Is Britain finally “played out” – the signs are not promising

This is the front page of The Times today (that’s in what was once referred to as a “newspaper of record”). Is the Monarch’s illness really such an important story that it warrants such blanket coverage?

Research suggests that the generation born in the new millennium are not as enamoured of the Royals as their parents and grandparents. And whilst other nations have monarchs as head of state (some even borrow ours) nowhere is there such sycophantic adulation as here.

The nations of the United Kingdom have interesting histories and our collective Imperial ambitions and “success” certainly made us a global power. Similarly the Industrial Revolution of the Victorian nineteenth century (warts and all) created a preeminent manufacturing and trading nation. In the 20th Century our military might and national courage helped us win two World Wars (with a little help from our friends). But now?

Some of the historic pomp remains though not much of the circumstance of the past. We are like a national Miss Haversham reluctant to discard our once finery despite the fact that we have been jilted. And that’s what the royals are – glitz and pseudo glamour without any substance. How preposterous is this image in the twenty first century?

The explanation for the ongoing obsession with this frankly dysfunctional family is that there isn’t much else. The Empire is long gone as is our industrial and military might.

In 1962 Dean Acheson memorably said that “ Britain had lost an empire and had not found a role. He added:

“Britain’s attempt to play a separate power role – that is, a role apart from Europe, a role based on a ‘special relationship’ with the United States, a role based on being the head of a Commonwealth which has no political structure or unity or strength and enjoys a fragile and precarious economic relationship – this role is about played out.”

And that was sixty years ago and in truth we have gone further backwards since with Brexit setting us apart from Europe and creating an insane anachronistic faux independence that makes us look ridiculous.

Ridicule is the only sane reaction to Little England and our silly delusional games. Hugh Grant’s Prime Minister in “Love Actually” said

“We may be a small country, but we’re a great one too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, The Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter, David Beckham’s right foot, David Beckham’s left foot, come to that.”

That summed it up – though he didn’t mention The Queen or James Bond. Or Dunkirk, a crushing defeat that we incomprehensibly turned into a noble victory!

After we decided to be European we actually played the role rather well for a time. We celebrated joining the Union and Brits played a significant role in the governance of the uniting Europe . Then we blew it all.

This brings us back to what we are now. “Played out” as Acheson put it and absolutely without a “role”. So we substitute genuine significance with the illusory pretensions of Royalty. It goes down well in America the inventors of the soap opera. In truth we are more Schitts Creek than anything substantial. Living rather like Moira Rose on departed glories but still dressing extravagantly in denial about the loss of of meaningful fame.

I wish Charles Windsor well – my despair about the monarchy and its grossly inflated significance in the national psyche is not personal. But that royal obsession is a veneer below which we are, it has to be said, “played out”.