King Charles III and the rest of the royal family have been repeatedly heckled at their public appearances. All of this points to a growing discontent with the monarchy. Recently, during a walkabout in Newmarket, a man shouted at King Charles, “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” while calling out, “Down with the monarchy, William!” This incident is just one example of the wider trend of visible, vocal opposition that increasingly meets the royals wherever they go.
The king and Queen Camilla during their first public engagement on a day dedicated to engaging with ordinary citizens. As they greeted attendees, a woman directed her remarks to Kate Middleton, saying, “Nice to meet you but it would be better if it was when you were in your own country,” expressing sentiments that resonate with historical tensions between the monarchy and national identities.
This recent heckling incident is not an isolated event. The royal family has been forced to meet with criticism and protest in a variety of environments over the past year. Prince William and Kate Middleton faced similar challenges as they visited Canada for their first official royal tour in 2011. They were heckled by some of those unhappy with the monarchy’s place in modern society.
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Ireland in 2018, they were met with chants of “Up the RA” and “Tiocfaidh ár lá.” Each of these references reflected the intensity of the political climate surrounding Irish nationalism. Protests like this are indicative of the factors making up public attitudes against the monarchy, especially prominent in certain areas geographically.
Heckling has become a common occurrence during major royal celebrations. In May 2022, supporters booed Prince William at the FA Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea. This moment was significant because it proved that dissent cannot be contained by any sphere, including the sporting sphere. King Charles III was recently met by a pin-drop quiet but brave lone protester in Staffordshire. The protester yelled “You are never going to be our King!” Why does your family cost us half a billion pounds a year, Charles? This confrontation is representative of the increasing criticism the royal family has come under for their expensive cost to taxpayers.
In September 2022, during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, Prince Andrew was heckled by protestors holding signs that read “Not My King” outside Westminster Abbey. These examples – given the turbulence and radical changes of the recent years – demonstrate that public criticism grows louder in times of crucial national importance.
The royal family has tried lots of different strategies to deal with people who heckle. When on a recent visit to Cardiff, King Charles III was both audacious and courageous when responding to a heckler’s charge. He then went further to engage with other attendees, demonstrating his openness to listen to dissent while remaining committed to his public responsibilities.
Prince William has encountered confrontational engagement. After his brother’s interview with Oprah Winfrey back in March 2021, he found himself in an unfortunate position. Days before his interview with Oprah, a reporter cornered him about alleged racist comments made by the royal family members. In response, he said, “[We’re obviously not a racist family],” in a clear attempt to distance himself from what was becoming a volatile situation.
During another encounter at Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose to ignore anti-monarchist sentiments voiced by protestors. This decision shows a clear-eyed understanding of how to defuse public anger without increasing the risks.
The press hysteria created around each of these moments contributes significantly to the resulting blowback from the royals and the protestors, which then raises all alarms. On his recent visit to Lichfield Cathedral, King Charles III met with local community groups and volunteers. Despite the clear agenda, many participants strongly expressed their dissent. The complexity of these interactions reveals the challenges faced by the royal family as they navigate their roles in modern society.
