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A version of this story appeared in the July 30 edition of CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the Royal Family, what they do in public, and what goes on behind the palace walls. Register here.
The debate was understandable but academic. The line of succession is not established and displayed in an official declaration. Everyone’s place in it is automatic at birth. This week, seven weeks after her birth, the website was updated, with Lilibet added at number 8.
Several British media have asked Buckingham Palace for clarification as to why Lili had not been listed for so long, to which a spokesperson simply said the website was “updated periodically”.
Dated website aside, the birth-based list is sacrosanct. Even the queen cannot choose who succeeds her. The very essence of constitutional monarchy is that the head of state is not elected and therefore avoids the political baggage that accompanies his election as head of state. British Republicans say the system is fundamentally undemocratic and should be done away with, but they never got enough public support to make it happen.
Ultimately, only Parliament has the power to replace the monarch with a president, but there has never been any serious debate on this in Westminster. The argument you often hear from politicians is that you wouldn’t invent the system as it is now, but why change it?
Much of the credit for making it work goes to Queen Elizabeth, who is widely revered for the steadfast way she played the role. Time will tell if Prince Charles commands the same respect. Another idea brought up is that the Queen should hand the crown directly to the more popular Prince William.
But that would undermine the whole principle that the UK head of state is not chosen and, again, only Parliament would have the power to make this happen.
Lilibet’s place in the succession has always been as secure as that of Charles. The chances of her reaching the throne, however, are as unrealistic as the idea of the Buckingham Palace webmaster deciding who the successors are.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
Harry and Meghan support British journalists.
The Sussexes’ quest for a fairer and more diverse media landscape continued this week. Their foundation issued a statement supporting a coalition of British journalists raising awareness of racial inequalities in the industry. The statement highlighted a recent open letter signed by dozens of journalists once again denouncing a UK media industry body, the Society of Editors, for its inaction in tackling racism. The body had previously been criticized for arguing sections of the country’s press were not fanatic or racist, in response to Oprah’s explosive interview from the Sussexes. During the interview, Harry said his wife’s racist coverage was a factor in their decision to move to the United States. After being arrested by more than 160 journalists of color, the boss of the Society of Editors resigned in mid-March. Archewell’s statement also said he was a “proud supporter of journalistic diversity and news media organizations that are committed to reporting the truth.” And he praised independent media and local journalists, who he said “demonstrate the deep need for this critical profession to thrive and evolve.”
Charles inaugurates a new national police memorial.
The Prince of Wales appeared at the dedication ceremony for the new British Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on Wednesday. Charles paid tribute to those who died for the protection of others by laying a wreath, before addressing attendees including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel. “On behalf of the nation, I would especially like to express my deep gratitude for the courage and sacrifice of those who sacrificed their lives to protect us, to remember their families who mourn and to recognize those who continue to serve in order to safeguard our freedoms, ”he declared.
A new royal show to binge on this weekend?
Streaming service HBO Max has just created a new animated series based on the British Royal Family, and opinions are already dividing. “The Prince” tells the story of life in the cabinet from the imaginary perspective of the third heir to the throne, Prince George, who turned 8 just a few days ago. The inspiration for series creator Gary Janetti came from the memes he would make on his Instagram account of George appearing to be reacting to family and international news. Janetti – whose credits as writer and television producer include “Will and Grace” and “Family Guy” – takes on the lead role, with Orlando Bloom voicing Prince Harry, Alan Cumming as George, Owen and Sophie Turner as Princess Charlotte. In a surprise move, the streamer dropped all 12 episodes of the first season on Thursday. While this isn’t the first time the Royal Family has been satirized onscreen, some on social media have criticized the use of a child as the main character. What do you think? Will you watch? HBO Max is owned by WarnerMedia, the parent company of CNN.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Prince Charles was in attendance at Sandringham, the Queen’s countryside flash hole, on Tuesday as the estate released an endangered bird species onto the grounds. He joined Natural England chairman Tony Juniper as 80 Eurasian curlew chicks were released in an attempt to increase the bird population in eastern England. The Prince of Wales expressed his joy at Sandringham’s involvement in the project as he had ‘always cherished the evocative call of the curlew, but it is now dangerously close to being something our grandchildren will never have the chance to enjoy “. The passionate ecologist added, “Every curlew nest is something to enjoy, nourish and protect, and it is absolutely vital that we work together to reverse the fortunes of this iconic bird.”
OF THE ROYAL VAULT
Thursday marked 40 years since Diana’s spectacular marriage to Prince Charles in 1981. Her short stint as a royal would see her become an international icon who used her status to draw attention to a number of causes, from leprosy to domestic violence to mental health. The couple’s divorce in 1996 did not alleviate the intense media scrutiny the “People’s Princess” faced. And despite her untimely death in 1997, she remains a beloved figure to this day.
We thought we had a look back at this important royal moment four decades ago. Take a look yourself …
Check out more snapshots from Diana’s life in our photo gallery here.
“The way our food system works affects our environment and our daily health, but also the fragile health of our planet. The challenge we all face is to make sure that we turn the damage it is currently doing into something much more positive. And the only way to do that is to put nature back at the heart of the equation. “
Prince Charles on the urgent need to adapt to sustainable food systems.
The Prince of Wales made a pre-recorded video statement during the closing session of the 2021 United Nations pre-summit on food systems. Watch it here.
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