Stefan Bern. “Charles III will put the family on dry bread.”

Everything happened so quickly. And as always, information on key events that determined the fate of the British monarchy was sparingly distilled. In the afternoon of September 8, we learned that Elizabeth II, whose health condition was considered “disturbing” by the doctors, underwent medical treatment in Balmoral. The members of the royal family then immediately went to his bedside, a clear sign that the sovereign was living his last moments. On the day after her death, announced earlier in the evening, crowned head expert Stefan Burn takes a behind-the-scenes look at a pivotal day in the history of the royal family and the sometimes strained ties between its members. As well as regarding the future of the latter.

Madame Figaro.- The royal family quickly arrived at the Queen’s bedside following the announcement of her “disturbing” state of health. Was this a sign that the inevitable was about to happen?
Stefan Bern. Sure, but he was already dead long before he heard the news. There is a rule in Great Britain: you don’t announce the death of a sovereign in the evening papers. So we announced it at 7:30pm so that the information would be available afterwards Times and Daily Telegraph The next morning.

In the video: Elizabeth II, the famous queen

And, perhaps, to leave some privacy to the royal family in the first hours of mourning.
Yes, but only Princess Anne and King Charles were at his bedside when he died, according to British royal chroniclers.

Charles and Elizabeth – an inseparable “duo”

In his first press release. King Charles speaks of his ‘dear mother’. Has the bond between them ever weakened?
No It’s true, he didn’t quite understand that she was divorcing him, that he was no longer fighting for her marriage. But Elizabeth and Charles were a duo; when you are sovereign, you can be angry, but not at your heir. They seemed to have a cold relationship. It’s a matter of upbringing, no one was raised to show their feelings. Charles did not receive tenderness from his mother, but at the same time she showed him great trust and respect. And they have the same sense of humor. we remember the respectful way Charles always said.mummy“and”His Majesty“. I believe he is really upset. He’s certainly a sensitive person, but what struck me most about the press release is that it evokes a period of mourning and change.

why
Because it tells us right away that paradigms are going to change. I think we’re going to move towards a stricter, smaller, less pompous and less formal monarchy. The coronation will not be like in 1953. The royal family will be reduced to its simplest expression, Charles’ brothers will have to go to work elsewhere. He’s going to put the family in a bit of a bind. It is a change of era, a change of air, a change of world.

I think Charles is really upset. He is a sensitive person

Stefan Bern

However, we sometimes get the impression that it is a ‘transitional’ kingdom until the arrival of Kate and William, who are more capable of modernizing the monarchy…
Charles III will soon be 74 years old, his reign is necessarily a transitional one. But it’s a very useful transition to establish William’s throne, freeing it from the glitter of the past, the things that are a little too heavy, that are inherent in tradition. It should not be forgotten that a good tradition is a developing tradition.

The return of Prince Harry.

the position of prince harryasks questions. She’s the last to arrive at Balmoral, the first to leave… Should we read this in light of Megxit and the tensions that kept her away from the royal family? Has he, in spite of everything, remained close to the queen?
No, he must have gone back to his wife. I believe Harry will be here within the next ten days. We cannot imagine that he and his wife, Meghan Markle, will be absent from the funeral to be held in ten days. The Queen saw Harry kicking the stretchers, but she maintained her love for him. Moreover, when it was necessary to decide and decide whether he kept his titles or not (After “Megxit”, editor’s note)He said “no, you have to choose”, which he was right about. She told him very kindly, but Harry had to decide his own destiny and take it. Undoubtedly, he was the one who most understood what Diana was going through at the time of her death. He understood his mistakes, his problems, he was very close to this “child”, whose weaknesses he saw. It didn’t mean she didn’t love her other grandchildren, but she had a special affection for him, she made him laugh. Their relationship is clearly off the record. He had asked her to speak to Barack Obama about the Invictus Games(Paralympic sports competition created by Prince Harry, Ed.), for example And then he admired the military. his son Andrew was one, and so was Harry.

In the video, the BBC reports on the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth had a special affection for Prince Harry

Stefan Bern

What will be the grandchildren’s place at the funeral?
They will all be there. The whole family will be present, we will see the protocol, which will be set in the next few days. But it is Charles and Camilla who will lead the mourning. Kate and William will undoubtedly have a prominent place, but perhaps not their children. I don’t know how traumatic it is for a child to attend a great-grandmother’s funeral.

Meghan and Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibeth, will likely remain in the United States. But will making them prince and princess when Elizabeth II dies help bring the Sussexes closer to the royal family?
Absolutely. Whatever he does, whatever he says, Harry will always be Queen Elizabeth’s grandson.

From public to private

Was Elizabeth II basically a mother and grandmother like the others?
She was a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother at the same time. The difference is that he was a public figure. But I think that in private life Elizabeth II was extremely warm and sympathetic. Those who know him well say that he liked to talk with his grandchildren, send short messages and discuss with them. He went for a walk with them, asked them about their studies, what they wanted to do. Queen Elizabeth was very considerate of others. But as soon as there was a photographer, everyone was on their feet.

What will Charles III’s accession to the throne change for the British monarchy?

Which character of this royal family will you personally remember?
To people who can come together in great moments, mourning as joy, and who can thus unite a nation. Because basically, when we talk about the Royal Family, we’re also talking about the great British family, including the Commonwealth. We feel the emotions of these people who are united by something that goes beyond us, crosses the ages and speaks to each of us. Sociologist Teodor Zeldin said that basically this family is like a picture. each member represents a different color, but you need this entire palette to create a beautiful picture. I think it represents them well.