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Britain’s King Charles III marks the significant milestone of his first year on the throne this week, and his reign has been distinguished by a seamless transition from that of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The upcoming anniversary on Friday is anticipated to be observed privately, as it coincides with the date of his mother’s passing at the age of 96.
Charles, who is now 74 years old, has seamlessly embraced his new role after waiting for approximately 70 years as her heir—the longest waiting period in British history.
Despite the anticipation of reforms, he has yet to implement significant changes within the monarchy, which has led to the perception that he is temporarily fulfilling a caretaker role until his eldest son and heir, Prince William, assumes the throne.
“I believe the transition has been notably smoother than originally expected,” remarked Pauline Maclaran, a professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, when speaking with AFP.
Charles was officially crowned alongside his wife, Camilla, on May 6th at London’s Westminster Abbey, in the presence of royalty and global leaders.
The grand ceremony upheld centuries-old traditions, though it was notably more concise and less extravagant compared to his mother’s coronation in 1953. Its design aimed to better reflect the values of contemporary Britain.
“I believe we can anticipate some minor adjustments, but he is undoubtedly laying the groundwork for William, and I envision William becoming the true modernizer of the monarchy,” remarked Maclaran.
Charles lags behind his late mother and the 41-year-old William in terms of popularity, but his approval rating has seen a notable increase since he assumed the throne.
According to YouGov polling, 55 percent of Britons now hold a favorable opinion of their new head of state, compared to 44 percent just a year ago.
During his first televised Christmas Day address, a traditional message to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, of which he is also the leader, a record-breaking 10.6 million viewers tuned in across the UK.
