on the sidelines of the procession, the anti-monarchy demand “the end of big anything”

“Six in the morning, Trafalgar Square.” The appointment is fixed by the executives of Republic, a movement which campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy in the United Kingdom. A strategic place, in the heart of London, which is especially on the route of Charles III for his coronation, Saturday, May 6. By appearing in the front row, as close as possible to the parade, the activists want “to show that not all Britons support the current system”.

But the action almost cut short: shortly before 7:30 a.m., the police arrested six members of Republic, including its leader, Graham Smith. Officers seize a megaphone along with a hundred yellow signs bearing an explicit slogan: “Not my king” (“Not my king”). “We had nevertheless declared the gathering and made contact with the policestrangle the anti-monarchy who remained on the sidelines. This is an abuse of power!”

Under the eyes of the police, they still manage to unfurl two large yellow flags and are quickly joined by sympathizers. Around 9 a.m., the climate is more serene and there are about a hundred of them occupying a corner of the London square, waiting firmly for the golden carriage of Charles III. On their signs, the messages are varied: “I am a citizen, not a subject”, “No to exceptions”, “The monarchy is a waste of money”… Behind them, the British who had come in large numbers to try to catch a glimpse of the royal procession booed them copiously.

“We are accused of spoiling the party”

“This coronation is the best time to be visible and to protest against both this expensive ceremony and this unequal system in which we live”, argues Harry, 30, co-organizer of the demonstration. Dressed in yellow, the color of the protest that morning, he continues the interviews calmly despite the flags that the pro-monarchy wave against his face. “We are criticized for playing the agitators, for spoiling the party. MBut now is the best time to act and open the debate.” With 60,000 claimed activists, the Republic movement is the figurehead of republicanism in the United Kingdom. And its executives intend to take advantage of the coronation to recruit.

“The crowd today is full of potential future members, Harry continues. We discuss with them the royal privileges, the interest of having a monarch, the cost that this represents. Monarchists argue that royalty attracts tourists, generating revenue for the UK. “It’s very debatable, when you know that the Palace of Versailles, in France, attracts five times more visitors than all the palaces and castles in Britain. And you no longer have a king!”, Harry retorts.

Another divisive point: the British are attached to this system, so why want to reform everything? “Polls are more mixedunderlines the activist. It depends on the age and, above all, we note an almost constant decline in popularity for five years. According to a recent YouGov survey (PDF in English) for the BBC’s “Panorama” programme, a small majority (58%) of Britons declare themselves in favor of a parliamentary monarchy.

A tooth against Charles III, this “unelected billionaire”

Amid the banners, the figure of the new monarch is far from unanimous. “His coronation is costing us a fortune, it’s indecent when so many people are in need”deplore three friends who came from Manchester for the occasion. “Times are very hard, poverty is only increasing”, abounds a protester planted behind them. According to British media, the total cost of the royal ceremonies exceeds 100 million pounds sterling (about 114 million euros). In the UK, the bill is struggling to pass after a harsh winter that saw record numbers of Britons turn to food banks and soup kitchens, the Guardian (in English).

“There is a huge gap between the country’s situation and all this pomp around an unelected billionaire”, protests Graham, a former officer of the Royal Air Force, the British air force. On Saturday, the 50-year-old traveled two hours to come and demonstrate, in particular against the numerous exceptions granted to the royal family. “It would be nice if Charles started by paying his taxes”slips Graham.

Proponents of the abolition of the monarchy denounce more particularly the absence of taxes on the Sovereign Grant, a sum of money paid each year by the British Treasury to the crown (nearly 90 million pounds sterling in 2022). They also have in their sights the total exemption from tax concerning the real estate inheritance left by Queen Elizabeth II to her son, as authorized by law. An advantageous treatment that goes hand in hand with great opacity around the heritage of Charles III. According to a survey by Guardianwhich mobilized a dozen journalists on this issue, the new king is at the head of a fortune estimated at 1.81 billion pounds sterling, or more than 2 billion euros.

“With this demonstration, we hope to at least send a signal, to put pressure on Charles to undertake some reforms and put an end to the exceptions”, details Graham, interrupted by the chants of the demonstrators, quickly covered by the boos of the crowd. Because of the rain, the huge cardboard sign of a young activist collapses. “It’s not too early, we couldn’t see anything!”launches a group of women dressed in the colors of the British flag.

A particularly marked disavowal among young people

“This system is no longer in line with current issues, equality and diversity for example”, denounces Julie, 52, a teaching assistant in a London school. Wearing a yellow cap, she wanted to demonstrate before going to the dentist. “The only crown I want is the one I’m going to have later”launches the Franco-British in a loud burst of laughter, before to question “cultural, almost emotional attachment” to the monarchy. “I find it alarming, how children are indoctrinated from an early age. In my school, they were told about the monarchy all week, they had to make their little crowns… For me, it’s important that there is a reverse current”she says.

According to pollster YouGov, Britons aged 18 to 24 seem very split over corona. More than 60% of them said they were opposed to the public financing of the coronation and they are 41% to be in favor of a referendum on the abolition of the monarchy. Scores significantly higher than those of other age groups and in which the demonstrators gathered in Trafalgar Square want to see “a desire for change”.

For “Rad”, a 29-year-old activist, “the explosion of the cost of living” in the UK could lead young people to turn their backs on the monarchy. “My generation grew up with the financial crisis of 2008, then the Covid-19 pandemic, he lists. It now faces the student loan crisis, insane inflation. Young people don’t even have enough to settle down, even if they work.” Faced with these difficulties, the privileges granted to the royal family have a bitter taste for the young man. “No one should be above the law, he decides. We must go to the end of democracy and put an end to this great nonsense.”

“The political class does not dare to broach this subject”

At the very end of the morning, the first passage of the royal procession en route to Westminster Abbey triggers a concert of applause and mixed whistles. “The message has been received”welcomes Ken Ritchie, head of the Labor for a Republic movement, made up of members of the Labor Party committed against the monarchy. “We are a left-wing party, but yet only a very small number of elected officials dare to show their republican opinions, he confides. As a rule, the British political class does not dare to broach this subject, even the most radical do not want to take the risk of shaking the tree too hard.”

“We have to proceed in stages, suggests Ken Ritchie, and first reduce the political influence of the crown. Then, the monarch must respect the laws on transparency, taxes and budgets. If Charles receives public money, it must be done as for public administrations: according to his needs.

While waiting for a political party to take over this burning issue, London clocks strike 3 p.m. and the demonstration disperses. With a certain irony, Republican activists meet in a pub called… the King’s Arms. “We are not against symbols, we are aware of our history and we are not going to rename all the pubs, laughs Ken Ritchie. But just because the monarchy has been part of our past doesn’t mean it has to be part of our future.”