The coronation of Charles III does not attract only the curious, eager to know the smallest details of the ceremony. Activists have already invested Westminster Abbey to get their message across.
While Charles III’s stay in France has been postponed to avoid the clashes of the social and political crisis around the pension reform, his coronation is now criticized on British soil. Indeed, on Thursday 23 March, a few months before the D-day, anti-monarchy activists from the Republic group gathered in front of Westminster Abbey, where the ceremony will be held on May 6, to display their banners. “Would you vote for him?” reads one of their slogans, which was relayed in photos by several media, including the HuffPost or the Scottish The National.
A demonstration that is part of a series of actions led by these groups, opposed to the event and the monarchical system. The activists intend to question the cost of such ceremonies for the state, and the relevance of maintaining such regimes for British society: “There is no symbol that better represents the fundamental parody of our democracy than the coronation throne in Westminster Abbey,” said one of the members of Republic. He called the coronation “a pointless parade designed to consolidate his position as unelected head of state. Without consultation with the people, without a vote.
An expensive event: how much will the coronation cost?
Wishing to distinguish himself from his predecessors and establish a more modern image of the monarchy, Charles III has already warned about the cost of his coronation. But as The National reminds us, it would be estimated at more than 100 million pounds. This will fuel the anger of anti-monarchy activists, who will probably march throughout the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the ceremony, according to the media. As for the details of the ceremony, the new monarch has also expressed the wish to break with some traditions, including the duration of the coronation, reduced to two hours rather than the initial four hours. A turn towards more simplicity?
Photo credits: Agency / Bestimage