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Something I think about a lot is how much time and energy the Tories have spent grooming Prince William into their future right-wing king. The Tories never really got their hands on King Charles in that way – while Charles has had Tory political operatives on his staff before, for years, he\u2019s been associated with more progressive issues and he\u2019s never been seen as some kind of de facto right-wing figure. On a personal level and private level, Charles is probably more apolitical than his critics give him credit for – he\u2019s more interested in the trappings of being the king and he\u2019ll do anything to not rock the boat. Which includes a dry recitation of Tories\u2019 political goals in front of Parliament. Here\u2019s some of the NYT\u2019s coverage of the king\u2019s speech on Tuesday:<\/p>\n
\nKing Charles III opened a session of Parliament on Tuesday for the first time as monarch, outlining the British government\u2019s legislative priorities as part of a tradition-steeped ceremony that tested his skill at displaying the political neutrality for which his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was famous.<\/p>\n
Drafted by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, but delivered by King Charles, the centerpiece speech is a constitutional oddity \u2014 and one with a particular twist this year, as the new sovereign read out a list of government bills that included some policies likely to be sharply at variance with his personal views.<\/p>\n
Among those were Mr. Sunak\u2019s plan to exploit more of Britain\u2019s oil and gas reserves in the North Sea. Although the Conservative government argues that it will still meet its targets for Britain to become a net zero emitter of carbon dioxide by 2050, the decision to license more fossil fuel extraction has angered campaigners against climate change \u2014 a cause close to the king\u2019s heart for decades.<\/p>\n
Still, wearing the heavy, jewel-encrusted Imperial State Crown and seated on a throne, King Charles on Tuesday showed the poker face expected of a British monarch as he delivered the \u201cKing\u2019s Speech,\u201d an occasion famous less for politics than for protocol, elaborate royal regalia and intricate choreography. As he announced that one of the government\u2019s bills \u201cwill support the future licensing of new oil and gas fields,\u201d there was little hint of royal disapproval in his expression.<\/p>\n
The sovereign\u2019s speech to open Parliament \u201cis an oddity we have kept because the ceremonial is part of the monarchy \u2014 but the speech itself is just the government setting out its policies. That\u2019s where the weirdness originates,\u201d said Catherine Haddon, program director at the Institute for Government, an independent think tank. The monarchy\u2019s commitment to political neutrality was consolidated during Elizabeth\u2019s reign, and \u201ceverything we have seen suggests that Charles is looking to show continuity,\u201d Ms. Haddon said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
[From The NY Times]<\/p>\n
Yep, after decades of polishing his environmental credentials, Charles folded like a cheap suit when confronted with the realities of \u201cthe job.\u201d He\u2019ll do anything to cling to whatever power he has, so drill baby drill. Heads he\u2019s the Tories\u2019 useful idiot, tails he\u2019s an unprincipled hypocrite. Catherine Haddon\u2019s explanation of the king\u2019s speech is a perfect example of Britain\u2019s circular logic when it comes to the monarchy too – Haddon is basically like, yes it\u2019s weird that we expect an apolitical unelected monarch to recite one party\u2019s political agenda in Parliament but that\u2019s the way we\u2019ve always done it and we expect it now so what can be done. <\/p>\n