King Charles Is Going to Be Disappointed
If the British sovereign is just another human being, what possible constitutional purpose can he serve?
I have twice met the man who has just been crowned King Charles III, both times on occasions so unmemorable that I am certain he cannot possibly recall either one. I recall them very well, of course—where we were (once in London, once in Warsaw); what we wore (he, gray pinstripes; I, a black dress); what we said (nothing of consequence). That’s the essence of my relationship to the new king, and also the essence of all of our relationships with royalty. They know nothing whatsoever about us, but we remember absolutely everything about them.
Sometimes, in fact, we know an extraordinary amount about them. Without ever having tried especially hard, I know more details about the
