For over 1,000 years, England has been led by a royal family, a hereditary monarchy. But with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, is Britain's royal era over? As Charles III becomes king, anti-monarchists in the United Kingdom are more hopeful, confident, and preparing to go on the offensive.
In the last 1,000 years, there was one brief period when England was a republic, with no monarch as the head of state, ironically during the reign of the first king named Charles.
This happened around 400 years ago, in 1649, when King Charles I was convicted and executed for high treason. However, England's republican era ended after around a decade. In 1660, the monarchy was restored with Charles II as king.
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The world has changed almost completely since the 1950s, when England last had a new monarch in Elizabeth II, and the debate around royalty has intensified.
Those is favour of the monarchy claim that the family signifies stability in a rapidly-changing world. The other side claims that the existence of hereditary public office is undemocratic. Aides of the royal family have described it as a "ballast" for the United Kingdom in trying times. Anti-monarchists argue that there is lack of proper oversight to stop abuse of privilege by royals.
Money is a big flashpoint, with monarchists claiming that each Briton pays just £1 a year to sustain the royals. However, Republicans have accused the royals of maintaining opacity in their finances, and owning assets worth a whopping £23 billion, as per a 2015 estimate by Reuters. Those in favour of the monarchy say that the royal bill is around $80 million a year. But anti-monarchists claim that the real figure is $400 million a year.
As the debate rages, popular support for the royalty has been decreasing. In 2012, 73% Britons supported a monarchical structure. In 2022, the number came down to 62%. In 2012, only 16% Britons were in favour of making the country a republic. In 2022, this number increased to 22%.
Those in favour of the monarchy are still in majority, but the accession of Charles as King may change that, according to Republic, a campaign group formed in 1983 to push for abolishing the monarchy.
Anti-monarchists are optimistic after Charles' accession because they feel that public admiration for Queen Elizabeth II helped the royals, but Charles is highly unlikely to inherit that level of respect. Republic claims that it gained over 2,000 new followers in 24 hours after the Queen's death. The group has also been making public appeals for a national debate on the future of the British monarchy.
Meanwhile, face-offs between the authorities and anti-monarchists have already begun erupting.
A man was arrested at the proclamation of Charles as King. The man, a history teacher, had shouted 'who elected him?' at the event in Oxford. Police arrested him for alleged behaviour 'likely to cause distress' in public.
Subsequently, a woman was arrested at declaration of Charles' accession in Edinburgh. The woman reportedly brandished a sign against imperialism and monarchy. Police arrested the 22-year-old for alleged 'breach of peace'.
Earlier, anti-monarchy posters had cropped up during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee fest. The Republic group had put up signs saying 'Make Elizabeth The Last'. A Reading councillor had called the billboards 'disgraceful, distasteful'.
So, what exactly do these anti-monarchists want?
Their major demands include the replacement of the King with an elected head of state. This new head of state should be independent of politicians, thus having the power to not give their assent to a law which has been passed by Parliament, but which might not be in the people's interest.
However, the legal road for the republican movement in not very clear.
Experts say that there are no clear provisions in UK law to remove royals. The UK does not have a codified Constitution, so steps to abolish the monarchy are not specified. The republican movement is depending on a referendum - hoping that overwhelming public opinion will lead to reform.
Charles is now not just king of England, but also the head of state of 14 other realms, which are countries part of the Commonwealth - a group of nations which used to be ruled by the colonial British Empire. The anti-monarchy sentiment in many of these realms is reaching boiling point.
Barbados has already taken the plunge, removing the British monarch as head of state in November 2021. In Australia, the current government is in favour of holding a referendum, and has also appointed a minister in charge of the potential transition. In Canada, around half the people want the British monarch removed as head of state, but experts say that the process is difficult.
New Zealand held a referendum in 2016 which decided to keep the UK flag a part of the New Zealand flag. But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that she expects the country to become a republic in her lifetime. Jamaica has already started the process of becoming a republic. The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda has announced a referendum within 3 years to decide the issue. Belize has also announced its intention to get rid of the British monarch.
The royal family has signalled that it would not put up a fight to remain a figurehead in these former colonies. In June 2022, Charles said that the decision to either remain a monarchy or become a republic is for each Commonwealth member country to make.
It remains to be seen whether the royal family would give up its privileges so gracefully if England decides to go the republic way.