Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms GOD SAVE THE KING

We live in a constitutional monarchy. The king is who Parliament says he is. The succession is covered by the Act of Settlement which placed the Crown on the oldest Protestant descendants of James I. James I was descended from Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Henry Tudor based his claim on the throne from his descent of Edward III. Edward III was a descendant of William the Conqueror. King Charles can claim his direct descent through most English and Scottish monarchs and directly back to William I, and Alfred the Great and the old Anglo-Saxon Kings of England. So there is plenty of pedigree there. He's also a descendant of Vlad the Impaler, but probably best not to mention that.

As late as 2013 Parliament was messing with the act of succession, legislating that the crown could would now pass to the eldest cild of the monarch, whether male or female.

I rather like the fact that one of Charles III ancestors is Vlad the Impaler.

And I agree, the Monarch is who/what Parliament says they are, and ultimately we, the people, chose a Government that claims to represent our wishes...I know this is stretching it a bit, but the Monarch is accountable to us and we can end the role and make him or her redundant.

Beyond that it amuses most of us to keep the pageantry and history and the tourist revenue they bring.

It's all such a worry in the free world time for another and DO spare a thought for those poor Ukrainians.

True Richard it is a first world problem / challenge

Mildly disagree that it's a 'first world problem' .... constitutional issues and organisation, including the selection of a parliament and head of state, are common to all nations whatever their state of economic and social development ... we are fortunate to live in a country with a mature and resilient democracy .... there are those who would happily see us as the next Sudan to further their views .... our system will hopefully prove robust enough to avoid that.

One first world issue we do have is that we have yet to fully get our heads round the scope and dangers of the 24 hour news cycle and the rise of 'facetwitgram' as opinion formers ....tiny but savvy groups are getting adept in using these to appear larger and more representative than they can ever hope to be ... but appearance is becoming more important than objectivity in a world that increasing numbers largely experience through screens.

K

Totally agree with this. One of the problems in political debate the past few years has been politicians and commentators assuming that views on Twitter represent the views of the majority.

In the Monarchy’s defence, I have seen plenty of despot presidents/leaders “voted” in. Hitler & Putin come to mind. For some while now, the population has seen what they are getting, before the royals take office. As for accident of birth, not a lot different than me not being a Mumbai street kid/adult.