Happy and Blessed Easter to one and all. My post on Queen Camilla generated some great comments, so I thought I’d do a follow-up:
I know precious little about the British monarchy, but it does seem interesting. I think that tales of palace intrege would be particularly interesting. Could you recommend a book or two on the subject? Thanks!
Unfortunately, I don’t know of a general history I can recommend (suggestions welcome!). I do recommend focusing on particular individuals or houses that interest you and look for books on that narrower focus. One such historian, who has written a number of books on British royals, is Alison Weir, although I disagree with her conclusion that King Richard III is the most likely murderer of his nephews, the princes in the Tower. Sure, he’s a prime suspect, but the traditional case against him is far from conclusive. (Indeed, I think one of the reasons he has persisted in the popular mind as a villain is thanks to Shakespeare’s play, which Shakespeare probably wrote at least in part to please Tudor England.)
The monarchy never really recovered after Henry VIII–yes, yes, I’ve heard of Elizabeth, and even Victoria. But Henry was the most destructive man in English history. It just takes some things longer to disappear than others, once they’ve been mortally wounded.
True enough, although there were moments of greatness, as another reader recounts:
I like to think of the Queen Mum stepping over the rubble left by bombs in wartime London. The reign of the Royals of the ’40s (after the Duke of Windsor and Wally sailed off in their yacht), and the gov’t of Winston Churchill, by inspiring London during the Blitzkrieg and overseeing Britain’s "finest hour," represented one of the few bright spots in the dull to dumb to slapsticky British history that Henry VIII and his apostasy begat.
If only there the moments of greatness were extended to generations of greatness….
Just skip over Charles and go straight to William.
Were that the case, I would again be a fan of the Windsors (at least for a while). However, although I cannot find confirmation of this online, I believe I’ve read that Charles has already indicated that he has no intention of stepping aside for William. Hard to blame him, as he’s been the twentieth-century’s Edward VII (Queen Victoria’s son); but stepping aside would be the noble thing to do.
The elimination of the monarchy poses an interesting political question – if the royalty were eliminated, what would the United Kingdom and the other countries do to fill the "Head of State" position?
Since my interest is in British history, not British constitutional law, I don’t know; but I assume the prime minister would become the head of state. For all intents and purposes, he already is anyway. Queen Elizabeth II is a great lady, but really a figurehead monarch.
The traditional response would be to look for a better royal house, as was done with the Bloodless Revolution in 1688.
No thanks. The so-called "Glorious Revolution" ousted the rightful king and last Roman Catholic monarch, James II, in favor of his Protestant daughter and her husband. Indeed, the "Glorious Revolution" was also responsible for the Bill of Rights 1689, which ensures that no Roman Catholic or royal married to a Roman Catholic will ever again ascend to the British throne.
Actually, after the Abp of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor is the highest non-royal personage in the UK, rather than the PM.
A perhaps minor correction — James II did not publicly profess the Catholic faith until after his son-in-law William of Orange usurped the throne, although I think the general consensus is that he likely had converted secretly before then.
Better yet, if they got rid of the monarchy, what would they call it? United Republics sounds kinda dumb, and United States of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is political suicide.
My bet is that they keep it to avoid trying to figure out what to name themselves.
No more italics.
Or not.
If the nation does away with a monarch for sovereign, they would almost certainly pick a President like the presidents of Israel, Austria, Italy, and Ireland. Can you name the presidents of these countries?
A perhaps minor correction — James II did not publicly profess the Catholic faith until after his son-in-law William of Orange usurped the throne, although I think the general consensus is that he likely had converted secretly before then.
Actually, one of the justifications for the overthrow was because the fifty-something James had produced a Catholic male heir. The general public had been willing to outlast a Catholic monarch on the presumption that his Protestant daughter would succeed him. Once that was no longer a possibility, he and his Catholic family were booted.
They also didn’t like James II’s attempt to end the religious persecution of non-Protestants.
Looking for a copy of The Royal Readers