The Christian Science Monitor

New king, new expectations: What does Britain want from its monarchs?

Outside Buckingham Palace, thousands of tourists are in a jubilant mood. The springtime sun has burst out. So have the daffodils in nearby St. James’s Park. The only people not smiling are the famously stoic Buckingham Palace guards. Outside the gates, Generation Z sightseer Jasleen Kaur cheerfully banters with relatives who are visiting from India. But she’s hardly in awe of London’s most majestic home, which will host celebrations for King Charles’ coronation on May 6.

To her, the building looks “pretty much useless at the moment,” given that it appears to be uninhabited. Her thoughts on the monarchy strike a similar chord. 

“It doesn’t really affect our day-to-day lives,” says the student from Nottingham. “To be honest, even the coronation and everything, we [aren’t] that interested in it.”

The crowds of tourists here, including visitors from all over Britain, are testament to the royal

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