Coronation Emblem: Symbol of Challenges and Opportunities for a New Era

Emblem for the Coronation of King Charles III

 

The passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022 marked the end of an era – the Second Elizabethan Era, personified by her grace, dignity, and commitment to duty and service, especially with being from the Greatest Generation that served in World War II.

In a letter I sent to the Queen on September 3^rd, I conveyed my congratulations on her Platinum Jubilee, as well as my admiration and respect for her decades of service to the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and beyond. Furthermore, I also wrote:

“While Your Majesty may not be seen as much in public as in the past, that is quite understandable, and indeed, Your Majesty does deserve to relax and be at ease after more than 70 years of being steadfast to the promise Your Majesty made at age 21 to devote Your Majesty’s life, “whether it be long or short”, to the service of Your Majesty’s people, and therein lies something to which all of us should look to as a model for our own lives.

Even in the depths of a once-in-a-century pandemic, Your Majesty’s dedication was quite admirable, and if I may say so, your speech in the early days of the pandemic, with its reference to Vera Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again”, was comforting and resonating at that particularly bleak time. Your continued dedication to service via virtual means is a remarkable testament to the technological advances that have taken place over the course of Your Majesty’s remarkable reign and lifetime.”

With much regret, that letter did not arrive in time before the Queen’s passing. Now, with the accession of King Charles III – whose apprenticeship as his mother’s heir-apparent and Prince of Wales was the longest in British history – we are now in a new Carolean Age. With that has come changes in iconography, currency, post/pillar boxes, and gender designations from female to male. These changes will take time getting used to, thanks to the Queen’s 70-year reign, which made her the only British monarch most of us had ever known.

Among the new icons unveiled in this new Carolean Era is the emblem for the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. It unifies the floral emblems of the four home nations of the United Kingdom; the rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, the daffodil of Wales and the shamrock of Northern Ireland. They pay tribute to the King’s love of the natural world and together, they create the shape of St. Edward’s Crown, with which Charles III will be crowned during the coronation service.

As a person for whom the unity of the United Kingdom has been important, this emblem for the coronation is particularly meaningful. It is a demonstration to the world and perhaps even to people in the UK itself that the UK is not, and has never been, just England, and that the UK has always been the sum of its constituent parts through a complex web of history, individual contributions, collective sacrifice, and shared experiences that are as interwoven as the coronation emblem itself. Indeed, there is something quite special about this diversity, which has become richer through immigration from the Commonwealth and other places, and the King himself has spoken repeatedly about Britain’s many communities and their respective importance to British national life.

The monarchy itself has been at the heart of national life for over a thousand years. It is therefore an ancient institution that represents the good, the bad, the ugly, the truth of what Britain is, and can be, as a nation. It is the connection between Britain’s past and present, and therefore has an obligation to constructively bring all Britons together in a shared future that is sure to be more complex. Whilst representing tradition, it also weaves a delicate balance with modernity as British society evolves and changes. This penchant for flexibility and adaptation has been a hallmark of the monarchy, and the King is expected to continue in this tradition.

In this light, the coronation emblem – designed using the red, white, and blue of the Union Flag – is rooted in ancient iconography for a new era in which the religious, social, cultural, and ethnic diversity of the United Kingdom may be effectively acknowledged and celebrated within the context of great British traditions, such as the coronation itself. Indeed, the coronation service, whilst still an Anglican service at its heart, is supposed to reflect the nature of the UK in 2023 with the incorporation of diverse elements of modern British society. This is consistent with the King in his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith, but also showing respect toward other faiths. Additionally, there are other events meant to bring people and communities together throughout the country for this historic occasion in a display of unity which the monarchy is supposed to inculcate.

Over the course of her 70-year reign, the Queen strived to represent such unity and she gained the admiration and respect of many people, including those who are indifferent or otherwise against the monarchy as an institution. The great test going forward will be to transfer that admiration and respect to her heirs and successors, so that a vast cross-section of the UK will continue to see the monarchy as worth maintaining, as well as relevant to their present and future.

This may prove deeply challenging due to the current state of affairs in the UK, namely the fractures and controversies within the Royal Family and throughout British society more broadly, with the social, political, and economic dislocations of recent years that have brought fresh scrutiny unto many aspects of British life, including the monarchy itself, particularly among younger Britons. The colonial legacy, out of which were born the Empire and Commonwealth, is another issue which must be robustly addressed going forward by the monarchy, given its role – direct and indirect – in said legacy. Furthermore, whereas the Queen came to the throne at 25 years old and remained much of an enigma to the end, her son is 74 and a lot is known about him, with perceptions of him being firmly established among most of the public for better or worse.

This is not to say that it’s all doom and gloom for the monarchy, if for no other reason than the institution has been here before, with questions about its fitness and future amid societal, political, and economic shifts. However, the increasingly multi-ethnic, multi-faith, and secular composition of the UK makes the situation more complicated, and the monarchy will have to balance the needs of multiple constituencies that are as intertwined as the components of the coronation emblem to create something that is the total sum of the United Kingdom.

Therefore, this ancient institution and the embodiment of Britishness is facing a major test of its penchant for flexibility and adaptability in the 21^st Century without the much-beloved Elizabeth II at the helm. One can only hope with utmost sincerity that Charles III – trained to the hilt over seven decades and with well-established capabilities – will rise to the occasion and that the unity expressed symbolically in this coronation emblem will become realized in due time, during the coronation weekend and beyond. In summation, it does represent the complexities of the past and the hope for the future.

The Longest Reign, and Still Going Strong

Photomosaic of Queen Elizabeth II by Helen Marshall
using more than 5000 photos of people for Diamond Jubilee.
Image Credit: Abuk SABUK via Wikimedia Commons cc

 

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

     These words were uttered by Her Majesty the Queen in 1947 via a radio broadcast to the British Empire and Commonwealth whilst she was still Princess Elizabeth and heiress presumptive to the throne. She was celebrating her 21^st birthday during a tour of South Africa with her parents and younger sister, and made this extraordinary lifetime pledge to the peoples and lands over which she would one day reign.

     For her, that day came sooner than she or almost anyone expected, for on February 6, 1952, George VI – whose health had been declining since the end of World War II – passed away at the relatively young age of 56. Elizabeth and her husband Philip, Duke of Edinburgh were on a Commonwealth tour in place of her father, and upon receiving the news while in Kenya, promptly returned to the United Kingdom with Elizabeth as Queen.

     Since then, she has stayed true to the vow which she made with her people, and now at over 63 years on the throne, she has surpassed her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. There is arguably no other person as well-known or highly regarded as Elizabeth II as she has become an instantly recognized figure around the world, and indeed, very few  people have ever been closely watched since birth for as long a period as she has.

     In the beginning however, this was not to be. She was born as the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, a Scottish aristocrat (who in time would eventually become the much-beloved Queen Mother). Albert – known to family and friends and “Bertie” – was the second son of George V and Queen Mary, and as such, was not expected to ascend to the throne, for that was the destiny reserved for his older and more glamorous brother, Edward, Prince of Wales – known as “David” within the family. The result was that despite the attention she received for being a granddaughter of the King, for the first ten years of her life, she could expect to live a relatively quiet existence in the countryside with her horses and corgis – away from the pomp and glitz which royal duties required, especially with the rise of mass media in the form of radio.

     Indeed, at some level, this was the sort of life which for which her Uncle David was suited as a modernizing, photogenic, and dazzlingly popular prince – as opposed to her shy and stammer-plagued father. But her father’s strength was his solemn commitment to royal duties and to his close-knit family, to which he was devoted, and this stood in contrast to the Jazz Age playboy lifestyle of David, who enjoyed the social scene and his status as a celebrity, but detested the more serious, traditional, and (boringly) grounding demands of being a royal prince.

     By the time he came to the throne as Edward VIII in 1936, he was still unmarried and carrying on an affair with a twice-married American woman, Wallis Simpson, and provoked a constitutional crisis by his determination to marry her against the wishes of the UK government and the Church of England, of which he was Supreme Governor. The result was that Edward abdicated after only eleven months as monarch, and his brother Bertie succeeded him as George VI.

     This changed everything for Princess Elizabeth, who was now first in line to the throne and knew what destiny lay in store for her. She watched as her father was thrust into a position for which he was temperamentally unsuited, but also saw him eventually grow into it with the support and devotion of his family, most notably his wife Elizabeth, as well as the speech therapist Lionel Louge, who helped him to overcome his stammer and public speaking issues. He and the Queen endeared themselves to the British people by staying in the United Kingdom, and in particular, in London during the Blitz, during which was a raid on Buckingham Palace which nearly killed them.

     The devotion to duty to the country in the face of aggression had a profound impact on the young princess – who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a automobile mechanic and driver – with her parents providing her the example by which to lead, and the morale of the British people as a whole was immeasurably boosted by the actions of their king and queen, which helped to sustain them to victory over Nazi Germany. But the stress of being a wartime king, compounded with the effects of a lifetime of smoking took their toll on George VI, and this led to his premature death in 1952.

     Coming to the throne at the age of 25 and with two young children of her own, his daughter had little experience with affairs of state, but guided by her sense of duty, she carried on with the task of being a monarch, and this was helped along with the guidance of her first prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill, who poetically referred to her as “a fair and youthful figure, princess, wife, and mother” being the “heir to [Britain’s] traditions and glories.” He and others even talked of a new Elizabethan Age.

     Unlike that period which was characterized by imperial ambitions and territorial expansion around the globe, this one has been noted for the transition from an Empire to a Commonwealth – a club of former colonies with the Queen as its head to symbolize their voluntary association with each other and the former mother country, the United Kingdom. The Queen has been keen to keep this association together, and has grown with the Commonwealth as its biggest and most enthusiastic supporter in its mission to foster greater business and cultural links amongst the countries of the former British Empire, and it now stands with 53 members and a population of over 2 billion people – roughly a third of humanity.

     Closer to home, the pace of change has been dizzying. Britain has become a more liberal, less religious, and more multi-cultural society. Unquestioned deference has given way to more measured respect as the country has become more cynical and critical, as and traditional societal norms and conventions have broken down. Within her own family, she has had to deal with the turmoil of the marriages of three of her four children, all of which ended in divorce, most notably the marriage of her heir Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales. The failure of those marriages, other private indiscretions, and a fire at her favorite residence of Windsor Castle all contributed to what she referred to as her annus horrilibus in 1992. 

     Following this, the worst period of her reign was when Diana died from a tragic automobile accident in Paris in August 1997. Staying at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire to care for her grandchildren – princes William and Harry – in the wake of their mother's death, she was criticized for not appearing in public to grieve, failing to have the Union Flag flying at half-mast from Buckingham Palace, and in general, for being out of touch and misjudging the mood of the people. For the first time, there was real hostility toward the Queen and an aggressive press piled on the stinging criticisms of the Queen personally and the monarchy as an institution. But all was forgiven as she flew down to London to preside over Diana’s funeral and present a live broadcast to the nation in which paid tribute to her former daughter-in-law as a Queen and as a grandmother.

     This moment was part of the monarchy becoming more media-conscious and professional in its relations with the press in an age of increased exposure, and with the Internet age, the ancient institution has adapted with an online presence – including websites and social media accounts to help it connect it more directly with the people and marking a huge leap in her lifetime from radio broadcasts to YouTube.

     Indeed, this new Elizabethan Age as seen the explosion of technological growth and innovation on a scale never seen before, alongside advances in medicine, science, transportation, communications, and other areas – with Britain being at the forefront of many of these. There has also been the rise of British exports such as the Beatles, James Bond, and Harry Potter, which have done their part to ensure that Britain remains relevant as a cultural, social, and economic (i.e., soft) power.

     The Queen herself and the institution she leads have themselves become British exports, in part because of her role as Head of the Commonwealth (including being head of state of 15 Commonwealth countries aside from the UK), and as such, she has become the most widely-traveled monarch in British history – visiting the vast areas of the Commonwealth and being a face of Britain throughout the world on many overseas journeys.

     Through all of this, she has maintained that sense of duty with all of the change around her. To some, she may look like a stiff with no personality or emotion, but this isn’t to say that the Queen doesn’t have a wicked sense of humor about her, and as time has progressed, we have seen her more loose, engaged, and interactive with people as she and monarchy adapt to changing times.

     During her reign, the ancient institution has continued with the standard set by George V of getting out, being seen, and working hard, and the Queen herself has said, “I must be seen to be believed.” With that, she has introduced the Royal walkabout, so that she can meet more people and allow them to have interactions with her and other members of the Royal family. She has also dispensed with the presentation of debutantes in favor of more garden parties in which a more representative cross section of society is invited for a once-in-the-lifetime opportunity to be in the presence the Royal family – whether at Buckingham Palace, Holyroodhouse, Windsor, or Hillsborough Castle. The Royal residences themselves have become more accessible to the public as a means of helping to meet the cost of maintaining them, especially in the wake of the Windsor Castle fire.

     But even with the changes, the Queen still represents the continuity of the monarchy in the overall fabric of Britain and its long history, and this is a powerful symbol. Since coming to the throne, she has had 12 British prime ministers, from Churchill to David Cameron, which is a remarkable span of history when one considers that Churchill was born in 1874 during the reign of the previous reigning female monarch and two of her last three prime ministers (Tony Blair and Cameron) were born after she had acceded to the throne. In 63 years, they have come and gone while she has remained faithfully at her post as the one constant.

     In this sense, she also represents stability in government, for as a constitutional monarch who is above politics, she openly favors no party. True, the government is termed Her Majesty’s Government, but it is the politicians elected to Parliament who run it in her name. She accepts the election results and appoints the prime minister accordingly, but otherwise steers away from politics and the charge of being a political operative. This way, she can be the head of state of everybody, as was suggested by Walter Bagehot in the Victorian Era, and this is one reason why the monarchy survives and provides stability, especially in these rapidly changing times.

     However, none of this would be possible without the help and support of her family, who despite some of their personal issues being made public and causing embarrassment and disappointment, have been invaluable in working to keep the monarchy as relevant today as it was in 1952. In addition to what the Queen has done, other members of the Royal family have taken it upon themselves to step up their involvement in good works for the benefit of the UK and the world at large. It’s not just about carrying out engagements and giving speeches, but also about being actively involved with the causes they support and showing that they can make a positive difference, which further entrenches the monarchy into the public and civic life of the United Kingdom as charities and organizations seek to have a royal patron.

     But of all the family members, perhaps none has been more important or reliable than her husband of nearly seventy years, Prince Philip. His unstinting devotion to her through marriage, family life, and public duties has indeed provided a rock of stability at times when it seemed that everything was coming apart at the seams, and her reign as we know it would not be possible without him. At times, his verbal gaffes and forthright speaking in public has provided fodder for the press, but for her, he provides an outlet to which she can convey her thoughts, and he has no compunction against telling what he thinks. For his part, he has carved out a role for himself with initiatives such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for young people who come up with good and innovative ideas that improve the lives of others. But as the Queen’s consort, he has been there for her, just as she has been there for the country, and he has only become more important with the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in 2002. He has been, as she herself has said, quite simply, the “strength and stay” of her life.

     Going forward, the Queen can be assured that the monarchy is as stable and secure as it ever has been throughout its long and illustrious history, with the institution having recovered from its most recent nadir in the 1990’s. She has a capable heir in Prince Charles, a man who as Prince of Wales, has probably had the longest apprenticeship for any sort of job, and has had his own recovery of sorts since his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles and the development of his own charitable and advocacy efforts – particularly with regard to opportunities for young people, architecture, and the environment. Further down the line is Prince William, the eldest son of Charles and Diana, and his beautiful wife Catherine, along with their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Together with Prince Harry (who has been doing conservation work in Africa), they form the core of the future of the monarchy, and for them, and the Queen has provided the example by which to lead.

     For over 63 years, she has been the face of the monarchy and an icon of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. She represents continuity over the decades of her incredible reign, and as acted sensibly to ensure the monarchy’s survival into the 21^st Century with her adaptations to changing times and circumstances, while also maintaining the traditions of the institution and presiding over a changed Britain where in many ways, she not only relies on the blessings of God, but also of the people. Her legacy has been that through it all, she has kept the obligation she made to the people in her “salad days” when she was “green in judgment”, and has not reneged on it or regrets it. In an age when people find it easy to get out of duties and responsibilities, she represents the idea of sticking around and committing to something bigger than themselves, something her Uncle David did not understand in his vanity.

     Looking back, his abdication, as much as it caused a crisis which rocked the monarchy, was a good thing in the long-term, for it provided George VI and eventually the present Queen, who has been steadfast in her duties and responsibilities, and has made her people proud. Indeed, her popularity can be traced to the fact she really does not aim for popularity, but simply aims to do her job, and so there is a sincerity and realness about the Queen that is absent from celebrities who do seek the attention of the cameras and the press.

     She has now been Queen for so long, that few remember the reigns of her father or grandfather, and it feels inconceivable that anyone can replace her. Of course, this is bound to happen, but this is a testament to her reign and herself as an individual, for in leading by example and living by her words from 1947, she has earned the respect, affection, and love of her people.

     For many Americans (including your truly), the Queen has definitely earned our respect and appreciation over these last 63 years, and we look to her as well for that sense of stability and continuity. It is not so much that we yearn for a monarchy of our own or wish for the return of the British monarchy, but that we see it as an integral part of the UK – representing its past, present, and future like virtually nothing else does – and we see the Queen as the living embodiment of everything that is decent and good about Britain. Along the way, 12 of our presidents have occupied the White House in the course of her reign, from Truman to Obama – many of whom have expressed their appreciation for her as an individual and as a living testament to the strength of the Special Relationship between Britain and America.

     As the Queen does finally eclipse her great-great grandmother to become Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, she has much to be proud of and much to look forward to as she carries on – reigning as ever, going from being a willowy young woman to the matriarch of a country and a global commonwealth. She has already secured her place in history on many fronts simply because she has been at the service of her people. Those people – of the United Kingdom and throughout the Commonwealth – are lucky to have her, and long may she reign.

Prince William: Petulant & Selfish or Dutiful & Protective?

     It has now been a week since it was officially confirmed that Prince William will be taking a job as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance service next spring, following a period of training that begins in September.

A EC135 helicopter used by the EAAA.
Image Credit: Jsmauger via Wikimedia Commons cc

     The announcement generated a rather large buzz from around the world, and the Duke of Cambridge was trending on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Many of the reactions were positive and supportive, with several comments praising the 32-year-old for committing himself to a public service in which he will be saving lives. However, there were also comments and commentary of dissatisfaction with the move, which will see William and his family largely sheltered away from public view for the foreseeable future.

     Much of the criticism is not new, and appears to be focused in part on the Duke's alleged wishy-washiness and inability to come to terms with his royal destiny.

     Since his graduation from the University of St. Andrew's in 2005, Prince William has not yet settled into life as a full-time working member of the Royal Family. He went into the military - first training at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, then going on to serve as an officer in all three main service branches (Naval, Air Force, and Army). Eventually, the Royal Air Force became his primary branch, and from 2010 to 2013, he served as Flight Lieutenant William Wales - a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot based at RAF Valley on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales.

     When his active military service came to an end in September of last year, he began what Palace officials described as a "transitional year", and it was thought that the Duke - now with a family of his own - would before long begin to carry out a full schedule of royal duties, and in doing so, step up his official role within the family as the second in line to the throne. However, he began this year by taking a ten-week "bespoke" agricultural course at the University of Cambridge, which was designed to prepare him for when he inherits the Duchy of Cornwall (a land portfolio mostly in southwest Britain, which provides an income for the heir to the throne) upon the accession of his father as King.

     Following the successful Down Under tour, William has been carrying out public engagements (sometimes with Kate and/or Prince Harry) on several occasions - most notably the commemorations for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the World War I centenary, and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. But he has yet to have a full schedule of day-to-day engagements like other members of the family, and with the air ambulance pilot job, this means that full royal duties will not be in store for at least two years.

     The result has been that some commentators have been calling out William for failing to be dutiful in the same mold as other members of his family. While William's desire for privacy and living "normally" is understandable and has been largely respected by the media, the opinion amongst such commentators is that it is time for him to stop "putting off" royal duties and "grow up" to the reality of his position. Flying helicopters and saving lives is noble, but as the future King of the United Kingdom, more ought to be expected of him in his public duties, and to follow the Queen's maxim of being "seen to be believed."

The Queen believes in the importance of getting out and being seen.
Image Credit: West Midlands Police via Flickr cc

     One columnist (for the Daily Mail) opined that William may not have acquired the "dutiful" gene of his father, grandmother, or great-grandfather - George VI. Instead, it was suggested that William is becoming more like Edward VIII, a man who enjoys the privileges afforded by royal status, but not much - if any - of the burdens, duties, and responsibilities which come with it. The very public chaos surrounding his parents' marriage notwithstanding, the view taken by this person and other people is that William cannot long continue to wait to begin full royal life, for the risk is that the British people will question his value to the taxpayer, which will cause him and Kate to lose the goodwill they have built up over the last several years.

     Such opinions also tend to say: yes, the burdens (especially via the media) can be unbearable at times, but then again, it is a small price to pay for all of the privileges afforded to the Duke of Cambridge and his family, whereas other families have to worry about how they will obtain their next meal and/or juggle money around to ensure that bills are paid.

     This leads to another gripe with William, which has do to with the British taxpayer funding renovations amounting to £4.5 million to Kensington Palace for the use of the Cambridge's, but which will now lay empty for the better part of (at least) two years while they decamp to Anmer Hall - their country home on the Queen's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk - as the Duke takes up his new air ambulance job in nearby Cambridge and Norwich.

A view of Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, which is located in the center of this photograph.
Image Credit: David Baron via Flickr cc

     In reality, the renovations to Apartment 1A (formerly the residence of Princess Margaret) were going to have to be done anyway, especially with regard to replacing the plumbing and electrical wiring, asbestos removal, roof replacement, and other essential things. Furnishing the 20-room apartment was left to be done by the couple with their personal funds, but it still raised eyebrows when it emerged that in addition to renovating the existing kitchen, a second kitchen was built - with one being used for their personal needs and the other one utilized for social gatherings.

     In this light, it does appear that the Duke comes off as petulant, selfish, arrogant, and pig-headed (like his Spencer relations, as described by a courtier). However, it must be said that William - as well as other members of the Royal Family - suffer from "damned if they do, damned if they don't."

     Right now, the gripe is that William is not doing enough with regard to public royal duties, and that taxpayers' are not getting value for money. But then if William were to vastly expand his schedule of engagements up and down the United Kingdom, then the cost of carrying out such engagements would show up on the annual Royal finances report and would become fodder for the media to make the monarchy appear spendthrift and profligate. Either way, William and the Royal Family can't win this battle, and they are only left to do what they believe is best - with consequences coming as they may.

Prince Charles has been stepping up his public outings in recent years.
Image Credit: Worthy FM via flickr cc

     As it is, the Royal Family already has several of its members on full-time duty. The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Princess Anne, the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester and his wife Birgette, and Princess Alexandra carry out a hefty number of engagements throughout the year, so not having William and Kate (or for that matter Harry, Beatrice, and Eugenie) on board full time is not the end of the world.

     However, it is true that the Cambridge's and Prince Harry are amongst the most high-profile members of the family, and that therefore, the general public would like to see more of them. And although the Queen and Prince Philip are carrying on well at their respective ages, it is inevitable that they will cut back on their appearances, and the same is true for the Queen's cousins - with the result that the younger generations will have to step up as time goes forward.

     For now, William probably does not feel the need to become a full-time working member of the family. Remember, he is second in line, not first, and while he is in that position, he probably believes that his primary role is that of a father who is actively helping to raise his son alongside his wife. The time will come for the Duke to become more active, but perhaps this is not it.

Prince George, Duke of York - the future George V - in 1893.
Image Credit: Library of Congress (George Grantham Bain collection)

     To put this in context, William's position is similar to that of George V when he was Duke of York and second in line to the throne behind his father - the future Edward VII - who was the heir of Queen Victoria. In 1893, George and his wife Mary moved into York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate, which was their main home for nearly 20 years until George's accession as King in 1910, and it was there that five of their six children were born. George in particular preferred the quiet country life in contrast to the lively urban social scene coveted by his father, and his biographer Harold Nicolson wrote that "when he was Duke of York ... he did nothing at all but kill animals and stick in stamps [for his stamp collection]." This was not entirely true, but it gives an indication of how the then second in line lived in middle-class fashion.

     With his air ambulance job, the current second in line is planning to do much more than his great-great grandfather. Nevertheless, they appear to be similar insofar that they decided to retreat to the quiet countryside until they were needed in public. George went go on to become King, and though he did not always like the public and colorful ceremonies, he carried them out anyway because he felt that it was the right thing to do, and this attitude laid the groundwork for House of Windsor, with its hallmark commitment to the mantra of "duty first" which has been followed by his second son, George VI and granddaughter, Elizabeth II.

     This was in contrast to his eldest son, Edward VIII, who preferred the pleasures and comforts afforded by his status, but showed his hostility to the traditional burdens and responsibilities which came with it. Vain and petulant, he was temperamentally ill-suited for the top job, and this led him down the road to abdication within twelve months of his accession.

The shadow of the media and paparazzi hounding Diana is a prime influence on Prince William.
Image Credit: Rick via Wikimedia Commons cc

     On the other hand, Prince William does not appear to behave like "Uncle David". He may be indecisive, and when he does make a decision, becomes stubborn and immovable, but this seems to be motivated - at least in part - by his desire to protect his family from the pitfalls that consumed and destroyed his parents' marriage and which led to his mother's tragic death.

     Also, the criticism does not do justice to the fact that William has dutifully served his country in the Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and appears to ignore the work that he has done - and continues to do - with the organizations that he supports, sometimes out of the public eye.

     In addition, there is nothing wrong with him taking up a job which will see him engaging and interacting with people from various backgrounds. If anything, it will be helpful as he continues his journey to kingship, for he can become relatable - at least in some way - to the day-to-day issues that people face - away from the flickering cameras.

     On a more personal level - and unlike Edward VIII - William is married to a woman who understands him more than virtually anybody else, which will come in handy as both of them ease into full royal duties later on. For now, it is quite possible that he believes that having as normal a family life as possible (with little media/public intrusion) is the best way to ensure that the chaos and drama of the 1990's will not happen in the future. This long-term outlook views family life as essential to providing stability for the monarchy, and as second in line, the Duke probably feels that he can afford to put off a full slate of royal duties for the time being, so that his family comes first, and there is nothing selfish or petulant about that.