Although I haven’t checked the footage I’m pretty sure that there weren’t many black faces around Elizabeth II at her Coronation. It is therefore very fitting that the people we will actually see on the screen during Charles III’s Coronation will be representative of our ethnic makeup as a nation.
Amongst those who will be taking on a role on the day is our own Floella Benjamin, who will be carrying the King’s sceptre with dove, one of the priceless crown jewels used in the ceremony.
Wish my mum and dad were still here to see me take part in the #Coronation. But I did find a white feather inside Buckingham Palace when I went to rehearsal the procession. So they are spiritually with me ❤️ https://t.co/oqyQlF1SYC
— Floella Benjamin (@FloellaBenjamin) April 27, 2023
Floella is quoted as saying:
To be selected to carry the sovereign’s sceptre with dove, which represents spirituality, equity and mercy, is for me very symbolic as it’s everything I stand for and sends out a clear message that diversity and inclusion is being embraced.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames, where she is still very active with the local party, and is the Hon President of Kingston Lib Dems.
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14 Comments
Diversity? It’s not exactly equal opportunity for the King job, is it? And the royals couldn’t manage to provide reasonable support for Meghan, and Susan Hussey wanting to know “where you’re really from” of Ngozi Fulani?
I don’t believe the Windsors have any idea about real diversity.
It’s great to see Floella involved and she’s more than deserving.
No, no equal opportunities for the job of King, but I’ve yet to see credible evidence that the challenges for Meghan adjusting to life in the UK/Royal family were because the royals (most/all of them) couldn’t cope with her not being white. Families argue, and fall-out over stupid and petty things.
There are legitimate questions about the history of the royal family (and most British families if we are honest), in particular their role in the slave trade. Representation during the Coronation won’t fix that, but it sends a signal to the racists who are already angry at Charles for being too woke.
You can’t modernise and liberalise what is conservative and illiberal to the core.
BBC News today : “Coronation: Public asked to swear allegiance to King Charles”…
I must politely decline this invitation. As a citizen and a democrat I cannot swear allegiance to an hereditary monarch. If he’s in Scotland, yes, he’s welcome to pop in for a cup of tea, and I do respect his personal efforts at Dumfries House.
But, sorry, no thank you to swearing allegiance.
@David Raw
“sorry, no thank you to swearing allegiance.”
You said ir!!
Wonder who thought that up. Might it be a first step towards people having to take an oath of allegiance to obtain social services, passport etc.?
I’d much rather swear allegiance to a constitutional monarch than a republican autocrat so the King as the Queen did, will always get my full support.
@Jason Connor
Would you feel the same way if Andrew had been the oldest and hence become knong?
I agree with David Raw.
I have met Charles on several occasions and he is a thoroughly charming man. He does the job he has very well, but as an avowed republican, I simply don’t believe that the job of head of state should be in the hands of an hereditary monarch. Charles has done great work through his charities and should be praised for that, but he doesn’t need to be head of state or royal heir in waiting to do that.
I think swearing allegiance is an ill advised move and should be dropped.
To correct my post of yesterday…
“@Jason Connor
Would you feel the same way if Andrew had been the oldest and hence had become king?”
The issue of swearing allegiance to the monarch (or anyone in an autocratic position for that matter depends on whether people are considered subjects of the authority of the state or whether those who deal with affairs of the state are considered public servants.
Those whose political outlook follows the latter characterisation are Liberals, those who incline to the former are not.
For Liberals, the power and ambit of the state is justified by how the agents of the state are able to account for and explain the measures they take.
To justify swearing allegiance to Charles, any other monarch or head of state would require a most extraordinary argument that I doubt can be rationally advanced.
The Public Pledge of Allegiance may come to be seen as a defining mistake.
However many People make the pledge it will be a minority & that will undermine the Legitimacy of The Monarchy. There will be some who make fun of it & Humour is a potent weapon against any Established Power.
Reminds me of the great loyalty oath crusade in Catch 22.
The Prime Minister is elected by their constituents and has to have a majority in the House of Commons to get the job so why do we need an elected Head of State ? Elections seem to be going out of fashion anyway judging by the falling turnouts, not just here but in many other countries and also in recent local Government elections. Many people do not even know the name of their local Mayor or the name of the elected President in some countries where the Prime Minister rules the country and the President is a retired politician who is a figurehead. There was a time when local mayors were well known figures but I rarely see any mention of them in local media now.. We live in the age of celebrities. i feel rather sorry for the local worthies who are often doing their best only to be ridiculed and heaped with scorn in the local media, usually by people who do not know what they are talking about and do not even care. We need to find better ways of recreating democracy than fiddling around with elected Heads of State. A strong dose of honesty and a lot less hypocrisy would be a start.
Absolutely love Rachel Cooke in the Observer today. Not for her the distractions of Perry’s hat or Mordaunt’s sword: “I thought back to the abbey… I found that I couldn’t mind those long hours [waiting]. I had seen Floella Benjamin and, as the anthem goes, I was glad.”