Royalty loyalty?

The news dominated every front page. "Nation's shock as treatment starts," read one headline. "Get well soon, Sir. Your country needs you," read another. "He waited so long to be King. Now this..." read a third. Even The Guardian, not known for its love of the monarchy, gave the story precedence over Taylor Swift's triumph at the GrammysThe most prestigious award in the US music industry. The trophy is shaped like a gilded gramophone. Last year, Billie Eilish won most of the main awards..

It followed an announcement from Buckingham PalaceThe home of Britain's king or queen. on Monday. Cancer was discovered, it said, while the King was in hospital for a prostateA small gland that is part of the male reproductive system. operation. He had decided to tell the world "to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer".

Treatment has already begun. Though Charles has not been kept in hospital, he has been advised to postpone public appearances. He will continue to "undertake state duties" and meet the prime minister Rishi Sunak weekly.

Some of his duties will be taken on by Prince William. Prince Harry was reported to be flying back from California to see him.¹

Messages of support have come from across Britain and around the world. Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados - which cut its ties with the royal family to become a republicA state in which the leaders are chosen by the people, and which has a president rather than a monarch. three years ago - said that she learnt the news "with great sadness".²

US President Joe Biden is sometimes considered hostile towards Britain because of its policies on Northern Ireland. But yesterday he said that he and his wife were praying for Charles's swift recovery.

It is hard to think of another world leader who would elicit such warmth. Though many people predicted that goodwill towards the royal family would evaporate after the late Queen's death, that seems not to have happened.

Supporters of the royal family often cite the continuity that it offers. This is rooted partly in the legal and theological idea, dating from medievalRelating to the Middle Ages. times, that the monarch has two bodies. One is the "body natural", which is as mortal as everyone else's; the other is the "body politic", which is immortal.  

The body politic "is not subject to passions as the other is, nor to death" and "cannot be invalidated or frustrated by any disability" suffered by the King. When the monarch dies, the body politic is "transferred and conveyed over" to his or her successor.³

This means that whereas in other countries the head of state's illness might be seen as a crisis, in Britain things can continue more or less as before. Writing in Cherwell, Calvin Chan argues that this stability - and the monarchy's survival - is "a testament to the moderation that characterises British political history".

No other country, he says, has managed to modernise without "succumbing to the itch to ritually smash up and vandalise its traditional institutions". While others underwent bloody revolutions, Britain has carried out gradual reforms. The royal family wisely ceded power "and invented a largely ceremonial role for themselves before any homegrown BolsheviksThe Bolsheviks seized power in Russia in 1917 and later became the Communist Party. The party included Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin. came for them".

Is the British monarchy a force for good?

Yes: It provides continuity and stability at a time when many countries are very unstable. Sympathy for Charles has brought the nation together, and he has set a good example by publicising his illness.

No: It receives a lot of money which would be much better spent on other things. It reinforces the idea that some people are better than others just because they were born into a particular family.

Or... It depends entirely on who the reigning monarch is. Queen Elizabeth earned enormous respect and Charles seems to be doing the same, but that may not be true of their successors.