King Must Inspire Pride In Britain And Our Values

‘The past is a place to learn from, not constantly live in’

- Esther Krakue

AFTER 10 days of national mourning, the Queen’s burial drew the second Elizabethan era to a close. People queued for upwards of 12 hours to pay their last respects to our longest reigning monarch. Even the staunchest republicans were moved by Britain’s flawless display of patriotism, pomp, and pageantry.

However, it is clear that not everyone shares our appreciation for the monarchy.

Support for the Royal Family is lowest amongst 18 to 24-year-olds, where only 33 per cent support the institution.

Unsurprisingly, this coincides with one of the least patriotic generations in Britain’s history. Research shows that age group are far less likely than over-60s to feel “very” patriotic (15 per cent, compared to 49 per cent).

Of course, many factors determine people’s attitudes to our constitutional monarchy and this country more generally, including family background, gender and political views.

With questions surrounding the survival of the cherished institution under King Charles III, it will be up to my generation to carry the torch. But there are ways our King can move the monarchy forward.

Firstly, he must remain politically neutral. A contributing factor to his late mother’s popularity was her determination to remain above the political fray.