It’s been less than two years since Queen Elizabeth II passed away, but no one probably wants to ask King Charles III how his reign is going. We can all answer that for him — not very well, thank you. While Charles focuses on his cancer battle, it would normally fall on Prince William and Kate Middleton to pick up the slack as the most popular royals in the family. That plan is obviously on ice as the Princess of Wales recovers from abdominal surgery, and William is floating out there on his own.
The Wales family has kept a relatively buttoned-up profile over the years and rarely made a misstep while Queen Elizabeth was alive. However, the cracks began show during their misguided 2022 Caribbean tour that felt like a revisit of England’s history with colonialism. The couple dusted themselves off, hoping for a fresh start in 2024, after Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, revealed that life behind palace walls really wasn’t that rosy. With Kate’s photo-gate and the resurgence of rumors surrounding Prince William’s alleged affair with Rose Hanbury, it’s hard to see how the royal family moves forward after this.
“William and Kate are individually extremely popular — they are the two most popular members of the royal family,” NBC News royal commentator Daisy McAndrew explained. “Kate, even more than William, has always had this can-do-no-wrong reputation, so for her to be criticized will be tough for the royal family to swallow.” The palace’s biggest struggle is that “the public and the media do not have the intense interest in the king,” it’s Kate who is “a source of fascination,” according to royal expert Tim Ewart.
With Kate not there to shoulder some of the burden, and the ongoing speculation of her whereabouts, “the scrutiny” on the royal family is more “intense” than ever. “That was something that the royal family knew was coming and knew that they had to prepare for,” McAndrew noted. “And I think that probably is what we’re seeing now.” The problem is that the royal family wants to continue to live in the past where they could control the narrative in the media. With social media platforms eclipsing many major news sources these days, Charles finds himself leading an increasingly irrelevant monarchy.
Queen Elizabeth might have been the last royal family member to garner respect from everyone — royalists and anti-monarchists alike. Her 70 years on the throne was unprecedented and she often comforted the world in times of uncertainty. Charles was never the same type of leader as his mother — many will never forget how he treated Princess Diana. As the cracks in the royal foundation continue spread without anyone trying to fix them, it makes royal fans miss the stability Queen Elizabeth brought to the table — it’s an era gone by.
Before you go, click here to see more touching photos from Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Leave a Comment