“Charles and his mother were obviously very close“, assures Friday, September 9 on franceinfo Philip Kyle, expert on the British monarchy, particularly Prince Charles, while observers from Buckingham Palace have noted tense relations between Queen Elizabeth II and her successor in the past.It has often been said that they had a cold relationship, that she herself [la reine] was cold. That’s not quite right“, he assures. Philip Kyle underlines that”they got very close“, these last years.
franceinfo: In what state of mind do you think Charles III finds himself?
Phillip Kyle: He’s in a state of mind that we can imagine a little ambivalent in the sense that his mother has just died, but at the same time, he has just realized what he was born for, that is to say, to become the king of the United Kingdom. Charles is now the oldest monarch to ascend the throne of the United Kingdom. He was the direct heir to wait the longest to ascend the throne. So he realizes today, in very personal, very difficult circumstances, what he was born to do.
What relationship did he have with his mother?
He became direct heir on the Queen’s accession to the throne when he was just three years old. So her mother, very quickly, made the choice to place her duties as a queen ahead of her duties as a mother. But she still made time to spend time with Charles when he was a kid. It has often been said that they had a cold relationship, that she herself [la reine] was cold. That’s not entirely correct. Over the past few years anyway, they’ve grown a lot closer, especially over the past ten years, the relationship between Charles and his mother was very obviously close.
What kind of ruler will he be?
He has a very different personality from Queen Elizabeth and he’s not going to totally let go of the commitments that have been his. We must remember the climate commitments. It should be remembered that in 1970, when he was only a student, he became involved in warning against plastic pollution. He is also committed to underprivileged youth. In 1976 he created his foundation The Prince’s Trust. He was committed to architecture, to regenerating urban districts, etc. I think that all these commitments, he cannot forget them. By respecting the Constitution, the continuity of the State, he will impose his style by authorizing himself from time to time to take a position on the subjects which are dear to him.
Will he continue to reduce the British monarchy to make it less expensive?
Yes, it’s something he already started to initiate about ten years ago. At the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, a tightened version of this monarchy appeared on the famous balcony of Buckingham Palace, that is to say at the time, the Queen, Prince Philip was ill, so he did not was not there, but also Charles, Camilla, Harry, William and Kate, who had just married William. And I think today he takes the measure of the Zeitgeist [l’esprit du temps, NDLR] who wants more transparency, less public spending, etc. He wants a monarchy that is clear and that people know why, in a way, they are paying for the royal family.