The unwritten and slowly evolving constitution of the United Kingdom has been a lesson in pragmatic patience during my lifetime. I met the present King’s grandfather in 1946 when I was fourteen years old. A shy and retiring man, he and his determined wife had helped Winston Churchill steer Britain through the six years of WWII. They were then showing how they could be useful King and Queen through the ten years of devastating recovery. When King George VI died his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, began her memorable reign of seventy years.
They were the years of KIng Charles III’s youth and patience. Like everyone maturing he had his ups and downs. His mother was thought by many to be an impossible act to follow. The world was changing, even the long-established British Monarchy was up for inspection. People questioned the role of an unelected figure with a job for life. Short-termism was for function, feeling was for the birds, history was last night’s supper. Into this world of social media, rough treatment and pathological greed stepped the next British Monarch.
Few inheritors of great positions have received such a challenge.
The Royal Family is, quite rightly, above politics. Its role is symbolic, relieving the politicians of their responsibilities to communicate continuity, kindness and sensitivity. But the truth is that nobody is above politics – not you, not I, not the King of England. Every breath we breathe is an act of exploration. Every thought we imagine is an act of political direction. Every smile, a reassurance; every tear, a wound washing.
And every word we say is a contribution to stability or disruption.
Who says those words, when and how, determines their influence. When the world is calm they will be emollient to preserve the peace and cleanse society’s skin. The world is not now calm, it is in disarray. Emollient is not enough. His Majesty gave a politely pointed speech to the politicians of the United States. Unequivocally clear, it was delivered with the confidence of someone who knows the rough and who can reassure us that there is a way out of it.
That confidence comes from balance, a fine-feathered commitment to reason and care. The rough years can damage or they can teach. KIng Charles demonstrated the value of the lesson. Confidence and balance were bought by hard work. They pay by great diplomacy.
I am proud to say ‘thank you’ to my King and proud to see the Monarch play an important part in helping to right the world’s balance*.
As the sounds of ‘God save the King’ echoed round the halls and parade grounds in America I do not presume to know what was in His Majesty’s mind. But I wonder if it might have been something like what was stirring in my own:
“God save us all”.
Good morning
John Bittleston
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2 May 2026
