Eugene Robinson

Hereditary royalty is a conceit, a fairy-tale illusion. But people in a host of countries still see it as a useful organizing principle, at least for culture and communal ritual. The question now is whether, in Britain, the phrase “modern monarchy” turns out to be an oxymoron.

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At Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral in Westminster Abbey on Monday, the front rows were occupied by her fellow royals: The kings and queens of the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, the queen and crown prince of Denmark and other crowned heads most Americans would be hard pressed to recognize.…  Seguir leyendo »

There’s a line from Shakespeare for any situation. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” from his “Henry IV, Part II” is appropriate for King Charles III, as he takes up his long-awaited crown, and in exchange sets down his lifelong passions and causes. There’s a real pathos to that transition, especially on subjects such as climate change and the environment, where Charles has been not merely correct but a generation ahead of the curve.

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Long derided by critics as “the meddling prince” for his outspoken advocacy on matters of government policy, Charles now occupies a position in which — under the terms of Britain’s unwritten constitution — he is expected to express no opinions at all.…  Seguir leyendo »