COP-out?

The members of the European Senate get solemnly to their feet as the ceremony begins. When the orchestra starts to play, everyone turns towards the figure at the centre of the stage: Britain's King Charles III. "God save our gracious king", they sing. "Long live our noble king..."

It is hard to imagine - but this is what Brendan Simms, a professor of history, recommends.

Europe, he says, needs more "common rituals" like the Eurovision Song Contest and the European Football Championship to bring everyone together.

A good step would be to choose an emperor or empress for the whole of Europe. And since the British royal family is so widely admired, one of its members would be the ideal choice.

RepublicansPeople who believe a country should not have a king or queen, or in the US, members of the Republican party. , he admits, would be horrified. But that matters less than bringing Europeans closer together, and Charles would certainly do a good job.

Meanwhile, in Unherd, John Milbank argues that the King should be more than just a figurehead.  

Politicians like Liz TrussThe Conservative prime minister of the United Kingdom from September to October 2022. , he says, are on the side of selfish people who only care about themselves.

A king, on the other hand, is chosen by God and has no need to win votes or make money. So he can bring his subjects together for everyone's good in an unselfish and unbiased way.

This is particularly important, he argues, in an age when politicians are so distrusted. Without a monarch who encourages moderation, people's views could just become more and more extreme.

Milbank also points out that owning land has always been part of kingship. This means that monarchs naturally have an interest in the environment. Charles - who spoke out on green issues long before most other people - is an outstanding example of this. So of course he should go to COP27The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as the Conference of the Parties (COP). .

Meanwhile, Charles is going to hold a reception for over 200 influential people at Buckingham Palace.

Yes: As John Kerry, Joe Biden's climate envoy, says, it would not be a political move. "It's a generic broad, based, existential issue for the world, and his leadership has been very important."

No: Charles is at the very beginning of his reign, and needs to tread carefully. It is not appropriate for him to express his opinions as king in the way that he did when he was Prince of Wales.

Or...  Even if he does not go, he could make a video address to the conference, with a text agreed with Downing Street10 Downing Street, in central London, has been the official home of the UK prime minister since 1735. . And Rishi SunakA British politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2022 to 2024. should certainly go to represent Britain at the highest level.