Larger than life, the Queen is emblazoned on York Minster. The statue measures two meters and, according to her son Charles, will henceforth guard the northern English city. The queen is dead and the "eternal heir to the throne" is now king.
But the scene in York is an example of how deeply Queen Elizabeth II is still anchored in the minds of the United Kingdom. The funeral services following her death on September 8 were historic. Day X, which was feared given the old age of the monarch but somehow never expected, means a turning point for the whole country.
A country said goodbye
Hundreds of thousands lined the streets as the Queen's coffin was filed past mourners, whether en route from her beloved country home of Balmoral in Scotland, Edinburgh, London or en route to her final resting place at Windsor Castle. A country took part - and stood still for days in honor of the esteemed monarch.
So ahead of the royals is 2023, the first year without their supermother, who reigned for 70 years. That also means: The country is looking forward to a coronation. On May 6th it should be so far that King Charles III. the famous Imperial State Crown is also officially pressed onto the head.
Coronation should be shorter and less pompous
The royal family wants to use the tailwind that the royal family experienced after the death of the queen and in the course of Charles' assumption of office. The coronation of Charles (74) and his royal wife Camilla (75) should also be a signal that the monarchy has recognized the signs of the times.
The ceremony should be shorter and less pompous, while still maintaining the traditions and shining with the advertising medium royal family as "soft power", as British media repeatedly reported.
In comparison with the last coronation 70 years ago, the numbers show what that should look like. With around 2000 guests, there are still a lot of people in London's Westminster Abbey. But it's 6,000 fewer than in 1953 at the Queen's coronation. The duration of around an hour is also significantly shorter than back then.
It's also expected that the king won't change clothes nearly as often as his mother once did. At the same time, the traditional components such as the anointing should be preserved.
Are Harry and Meghan Coming?
But the eyes of the world will probably focus more on whether Charles' younger son Prince Harry (38) and his wife Duchess Meghan (41) will take part. The couple, who have long since given up their royal duties and honorary degrees and live in the United States with their children Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, have an extremely difficult relationship with Harry's British family. In several interviews and a Netflix documentary, the two accused the palace of serious mistakes and even racism. Her attendance at the Queen's memorial service appears to have done little to alter internal relations, although Charles reaffirmed his deep love for his son and daughter-in-law early in his reign.
Worse still, another low blow is imminent at the beginning of the year. Harry's autobiography is scheduled to be released on January 10th. There should be a lot of explosive power between the two book covers. In London it is feared that "Reserve", as the German title of the work "Spare" is, will not only deepen the break in the royal family. But that it even overshadows the coronation.
According to experts, the title alone suggests what direction Harry can be expected to take. Publisher Penguin Random House has announced a candid account of Harry's life - for which he is said to have received millions of pounds in advance. Royals experts expect a new ice age, especially with the older brother Prince William (40). This also indicates that Harry is said to have turned down an invitation to the traditional family Christmas party at the East English country estate of Sandringham - but wants to come to London in early January to promote the book.
Many trips abroad are planned for the coming year
Coronation and a possible scandal book - there is not much room for other royal topics, one might think. The calendar is full, so heir to the throne William and his wife Princess Kate (40) are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand, as are Charles and Camilla. Not only does the king want to introduce himself personally in the 14 other states in which he acts as head of state. There is also a need to hold the Commonwealth together - more and more countries are considering seceding the crown and forming a republic.
A formality is also explosive: so that Charles does not have to be represented by his estranged son Harry or his scandal-ridden younger brother Prince Andrew (62) in the event of his absence, the king wants to expand the circle of "Counselors of State" and also his second brother Take Prince Edward (58) and his sister Princess Anne (72) there. At first glance, that would contradict his plans for a leaner monarchy. At the same time, however, Andrew and Harry would be pushed to the sidelines without the family peace further crumbling to the outside world. One thing is already clear: in the first year without the “eternal queen”, the royal family has a lot of work to do.
