Stifling British Republicanism

In Britain, unlike Australia where political timidity and inactivity are the main stumbling blocks to a Republic, the monarchy has applied itself to the task since the destabilising Diana years. This century, the British royals have shored up their position by a) understanding that there was no need to rush or panic as the brand was strong enough to withstand the shocks; b) the younger royals, particularly William and Harry, assuming centre stage and showing that they have a commitment to public duty and charitable causes while being more accessible, speaking more plainly and openly, with more empathy, than preceding generations and c) engaging the best PR and image consultants. All this has taken place in a climate that has left little time for dealing with anything other than the constant state of political and economic crisis since the early years of the century and against a background of inherent British conservatism. None of this applies in Australia of course. [“How the British royal family managed to kill off republicanism” by Larry Elliott, The Guardian Weekly 21 June 2019]