This Monday, King Charles III of Britain will have been in power for a whole year. His reign has thus far been marked by a peaceful succession from that of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Given that his mother’s 96th birthday falls on Friday, the anniversary is likely to be observed in secret.
The longest wait for an heir in British history, Charles, 74, has reportedly settled into his new position with ease.
However, despite hopes for reform, he has not yet significantly altered the monarchy, fueling the notion that he is merely acting in a caretaker capacity until his eldest son and heir Prince William assumes the throne.
“I think the transition has been much smoother than was anticipated,” Pauline Maclaran, a professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, told AFP.
Charles was officially crowned alongside his wife Camilla on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey in front of royalty and global leaders.
The lavish ceremony observed centuries-old rituals but was shorter and less elaborate than his mother’s in 1953 and aimed to be more representative of modern Britain.
“I think we can expect maybe small changes, but he is really paving the way for William, and I imagine William will be the real moderniser of the monarchy,” Maclaran said.
In terms of popularity, Charles still trails his deceased mother and the 41-year-old William, but since his ascension, his approval rating has significantly increased.
According to a YouGov poll, 55 percent of Britons feel more favorable toward their new head of state than 44 percent were one year ago.
A record 10.6 million people in the UK watched his first Christmas Day broadcast, which was a traditional speech to Britain and the Commonwealth, which he also leads.
