DBritain's Queen Camilla has been showered with congratulations, flowers and pictures during her recent public appearances for two cancer patients in the royal family; King Charles III and his daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales. Camilla follows the dates re-marked as milestones in the monarch's annual calendar in a friendly and straightforward manner. During Easter, this includes first of all a visit to church on Maundy Thursday, almsgiving, which is even more symbolic than the more private celebration of church holidays on Easter.
Outside the portal of Worcester Cathedral, and earlier during a visit to Shrewsbury Market, the monarch was greeted with applause and good will, which also showed a new sympathy for the vicissitudes of life in the royal family. And Camilla, who for years was seen as a non-person in the eyes of the British public because she was often blamed for the breakdown of Charles' marriage to his first wife Diana, is now unquestioningly accepted in her role as a royal. the most important public representative.
William and his family are retiring for the holidays
This is helped by the fact that Prince William, the heir to the throne, is currently focusing primarily on family due to his wife Catherine's illness. The Princess's public announcement of her “preventative chemotherapy” was planned after the start of the Easter holidays, as the parents wanted to first inform their three children George, Charlotte and Louis of their mother's ongoing illness before it became public knowledge.
At a safe distance: King Charles and the ambassador from Burundi
:
Image: AFP
Protecting the children and the strength of family solidarity will also determine their next few weeks. The heir to the throne has retreated to Anmer Hall, their own home on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, for the school holidays – the royal family usually spends the Christmas period at the country estate. So William, Catherine and their children will miss the usual (unofficial) church procession to Windsor's George's Chapel on Easter Sunday. The king, on the other hand, has made it clear that he wants to attend the Easter service and show himself to the public in this way – with the concession that whether this happens depends on the day.
Since starting cancer treatment almost two months ago, King Charles has tried to remain a monarch, even if he has to avoid meeting large numbers of people to avoid the risk of infection. On high-profile celebrations, such as the Commonwealth Year Celebration or now Maundy Thursday, he sends greetings and short speeches via video or audio recording. Buckingham Palace documents with photographs the performance of more mundane representative tasks, such as the accreditation of new ambassadors or consultations with charities. For example, Charles can be seen in a suit or tailcoat with striped trousers when he receives his credentials from the new ambassador of Burundi – who hands it to him with outstretched hands, keeping a distance of one meter.
Other members show a strong presence
The adaptations and changes forced by the situation of the king and his daughter draw new attention to the representative calendar of the monarchy – and it is noticeable that many traditions are not as iron as they seem (or should be), but it has always been so, adapted from time to time or subjected to new intentions . This applies, for example, to Maundy Thursday almsgiving, which was established in 1210 in England by King John as a gesture of humility based on the washing of Christ's feet. In the Middle Ages, monarchs used this opportunity to wash the feet of the poor themselves, but towards the end of the 17th century, the custom died down. It was not until almost 100 years ago that George V revived him and for the first time distributed alms to as many needy as he was alive. Today, Maundy money is distributed mainly to representatives engaged in voluntary social work, and the service is no longer held in Westminster Abbey, but in various places around the country.
New couple: Anne and Sophie at the Korean War Veterans Reception at Buckingham Palace
:
Image: dpa
In addition, the king's and Catherine's unwellness gives other family members the opportunity and obligation to be more present. This applies to the King's already indefatigable sister, Princess Royal Anne, as well as to his youngest brother, Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and his wife, Sophie. From time to time, new pairings are made – as at the reception for Korean War veterans at Buckingham Palace, where Anne and Sophie hosted together.
And while Charles made it clear at the very beginning of his reign that he wanted to “streamline” the royal family, that is, reduce the number of its full-time representatives, the “working royals”, he also took countermeasures, such as increasing Edward's role as Duke of Edinburgh.
Despite this, the British tabloid press is now constantly speculating whether it is time to bring the king's younger son Prince Harry, who lives with his wife Meghan in California, to court. But these speculations are often immediately followed by public polls, which should show that Harry and Meghan are still at the bottom of the British public's popularity scale.