“Frankly, it’s too much”, gets carried away Anna. This 25-year-old Londoner has been close to a monarchical overdose since the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8. On the front page of the newspapers, on TV, on the radio… the British media are on the loop about the royal family. They follow minute by minute the route of the coffin of the sovereign, who left Balmoral for Edinburgh this Sunday. It is on display at Holyrood Palace until Tuesday. The public can come and gather there.
>> What do the anti-monarchies weigh in the United Kingdom?
“Could we give back a little bit of hindsight”son the coverage of this event, but also on the British political system, asks Anna. “You have to think pragmatically. This monarchy is costing us a lot and hasn’t really done good things in the past. Today it’s upside down. Maybe we need an evolution. A Republic of the Kingdom United? I don’t know”asks the young Englishwoman.
Freddy does not want to miss this opportunity to “stop this monarchy definitively, give it less importance and make it less representative of our country”.
It seemed impossible with Elizabeth, but maybe with this new king it will be easier to get across the idea that you have to step down.
Freddy, a Britonat franceinfo
During the Queen’s Jubilee last June, the movement Republic launched a poster campaign “Make Elizabeth the Last”which means “Make Elizabeth the Last Sovereign”. An option that remains in the minority. Last May, only two out of ten Britons wanted to switch to a republican regime.
In Scotland, where the remains of the queen are still to be found, part of the population communing in grief, but far from ceremonies, tears and bouquets of flowers, many ultimately feel little concern in these times of renewed inflation, of social anger and war in Ukraine.
>> “Republic now!” : in Edinburgh, the proclamation of King Charles III disrupted by republicans
On one side are people like Michelle and Mike, who waited 6 hours to catch a glimpse of the funeral procession, after a 9 hour drive from South Essex. “She was our queen for 70 years. The least we can do is give her a few hours”says Michelle.
On the other, Gream, sad, but who deep down feels far from it all: “At the corner of the street, people are sleeping outside, others can’t pay their rent.” The work of Parliament is suspended during the ten days of national mourning: “when immediate decisions would be needed so that people can pay their energy bills”points out Gream.
What changes in my life? Nothing at all !
Grimam, a Scotsmanat franceinfo
If it upsets part of the country, the death of Elizabeth II does not extinguish the anger. “In this context, seeing the golden carriages and the palaces can make some people think,” observes Christian Albuisson, President of the French Consular Council of Edinburgh, who has lived in Scotland for 40 years. “The royal family realizes this because King Charles III got out of his car to go and shake people’s hands and talk to them.” The diplomat believes that the royal family “realizes the problem” and wants “bring the monarchy closer to people”. Will she get there? For Christian Albuisson, “This is an other story”.