Queen Elizabeth II was the Queen of the United Kingdom for an astonishing 70 years. Not only she ruled the country for decades, but she also ruled the hearts of the common people in the country. Everyone loved the Queen and she was an admired and adored person all over the world. When she first sat on the throne after her father’s death in 1952, no one believed that a young 25-year-old woman would be able to handle the responsibilities of the monarchy. But she proved all her critics wrong and led the country strongly amidst all the turbulent times. Now, after her death in 2022, her son King Charles sits on the throne.
Even after her demise, the Queen is a revered figure. She is still considered one of the most loved personalities in England as well as the world. But now that her eldest son, Charles, has acceded to the throne, people are wondering whether he will enjoy the same level of success as his mother. Everyone is wondering whether he will enjoy love and admiration just like the former Queen. Here are five reasons we believe that he will never receive the same amount of love as his mother and Queen Elizabeth II.
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Why King Charles Is Disliked By The Public
5. Meddling In British Policymaking
Britain is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the King or the Queen cannot favor any prime minister candidate. They have to remain impartial towards all elected representatives in office. Along with that, they are also forbidden from meddling in political issues and cannot influence or partake in any governmental decisions and policies.
But in 2002, it was revealed that the heir had meddled in political affairs and influenced politicians and elected representatives. It was revealed that the then Prince of Wales wrote letters to officials discussing government plans and policies. Some correspondents even remarked how the prince had gotten extremely involved in politics and wrote letters every week to officials. Many of these letters were revealed to the public in 2015. During this time, everyone felt he was too political for the royal family.
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4. King Charles Is Considered ‘Sullen And Petulant’
Prince Charles had lived under the shadow of his mother Queen Elizabeth II his entire life. Because of his royal upbringing and demeanor, he has always been seen as rude and inconsiderate by the public. The current king has been described by many biographers as an uncaring, apathetic, and petulant person. He is even considered a full 180-degree shift from the warm and caring nature of Queen Elizabeth II.
Many of his private conversations and rants have leaked over the years which further tarnished his reputation and solidified him as an aloof and uncaring royal. He was even described as a snob by the New Yorker. Even his son Prince William and his wife Princess Catherine are considered more likable and warm and people consider them more appropriate for the throne.
3. Controversial Philanthropic Ventures
King Charles III has a plethora of charitable ventures which he supports as a working royal. He is the president of 19 charities and is the patron of more than 420 charities. He has supported multiple causes like environmental protection, sustainability, business, and educational enterprises. These ventures raise millions of pounds every year for various causes. They also help in uplifting the lives of many people across the world. So, ideally, this should improve the image of the current king and make him more likable to the public.
But reports emerged that the charities endorsed by King Charles received money and donations from questionable figures. It was reported that then Prince Charles received £3 million from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, former Qatar Prime Minister. It was also reported that Prince Charles also received £1 million from Bakr Bin Laden in 2013. Bakr Bin Laden is the half-brother of Osama Bin Laden, the man behind 9/11. Hence, this move was criticized by the public as well as his public opinion decreased.
2. Attitude Towards Younger Son, Prince Harry
King Charles III has two sons from his marriage to Princess Diana. Prince William is their elder son and heir apparent to the current king. Whereas, their younger son Prince Harry is fifth in line for the throne. Since the birth of his kids, Charles maintained the attitude that William was his heir and Harry to be raised as a spare. Prince Harry alleged that then Prince of Wales favored his elder brother over him as he was his successor.
There also have been some allegations in the past about King Charles being a racist. In 2009, it was alleged that the then Prince of Wales used a racist slur in the polo club. Later Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also remarked how a senior royal was concerned about the skin color of their baby. It was alleged that the senior royal in person was King Charles. These incidents also haven’t painted a good picture of the current king.
1. Charles’ Affair With Camilla And Divorce From Diana
The biggest reason that Prince Charles is not liked by the public is that he was disloyal to the people’s princess, Princess Diana. Diana was the first wife of Prince Charles and the couple had married in 1981, but separated and divorced in 1996 after Prince’s affair with Camilla Parker Bowles was revealed to the world. Princess Diana was extremely popular across the world and the news about the affair did not sit well with the public.
The couple’s divorce followed by Princess Diana’s death in 1997 hit the public very hard, as the people’s princess had died a premature death. This tanked the popularity of Prince Charles as he didn’t address her death. The subsequent marriage of Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles rubbed salt in the wounds and the public approval of the couple fell further. The public didn’t like the idea of an unfaithful person sitting on the British throne and still dislike him as a king. Whereas, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s rock-solid relationship of over 70 years still inspires people.
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