Since September, the British royal family has had to do without Queen Elizabeth II. 2023 will be the first year that the rest of the royals will have to do without them. This means, among other things, that Great Britain will celebrate its first coronation since 1953.
It's just a book. But between the two covers there is a lot of explosive power for the royal family. Prince Harry's autobiography is scheduled to be released on January 10th. It could be clear at the beginning of the year whether 2023 will once again be an "annus horibilis" for the British royals - i.e. a year of horror.
In London it is feared that "Reserve", as the German title of the work "Spare" is, will not only deepen the break in the royal family. Rather, it overshadows even the coronation of Harry's father, King Charles III.
It has been clear since September 8 that 2023 will be a special year for Charles, heir to the throne Prince William and Co. Then Queen Elizabeth II died after 70 years on the throne. The day-long funeral ceremonies with the impressive state funeral and the honest sympathy of hundreds of thousands of Britons and worldwide made it clear how much the people on the island are moved by the fate of the monarchy.
The royal family wants to use this tailwind. The coronation of Charles and his wife Camilla on May 6 is supposed to be the highlight of the royal year - and at the same time a signal that the monarchy has recognized the signs of the times. The ceremony should be shorter and less pompous, while still maintaining the traditions and shining with the advertising medium royal family as "soft power", as British media repeatedly reported.
In comparison with the last coronation 70 years ago, the numbers show what that should look like. With around 2000 guests, there are still a lot of people in London's Westminster Abbey. But it's 6,000 fewer than in 1953 at the Queen's coronation. The duration of around an hour is also significantly shorter than back then. It's also expected that the king won't change clothes nearly as often as his mother once did. At the same time, the traditional components such as the anointing should be preserved.
But the eyes of the world will probably focus more on whether the younger son Prince Harry and his wife Duchess Meghan will be among the participants. The couple, who have long since given up their royal duties and honorary degrees and live in the United States with their children, three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet, already have an extremely difficult relationship with Harry's British family. In several interviews, the two accused the palace of serious mistakes and even racism. Her attendance at the Queen's funeral seems to have done little to alter internal relations, although Charles reaffirmed his deep love for his son and daughter-in-law early in his reign.
So now the next low blow is threatening with "Reserve". According to experts, the title of the Harry book alone suggests what direction to expect. Publisher Penguin Random House has announced a candid account of Harry's life - for which he reportedly received millions of pounds in advance. Now the country is eagerly awaiting to see how the memoir will actually settle accounts with Charles, the family and the palace. Royals experts expect a new ice age. This also indicates that Harry is said to have turned down an invitation to the traditional family Christmas party at the East English country estate of Sandringham. But wants to come to London in early January to promote the book.
Coronation and a possible scandal book - there is not much room for other royal topics, one might think. The calendar is full, so heir to the throne William and his wife Princess Kate are planning a trip to Australia and New Zealand, as are Charles and Camilla. Not only does the king want to introduce himself personally in the 14 other states in which he acts as head of state. There is also a need to hold the Commonwealth together - more and more countries are considering seceding the crown and forming a republic.
So that Charles does not have to be represented by his estranged son Harry or his scandal-ridden younger brother Prince Andrew in the event of his absence, the king wants to expand the circle of "Counselors of State" and also include his second brother Prince Edward and his sister Princess Anne there. At first glance, that would contradict his plans for a leaner monarchy. At the same time, however, Andrew and Harry would be pushed to the sidelines without the family peace further crumbling to the outside world. One thing is already clear: in the first year without the “eternal queen”, the royal family has a lot of work to do.
