Will King Charles III address LGBTQ rights?

In a solemn ceremony dating back to the Dec. 25, 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, and 70 years after his mother was crowned monarch on June 2, 1953, Charles III was anointed king by the Archbishop of Canterbury last Saturday.

The king’s coronation included investiture of his wife Camilla as queen consort. The ceremony is principally a religious recognition as the Archbishop of Canterbury, surrounded by the high-ranking principals of other religious orders placed St. Edward’s Crown upon Charles’ head after first giving him the other two symbols of the monarchy, the Orb, which represents the world under Christ, and the Sovereign’s Ring, symbolizing the marriage of a monarch to his people. Charles wore the Coronation Glove and held the Scepter with Cross, a symbol of earthly power, in his right hand.

Coronation Day began with the King’s Procession in which the king and Queen Consort Camilla traveled from Buckingham Palace to the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach, which has been used at every coronation since William IV’s in 1831.

Leaving Buckingham Palace, accompanied by the Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, the route took the royals past a guard of honor, comprising about 160 members of the three armed services. The 1.42 mile route was also flanked by 1,000 members of the military from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

Upon return to the palace under cloudy grey rainy skies the king and the royal family gathered on the balcony to greet the thousands of well-wishers gathered along the Mall. Of note, only members of the working royals were on the balcony with Prince Harry and the king’s brother, Prince Andrew, noticeably absent.

Dignitaries from around the world including world leaders had gathered for the coronation. The U.S. delegation was led by first lady Jill Biden, and in a tweet the president noted: “Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their coronation. The enduring friendship between the U.S. and the U.K. is a source of strength for both our peoples. I am proud the first lady is representing the United States for this historic occasion.”

Of interest to the LGBTQ community will be the new king’s stance on the issues that impact the community. PinkNewsUK reported that Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign saw transformative changes in the U.K., including major laws that advanced LGBTQ rights including the partial decriminalization of homosexuality in 1967 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act in 2014.

However, the late queen avoided commenting publicly on LGBTQ rights. She kept herself out of social and political issues, and it seems that LGBTQ rights, even in the 21st century, were considered just that.

LGBTQ rights advocates in the U.K. and in the Commonwealth of Nations that the king will now head are waiting to see if the he will more vocal about LGBTQ rights. PinkNewsUK noted that Charles has largely followed in Queen Elizabeth’s footsteps, and there is no record of him speaking on LGBTQ rights. For the U.K.’s transgender community, especially in Scotland, which passed an updated Gender Recognition Law only to have it blocked by the conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, barring it being signed into law by the king in the process known as “royal assent,” the king remaining silent has become problematic according to LGBTQ rights advocates and organizations.

Elton John has previously vouched for Charles, expressing his confidence that the king would use his influence to decriminalize homosexuality in all Commonwealth states.

Same-sex relations remain illegal in many countries once colonized by Britain — many of which now form the Commonwealth.

“Things don’t happen overnight. You can’t change a culture and people’s way of thinking over night. But you can certainly step in the water and have a good go. If you don’t step in the water, nothing’s ever going to get done,” John said in 2018, the Gay Times reported.

“I think Prince Charles, when he is made head of the Commonwealth, will do those kind of things.”

Homophobia is one of the many lingering legacies of the British Empire that carried over into the Commonwealth of Nations headed first by Elizabeth and now by her eldest son.

Emma Eastwood, head of strategic communications for Human Dignity Trust, an organization that works with local activists to overturn laws criminalizing LGBTQ people around the world told PinkNewsUK in a May 2 interview: “Around the world LGBT people are outlawed by legislation criminalizing same-sex sexual activity and through so-called ‘cross dressing’ laws and public order offences, which disproportionately affect trans people,” said Eastwood.

“Many of these laws remain virtually unchanged since they were first introduced in 19th century. The British Empire first tested modern forms of criminalization in its colonies, in India and Australia for example, before introducing them in the U.K. itself,” she explained.

Throughout Elizabeth’s reign, as the British Empire gradually fell away and was replaced by the Commonwealth, many of those former British colonies — now independent countries, have begun working to recant anti-LGBTQ laws.

While some, such as the example of India where same-sex marriage is now being argued before the country’s high court, and in Uganda where a draconian law was passed to essentially imprison LGBTQ people and in neighboring Kenya expel LGBTQ- refugees, there have also been advances. Recently the premier of Australia’s Victoria state castigated anti-LGBTQ groups and in New Zealand lawmakers recently banned socalled conversion therapy and recognized self-identity for trans New Zealanders.

“LGBTQ+ rights across the Commonwealth are changing rapidly, though unevenly,” Eastwood says.

“While a number of countries have recently de-criminalised homosexuality, others, such as Uganda, have introduced legislation to enhance existing laws,” she noted.

BRODY LEVESQUE AND PinkNewsUK