Published
By Ben Godfrey
Correspondent, BBC Midlands Today
As the reign of King Charles III begins, people are waiting to discover the type of monarch he will be.
Many have already met him, during his time as the Prince of Wales, and to others he is well-known for his campaigning on environmental issues.
The BBC spoke to people at four locations around the West Midlands to hear their hopes and expectations.
Some want to see a new type of monarch, willing to speak out on big issues and others want to see an authentic King.
'They want to see injustices addressed'
For Heather Reid, an agenda for change for black people and a fairer Commonwealth is her priority for the new King.
Through her work with the Telford African and Afro-Caribbean Resource Centre, she said she has met with a lot of young people from many different backgrounds.
Among them there is a feeling of the "irrelevance of the Royalty", she said, and a desire for past and present injustices to be tackled.
"They want to see injustices addressed, they want it to be on the agenda for change," she said.
"We want to see changes to the legal system. They want to see a complete overhaul of the education system."
While much of the change would have to come from government, she said King Charles III would have "an influential voice".
"They would want awareness to be raised by the voice of the monarchy so that we can approach a fair Commonwealth."
'Small signals from him as King'
When he was Prince of Wales, the King met Prof Rob MacKenzie in woodland in Staffordshire in 2018 for an experiment.
The University of Birmingham professor was investigating how rising levels of carbon dioxide might affect forests and wildlife in the future.
Prof MacKenzie said their meeting continued the monarch's lifetime of environmental campaigning and he hoped that would continue even as King.
"I'm absolutely sure he will have a continued interest in the environment," he said.
While the monarch is obliged to remain politically neutral, Prof MacKenzie said even little moves from the King would have an impact.
"I don't think we are asking him to to be a strong advocate in an outspoken way," he said.
"I think by virtue of where he has put himself over previous decades, just maintaining that stance, small signals from him as King will make a big difference to our scientific endeavour and to environmentalism."
'The Elizabethan way has gone now'
Wendy Lucas met the now-King when he visited her home at the Bedworth Almshouses in Warwickshire in February 2020.
He was a "perfect gentleman," she said.
She said that although the monarchy had been "going forward" under the Queen's rule, "the Elizabethan way has gone now".
"I think I'd like him to do it in his way," she said.
Eileen Grassam was also there when the then-Prince of Wales visited and she said he had "the right people around him" and his parents had "brought him up to know what was going to happen from a very young age".
She advised him to "be himself".
Ray Massey, who also met the King at the time, added: "He'll put the Great back into Great Britain, I'm certain of that."
'First impressions are incredibly important'
Pupils at Queen Elizabeth High School in Bromyard, Herefordshire, have been reflecting on the reign of the Queen and talking about the future under the new King.
Tom said: "I think first impressions are incredibly important and people will take this first year of his reign to make their assumptions about him."
Fellow-student Elsa said she hoped he would "speak openly" about issues such as climate change and charities.
Kinga, who also studies at the school, said: "I think he's more willing to represent us, or represent modern issues."
Sam added: "If he can just be there for us, like the Queen, a good figurehead, then that's all we can ask of him really."
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Related Topics
- Telford
- Bromyard
- Bedworth
- Birmingham
- King Charles III
- Queen Elizabeth II
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20 September 2022
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