Last November, when Prince Charles made his way to the lectern at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, he tripped on a step and, with the world watching, almost fell. It was a briefly unfortunate moment, but as a metaphor, it was apposite. It is easy to trip on the political stage, which is one reason why modern monarchies avoid it. As we glimpse into the future – as we did last week when Prince Charles took the Queen’s place at the opening of Parliament – it is natural to contemplate the change that will one day come. One day, the Elizabethan era will end, and Charles will become king, not only of the UK, but of 14 other Commonwealth countries. As we contemplate that change, the spectre of politics haunts the monarchy. For expectations are changing. Where once members of the Royal Family could remain reserved, distant, even aloof, today they are expected to emote and opine. Just as businesses, charities and other institutions are pressured to comment on just about everything, and … [Read more...] about The modern Royal Family is in danger of becoming too political