Musing on Monarchs

Life can often throw you a curveball, and for the UK - indeed for a lot of the world - it feels like we are in dark times at the moment. Here, we have a political changeover, an energy crisis, cost of living crisis, and last week, the Queen died.

I wouldn’t call myself a Monarchist, but I respected the Queen. For 70 years she devoted herself to a life of service to her peoples, and was for me, an inspiring example of lived faith. I spent much of the day after the announcement in tears, off and on, and even now as her body lies in state in Westminster Hall, I find myself moved to tears as I watch members of the public filing past the coffin. I am certain that she was greeted in the afterlife with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

The Queen is dead - long live the King! An era has ended. We now acknowledge King Charles III, who has had, it seems, barely a moment to stop and grieve his mother’s death since the announcement was made. I hope for his sake that somewhere among the many miles travelled, the numerous signing ceremonies, and the different church services, there is space for him and the rest of the family to breathe and to find time for private reflection. I also hope that there will be understanding from his subjects with respect to the fact that he is not his mother and will reign differently. It remains to be seen how the third Carolean Age develops; although the King is unlikely to be on the throne for anywhere near as many years as his mother, we move forward with him into the new.

God save the King.