Young Britons 'indifferent' to King Charles coronation

While crowds are expected to pack the streets of London for the coronation of King Charles III with millions watching on TV, Millie Harvey says she will likely spend the day watching movies at home.

"It's just kind of not important to us," the 18-year-old nursing student told AFP. "I don't think we were raised with the idea of the royals being something amazing."

Harvey is among a growing number of young Britons who don't show an overwhelming enthusiasm for the monarchy in the run-up to the coronation of the 74-year-old monarch.

Aisha Dosanjgh, 23, said people in her circle feel "quite indifferent" about the upcoming celebrations and "distant" from the monarchy.

"I just think we haven't had much interaction with the royal family at all," Dosanjgh added. "So I don't see why we would care that much."

Some 26 percent of 18-24 year-olds think the monarchy is good for Britain compared to 53 percent among adults of all age groups, according to a YouGov poll from mid-April.

But it was only several years ago, in July 2019, when 48 percent of respondents aged 18-24 said the monarchy was good for the country.

The poll was conducted a year after Britain celebrated the wedding of Charles's younger son Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, an American television actress who was widely seen as a breath of fresh air for the centuries-old institution.

But since then the royals have faced a series of scandals.

The king's brother, Prince Andrew, caused outrage with his friendship with the pedophile US financier Jeffrey Epstein and the payment of a settlement in a civil sexual assault claim in the United States.

Harry meanwhile made headlines publicly criticizing his family after stepping down from royal duties and moving to California in 2020.

'Unfortunate' attacks

Among Harry's most damaging accusations was saying a member of the family had made comments about the skin color of his future son with Meghan, according to Pauline Maclaran, professor of marketing and consumer research in the school of management at Royal Holloway University of London.

Harry and Meghan have since denied accusing the family of racism, instead implying there was an "unconscious bias", Maclaran said.

"One of the big concerns for the monarchy is how to get young people to be more enthusiastic about the monarchy," she said, adding that the monarchy needs the support of that generation to survive.

"And attacks like these are very unfortunate to try and win over this audience," she said.

Charles could still win over more young people with some of the causes he champions, including his long-standing commitment to the environment.

He has also supported young Britons through The Prince's Trust, which has helped more than a million young people in the UK since he founded it in 1976.

Some 400 young members of charitable organizations nominated by the king and queen have been invited to Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

But the upcoming ceremony, rich in pomp and pageantry, may not speak much to young people.

Music stars popular among the younger generation, such as Harry Styles, have turned down performing at a coronation concert this weekend.

It will instead be headlined by Lionel Ritchie and Andrea Bocelli, more likely to be popular among their parents.

Another YouGov poll for the BBC has suggested only about a third of young people support the monarchy while 38 percent would prefer an elected head of state.

"The institution retains the support of the majority. Many more people disapprove of Harry's campaign than sympathize with it," veteran broadcaster John Humphrys was quoted as saying.

He said republicanism "is not surging" but polls show support for the monarchy by young people "has fallen steeply over the years and continues to fall.

"Surely something even the most bullish monarchist should worry about."

© 2023 AFP