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Sixty-seven years ago today the Queen was crowned at her official coronation at Westminster Abbey — even though she ascended the throne immediately after her father’s death 16 months before. Charles has known he was her heir apparent since his mother the Queen took her own place on the throne. He was approximately three years old at the time. Charles has been keen to prove himself as a worthy monarch to the British public throughout his life.
However, his popularity has actually dropped significantly since he was in his twenties causing concern for senior royal aides.
Writing in The New Yorker in 2017, author Zoe Heller explained how those working behind the scenes at Buckingham Palace were nervously preparing for Charles’ ascension.
She wrote: “One of [the senior aides’] chief concerns, apparently, is that republicans may try to use the interval between the death of the old monarch and the coronation of the new one it whip up anti-royal sentiment.
“In order to minimise the potential for such rabble-rousing, they propose to speed things up as much as decorum will allow.
“In contrast to the stately 16-month pause that elapsed between the death of King George VI, in February 1952, and the anointing of the Queen in June 1953, King Charles III will be whisked to Westminster Abbey no later than three months after his mother’s demise.”
The long gap between one monarch’s death and their successor’s coronation follows in line with royal tradition.
Edward VII waited 18 months between accession and coronation and George V waited 13 months.
Edward VIII’s coronation was expected to be delayed by 15 months following his father’s death, but his unexpected abdication meant he was never crowned.
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His brother King George VI — the Queen’s father — therefore replaced him at his coronation in May 1937, so as not to waste the resources that went into preparing the big day.
He was crowned six months after his brother abdicated — which is still twice as long as courtiers have suggested Charles would have to wait between ascension and coronation.
The article added that although the likelihood of a “Jacobin-style insurgency” in Britain would “seem rather remote”, there is concern that loyalty to the sovereign may not extend to Charles.
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A poll conducted only last year by Express.co.uk revealed that of 4,000 voters, more than 60 percent believed the crown should be handed straight to Prince William upon the Queen’s death.
However, Ms Heller added: “Once you start allowing the popular will to determine who wears the crown, people are liable to wonder why anyone is wearing a crown in the first place.”
Additionally Charles has now held the title of Prince of Wales for the longest time in modern history.
He has therefore been preparing to be sovereign his whole life.
The Queen was proclaimed Britain’s new monarch immediately upon George VI’s death in February 1952.
She spent three months in seclusion, mourning her father. It was not until summer 1952 that she began taking on sovereign duties.
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