charles III, it seems he has to face tough challenges ahead. Opinion polls show growing opposition to the monarchy. In the latest study of the National Center for Social Research, only 29 percent of respondents said the monarchy was “very important.” It was the lowest level in 40 years of research, with opposition mostly coming from young people.
The new king clearly needs to show why a monarchy is still relevant in these modern times. But since a monarch is supposedly required to be above politics, his previous outspokenness on certain issues like climate change can be a handicap.
Yet, there’s a way he can still use his position to influence others without being political. And the most effective way would be to show that the climate crisis is not a political issue as many climate deniers would like to portray it, but all about money as big businesses get hurt with climate action.
With King Charles III showing why the climate crisis is a worldwide existential challenge just as he had been doing in the past in his speeches at the Paris COP21 and Glasgow COP26 climate talks, he would be ensuring the relevance of the monarchy in this modern age. (Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]))