Our family, particularly on my father’s side, is of Scots/Irish/Welsh descent._I have long considered myself a bit of an Anglophile.
Probably my two favorite fictional characters for decades have been James Bond and Sherlock Holmes._That said, I have never had much fascination with the royal family or the crown in general._However, it would be impossible to overlook the reign of_Queen Elizabeth II_without noting more than the length of her tenure. The stability that she helped to provide for so many decades in both cementing and strengthening_that special relationship between the United Kingdom and “The Colonies” (as the Royal Family are often said to refer to the United States behind closed doors) cannot be overstated._
Queen Elizabeth began her reign as head of state of the British Empire with_Winston Churchill_returning as Prime Minister (19511955), through_Boris Johnson_and_Liz Truss_today._The House of Lords has become all but an anachronism, and Elizabeth has worked with Labour, Tories, Conservative, and even coalition governments—all while serving her nation and her duty in a job and role which she never sought out.
Only_Queen Victoria_at 64 years (1837-1901) comes even close to Queen Elizabeth’s reign of 70 years and 214 days, which also marks the longest period in recorded history for a female head of state._When Elizabeth’s grandfather was king, the royal families and heads of state of the United Kingdom, Germany (Kaiser Wilhelm II), and Russia (Czar Nicholas II)_were all blood relatives. _Yet two revolutions later, only the House of Windsor retains the crown._
The will of the people is required for the maintenance and support of royal families._Great Britain’s_royal history is among the longest in existence today and Queen Elizabeth personally had few peers in terms of longevity worldwide._King Bhumibol_of Thailand also ruled for 70 years, his coronation in 1950 almost coincided with the introduction of the fictional_King & I_film and later Broadway production, both starring Yul Brynner in a fictionalized portrayal of Bhumibol›s own great-grandfather. _Emperor Hirohito_of Japan remained in place for 63 years, from 1926 through World War II and concluding in 1989.
Modern royals, though, are most often figureheads, sources of tradition, protocol, and a link to a storied nation’s past._As the House of Windsor has grown and evolved alongside social media, its social fabric and standing also have unraveled a bit at its seams._No royal leader is truly perfect. Now, at the age of 73, Prince Charles of Wales_now becomes_King Charles III._Based on his earlier focuses in life, we can expect him to retain much of the focus and direction of his mother on the throne, yet we cannot necessarily expect him to be either the world presence or the fixture of Britain’s steadfast support for its ally the United States that she certainly was._ King Charles has his quirks, as did Queen Elizabeth with her omnipresent Corgis._I think what I admired most about the queen was what I continually heard was her dry, occasionally a bit wicked, sense of humor._A highlight, at least for me, was her “secret” parachute jump into the Olympic Stadium, alongside British secret agent 007 (actor_Craig Daniels), to open the 2012 Olympic Games (https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1AS-dCdYZbo).
As the new king, Charles intends an even greater focus on making England and Great Britain operate on a more sustainable basis, particularly within its energy sector._He also is expected to do a bit of pruning on the expenditures across the Royal Family tree, reaching $87.5 million pounds sterling in 2021, or roughly equivalent to $101 million._Charles also is expected to focus programs and resources more on his immediate heirs, rather than on the far-flung House of Windsor.
The new king is believed to be in good health, too, born into a family with both parents nearly reaching the century mark (his father fell just four months short), so while he may not be a brief caretaker monarch, a larger function of his rule will be to pave the way for his successor as he works to modernize what it means to be royal in the 21st century.
One Man’s Opinion