Paddington Bear

Any regular reader will know of my republican view of the Royal Family. I have always said I have respected Queen Elizabeth, but thought that after her ...

In the depths of my heart I will still be critical of the monarchy, but the death of the Queen has made me question my beliefs and I have to say that thanks to Paddington Bear, I have become a reluctant Royalist. King Charles has handled the death of his mother, the funeral and his troublesome family with great dignity and a depth of character. The possibility of a republic is sadly a total non-starter. Someone born into the post is preferable to a power-hungry politician. I would rather have him as a symbolic head of state than a self-seeking elected leader. It is the type of support that I feel will never be overwhelmed. Queen Elizabeth has obviously touched the hearts of millions of people in a very real way. It has brought people together in grief, with the hope of a better future. The enforced shutdown of politicians has been a great relief from having to listen to Keir Starmer shouting the odds. This is something that I as a Republican never thought would happen. I never realised how much she was loved by so many people and how much real support the monarchy has. I firmly believed that it was an outdated, overpriced institution with no place in a modern society.