The Thinning Crown: Why the British Monarchy Is Running Out of Royals to Do the Job
The rain fell in steady, gray sheets against the tall, mullioned windows of Clarence House, blurring the damp London pavement outside where a solitary sentry adjusted his heavy woolen tunic at precisely four minutes past four in the afternoon. Inside the high-ceilinged drawing room, heavy velvet drapes blocked out the fading autumn twilight, while a peat fire crackled quietly in the hearth, casting long, amber shadows across a collection of leather-bound state papers resting neatly on a mahogany desk. According to palace insiders who closely monitor the daily rhythms of the sovereign, King Charles sat alone in his high-backed armchair for several long moments, staring into the flickering flames before picking up a red leather despatch box that bore the heavy gold insignia of the realm. The Shrinking Core of the House of Windsor For generations, the British monarchy has relied on a broad tapestry of working royals to share the immense burden of public engagements, military ...