KING CHARLES AND THE MONARCHY

The British monarch King Charles is diagnosed with cancer, though they have not revealed , as per custom,  what kind or how bad it is. He has withdrawn from many official duties. He is undergoing treatment at home for now. 

Why is this of intrest to many people in the world, apart from the fact that an important person is unfortunately taken ill? 

The world watches as Britian's fully functional monarchy works in tandem with one of the most effective democracies in the world. All of the free world looks at it and learns. Britian  does not have a fully written or integrated constitution but several pieces of documents. It relies on its tradition, custom ,  protocol and precedents and attaches great importance to all these. The highly evolved culture rarely deviates from this and has  very strong institutions  and  the forth pillar that ensures this..

The monarch plays  a much more important role than, say, the Indian president , whose office has always been and increasingly now,  just a rubber stamp. 

The King and several of other formal officials including the Dukes, Duchesses , the Earls,  the Prince of Wales etc and often their spouces and children, help the King in official duties. King Charles will continue to attend individual meetings but not public ones. 

What is  additionally sad is the fact that he had waited to be King for about fifty years and finally after  being crowned , he is down with a serious disease within less than a year. During the last nine months or so, he is beleived to be doing his job very well, is popular, hard working  and has endeared himself to all. 

So the question is how will the Royal family manage their official duties.  Queen concort Camela is supposed to also take additional burden, but she too is ill.  The  King's younger son Harry and his wife has renounced the monarchial role and is living in the US and , in many ways, not in good terms. Another son Prince Andrew  has stepped away from duties due to his association with infamous  Epstein.  So elder son Prince of Wales William , who is next in line for the throne ( His son is the third in line) will now bear a lot of  official responsibilities . So will many other royals.  Its a tough ask.

Trust the British to manage all this impeccably. Though Britan is no longer the power it was, playing second fiddle always to the US and not comfortable with the EU, it still is the envy of most of the  world due to  the pomp and style of its monarchy , the fine and effective balance between monarchy , the parliament  and the executive. We in India have  a commonwealth connection and also envies how  differently their governance and politics works.

 For this reason alone many follow British governance closely. Well, no harm in saying Long live the King!