By Sammie Jones-
The Queen has changed Royal protocol by appointing her son, Prince Charles to replace her usual role at this year’s annual Remembrance Sunday.
Her Majesty will not lay a wreath in her usual custom at the Cenotaph this year.
Instead, she will watch the event on November 12th in Whitehall from the balcony of the Foreign Office with Prince Philip,
Prince Charles will replace her in laying the floral tribute on behalf of the nation, along with the Duke of Edinburgh’s equerry. This will be the sixth occasion that the Queen has not laid wreaths in previous ceremonies since her coronation. The Queen missed one during her pregnancies with Prince Edward, in 1959, and then Prince Andrew, in 1963.
The other occasions occurred when she was on visits aboard – in 1961, when she was in Ghana, in 1968, when in Brazil, in 1983, when in Kenya and in 1999, when in South Africa. Prince Charles laid the wreath, replacing the Queen when she was on a trip to Kenya 34 years ago. It is unclear why the Queen has taking this decision , but it may be her Majesty’s way of gradually getting the public accustomed to the idea that her son will be king despite public opinion against him ever becoming king following revelations about the late Princess Diana’s feelings about her treatment in the hands of the Royal family.
Only two months ago, the British public celebrated the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, and revelations of secret tapes of Diana expressing heart rendering feelings of isolation and lack of affection from the Royal family. However, Charles remains officially the next successor to the throne, and the taking of the Queen’s place is a big step in reminding the world that he is the first son of the Queen, and next in line to become King.
A statement from Buckingham Palace added: “The Queen wishes to be alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and he will be in the balcony.” The change of Royal Protocol should also be seen as a sign of an ongoing modernising Royal family governed by discretion at the top according to the Queen’s sovereignty, and not rigid or inflexible practices. At 91, the Queen is becoming more frail, but still showing affection for the nation over which she presides.
VISIT
After news of the Greenfell fire last summer that claimed over 80 lives, the Queen personally visited the scene of the disaster to offer her condolences to the victims and survivors of the fire. And this year, it was revealed that the Queen is active on social media, including facebook, though under a different name. That makes her so cool, and notably different from most adults even 20 years younger than herself.
Prince Williams and Prince Harry have also played their part in modernizing the Royal family further, after their mother-Princess Diana- lit the world up with her very down to earth and interactive life with the world. Her two sons have been wonderful faces of the Royal family in the last decade, engaging more with the public, and playing commendable roles in their support and raising of awareness of mental health and depression.