The British relationship with the monarchy is complex and opinions vary greatly from person to person. With King Charles III crowned this weekend, Director of Barton Insights, Katherine Barton, shares her thoughts, as well as ideas for how you can approach this subject with the British:

I was undeniably excited on Thursday evening when I stumbled across flags and people camping out along the Mall ready for the King’s Coronation two days later. Like many, I was glued to the television for much of Saturday enthralled by the occasion!

My favourite observation from the BBC coverage of the Coronation yesterday has to be from historian David Olusoga OBE who noted:

“..we are a very unceremonious people…And yet we have this ancient ceremony gone on for at least 1000 years. That gulf between us as a rather unceremonious and rather unreligious people and this highly religious, ancient ceremony – I think that does show, if not a tension, a contradiction”.

We often point out to the expatriates we train that whilst the British may enjoy pageantry and traditions, we are generally far more liberal than appearances and our stereotype suggest. Professor Olusoga noted that we have far fewer ceremonies than countries such as Japan, or Spain with its Catholic calendar of events.

The vast crowds of well-wishers for King Charles III were impressive, but of course only part of the picture. There has been much negative commentary in the news about the expense of the Coronation amidst a cost-of-living crisis, as well as demonstrations by protestors looking to abolish the monarchy.

I even know of some anti-monarchists who participated in local celebrations, because it was the community aspect that mattered to them and they wanted to take part in this very rare opportunity that brought neighbours together. So it is certainly not straightforward!

For expats in the UK, it is always safest to make no assumptions about a Brit’s opinion of the monarchy – it may not be as favourable as you expect.

If you are keen to discuss the topic, a one-to-one conversation is probably better than asking a whole group what they think – many Brits prefer to avoid polarising subjects that could lead to heated/ confrontational debate. Privately, people will be more open.

It’s also safer (especially in a group) to ask ‘What do people think about xx (e.g. the monarchy)?” rather than “‘What do YOU think about xx?”. This can be applied to any topic. The Brit may certainly share their personal views, but they may just as well tell you the opposing opinions on a topic without ever revealing their own!

How King Charless III navigates this “contradiction” of a highly traditional monarchy in a more informal, modern Britain remains to be seen; although the Coronation ceremony itself already shows that wants to put a personal, more inclusive stamp on his reign. As just one example, for the first time, he involved representatives of various faiths, including Hindu, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders. He also made a more updated pledge “to seek to foster an environment in which people of all faiths and beliefs may live freely”, rather than focusing solely on the Christian faith (in fact just 46% of people in England and Wales say they are Christian).

Is it more challenging for an older monarch to represent an increasingly modern, liberal people? Perhaps the good work his 47- year old charity ‘The Prince’s Trust’ does with vulnerable young people aged 11-30 will win him some favour. It has been suggested that his passion for protecting the environment will be another opportunity for him to connect with younger British. He will almost certainly draw upon the appeal of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their young family to boost popularity of the monarchy. Surely the celebrity-studded King’s Coronation Concert, featuring artists such as Katy Perry and Paloma Faith, was also a clever PR move intended to connect the King with something undeniably innovative, modern and fun.

Time will tell how the British respond to their new Head of State. For now, we congratulate His Majesty on his coronation and wish him and Queen Camilla a happy and meaningful reign.