The first day in a new job can be daunting for anyone. “Where is the coffee machine? Will my boss be a nightmare?” we may find ourselves asking.
Spare a thought then for 73-year-old King Charles III (millions in reportedly tax-free inheritance and lifetime job security notwithstanding) as he steps into possibly the most formidable shoes on Earth: the smart, sensible, well-worn heels of the late Elizabeth II.
The new king inherits the throne from a monarch credited even by detractors as a skilled public servant who understood her specific role in politics: to remain above the fray.
Elizabeth enjoyed a 75% approval rating among the British public, compared with 42% for her son, a YouGov poll earlier this year showed.
A lot is riding on Charles’s performance. The family has been beset by scandals of late.
The king’s brother Prince Andrew settled a sexual assault lawsuit this year and has more or less withdrawn from public life.
Prince Harry stepped away from his royal duties in 2021 and moved to the US with his wife, Meghan Markle, amid a public family rift.
The monarch’s own reputation never really recovered from his messy divorce from Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in 1997 but remains hugely popular.
King’s ‘lackluster’ personality
The outpouring of public grief following the queen’s death may suggest that…
