WaPo’s Robinson: Now that Queen Elizabeth Is Gone, Will British Monarchy Continue?

Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson said Thursday on “Deadline” that the death of Queen Elizabeth II calls into question the existence of the British monarchy.

Robinson said, “I think we enjoy watching all of the pomp and circumstance and following the soap opera of the royal family and the fairytale aspect of it. The question going forward is—in an egalitarian world, a much more egalitarian world, what are they thinking in a place like Australia, for example? What are they thinking in Canada? What are they thinking in the commonwealth countries, 15 countries around the world that still recognize her as head of state?”

He added, “Now that she is gone, does the magic continue? Is that connection still there under King Charles or after him, King William? You know, she managed to continue and adapt the institution of monarchy over seven decades. She gave her first address on the radio before she became queen, and in 2014 she became the first British monarch to send a tweet. She spans that entire period of change, all of the great events of the 20th century and the early 21st century. How much of that is just her and her duty and her intelligence, her smarts, her ability to adapt, rather than the monarchy as an institution? I have a feeling that question will be answered sooner than we think in a lot of places.”

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