Crowning of King Charles the Third of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland plus Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Belize, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

I watched the coronation on BBC TV, enjoyed the music, the costumes, seeing the Stone of Destiny (and wondering if swapped for fake when kidnapped), and now with HD seeing the graffiti on Coronation Chair. I was bemused and amused that I didn’t see him being anointed with holy oil & allegedly a special marmalade (watch this space!). I also tried to identify the flags. And after a lovely family meal.

As I tend to listen to radio & podcasts rather than watch TV, I did not know what Penny Mordaunt looked like, so I did not recognise her carrying a sword, although I knew of her previously from the Conservative leadership race. I have also been watching Tom Nicolas on Nebula TV, who posted a mini-series on the British Monarchy. I came across him when a friend recommended a video of his “How Energy Privatization Bankrupted Britain”, which got some details correct, unlike many other commentators. It could have gone into further information on areas I knew of, but it was already a long video, so maybe I need to do that myself. Note: I am linking to Nebula.TV rather than YouTube. Our family video viewing deserves its own blog post as a follow-up to one I did on podcasts (and that needs expanding, too or a new post on one-off podcasts and one just exploring). I saw that old chestnut of those who think Charles should have abdicated in favour of his more popular son, William, mentioned on social media. Perhaps like Norodom Sihanouk, the Khmer King and statesman, briefly did, to extricate himself from palace protocol and engage freely in politics, Charles should abdicate. Ideally, all those in line would do so. They could form a political party to stand for the head of state, and the party membership could decide whom to put up, Charles or William, based on who might win the vote. The head of state could just have similar powers to now. Unlike the US, where due to freedom of speech Supreme Court ruling, there is unlimited funding, in the UK, limits would be put on party spending so the then (Ex-Royals) could not bring to bear his immense personal wealth to the campaign, but I think they could build a coalition to win. It depends on what the voting method would be as well.

I prefer that the Head of State be determined by drawing lots for every child born on the day head of state dies. And then they will join the queue. If it is good enough for juries, then good enough for the head of state, which should only have a ceremonial role and not political. But unlike a jury, you can turn it down when you become an adult and then go to the next in lots from the lots drawn. There would be exciting interactions between those in line as they grew up and decided to take the job for life.

The Chinese have used lots from a “golden urn” to replace the system based on dreams & signs of the head of state that Tibetans have traditionally used to find the reincarnation that will succeed them in their system of alternating Panchen & Dalai Lamas.

If you are looking for Buddhism not tied to Tibetan politics, check out the New Kadampa Tradition of the International Kadampa Buddhist Union.

If the House of Lords is to be retained, it should be decided by drawing of lots too. Or maybe a whole school would be chosen by lot each year, and they examine and amend legislation as a school project and probably do a better job.

But my preference is to abolish the House of Lords without replacement as there is no need for it as in a retirement home for failed politicians and those that corruptly buy lordships. Like Michael Foot, I am not keen on appointed revising house as undemocratic: “Think of it! A second chamber selected by whips. A seraglio of eunuchs”.

Anyway, a pity England did not fully succeed in getting rid of hereditary principles with Charles the First the Last—lessons learnt for next time.