# A Question for Brits **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 4, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200 "2015-05-04T03:10:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/1 "2015-05-04T03:10:32Z")
Not that I would wish such a thing on anybody, but how would the average person in Britain feel if Prince Charles were to die suddenly, however unlikely, having never had a chance to be King? Although he’s a seemingly healthy 66, as we all know, anything can happen. Would most people think oh well, that’s the way it goes, or would there be some resentment over his not getting a chance to serve? Or would anyone even care? ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/2 "2015-05-04T03:20:07Z")
I’m not sure that there’s an “average” person for the purposes of this question. I imagine some people would be sad, some would be sort of pleased (he’s not universally popular, though I don’t think many of his detractors actually wish him dead) and many, like me, really wouldn’t care very much. My guess is that his mother and son are both better liked than he is. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/3 "2015-05-04T03:34:14Z")
QE2 is also Queen of [a lot of places that aren’t Britain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm). ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/4 "2015-05-04T06:02:30Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Not that I would wish such a thing on anybody, but how would the average person in Britain feel if Prince Charles were to die suddenly, however unlikely, having never had a chance to be King? Although he’s a seemingly healthy 66, as we all know, anything can happen. > > Would most people think oh well, that’s the way it goes, or would there be some resentment over his not getting a chance to serve? Or would anyone even care? I wouldn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/5 "2015-05-04T06:09:39Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Would most people think oh well, that’s the way it goes Yes, I’d guess most people would probably think that. Some, including me, would feel it was a pity that he didn’t get his chance. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/6 "2015-05-04T06:36:42Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > QE2 is also Queen of [a lot of places that aren’t Britain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm). At least no one called her the “Queen of England” (this time). ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/7 "2015-05-04T06:54:44Z")
Well, as for those who _resented_\* Charles not getting his chance, wouldn’t they have to be those who would have wanted the Queen to die or abdicate? I can’t see much of that except maybe some very serious IRA type hotheads. I think it would be safer to wonder when Charles passes and William takes the throne, and if Camilla is still living, what would happen [del]to[/del] with her? A rent free room in the Tower of London? \*To me, _resented_ is a LOT stronger than _it’s a shame he never got the chance._ ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/8 "2015-05-04T07:20:24Z")
Wouldn’t care. He’s led a life of extreme privilege as it is. It’s not like he would have suffered in any way by not acceding to the throne. And what would he have done with his reign anyway? Foist even more of his vapid brain-farts upon us on topics ranging from modern medicine to architecture? Force us all to eat a daily portion of his fucking ghastly overpriced biscuits? He can fuck off. They all can. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/9 "2015-05-04T07:26:30Z")
“Resentment” seems like too strong an emotion to describe something most people are unlikely to care about. It will possibly be “resented” by the fickle morons with no understanding of history or tradition who grew up in the “everyone gets a trophy” era, as they briefly whinge online that his mother should have stepped aside to “give him his turn” before they move on to the next thing that catches their entitled attention and gets them worked up about “injustice”. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/10 "2015-05-04T07:50:25Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > … He can fuck off. They all can. I’d just like to point out that I’m not massively anti-monarchy. I am however massively anti the current lot. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/11 "2015-05-04T08:26:54Z")
I’d feel sorry for his sons, losing both parents at a young age can’t be much fun. Otherwise it’d be a great, big, fat, hairy “Meh”. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/12 "2015-05-04T08:32:42Z")
> [@JustinC](#): > > I’d feel sorry for his sons, losing both parents at a young age can’t be much fun. Otherwise it’d be a great, big, fat, hairy “Meh”. Ah, yes. The “not being King” part of the question blinded me to the “sudden death” part. I wouldn’t wish that on him or his family. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/13 "2015-05-04T08:33:16Z")
He’s been waiting a long time for it and I think it would be a bit of an impotent, disappointing end to the story, regardless of anyone’s personal opinion of him. Charles is not a bad person. I would feel sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/14 "2015-05-04T09:04:54Z")
There would be shock at his demise, but no resentment at him not having been King. That imo would be the “average” opinion of your average Brit. ---
**Author:** ![Sangahyando](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f14d63/32.png) [@Sangahyando](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangahyando)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/15 "2015-05-04T09:11:39Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > I’m not sure that there’s an “average” person for the purposes of this question. I imagine some people would be sad, some would be sort of pleased (he’s not universally popular, though I don’t think many of his detractors actually wish him dead) and many, like me, really wouldn’t care very much. > > My guess is that his mother and son are both better liked than he is. My impression is that a considerable number of my fellow-Britons are not keen on Charles – finding him geeky, humourless, and foolishly / naively self-opinionated. Those are basically my sentiments about the guy. While not outright detesting him; I confess that I’d feel, meanly, a bit pleased if Elizabeth were to outlive him. I will own that I ought not to feel this way; among other things, because I am a close contemporary of Charles – by a matter of a couple of months ☹ . ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/16 "2015-05-04T09:31:49Z")
Most’d probably wonder if it meant that they’d get a day off work. The media would go on about it ad infinitum. No doubt thet’d be those who would be genuinely upset, and a lot more likely felt like they should express that they were upset even if they weren’t. Prince William is far more popular than his father, the prospect of him becoming king even sooner would give the monarchy a \*massive \*boost in popularity. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/17 "2015-05-04T10:38:07Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > Wouldn’t care. > > …And what would he have done with his reign anyway? Foist even more of his vapid brain-farts upon us on topics ranging from modern medicine to architecture? Force us all to eat a daily portion of his fucking ghastly overpriced biscuits?.. Maybe he would have changed the name of _The Prince’s Trust_ to _The King’s Trust_ and helped give even more unemployed working class kids a chance to start their own businesses. As for the OP, I’d feel a bit sorry for him, I suppose. But what is there to resent? The Queen getting too old? ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/18 "2015-05-04T10:47:55Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > He’s been waiting a long time for it and I think it would be a bit of an impotent, disappointing end to the story, regardless of anyone’s personal opinion of him. > > Charles is not a bad person. I would feel sorry. Same here, and that’s a nice way of putting it. It would be a fleeting moment of sympathy though, not tears. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/19 "2015-05-04T11:29:03Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Would most people think oh well, that’s the way it goes, or would there be some resentment over his not getting a chance to serve? Or would anyone even care? That’s the way it goes. Followed by: ‘Christ, look who’s next up to drive the clown car of monarchy …’ ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2015, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200/20 "2015-05-04T11:30:32Z")
Assuming, naturally enough, that he dies in hospital after a vicious assault by a group of Millwall fans, I, like most people will be absolutely shocked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-for-brits/719200.md?page=2)