The late Queen Elizabeth II was seen as a pillar of stability for an institution considered outdated and deeply flawed by many. As the new King Charles III begins his reign, he faces significant challenges, not only from external critics, but also from within the country—and the royal family itself.
Despite the curious resiliency of modern monarchies, recent YouGov polling raises the question of whether the monarchy can keep calm and carry on. Public support for continuing the monarchy has steadily declined over the last decade, dropping from 75 percent in 2012 to 62 percent this year. Though older Britons have remained steadily loyal to the crown, younger generations are increasingly conflicted, with only 33 percent in support and 31 percent advocating for an elected head of state.
The shift in public favorability doesn’t stop at Britain’s borders. Last November, Barbados removed the queen as its head of state and became the first Commonwealth country to declare itself a republic in three decades. Since then, officials in six Caribbean countries—Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts and Nevis—have indicated plans to follow suit and opt for independence. These overlapped with two separate visits to the region from British royals, who were met with protests at every stop.
In Jamaica, prominent leaders wrote a letter to the royal family demanding a formal apology and reparations for…
