The Coronation of King Charles III
Sunday Snippets: God Save The King
By Venkatesh Raghavan
I and Amir were sharing slices of plum cakes with hot tea in our Irani Café and the hot topic for the morning was the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. This was the United Kingdom’s first coronation in 70 years. Charles has been king since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died seven months ago. Our conversation went somewhat along these lines.
Amir: He is now 74 years old. What do you feel about his situation? Do you think that prospective kings should be groomed for attaining longevity?
Me: Not exactly Amir. It’s just about the pace with which things take place making a change for the sudden. Nearly four decades back Word Star was the only software that aided the writing and saving of text. Till 1995 the status quo remained. Then out came Microsoft Word with Windows 95. From then on till 2010, there were newer versions of Microsoft Word, albeit not much of a disruption. From 2011 till this date, there have been a host of disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. So be it human life or technologies put into use, their span keeps varying with time.
Amir: I don’t see the link between the two. What on earth are you trying to imply?
Me: Amir, the situation with the Kings and Nobles of England might fluctuate with time. I am linking this with the change of pace in technological disruptions for two simple reasons. The British monarchy has always been an ornament to cherish, as with the latest technology in place. Secondly, as is the case with newer technologies, British Royalty never fails to shock people with cultural shifts in their code of conduct.
Amir: I fail to get your point. Why should the British nobility be compared to changes with the advent of newer technology?
Me: Can’t you recall the brands of humour the British nobility engendered with the passage of time? It was first the plays of Oscar Wilde. Subsequently, in the late nineteenth century, it was Irish socialist author Bernard Shaw. In the early twentieth century came out PG Wodehouse’s brand of humour with characters like Earl of Emsworth and Bertram Wooster. Later on, the English grew protective of their royal culture. With the arrival of the eighties, the focus shifted from humour to sleaze happening within the Royal family. In short, the British royalty has weathered several culture shocks and still continues to protect its space in the annals of history.
Amir: Kindly explain to me how this translates to something akin to the arrival of disruptive technologies at an increasingly high frequency. I fail to see the similarity between the two phenomena.
Me: It’s not the similarity that is precisely parallel in nature Amir. I am talking about the similarity it has on the minds of the public. Every time something floods the market, people keep crying that jobs will be lost and people will be forced to struggle. Similarly, every time any scandal (Prince Charles being unfaithful, Lady Diana announcing in a BBC interview about her feeling let down, or divorce of the royal couple, to name a few) the world behaves as if the British royalty is going to come to an end.
Amir: I am not sure how things will work out with Prince William and Prince Harry. Hope they don’t pick a feather from their parents’ caps.
Me: God Save the King.
