When Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8th, in her Scotland Balmoral home, a new successor rose to the throne. Which led Charles to be the 62nd monarch to serve over the past 1,200 years, earning him the title of the oldest person to ascend the throne. His first act as king was to address and reassure the grieving Commonwealth. The passing of his mother was felt all over the world as her funeral had 5.1 billion views. 

There is a lot of pressure and growing criticism on Charles having to lead after his mother’s successful 70-year reign due to some of his past scandals. The Queen was loved and admired by everyone because of her ability to stay neutral on important controversial topics which is something people are concerned that Charles lacks. For example, British officials have expressed their concerns about Charles and his political neutrality, so much so that the royals had to release a statement promising that Charles would be completely neutral on political matters when he becomes King. The Queen was also loved for being the strength and constant stability for the Commonwealth, especially when things were rocky for the family.

For example, the queen demonstrated perseverance for the world during the divorce and then later death of Princess Diana, who was beloved worldwide. She had a captivating, warm, and genuine personality that contributed to the growing interest Americans developed in the monarchy.

Ella Zamek who is a freshman at Harrison High School described why the public seemed invested in the monarchy. “I think Americans are very interested in things that seem cool. Since we don’t have kings and queens in America it seems exotic and exciting to read about them.” People have speculated that the fascination with the monarchy comes from the fact that it is one of the few monarchies that are widely talked about. The fairytale story that originated from Disney makes it more enchanting. As stated in News@ Northeastern, “It’s that fairytale fantasy,” says Royally Obsessed podcast co-host, Rachel Bowie. “That’s largely where it stems from.”

Even though there are a lot of conflicting opinions on Charles being king, he has managed to stay focused and dedicated to his duty to the Commonwealth. He has shown that he understands the duty that has been passed onto him and wants to change his role for the better. As he said in his speech to the Accession Council, “My mother gave an example of lifelong love and selfless service, even as we grieve, we give thanks for this faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty which have now passed to me.”