Opinion | Is the British monarchy a thing of the past?
With the coronation of King Charles a lot of people are reflecting on what the purpose of the monarchy is and whether it should remain. Unsplash
When you think of England, one of the first things that come to mind has to be the royal family.
Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are all considered must-see places when you visit London.
And who could forget about the always-famous activities of trying to get one of the King’s Guards to move or going to a souvenir shop where all members of the royal family stare at you from cups, stamps, plates and tea boxes?
With the coronation of Prince Charles on May 6, you would think that the royal family would be at an all-time high in popularity, right? After all, celebrations tend to boost the public opinion of the royals. Things like coronations, weddings and births always tend to make them look good.
But maybe not this time.
Emilia Cuevas Diaz, opinions editor
The royal family has been struggling to remain popular since the death of Queen Elizabeth II who was by far the most popular royal with 80% of people in England having a positive view of her. In recent years, their popularity has been declining, with only 53% of adults believing that the monarchy is good for Great Britain.
What is even more telling about those numbers is that when you split them up by generations, there is a clear divide on people who approve of the royals and people who don’t, with 18 to 24 year olds having the lowest percentage of approval at 26%.
Unlike their parents and grandparents, younger adults are questioning the usefulness of the royal family and whether they are worth the money that is spent on them.
Since 2021, the cost of living in the UK has risen significantly and it has left the younger generations having to cut back more than their older counterparts, who rely on their savings. This has left the younger generations questioning why the royal family is supported by tax money, when they can barely afford the cost of living.
This stark contrast makes the royal family come off as out of touch.
Even ignoring the financial aspect of it all, the recent scandals surrounding the royal family have brought into question whether or not the institution has adapted to modern times, or if it even can.
Meghan and Harry leaving the royal family has brought back to the surface the ugly history the royal family has with racism to the surface. In their Oprah interview, Meghan talked about conversations that happened discussing how dark the skin of her baby would be. They also addressed the way the media and the tabloids coverage of her was often racially charged.
Those conversations that Harry and Meghan had reminded a lot of people of the fact that the monarchy is a white institution that has profited from the labor of people of color for centuries and still benefits from its history of colonialism today, mainly with the Commonwealth being an extension of the British empire but with better optics.
In fact, many Commonwealth nations are considering leaving the monarchy behind — especially now that the crown is in a transition period — and are demanding reparations.
The Commonwealth is usually one of the main arguments for keeping the British monarchy, but how much longer is it going to be a reality with so many nations wanting to leave the group?
The royal’s family history is catching up to them. The countries they conquered long ago are no longer content with remaining under the monarchy. The modern world is starting to question whether they belong here.
Can an institution whose roots are so deeply racist ever truly change its ways? Can the monarchy adapt to modern times? Maybe instead of finding out, it’s time to simply just say goodbye to the monarchy and let it stay in the past.
At its core, the royal family is a symbol of privilege and inequality that perpetuates oppressive systems of class, colonialism and racism. And just like the oppression it perpetuates, the time has come for the British monarchy to go.
