The British Imperial State Crown
This weekend get ready to be sickened by the crowning of an obscenely wealthy man, who the ruling class will try and convince us rules in our best interest.
The royals aren’t just a group of the ultimate poshos parading around pretending they’re important. The institution represents something more—the ultimate symbol of class rule, inequality and imperial cruelty.
Pomp and ceremony will be on full blast for the first coronation in 70 years. In traditions that exist, despite no one really knowing why, all the royal finery will be on display—from the jewellery, crowns, cutlery and armbands and big dressing gowns.
At Westminster Abbey Charles will stand next to an old chair and a stone symbolising Scottish subjection while everyone cheers and shouts, “God save the king.” He says his “I do” and swears to uphold the law and the Church of England. That’s interesting from someone who can’t be arrested or subject to civil or criminal proceedings.
But some still believe Charles gets his authority straight from god, so doesn’t have to answer to laws. He is then hidden by a gold towel and splashed with some oil. In a desperate tilt towards modernity, this has been specifically created to be animal-cruelty free.
Charles will be handed a gold ball and two sticks before putting his crowns on. Camilla goes through a similar process to become queen, not queen consort, as the late queen wanted.
The first crown Charles wears is the 17th century St Edward’s Crown. Then he’ll change into the Imperial State Crown, with three large stones, 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 269 pearls.
The largest stone is the Cullinan II diamond—or the Second Star of Africa. It was cut from the largest diamond ever found that “came into the Crown’s possession” after the British Empire colonised the area now known as South Africa.
During the Second Boer War, Britain killed at least 24,000 Afrikaners, with many dying in brutal conditions in concentration camps. The black people who died weren’t even counted.
One of the two big gold sticks also contains the Cullinan I, the Star of Africa. Camilla won’t wear the crown with the Koh-i-Noor—one of the largest-cut diamonds that was robbed from India. This will stay in the Tower of London to avoid attention.
These gems show the exuberant wealth that one man and his family have access to, and they also represent how the Royal Family got their powers and riches.
The sparkling jewels drip in the blood of those colonised by the British Empire, which plundered, robbed and murdered its way around the globe.
On the route the king and queen will also pass some familiar faces and places—and might even be hit with some awkward historical reminders. On Whitehall Charles will pass the Banqueting Hall—the site of the execution of his namesake Charles I, who was beheaded—a fitting tribute.
He’ll also pass the Cenotaph and other war-related memorials that give a nod to the working class people who were sacrificed for imperial conquest. Also on Whitehall is the Customs and Revenue building—not a place Charles knows much about.
Despite having a fortune worth £1.815 billion, he can avoid the 40 percent inheritance charge for wealth above £325,000.
He is the sole beneficiary of the Duchy of Lancaster—previously owned by the queen—worth £650 million. Charles inherited jewellery worth £533 million, racehorses worth £27 million and Balmoral and Sandringham castles worth £80 million and £250 million. On top of that, the monarch holds a “superior interest” in all the land in Britain.
And in Parliament Square stands the statue of the white supremacist Winston Churchill. Heralded by the right as the greatest man who ever lived, Churchill didn’t think “that a great wrong had been done to the Red Indians of America or black people of Australia”.
Buried in Westminster Abbey is author and racist Rudyard Kipling, who said it was the “White Man’s Burden” to spread colonisation and destruction.
He’s buried next to a long line of kings and queens.
The route takes our new king from Buckingham Palace, down the Mall, across Trafalgar Square, down White Hall, around Parliament Square and rocks up outside Westminster Abbey. The 1.3 mile route may be shorter than the 5 mile route his mother took—but it’s still a scenic tour of the grotesque wealth and richness the royals enjoy.
Behind the Mall lies Pall Mall—a hotspot for gentlemen’s clubs, high class shopping and dining, royal societies, and institutions and headquarters for commonwealth buildings. On and around the Mall and Pall Mall are several mansions and palaces. This includes Charles’ chosen residence, Clarence House—the ten-story building worth over £52 million.
Charles also owns St James’ Palace—a Tudor palace used for ceremonial duties. It contains apartments for less senior royals, some of which are four floors big.
Marlborough House, a 200‑room palace, is also on the route. It’s the headquarters for the Commonwealth of Nations, given to the government in 1953 by the Queen because it was too expensive to maintain.
And there’s Lancaster House, which since 1922 has been the government’s official wine cellar and used by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for summits. These are just the houses on the procession route.
Charles’ other options for chillout spots include Kensington Palace, Hampton Court and the Tower of London. Plus, his many properties across England and Scotland.
Charles and Camilla will enjoy the route first in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach built in 2012 for the queen—fitted with air conditioning and hydraulic stabilisers to make the ride smoother.
The trip back to Buckingham Palace will be in the Golden State Coach. When they get to the palace, the Royal Family will stand high above on their balcony and wave at the peasants below.
The Royal Family pretend they’re ordinary. But they live their lives far from any semblance of normality. Even day to day tasks like running his own bath or putting toothpaste on his own toothbrush are too much work for the new king.
For many royal lovers, the big pull was the queen and the wonderful woman she was. Others detest Charles, the king of heartbreak, because of his divorce from the late princess Diana. Charles will try to seem relatable by wearing a military uniform instead of silk breaches.
He’s tried to fashion himself into being a more outspoken kind of guy, especially over the climate, which is hypocritical for someone who travels exclusively by private jet.
But he’s also a man who had a tantrum when his pen broke, asks servants to pick things up he’s dropped, and has been described as “petulant and uncaring”.
According to the National Centre for Social Research, only one in three think the monarchy is “very important”. Some 45 percent said it should be abolished. Last year at the platinum jubilee, it was 35 percent.
And just 12 percent of 18-34 year olds view the monarchy as “very important”. Other surveys vary—but the trends are the same. Less than 40 percent of younger people care, while around 60+ percent of over 55s do.
While the majority don’t want to abolish the monarchy, the gap is closing.
Despite being “smaller, shorter and slimmed down”, the coronation will cost double the queen’s flashy coronation at £100 million. Just as in 1953 when most ordinary people were still on rations, during the worst cost of living crisis in memory, the taxpayer gets to fork out for the grandeur.
And that’s after paying an unknown amount for a state funeral just last year. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden claimed, “These are moments in the life of our nation. They bring joy to millions of people.” This is the lie we’re fed to keep up in line.
The media will want to convince everyone that jubilations and celebrations fill the hearts of people in Britain. Some bosses will be furious that the four-day weekend holiday will cost them profits, while others will be happy to see the extended drinking times bring in extra cash in the pubs.
In reality the celebrations will be pumped out as a distraction from the real problems we face and to create a false sense of unity with our class enemies.
Despite the rumoured animosity between Charles and his brother Andrew—over not being mummy’s favourite—the paedo prince will be at the coronation. As a non-working royal, Andrew won’t appear on the balcony or have any ceremonial roles.
Andrew will have to wear a suit because he was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages and HRH style. He is reportedly “furious” and feels “he is being disrespected”.
He was pushed out of the spotlight after being accused of raping 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre. She was trafficked by sex offender Andrew’s good pal Jeffrey Epstein and Epstein’s convicted partner Ghislaine Maxwell.
The royal-lovers point out Meghan Markle’s absence to cover any embarrassment caused by Andrew’s presence. Andrew will reportedly get better treatment and be shown more respect than Harry.
Forget coronation chicken, it’s all about coronation quiche. And don’t worry about the national egg shortage and spike in prices by up to 47 percent.
The quiche in question features spinach, broad beans and tarragon and will be served at whatever celebratory community events are held across the weekend. Some royalists are upset because quiche is a French dish.
But if readers of Socialist Worker happen to come by some eggs, rather than wasting them on quiche, take inspiration from the protesters who egged their new king last year.
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