There is something remarkably primitive about today’s events in London. They date from the Dark Ages, when it was believed that some women were witches (and should be burned) and that one man should be revered, because he was king, appointed by God.
The British are now more tolerant towards witches, but their government and society is still based on the belief that, by virtue of birth, a man (and his extended family) are superior to all. In Britain, superstition still outweighs reason.
Yes, welcome to the coronation, an elaborate ritual, designed to fortify an undemocratic, discriminatory and arguably immoral regime heading Britain’s class system, which ingrains inequality into the soul of society.
Fuelled by Britain’s mainstream media (including the publicly funded BBC) this culture of crown, coronation and conning the masses is designed to keep everyone in their place.
Propped up by a medieval pyramid of royally-anointed nobles, the system throws crumbs of social comfort to mere commoners, in the form of “honours” named after the dishonourable British Empire. (It killed an estimated 100 million.)
The monarchy discriminates against women (sons inherit before daughters); Catholics (the royal Succession Act specifically excludes Catholics) and anyone outside the Church of England (the monarch must be head of that Church).
Some claim that the monarchy is harmless pageant but, like the queen, the new king interferes in politics. Over 1,000 laws were secretly vetted by the queen or Charles before parliamentary approval.
Elizabeth indicated opposition to Scottish independence and Charles recently supported the Windsor Framework by welcoming the EU head to London (but the DUP and TUV will still attend the coronation). He continues to receive draft parliamentary bills affecting the Crown’s interests, before giving or denying consent to debate them.
Royalty is a (rich) family business. The Duke of Kent (40th in line to the throne) has received £18 million of our money since 2002. Princess Alexandra (56th in line) received £17.2 million in the same period. We fund the royals’ lavish lifestyles through taxation. Elizabeth II and Charles III paid no tax on the £1.2 billion received from the duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
By supporting an unelected king while boycotting an elected parliament, Sinn Féin is merely following an Irish nationalist tradition of siding with royalty. For example, Phelim O’Neill (1604-1653) started the 1641 rebellion, in which plantation towns were attacked and rural Protestants killed.
He then fought for Charles I (who was later executed) against the republicans in the English Civil War and was finally captured back in Ireland near Newmills (east Tyrone). He was hanged, but seven years later Charles II was restored to the throne.
So the O’Neill legacy lives on in today’s coronation of Charles III, with Irish nationalists in attendance. The £100 million event is about pomp and ceremony cementing power and privilege. It might be more appropriate for local politicians to join picket lines with teachers and nurses striking for a living wage, or helping out at food banks.
Royal wealth comes largely from theft and plunder. For example, the Kohinoor diamond in Camilla’s crown was stolen from India. She owns a palace with 775 rooms, plus 31 other royal residences. There are 271,000 homeless households in GB.
Calling for a public pledge of loyalty to the king is therefore offensive. The Archbishop of Canterbury will ask God to save Charles (presumably from the wrath of the people), so the public can proclaim “May the King live forever” (about as realistic as believing in burning witches). This is deception dressed as history.
The monarchy’s political purpose is to allow governments to keep order by promoting loyalty. It has allowed unionism to keep the Protestant working class in their place and now that same strategy is being peddled within nationalism.
The answer to such ignorance is education, but His Majesty’s government recently slashed the education budget here. In response, our politicians headed to the coronation, thereby crowning their constituents with austerity.
God bless ignorance.
