Coronation Street

It won’t happen of course. Probably for me too. That we don’t get enthralled by British pageantry during the Coronation, but it might. People might, in 2023, watch on and be hit by the thought, “this is ridiculous.”

And it is ridiculous.

The head of state of the fifth largest single economy in the world, being anointed and having a crown placed on his head. Because he happened to be born to the previous monarch.

But it is not simply being the head of state, it is all the drops down from the hereditary nature of the position. A class system that is still rooted in place by having a monarch at the top of the tree. Below that are Earls and Lords, with their ranks defined by the type of title and longevity. Land that is owned because it was gifted hundreds of years ago by the monarch. Huge acreages of Northern Ireland hidden behind walls. In 2023. The newly wealthy dream of being ennobled, paying extravagant sums to buy their way to titles, and then are given their place by having a vote to influence our laws.

The terms upper, upper middle, middle and working class are still part and parcel of British society. If you are introduced to the monarch or a member of the immediate family, the expectation is still there to bow or curtsey. To acknowledge your place.

In 1782 the French dramatically and effectively got rid of their aristocracy. That was 231 years ago. Napoleon saw his opportunity and became the first European leader to advance people on merit, not title. France is still using the systems created by the men that he appointed, based on their intelligence and ability. In the UK people are still given jobs because they are titled.

I believe it goes further. It would be my contention that by the very nature of having a monarchy people are moved to look backwards for success, not to the future. The UK has an illustrious history, in arts, science, innovation and industry. While having a monarchy was the norm in Europe, that was not a hindrance, but as the rest of Europe and the US moved on, and became Presidental, the UK has clung on to the past, always looking back to Empire and war, imperialism taking a larger place than the dynamic innovation of the Industrial Revolution.

People who support the monarchical system cannot have it both ways. They cannot say at once that they want the UK to move forward, to become a modern world-leading economy and society while clinging onto the past glories to justify having a King. Look at the British media. The BBC ignores polls that indicate a growth in dissatisfaction with the Monarchy. Hardly a mention. The press is predominantly right-wing, owned and edited by many who have been recipients of the honours system, and you will see day and daily a flood of pro-Royalty stories, and attacks on those that think in 2023 it is time to become citizens, not subjects.

The tomfoolery of the coronation will either reinforce the system or make people think, what a lot of nonsense. The outfits, dating back hundreds of years. The Crown jewels, mainly looted from other countries. The deference. The public, revelling in their monarch, as they did in the 17th Century when Charles II was crowned.

And on top of that, we now have open hypocrisy. Not even the good grace to hide it. A man becoming the head of the Church of England who is known to have made vows of marriage with no expectation of observation, sitting beside a woman who helped him break those vows with no compunction or regard for his wife.

So, if you do watch, take a step back and look at it with a cold analysis, if only for a moment. Don’t just go ah aren’t the British the best in the world at this sort of thing. Date the uniforms and think, is that the last time the UK did something worth celebrating? Is militarism really part and parcel of a modern UK? Why do grown men and women play at dressing up? Why is the wife of the hear the Colonel of a regiment, advanced above lifelong experts? Remember that most other countries no longer compete in he pageantry stakes, the left it behind generations ago.

The UK refuses to look to the future because it over-glorifies the past. It holds us all back, and it is time for a change.