# The reign of King Charles III of the United Kingdom **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 8, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232 "2022-09-08T18:05:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/521 "2022-10-06T13:58:23Z")
I think Lord\_Feldon was pointing out that when George VI died, it was only four months until the next June, which was too short a time for preparations so it was pushed out a year. (Every monarch since Victoria has been crowned in May or June, when the weather is likely to be better for a spectacle, except Edward VII whose scheduled June coronation was postponed to August when he had emergency surgery three days before.) Here, if they want a June date they have nine months until the next, or 21 months if they push to 2024. They don’t think they need 21 months. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/522 "2022-10-06T14:01:21Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > 15 I believe what **Lord\_Feldon** meant that the June following the last accession being only 4-5 months from the prior monarch’s death, it led to the coronation being scheduled for a whole year+ later, if you wanted a June coronation. Ack, ninja’d! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/523 "2022-10-06T14:10:08Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > Edward VII whose scheduled June coronation was postponed to August when he had emergency surgery three days before leading to the “Coronation cases”, about a series of legal cases about the legal effect of sudden changes on contracts: > **[Coronation cases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_cases)** > > The Coronation cases were a group of appellate opinions in English law cases, all arising out of contracts that had been made for accommodation for viewing the celebrations surrounding the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, originally scheduled for 26 June 1902. Many owners of buildings along the coronation procession route had rented their front rooms to others who hoped to guarantee themselves a view of the procession, or rented out boats from which to watch the associated na... ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/524 "2022-10-06T15:02:26Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Well, the number of places he will be getting crowned King _of_ has scaled down a bit since Mama’s time… Depends on how you count, actually. Certainly in 1953 the Brits had colonies covering vast swathes of Africa, etc., and now the Empire is gone However, the number of realms, the places where he is King of \_\_\_\_\_, is actually longer now (mostly because former colonies have become independent nations). In 1953, Elizabeth was Queen of Australia, Canada, Ceylon, New Zealand, Pakistan, and South Africa as well as the United Kingdom (seven realms). As of today, Charles is King of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom (fifteen realms). [He may lose a few before his coronation: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and Jamaica each have announced plans to hold a referendum on whether to retain the monarchy or become a republic, although all are expected to remain within the Commonwealth regardless of outcome.] ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/525 "2022-10-06T15:08:11Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > St George’s Chapel is a chapel at Windsor Castle, under the direct control of the monarch. The Royal Vault is used for burials of those in the direct line of succession, so I suppose he could have been interred there. As a data point, Prince John ho died in 1919 is buried at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/526 "2022-10-06T21:38:31Z")
And then there’s this guy: > **[Exhumation and reburial of Richard III of England](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhumation_and_reburial_of_Richard_III_of_England)** > > The remains of Richard III, the last English king killed in battle, were discovered within the site of the former Grey Friars Priory in Leicester, England, in September 2012. Following extensive anthropological and genetic testing, the remains were ultimately reinterred at Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015. > Richard III, the final ruler of the Plantagenet dynasty, was killed on 22 August 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field, the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses. His body wa... ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/527 "2022-10-10T07:40:08Z")
While the number of Commonwealth realms is higher than in 1952 - mainly due to decolonisation, as you point out - it’s worth pointing out that the turnover is fairly high. 35 countries have been Commonwealth realms at one time or another; only 15 still are. The majority of Commonwealth realms have already become republics, on average taking between 13 and 14 years to do so. Two realms transitioned to republics even before Elizabeth came to the the throne - Ireland (1949) and India (1950). The other 18 made the transition during Elizabeth’s reign which means that, by her death, she had lost more thrones than she had retained. 15 countries both became realms and transitioned to republics during her reign meaning, in all likelihood, that Elizabeth is the only monarch they ever had and ever will have. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2022, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/528 "2022-10-10T07:59:07Z")
Where the hell have you been @UDS1 Sorely missed this past month. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/529 "2022-10-11T18:43:56Z")
Will new C III R insignia be made and distributed to all British police and military personnel who bore the late Queen’s cypher on their uniforms, or will they wait until the old ones have worn out? That could take quite awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/530 "2022-10-11T18:48:10Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > looks like june 3rd will be coronation day. Now it appears that the [coronation will occur on May 6](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/world/europe/king-charles-coronation.html) (paywalled article). (And [here](https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1579879580734787592?cxt=HHwWkMC42fWG7uwrAAAA) is the official Twitter post.) ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/531 "2022-10-11T19:08:25Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > [He may lose a few before his coronation: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and Jamaica each have announced plans to hold a referendum on whether to retain the monarchy or become a republic, **although all are expected to remain within the Commonwealth regardless of outcome**.] What does this mean exactly? How does a country become a republic but remain within the commonwealth? By becoming a republic I assume that means that Jamaica, for example, would have a head of state who isn’t the Governor General appointed by the monarch. Presumably they would elect a president to serve as head of state along with their prime minister who serves as head of government, and presumably that president would be Jamaican (or Bahamian, Antiguan, etc.). To put it a different way, are there countries who are currently part of the Commonwealth but whose head of state isn’t King Charles III? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/532 "2022-10-11T19:13:37Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > To put it a different way, are there countries who are currently part of the Commonwealth but whose head of state isn’t King Charles III? Yes, lots. All of the South Asian and African members, for a start. Can’t be bothered to do the arithmetic, but probably most members. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/533 "2022-10-11T19:16:33Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Will new C III R insignia be made and distributed to all British police and military personnel who bore the late Queen’s cypher on their uniforms, or will they wait until the old ones have worn out? That could take quite awhile. I would guess they’ll get it changed by Coronation day, but it’s not that many that have really fancy insignia in their uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/534 "2022-10-11T19:33:19Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > To put it a different way, are there countries who are currently part of the Commonwealth but whose head of state isn’t King Charles III? I did the math for Patrick London 🙂 The Commonwealth currently has 56 members, of which 15 are Commonwealth realms with Charles as head of state, 36 are republics (most have a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government, but for example Zambia and the Seychelles have a presidential system [no P.M.]), and 5 are monarchies with a different ruler (the Sultan of Brunei and the Kings of Eswatini, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Tonga). Being a member nation of the Commonwealth does not impose a requirement of any particular political system, but rather each is supposed to share common values such as democracy and the rule of law. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/535 "2022-10-11T19:45:07Z")
Also a number were never even part of the British Empire — Rwanda, Mozambique, Togo (British Togoland was merged with Ghana), Gabon as of this year. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/536 "2022-10-11T22:01:59Z")
Why was the date of the coronation moved up? June 3rd is 70 years to ghe day since his mother’s. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/537 "2022-10-11T22:10:29Z")
Maybe that’s why. There are enough comparisons between Charles and his mother as it is. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/538 "2022-10-11T22:18:44Z")
The gossip is that he doesn’t want to annoy the tax-paying voters with a really expensive event, so his coronation will be a lot more modest than the last few. Smaller parade, smaller logistical prep. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/539 "2022-10-11T22:22:47Z")
Too bad. As an American who isn’t responsible for paying for any of it, I really want to see a nice big parade and lots of pomp. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2022, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232/540 "2022-10-11T22:29:37Z")
Same here. “Gee, Ma, look at the funny animals! Can I have one?” I wonder if he will use his ancestors’ robes with real ermine, or have a new one made with faux fur? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-reign-of-king-charles-iii-of-the-united-kingdom/971232.md?page=28)