The busiest month of the royal year has arrived once again, bringing in the familiar cascade of ceremonial spectacle. In mid-June the King’s official birthday is marked by Trooping the Colour with all its pageantry, and members of the royal family gathering on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the flypast they enjoy so much.
Barely has the dust settled before the court moves to Windsor, where chivalry, hierarchy and history intertwine as Garter knights and ladies dressed in their robes and plumed hats take part in centuries-old traditions that culminate in a service at St George’s Chapel. Royal Ascot gets under way the following day, with a carriage procession on each of the five afternoons and the huge crowd rising as one when the National Anthem is played. It is social theatre at its finest and the royal family at their most visible.
Amid all this, the Prince of Wales has a quieter event of his own: his 44th birthday on 21 June, sandwiched neatly between his daughter Charlotte’s 11th birthday on 2 May and elder son George’s 13th birthday on 22 July. This heralds the next phase of George’s life because he will start at public school (as it is known in the UK) in September. This could be one of the prestigious educational establishments, including Marlborough, Wellington and Eton, the latter being where his father and uncle Harry were educated. Eton might be deemed too elitist for modern-day Britain, however, and the education of the heir to the throne is subject to many considerations, in particular security and its cost to the taxpayer.
The King’s state visit to the United States was considered a masterclass in effective diplomacy. The visit in April was part of the celebration of 250 years of American independence, and the British press agreed the Washington part of the trip in particular proved how the thrall of the British monarchy remains the UK’s strongest calling card in the power capital.
‘If there is anyone who can push the boundaries with Trump world, it is the monarch,’ said The Times’s Washington editor, Katy Balls. It was King Charles’s opportunity to do what he does best, with his perfectly delivered speech to Congress and later at the White House state dinner. He appeared both flattered and amused by President Trump’s effusive admiration, while the Queen listened to his every word. For the first time as king, he was able to show exactly how accomplished he is to an important overseas audience.
Charles III knew he would have to apply all his diplomatic skills and he did. For the first time, perhaps, since he ascended the throne, he was able to escape the domestic problems that have beset his reign so far and – with considerable charm – remind the world what a great international orator and diplomat he is.
During two days in beautiful Bermuda the King was hugely appreciated as he crammed in numerous official engagements. Even though he must have been exhausted he kept the pace, determined to honour every commitment before the island tour ended.
A few days later Buckingham Palace said that His Majesty was ‘delighted with the news’ that Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank are expecting their third child together this summer.
