TheDivineRighttoRebel AnneReynolds

AnneReynolds

Anne Reynolds graduatedwith an MA in Creative Writingin 2013. She chose the University ofWestminsterbecause the focus ofthe MA was not simply on different genres ofwriting; at its heart lies London itselfin all its magnificent, whimsical, andmonstrous guises.

‘WhatisaRebel?Amanwhosaysno.’ Albert Camus

IfeelfrustratedwhenpeopleassumeIhavearebelliousnaturejustbecauseIranawayfrom homeattheageofseventeen. Itseemstometheobvious,non-violentresponsetoinjustice andemotionalabuse. Inasimilarvein,Icanrecallregularlywalkingout,orremaining seated,asthenationalanthemwasplayedintheGerrardsCross‘fleapit’ attheendofafilm. Itwasridiculoustoexpectpeopletostandtoattentionlikepuppetsjustbecauseofabitof music,andanyway,whyshouldI? Justbecausethefamousballetdancemistress,Madame Vacani,hadtaughtmetheroyalcurtsey,itdidn’tnecessarilymeanIwasreadytouseit.

ClassdiscriminationanddeferenceweredepartingfrompostwarBritainfasterthanaslugin astreamofsalt,buttherewerealso someentertainingskirmishesbetweenardent monarchistsandthoseofuswhowereburgeoningsocio-politicalprotesters. BobDylan echoedthissenseofturmoilinhis1964albumtitletrack, The Times They are a-Changin’:

‘Asthepresentnow Willlaterbepast Theorderis Rapidlyfadin’

Andthefirstonenow Willaterbelast Forthetimestheyarea-changin.’

Thisisthesalutarytaleofwhatcanhappentoyouwhenyoulistentoyourownhypeand

ignorethewindsofchange–evenifyouareaKing. Threehundredandsixty-threeyears ago,onabitterlycoldJanuarydayin1649wheneventheriverThameshadfrozenoverin protest,we,thepeopleofEngland,cutofftheheadofKingCharlesIinoneswiftsweepof theexecutioner’saxejustbefore2pm. ImustconfessthatIfeelreallyqueasywhenIwrite that;ifyouthinkabouttherealityofwhatitinvolves,itisunarguablygruesome. Inhistorical

terms,it’snotthatlongagoandeventhoughpublicexecutionswerefairlycommonplacein Londonatthattime,thedespairinggroanfromthecrowdashisheadwasheldupfor inspectionwasinsharpcontrasttotheusualloudcheersandjeers. Andthiswasdespitethe CromwelliantroopsdeployedaroundthetemporaryscaffoldingsetupoutsidetheBanqueting House,inordertopreventunseemlyoutburstsfromthespectators. Theusual‘beholdthe headofatraitor’ wasleftunsaid,althoughhehadbeenconvictedof‘HighTreasonandother highCrymes’ bywhatcanonlybedescribedasahighly-tampered-withjury;allthosewho wouldhaveopposedsuchaverdicthavingbeenexpelledfromtheHighCourtofJustice beforehand. Someofthefifty-ninesignatoriestothedeathwarrantwouldpaywiththeirown livesontherestorationofthemonarchyin1660. Thosewhohaddiedintheinterimdidnot

escapeastheywereexhumedandexecutednonetheless. Canyouspotthesurnameofoneof yourancestorsinthislistofregicides?

JoBradshawe;Tho.Grey;O.Cromwell;Edw.Whalley;M.Livesey;JohnOkey; J. Da[n]vers;Jo.Bourchier;H.Ireton;Tho.Mauleverer;Har.Waller;JohnBlakiston;J. Hutchison;Willi.Goffe;Tho.Pride; Pe.Temple;T.Harrison;J.Hewson;Hen.Smyth; Per.Pelham;Ri.Deane;RobertTichborne;H.Edwardes; DanielBlagrave;Owen Rowe;Willm.Purefoy;Ad.Scrope;JamesTemple;A.Garland;Edm.Ludlowe;Henry Marten;Vinct.Potter;Wm.Constable;Rich. Ingoldesby;Willi.Cawley;Jo. Barkstead;Isaa.Ewer;JohnDixwell;ValentineWauton; SymonMayne;Tho.Horton;

J.Jones;JohnMoore;Gilbt.Millington;G.Fleetwood;J.Alured;Robt.Lilburne;Will. Say;Anth.Stapley;Greg.Norton;Tho.Challoner;Tho.Wogan;JohnVenn;Gregory Clement;Jo.Downes;Tho.Wayte;Tho.Scot;Jo.Carew;MilesCorbet. AnextractfromThe Death Warrant ofKingCharles Iin the House ofLords RecordOffice, Memorandum No 66.

Ofcourse,beinganswerableonlytoGod,Charlesdidnotrecognisethelegitmacyofthe courtandrefusedtodefendhimselforremovehishat. Thejudge,JohnBradshaw,didn’t removehishateitherbutthatwasbecausehefearedforhislife. InratherNed-Kelly-esque

Thatthisperiodinhistoryisstillofgreatinterestwasconfirmedwhenarare1651 ‘wanted’ poster-issuedforthecaptureofCharlesII-soldatauctionfor£33,000.00inMarch2012,

wellinexcessoftheguidepriceof£700-£1,000. Theposterdeclaredthatarewardinthe princelysumof£1,000.00wouldbepaid: ‘FORTHE DifcoveryandApprehendingofCHARLSSTUART,ANDOTHERTraytors HisAdherentsandAbettors.’

TrafalgarSquare: TheHeartofEngland

AtthecurveoftheriverThames,wheretodaytheStrandmeetsTrafalgarSquare,anatural junctionemerged,whichcametobeknownasCharingCross. OnthesitewheretheCharles

Iequestrianstatuenowstandsonitsowntrafficisland-SouthofTrafalgarSquare-a memorialcrosswaserectedbyKingEdwardItohisbelovedQueenEleanorwhofellsick anddiedin1290. Manyyearsafterwards,EdwardreferredtoEleanorasshe‘whomliving wedearlycherished,andwhomdeadwecannotceasetolove.’ TheEleanorcrosswas demolishedduringtheInterregnumin1647forbeing‘idolatrous’. Areplicaofthecrosswas erectedin1863outsideCharingCrossstation.

AsImovethroughthemillingcrowdsinTrafalgarSquareonanunseasonablysunny Februarydayin2012,Iamawareofthespiritsofthepastmovinginsepiaoutlinesbetween thetouristswhoareoblivioustotheirpresence. Ihaveconjuredupthechildrenenthralledby

thepunchinelloshows,thepickpockets,pillory,cartsandcarriages,flowersellersand,of course,thenoxiousstenchofagrowing,bustlingCity. Thisistheplacewhereseveralofthe regicideswerehanged,drawnandquarteredattheRestorationoftheMonarchy.

DidyouknowthatallroadsignsshowingthenumberofmilestoLondonaremeasuredtothe statueofCharlesI? ThismakesittheheartofEnglandandaplaceshimmeringwiththepast, asunseenthreadsfromalloverthecountrylinktothisonespot. Itisunsurprisingthenthatit isalsothemeetingpointforseveralleylinesandistheperfectplaceforaspotofdowsing.

However,asNiccolòMachiavelliaccuratelyobserved,‘historyiswrittenbythevictors’ andI thinkthatthisisthe‘elephantintheroom,’ asfarasthehistoryoftheCharlesIstatueis concerned. Iwatchedconfusedtouristsscanitforanarrativeplaqueandwalkstraightover theuninformativeonesetinthepavement. Someevenbentdowntoreadthecardattachedto thewiltingwreath‘FromtheofficersandmembersoftheRoyalStuartSociety, Aymez

Leyaulte’ (‘loveandloyalty’),butlookedjustasbaffledafterwards. Thesewreathswerelaid on30January2012,theanniversaryofKingCharlesI’sexecution. Itisnoaccidentthatthe whiteroseoftheJacobitesisincludedinallthreeofthewreaths. (Theterm‘Jacobite’ is derivedfromtheLatinwordJacobus,meaning‘James,’ andwascoinedduringthereignof KingJamesI&VI.) TheJacobitessupportedtheStuarts’ claimtotheEnglishthroneafter JamesIIwasreplacedbyWilliamofOrangeandMary. Franz,DukeofBavaria,isthe currentJacobiteheir. Onhisdeath,theultimateheirwillbePrinceJosephWenzel MaximilianMariaofLiechtensteinwhoiscurrentlyattendingMalvernCollegein Worcestershire. Heisthefirst‘pretender’ tohavebeenborninEnglandsinceJamesIIleft thecountryin1688. ThewebsiteoftheRoyalStuartSocietydeclaresthat:

…‘ItshouldbenotedthatnoneoftheserepresentativesofKingCharlesIsince1807has attemptedtoclaimaBritishThrone…UnderthetermsoftheActofSettlement(1701)they haveallbeenexcludedfromthe de facto lineofsuccession,whichvestsinthepresentHouse ofWindsor…’ http://www.royalstuartsociety.com.

Twoimportantstrandsinhistoryhavebecomeentangledhere: (1)agrowthspurtinthe developmentofdemocracyinEngland(theoriginsbeingMagnaCartain1215)andthe consequentshiftinthebalanceofpowerfrommonarchtogovernment;and(2)theexecution ofaStuartmonarch,followedinduecoursebyapermanentchangefromtheStuartstothe

HouseofWindsor. I’mnotsuggestingthereisanactiveconspiracy,butovergenerations,if certainthingsarenotdiscussed,theyvanishfromthecollectivememory.

JamesI 1603-1625

I CharlesI 1625-1649

I

Cromwell’sInterregnum 1649-1660

I

CharlesII 1649(or1660)-1685

I JamesII 1685-1688 (fledtoFrance) I

WilliamofOrange&

Mary 1689-1702

Thestatue’splinthhastwoplainsidesandtheseshowsignsofwhatappeartobedowelholes

thatwouldprobablyhavesupportedadescriptivetablet. Myguessisthatitwouldhavesaid somethingalongthelinesof‘Stuartsforever!’ Allmyeffortstolocatethewordinghave failed,andafterinitialfrustration,Inowacceptthatmyrequestsareunlikelytobemetwith anyenthusiasm. IdidhaveonebreakthroughwhenIlocatedadrawingofitattheBritish Library,dated1740. Textofsomekindwasclearlyindicatedontheplaque. Myinstincttells methatinanagewhereprintedcommunicationwaslimitedandtherewasneithertelevision northeinternet,publicsymbolsreallymattered. In 1660,bonfiresblazedacrossLondonin celebrationofCharlesII’sreturntoLondonandthewords‘Thelasttyrantofkingsdiedin thefirstyearoflibertyofEnglandrestored’ wereremovedfromabustofCharlesI. As SamuelPepys–whohadwitnessedthedeathofCharlesIasaschoolboy-recorded: ‘The

writingin golden letters, that was engraven under the statue ofCharles I, in the Royal Exchange was washedout by a painter, who in the day time raiseda ladder, andwith a pot andbrush washedthe writingquite out, threw down his pot andbrush andsaidit should neverdo him any more service, in regardthat it hadthe honourto put out rebels’ handwriting.’

That’sallfascinatingstuff,butIthinkIcansafelysaythere’snoimminentthreatofa counter-claimtotheBritishthrone,sowhynottellpassers-bythefascinatingstoryofthe statue? It’stheoldestoneinLondon,havingbeencastinbronzein1633atacostof£600.

Themetalishalfaninchthickandtook8monthstocreate. Thehorse,aFlemishlongtail,is 7’8”highriderless. TheKingisshownasbeing6’ andthatisabout1’ tallerthanhewasin reality. Overtheyears,ithaslostnumerousswords,bucklesandstrapsandthe‘George’ (OrderofStGeorge)disappearedin1844. Itwasentirelyencasedinsandbagsduringthe GreatWarandremovedforsafekeepingtoMentmoreTowers,Buckinghamshire,during

WWII. Ican’thelpfeelingalittlesorryforhimasheperpetuallystaresdownWhitehall towardsthesceneofhisdeathoutsideInigoJones’ BanquetingHouse. Loverskiss,oblivious tothehistoryswirlingaroundthem. Ajoggerrunsoverthecrossingwhilethe453to Marylebonewaitsfortheredlighttochange.

Thestatuewasmadein1633forLordTreasurerWestonbyHubertLeSuerandwas displayedinhisgardenatRoehampton. ItwasconfiscatedbyParliamentin1644and subsequentlysoldfor£150toparishionersoftheChurchofStPaul’s,CoventGarden,who erecteditintheirchurchyard. In1650,theCouncilofStateorderedallownersofroyal statuestodestroythem,butnoownercouldbetracedforthestatueinStPaul’s,so

ParliamentsoldittoJohnRivett,abrazierofSevenDials. Hewasorderedtomeltitdown andsubsequentlysoldkniveswhosehandlesheclaimedtohavebeenmadefromthestatue. Commercially,hecouldn’tlose,becausemonarchistswouldhavevaluedtheitemsas mementosandpuritanswouldhaveviewedthemassymbolsofvictoryoveratyrantking. Thetruthwasthatheburiedthestatue,andalltheknivessoldwerefakes. Hismotivationis lostintheannalsoftime,butattheRestorationofthemonarchy,Rivettdugupthestatueand wasappointedtotheOfficeofKing’sBrazier. Thestatuewaseventuallypurchasedby CharlesIIin1675whenitwaserectedonthesiteoftheoldEleanorCross.

ArtforArt’sSake?

CharlesIgatheredtogetheroneofthefinestartcollectionseverseeninEngland,butit’salso clearthat,likemanyofhispredecessors,hewasacutelyawareofhowimportantimagewas inthepublicrelationsofthetime. ItwashisengagementofAnthonyVanDyckas ‘principalle Paynterin ordinary to theirmajesties’ thatallowedhimtoindulgeinthespindoctoringnecessarytoinflatehisimage. Adiminutivefigurewithapronouncedstammer andastrongScottishaccent,heneededtoreinforcehiskinglystatusbydemonstratinghis powerandimportance. Hisolderbrother,Henry,hadbeenacharismaticandpopularfigure whodiedoftyphusin1612. Itwouldbedifficultforthisunimpressiveyoungerbrotherto

TheFinalHours Thenightbeforehisexecution,CharlessleptatStJames’ Palacewithhisfaithfulattendant, ThomasHerbert,onthefloorbesidehim. Thenextmorning,BishopWilliamJuxonprayed

withhimandadministeredthesacramentintheChapelRoyal. AccompaniedbyJuxonand Herbert,hewalkedacrossStJames’ Parkalongarouteguardedbytwocompaniesof infantry. AfterpassingovertheupperflooroftheHolbeinGate-wheretheywouldhave seentheblack-drapedscaffold-theyenteredBanquetingHouse.

In1649,Parliamentproclaimedthat ‘theofficeofthe kinginthisnationisunnecessary,burdensomeand dangeroustotheliberty,societyandpublicinterestof thepeople.’

Hehadrequestedtwoshirtstoprotecthimfromthecold,sothatpeoplewouldnotattribute hisshakingtofear. AsIfollowedinhisfootsteps,Iwonderedifhehadanylast-minute regrets. Ifhedid,Isuspecthekeptthemtohimself. Althoughthemannerofhisdeathwas outofhishands,he wasabletochoreographthepublicfaceofhisdeparture. Hewouldhave beengratifiedtoknowthatAndrewMarvell,aParliamentarianatheart,wrote‘AnHoratian OdeuponCromwell’sReturnfromIreland’ in1650,whichincludedareferencetothe dignifiedwayinwhichCharlesmethisdeaththeyearbefore:

‘Thatthencetheroyalactorborne Thetragicscaffoldmightadorn,

Whileroundthearmedbands

Didclaptheirbloodyhands. Henothingcommondidormean Uponthatmemorablescene,

Butwithhiskeenereye

Theaxe’sedgedidtry; Norcall’dthegodswithvulgarspite Tovindicatehishelplessright,

Butbowedhiscomelyhead

Therewasadelaybeforetheexecutiontookplace,astheHangman,RichardBrandon, refusedtocarryoutthesentence. Whentheexecutionerandhisassistantfinallyappeared threehourslater,theywereindisguiseandmaskedinordertoavoididentification. Somesay

Brandondidcarryouttheexecution,butnooneknowsforsure. Whatiscertain,however,is thatwhoeverdealtthefatalblowwashighlyexperiencedinhistrade. TheKingwascalm andcomposed. Hisshortspeechwastakendownbyacoupleofshorthandwritersandyou canreadthefulltexthere: http://anglicanhistory.org/charles/charles1.html.

JuxonhelpedtheKingtotuckhislonghairintoacapsothatitmightnotimpedetheaxe. Charlesreplied,‘IgofromacorruptibletoanincorruptibleCrown,wherenodisturbancecan be,nodisturbanceintheworld.’ Hethenpassedhisdiamond-encrustedGeorgetoJuxonand saidoneword: ‘Remember!’

TheKing'sembalmedbody,withtheseveredheadstitchedbackon,layondisplayin WhitehallandtheRoyalapartmentsatStJames'Palaceforseveraldays. Itwasimportantfor peopletoknowthathewastrulydead. Ontheotherhand,Cromwelldidnotwanthisburial placetobecomeashrineandrefusedpermissionforhimtobelaidtorestinWestminster Abbey. Eventually,itwasagreedthatthebodywouldbereleasedtoBishopJuxonandother supportersforaprivateburialinStGeorge’sChapel,Windsor. Itwasdecidedtolayhimto restinavaultcontainingtheremainsofKingHenryVIII,QueenJaneSeymouranda stillbornchildofQueenAnne. Thewhitesnowthatfellinaflurryasthefuneralparty walkedtothechapelwasinterpretedasasignoftheKing’sinnocence. There,inaplainlead coffin,coveredbyablackvelvetpall,hefinallyescapedthemachinationsofreligionand

politics.

Shortlyafterhisdeath,andmuchtothechagrinofCromwell,copiesof Eikon Basilike -the storyoftheKing’slife-wentonsale. Thebookbecameaninstantbest-seller,goinginto sixtyeditionsthroughoutEnglandandEurope. Itsappearancesosoonafterhisexecution indicatesthatithadbeenlargelywrittenwhilehewasstillalive. Itportrayedhimasapious Protestantcommittedtohisdutyandhisfamilyanddidmuchtofurtherthemonarchistcause andthelateKing’sreputation. However,itislikelythatitwasghost-writtenbyJohn Gauden,theKing'schaplain.

UntiltheinstallationofthemagnificentRubensceilinginBanquetingHouse,sumptuous royalmasquestookplacethereatregularintervals. Themostpopularofthesewerewritten

byBenJohnsonandthecostumesandsceneryweredesignedbyInigoJones–bothclass acts. Theproblemwasthatthesemasqueswerenotjustentertainment;theKingsawthemas blueprintsforKingship. Thebasicplotwasthatchaosandviolencewouldbevanquishedby theinterventionofthewiseandjustKing,withtheQueenembodyingpureloveandbeauty- prettyboring,really.

HislifeasKingwasonelongmasquewithalotofre-writingbyotherstowardstheend. The peopleofLondonwereprobablynotgreatlyimpressedbyallthepompandcircumstanceas theywereinterestedinfreedomandjusticeforall–excepttheCatholics,ofcourse. And thereinlayanotherseriousproblem. CharleshadmarriedHenriettaMaria,theyoungest

daughterofKingHenryIVofFrance,byproxyon11 May1625,andagaininpersonin Canterburyon13June,thesameyear. ThisallowednotimeforParliamenttoobjectand therewerecertainlymanyensuingobjections,asshewasapractisingCatholic. Although initiallyproblematic,theirswasahappymarriageandtheyhadsevenchildren;three daughtersandthreesonssurvivinginfancy. HenriettaMariawasnotbackwardingiving Charlesheropinion. Unfortunately,shewasusuallywrong,andherinterventionsjustmade mattersworse. ThosewhotriedtobargainwiththeKingsoondiscoveredthathewasafickle negotiatorwhowouldbasicallypromiseanythingtoanyoneinordertoachievehisownends andwouldthenfailtodeliver. Hisreputationsufferedgravelyasaconsequence.

Hisexecutionwasn’tinevitableandhehadmanyopportunitiestocompromise,butintheend Cromwellgotfedupwithhimanddecidedthatdeathwastheonlywaytoshuthimup.

LeavingLondonandsettingupcourtinOxfordwasanothermistake. However,Charleshad earliershothisboltwhenheenteredtheHouseofCommonsin1642withawarranttoarrest fiveofitsmemberswhohadalreadymadegoodtheirescape. SpeakerWilliamLenthalldrew alineinthesandthathasneverbeenerasedwhenhetoldtheKing:

MartyrdomandSainthood

WhentheChurchandtheMonarchywererestoredon29May1660,thenameofKing

CharlesIwasaddedtotheecclesiasticalcalendarintheBookofCommonPrayer,for celebrationontheanniversaryofhisdeath. DuringQueenVictoria’sreignthiswasremoved. TheFeastwaslaterrestoredtothecalendarintheAlternativeServiceBookof1980. However,ithasnotbeenrestoredtotheBookofCommonPrayerand,frankly,Idoubtthatit everwillbe. Forexample,itreferstotheregicidesasbeing‘cruelandunreasonable’ intheir treatmentoftheKing,andalsotothethronebeinglegitimatelyclaimedbackbyCharlesII, whichdoesn’tquitefitcurrentcircumstances,doesit?

NodoubtCharlesIIfelthehadagoodcasewhenheaskedthebishopstodeclarehisfathera martyrsaint. ThereweremanyclaimsthatthelateKing’sblood(witnessespaidtodiptheir

handkerchiefsinhisblood)broughtaboutmiracles. Oneexamplewasthatoftheteenage ‘MaydofDetford’ whosufferedfrom‘TheKing’sEvill.’ AwoollendrapercalledJohn Lane,whopossessedsuchahandkerchief,gaveapiecetoherandthiswassaidtohavecured her.

On30Januaryeachyear,aservicetakesplaceatBanquetingHouse,whichanyonecan attend. ItisorganisedbyTheSocietyofKingCharlestheMartyr(www.skcm.org). Despite beinganatheist,Idecidedtoattendandfounditvery‘highchurch’ (CatholicAnglican). The hymnsweregraphicallyspecific:

‘OholyKing,whoseseveredhead TheMartyr’sCrowndothray Withgemsforeveryblood-dropshed, SaintCharles! ForEnglandpray.’

Attheendoftheservice,membersofthecongregationwereinvitedtoveneratehisHoly Relics–aninvitationIdidnottakeup–andstoodinlinetokneelandkissthesilver-framed mementoesofhisdeath. HavingreadtheSKCMmagazine,itismyfeelingthatthissociety isareactionaryfaction,whichdisapprovesofwomenbishops,gayclergyandabortion.

OliverCromwell’sson,Richard,inheritedthetitleofLordProtectorbrieflyonhisfather’s deathin1658,buthedidnotinherithisfather’ssteelwill,politicalnousormilitaryability

andsoontookoffabroad. Cromwellhadearlierdeclinedtheopportunitytobecrowned King;itwouldhavebeenratherhypocriticalofhim,wouldn’tit? WeEnglishneverreally hadthestomachforregicideandsoonGeneralMonckwaspavingthewayforCharlesII’s returntoLondon. WhentheQueenMother,HenriettaMaria,returnedtoaRoyalistLondon, shetookadetourtogazeattheposthumouslydecapitatedheadofCromwellwhichwas displayedonaspikeoutsideWestminsterHall. Itremainedtherefortwenty-fiveyearsbefore collapsingaltogether,andwasfinallyburiedsecretlyathisoldcollege,SidneySussex,in Cambridge.

TheKingwasback,buthispowershadbeenrigorouslyprunedanditwasnowParliament

thatheldtheupperhand. SamuelPepyssailedbacktoEnglandonthesameshipasCharles II. Hisdiaryentryfor25May1660revealsamorehumansideofthemonarchy:

‘Iwent,andMrMansellandoneoftheKing’sfootmen,withadogthattheKingloved (whichshitintheboat,whichmadeuslaughandmethinkthataKingandallthatbelongto himarebutjustasothersare).’

QueenElizabethII

Thesedays,QueenElizabethIIarrivesatthestateopeningofParliamentinahorse-drawn

coachtodelivertheQueen’sspeech. ShedoessofromthethroneintheHouseofLordsto membersofbothhouses. Butherroleislargelyceremonialandherspeechhasbeenwritten by‘her’ Government. Therehavebeen12PrimeMinistersduringherreign:

WinstonChurchill,1951-55 SirAnthonyEden,1955-57 HaroldMacmillan,1957-63 SirAlecDouglas-Home,1963-64 HaroldWilson,1964-70and1974-76

EdwardHeath,1970-74 JamesCallaghan,1976-79 MargaretThatcher,1979-90 JohnMajor,1990-97 TonyBlair,1997-2007

GordonBrown,2007-2010 DavidCameron,from2010

Inthattimeshehassignedmorethanthreeandahalfthousandbillsandmustbeoneofthe best-informedpeopleonreligious,constitutionalandpoliticalmattersintheUnited Kingdom. Yet,sheisabletosaylittleinpublic. Ifhistoryhadgonedifferently,wecould havebeenpreparingtoelectournextpresident.

Istilldon’twanttocurtseytoanyoneandIreservetherighttochainmyselftotherailingsifI wantto,butovertheyears,perhaps,I’vemellowedabit. I’vegrowntoadmireourQueen

whohasadifficultjobtodoandwillprobablycarryondoingituntilthedayshedies. There areanumberofconstitutionalissuesthatneedtobesortedoutbeforethenextmonarchis crowned,sothelongersheisaround,thebetter. Sherecentlysaid: ‘weshouldremind ourselvesofthesignificantpositionoftheChurchofEnglandinournation’slife…Itsroleis nottodefendAnglicanismtotheexclusionofotherreligions. InsteadtheChurchhasaduty toprotectthefreepracticeofallfaithsinthiscountry.’

CharlesIdiedbecausehebelievedintheDivineRightofKings. Timehasshownhimtobe verymistakenbutthatdoesnotdetractfromhiscourageinsaying‘no’ andjoininghisown rebellion.