- Saturday, April 20, 2024
Although republicanism has traditionally been a fringe movement in the UK, its supporters have become more vocal since the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year
By: Kimberly Rodrigues
Despite sharing a surname with the British royal family, Ryan King will not be celebrating the coronation of King Charles III this week. Instead, he plans to take part in protests against the monarchy wearing a yellow T-shirt with the provocative slogan: “Abolish the monarchy.”
King, who is 40 years old, argues that the monarchy is outdated and undemocratic, and has no place in modern society. He will be joining other protesters organised by the pressure group Republic, which advocates for replacing the monarch with an elected head of state.
Although republicanism has traditionally been a fringe movement in the UK, its supporters have become more vocal since the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year.
Protesters have been following Charles, who inherited the crown automatically, with signs declaring “Not my king!” Republic’s chief executive, Graham Smith, views the opulence of the coronation as an opportunity to advance their cause, especially as people struggle with the increasing cost of living. This makes it “more fertile ground” for gaining support, he added.
The era of British deference to social superiors has passed, and people are more critical of the political system, including the constitution, government, and parliament, Smith said. As a result, they are less interested in the monarchy overall.
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the republican movement is making a significant show of opposition for the first time. However, he noted that the movement still lacks significant political backing.
Tepid Support
In an effort to increase their reach, Republic has been utilising social media more actively than ever before to mobilize its base of 130,000 and attract new supporters.
The organisation regularly sends out emails regarding upcoming protests, including one during King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s visit to Liverpool last week, resulting in an increase in the visibility of “Not my king” placards.
Such public displays of disapproval were almost unheard of during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
And although a recent YouGov poll suggests that most Britons (58 per cent) still support the monarchy, Smith sees this as, at most, “tepid” support.
“You’re still going to get a good crowd in London (on coronation day),” he added.
“A lot of people will go because they want to see something which is historic… it doesn’t necessarily translate into royalism.”
Although many people will attend the coronation for the historic spectacle, republicans aim to focus on younger people’s levels of support.
A YouGov poll shows that 38 per cent of those aged 18-24 want an elected head of state, compared to 32 per cent who support the monarchy, a trend which King believes shows attitudes towards the monarchy are changing among the younger generation.
But according to history professor Sean Lang from Anglia Ruskin University, young people have never shown great enthusiasm for the monarchy, disagreeing with Republicans who interpret the polls as a sign that the monarchy’s end is near.
Lang believes that those who think so are just being wishful.
Democratic
Smith, argues that the current crop of republicans is not radical like the revolutionaries of old who resorted to violence to bring down foreign kings and queens.
He insists that what they are proposing is not radical, but democratic.
They want a fully elected parliament and head of state, as well as a written constitution that clearly separates powers, instead of the hereditary principle of monarchy.
Their focus is on getting the public on board and pushing for a referendum, he said.
And unlike recent direct-action protests by environmental groups in London, they have “no plans to disrupt the actual procession.”
Supporters of the Republic movement are planning to spread out along the route of King Charles III’s coronation procession, with approximately 1,000 people expected to gather at Trafalgar Square to chant “Not my king” as he passes by.
King argues that there are more important causes to address than parading a gold carriage through the capital.
“There are huge swathes of society in desperate need of help and those are all far worthier causes for where our money should be spent,” he said.
(With inputs from AFP)
