Coronation and crisis in the family - This was the year for King Charles III.
King Charles III (75) has been on the British throne since September 2022. His grand coronation took place in 2023. While he has made a confident impression as monarch over the past twelve months, including at the Trooping the Color military parade and the opening of Parliament, rumours of a dispute within the royal family continue to make negative headlines. This is how the year went for Charles III:
As the Sunday Times reported, citing insiders, Charles was "surprised by the increased workload" after ascending the throne "despite his decades of training". It went on to say that he had decided to be an "imperturbable monarch". He seems to have arrived in this role this year after mourning the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022).
The coronation in May
King Charles was crowned on May 6 in Westminster Abbey together with his wife, Queen Camilla (76). The ceremony became a worldwide televised spectacle, combining centuries-old traditions and modernity. Guests included Prince Albert II (65) and his wife, Charlène of Monaco (45), King Felipe of Spain (55) and Queen Letizia (51), as well as many other stars from the royal families and politics. The ceremony was followed by street parties and a large coronation concert.
Rumors of family discord
Another topic at the coronation was the alleged family rift between the royals. Although Prince Harry (39) attended his father's coronation ceremony, he is said to have boarded a plane back to the USA shortly afterwards. He has been living there with his wife Duchess Meghan (42) and their two children Archie (4) and Lilibeth (2) since 2020. Meghan was not present at the coronation.
In the months following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry and Meghan attacked the royals in a Netflix documentary series, Harry's memoir "Reserve" and television interviews. Among other things, the Duke of Sussex accused his family of colluding on negative media coverage. Most recently, Omid Scobie's (42) investigative book "Endgame" caused a stir. The journalist is said to have access to Harry and Meghan's entourage.
The sale of the book was stopped in the Netherlands to great media effect. The translated version is said to have contained the names of two royal family members who are allegedly involved in allegations first made by Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan in 2021. At the time, the Sussexes had spoken in an interview with Oprah Winfrey (69) about a member of the royal family allegedly expressing concerns about the color of their son Archie's skin before he was born. Scobie's book made the allegations the subject of the British press for weeks. The tensions between Prince Harry and his family don't seem to be getting any less...
Elsewhere, things are said to have calmed down. In October, there were reports that Prince Andrew (63), who fell out of favor after the Epstein scandal, would not have to move. King Charles has therefore allowed his younger brother to stay at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle indefinitely. At least that's what "The Mirror" wrote. A conflict between Andrew and Charles is said to have been simmering for months over the Royal Lodge. The monarch is said to have initially urged his brother to leave the property immediately in order to move to the smaller - and above all newly renovated - Frogmore Cottage, which was previously occupied by Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan.
Charles on the road
Given these problems, is the British monarch sometimes glad to be able to go traveling? In March at least, Charles and Camilla shone during a visit to Germany in Berlin and Hamburg. In June, he traveled privately to Romania to go hiking, among other things. He then enjoyed a traditional summer vacation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. This was followed by visits to France and Kenya.
Charles celebrates Christmas with his family at the royal estate in Sandringham - another tradition the King inherited from his mother. The monarch can presumably take a breather here for a while before things certainly continue to be no less exciting for him and his family in 2024.
Read also:
- Caught up in the present: the end of "The Crown"
- What's next for the series hits?
- A coming and going in the teams
- 40 years of the music show "Formel Eins"
- Despite his decades of training, King Charles III (75) expressed surprise at the increased workload following his coronation, as reported by the Sunday Times, citing insiders.
- The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla (76) took place in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023, with guests including Prince Albert II (65) and Charlène of Monaco (45), King Felipe of Spain (55) and Queen Letizia (51).
- Although Prince Harry (39) attended his father's coronation ceremony, he disputes negative media coverage by his family, as mentioned in a Netflix documentary series, Harry's memoir "Reserve" and television interviews.
- Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (42), did not attend the coronation, and in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey (69), she and Prince Harry accused a royal family member of expressing concerns about their son Archie's skin color before his birth.
- The coronation was followed by rumors of a family rift, with Prince Harry and Meghan continuing to make allegations against the royals in a Netflix documentary series and other platforms.
- Queen Elizabeth II's (1926-2022) death may have contributed to the increased workload for King Charles III, as he navigates his role as monarch and deals with family crises.
- King Felipe of Spain (55) and Queen Letizia (51) were among the guests at the coronation, reflecting the strong connections between the Spanish and British Royal Families.
- Despite the ongoing family discord, King Charles III managed to take breaks from his duties, including visits to Germany, Romania, and Scotland, where he celebrates Christmas with his family at Sandringham.
Source: www.stern.de
