Is Charles III close to abdication in 2025? His speech comes between scandal and poor health

The British Royal Family announced eleven months ago that King Charles III of England had been diagnosed with cancer. The monarch began treatment that temporarily removed him from work and later forced him to reduce his public activity. On the 23rd we talked about the change of scenery for his speech this year. The British monarch, like almost all heads of state, chooses Christmas to address the citizens. It is at this time, and under that mantle of nostalgia and consumption, that the Kings reaffirm themselves as much or more than their subjects in traditions and the speeches are activated. This 2024, which is dying of old age, requires a mandatory look at the British Royal Family, a clan that never fails to give us the perfect mix of pageantry, decadence and ethical lapses and that this year has faltered in health and illness.

Christmas, with its promise of renewal and hope, could be a good time for the Windsors to reflect on their role in society. But given their track record, they are more likely to continue on their path of excessive privileges and empty symbolic gestures. After all, if the British monarchy has taught us anything, it is that its ability to reinvent itself is always subordinated to its stubborn defense of the status quo.

In 2024, the monarchic scene has not disappointed: from the commercial ravings of Meghan y Harry Until the stellar return of Andrew, the disgraced prince, the Windsors have displayed a theater that oscillates between the absurd and the outrageous. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, have been trying to rewrite their role in the royal story for years since their retirement to Montecito, California. However, his efforts seem to be more tragicomedy than redemption. This year, his foray into the world of entertainment with Polo, a documentary series on Netflix about equestrian sports, has left a bitter taste among critics and viewers. Despite the expectations generated by its multimillion-dollar contract with the platform, the series has not achieved the expected impact. The public is faced with a bland show that is more reminiscent of a luxury reality show than informative and relevant content.

Harry, who dreamed of this project as a tribute to his passion for polo, does not seem to have understood that his target audience is more interested in royal gossip than in sports plays. For her part, Meghan, who had announced her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand with great fanfare, has seen her plans to launch lines of jams, dog biscuits and rosé wine become entangled in legal problems with the US Patent Office. USA. Between broken promises and products that never saw the light of day, the couple continues to falter in their attempt to become a global brand that transcends the royal sphere.

While Meghan and Harry struggle to find their place in the world, Prince Andrew, brother of King Charles III, continues to be the embodiment of unconscionable privilege and moral blindness. This year, his name once again made headlines, not for redemption, but for a new scandal related to Yang Tengbo, a businessman accused of espionage for the Chinese government. As it has been revealed, Tengbo was a “close confidant” of Andrés, to the point of having been invited to Buckingham Palace on two occasions.

Prince Andrew, who had already lost his official rank and place at public events after his controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, seems unable to learn from his mistakes. His attachment to questionable figures and utter lack of judgment have made him the epitome of royal recklessness. However, the punishment imposed on him is laughable: this year, Andrés will not participate in the royal family’s traditional Christmas walk at Sandringham. It is a symbolic gesture that does not translate into a real sanction, especially when King Charles III continues to allocate millions of pounds from the treasury to maintain his brother’s security and lifestyle at the Royal Lodge.

Monarchy as an institution: opulence versus responsibility

Andrés’ case is not an isolated episode, but rather an extreme manifestation of an institution that seems to have lost contact with social reality. This autumn, a joint investigation by Channel 4 and The Sunday Times revealed the exorbitant income that King Charles III and Prince William make from their estates. From renting NHS warehouses to fees imposed on the Ministry of Justice for using Dartmoor prison, the royal family’s personal benefits belie their supposed mission of public service.

In this context, it is difficult to take Guillermo’s initiatives seriously, such as his Homewards project to combat homelessness or his Earthshot contest, which rewards innovative solutions against climate change. How to reconcile these noble causes with the income generated by leasing public land or charging for essential infrastructure? Prince William, with his carefully crafted image as the modern and sensitive face of the monarchy, faces the challenge of aligning his words with his actions.

A legacy in crisis

The British Royal Family has always been a symbol of stability for some and obsolescence for others. In times of economic crisis and social tensions, their opulence and privileges seem more out of place than ever. Although the Andrés scandals are the most striking, they represent a broader problem: the disconnection between the monarchical institution and the needs of citizens. From Meghan and Harry’s business missteps to Charles and William’s questionable profits, the Windsors continue to prove that, far from being a charming anachronism, they are an institution that urgently needs to rethink its place in the world. Charles III, 76, ascended to the British throne in September 2022 after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for more than 70 years, making the current monarch the second British heir who has waited the longest to access. to the throne of history, only surpassed by Princess Sofia of Hanover.

If his health worsened as a result of his illness, the solution would be abdication: he would leave the throne to his first-born son William. To make Charles III’s abdication official, the king would first have to make a formal declaration indicating that he no longer wishes to serve as monarch. After this, the UK Parliament would have to pass an Abdication Bill. The current line of succession to Charles III includes 24 people belonging to the British royal family. It is not regulated only by descent, but also by parliamentary statute and in it the queen consort is not included.

The Prince of Wales is first in line to the British throne. He is followed by his three children: Prince George, ten years old, then Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. All minors and far from the age of reigning. Behind them, the line of succession of Charles III continues with his second son, Enrique, separated from Buckingham, and his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, just babies.