Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is the most-watched funeral in history – with an estimated 4 billion people tuning in from around the world to watch England’s monarch be laid to rest.
It’s now been two years since the longest reigning monarch of the United Kingdom passed away, and in the time since, the Royal family has been presented with a unique set of challenges.
Leading Royal expert Duncan Larcombe spoke to Metro about what’s happened in the time since Queen Elizabeth died – both positive and negative – and reflected on the potential of a ‘scaled back’ monarchy in the future.
After reigning over the United Kingdom for 70 years, the Queen’s death still surprised most people because of just how popular she was, Duncan explained.
He said: ‘We knew she was popular. But I don’t think anyone could have envisaged just how popular she actually was.
‘We saw people queuing for 12 hours, an incredible week of mourning that followed. Her death was way beyond expectation.’
Not only did her death see people of all ages and backgrounds mourning, it also brought the country together at a time of great divide, Duncan said.
‘It was a sort of antidote to a lot of families which had fallen out over Brexit, people that had been stuck in lockdown and a horrendous situation of Covid.
‘It united the country in a way that probably nothing else could.
‘I think it also gave the sense that regardless of what’s going on in politics, the British people like having a royal family as an institution, and it’s one that is widely supported.’
This support will have been a ‘great comfort’ to King Charles after his mother’s death, Duncan explained.
‘I think that the Queen would be relieved with how Charles has coped with his first two years,’ Duncan said.
Citing two cancer diagnoses for major Royals this year alone, Duncan said the time since Elizabeth’s death has not been smooth, but they’ve ‘weathered the storm’.
‘Cancer is absolutely terrible, but in a strange way, I think it has rallied public support behind the Royals,’ he said.
‘It’s been an extra factor that is hugely important. People don’t wish Charles bad, and they certainly don’t wish Kate any harm either.
‘I think that they’ve both conducted themselves with dignity as they faced up to what must be a very frightening and unpleasant diagnosis.’
One thing which has been interesting is the lack of national memorial to Queen Elizabeth in the time since she passed, Duncan said.
Though a committee has been formed to come up with a memorial and plans are underway, Duncan believes the sooner one is constructed, the better.
He remarks: ‘The public will want to see some kind of lasting memorial to a woman that was by far the most popular monarch ever to have reigned in Britain.’
With many of today’s primary royals having young children, a new generation of royalty is growing up quickly, and represent the future of the monarchy.
But Duncan points out if for some reason King Charles does not reign for long and Prince William is ‘thrust’ into the throne, he may not have as much support from Harry and Meghan as King Charles did with his siblings.
He explains: ‘This, again, points to an outlook of scaling back the royal family. If, for instance, the King lived to 85 and then William took up the throne, Prince George would be a young man by then.
‘But would he want to be thrown straight into full time working royal life?’
Prince George of Wales, 11
Princess Charlotte of Wales, 9
Prince Louis of Wales, 6
Prince Archie of Sussex, 5
Princess Lilibet of Sussex, 3
Lady Louise Winsdor, 20
James, Earl of Wessex, 16
Sienna, 2
August, 3
Ernest, 1
He continued: ‘I don’t think he would at all. I think he’d want to pursue other other things, just like William and Harry did.
‘There’s another big generation of Royals coming up through the ranks – but they’re quite young, and I think that is a concern.’
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