Suppressing protest against the monarchy: a British tradition.
During the modern period of British history, arguably from the late eighteenth century, the monarchy has had long periods of unpopularity. This was particularly true of Queen Victoria, whose various activities or sometimes lack of them in the final quarter of the nineteenth century, helped to promote a vigorous republican movement.
Arguably it was too broadly based for the authorities to be able to do much to frustrate it.
In the latter period of her reign it was not so much Queen Elizabeth II that provoked opposition, with the exception of the 1977 Jubilee, but the wider monarchy starting with Charles marriage to Diana and ending with Andrew.
It isn’t just the personal activities of senior Royals but the enormous wealth, the number of palaces and the unaccountable and undemocratic status that focuses protest.
How worried the State becomes about protest depends on how strong or weak its own legitimacy is thought to be.
In June 1850 the left Chartist George Julian Harney started publication of a weekly paper the Red Republican. Harney worked with Marx and Engels and the paper carried the first English translation of the Communist Manifesto. It lasted only until December 1850 when the name was changed to Friend of the People. Harney was clear on the reason. The paper had been ‘burked’. That is the news trade had refused to carry it, possibly with official if informal support. After all it was only two years after 1848 when Europe had been revolutionary turmoil and Harney was associated with the left of that.
Fast forward to 2023 and we find the Met Police arresting Republic protesters at the Coronation of King Charles 11. They may make an offence up in due course although letting the matter drop would be more sensible. The Met is rarely sensible hence growing calls for it to be disbanded.
The issue of course is that the reality of someone well into their 70s becoming King is not widely popular and the British Government under Sunak has the same issue. Again legitimacy is an issue. When the State feels under threat, protest is suppressed.
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