He is an odd duck.
I'm not talking about Britain's current monarch, I'm talking about a time when British anti-monarchists can get into trouble. The name of the play is King Charles III, and it was adapted into a TV show. Some of its visions have already come true, and it's fascinating, especially now.
It is also quite strange.
The new King is a 90-minute TV movie that has been seen by many people searching for it. It is the most popular result for the King's name on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. How could something called King Charles III be considered a science fiction film?
The sci-fi subgenre of future history is where the writer of Doctor Who could be found. He imagined a period of turmoil in politics following the death of the Queen, which began with her funeral and ended with her ascension to the throne.
It's not a good time for Charles or for the country in general. It's a great time for William and Kate. We're going to get to Harry later in the section.
It's intriguing for those of us who live in the future when the play starts. It is odd that the same scenes from the Queen's funeral are used in a TV movie today. Pigott-Smith's funeral took place before King Charles III aired.
Tim Pigott-Smith: RIP to a legend. We stan a King. Credit: McPix / Shutterstock
Charles and most of the other 21st century characters in this near-future 21st century speak in blank, which is strange since viewers have been familiar with this trope since House of Cards. Most of us think of Shakespeare in this way.
Not always, not over the top, and not a lot of rhyming couplets. It's me. Only an actor like Pigott-Smith could sell us on the role.
What the person who wrote the Wars of the Roses cycle would make of the ongoing soap opera that is the House of Windsor? Doing the answer justice is beyond any writer alive today. For knowing he could only really do all this in the realm of future fiction, and for having the balls to try, to breathe new life into the Bard's tropes, is a blessing.
The themes of King Charles III are more relevant than ever. The public stereotypes of these people are used in the story to create three-dimensional characters he can thrust into them.
It offers perspective on a theme that can't be any more timely: the corruption of power and popularity in a democracy, how authoritarianism gains a foothold in one, and how the media shames women of color.
To explain further, and to get to the Harry bit, we'll have to issue an official SPOILER alert for anyone who would rather watch the movie themselves. Maybe you should get the TL;DR. I have everything you need. Let's start with the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction portion.
Jessica, an anti-royalist, and Prince Harry, a royal, in 'King Charles III' Credit: BBC
Prince Harry had a romance with a Hollywood actor, his family was concerned about the color of his children, and he walked away from being a royal. The story began in 2016 when Harry andMeghan met.
The less dramatic version from the earlier King Charles III multiverse shows Harry meeting an anti-monarchist named Jessica after the Queen's funeral. They have a very normal night. She urged him to walk away from being a royal because he was in love with her.
When the tabloids print compromising photos of Jess, who also happens to be a woman of color, Harry introduces her to the King and tells his dad they want to leave the family. Charles gave his consent.
There is no equivalent of escaping to Santa Barbara. They should delay the announcement of Harry and Jess leaving until after the election. Harry dumps Jess cold to "resume the way I was before, a singleton, amusing mostly, clownish and un threatening."
One sign that a new and more subtly terrifying reign is about to begin is shutting out Jess.
Did that universe affect this one? How much influence did the fake Harry and Jess have in getting the real Harry andMeghan to change their minds?
Mr. Unpopular: Charles confronts the House of Commons in the original stage play. Credit: Alastair Muir / Shutterstock
What do you think about authoritarianism on the rise? Which of the play's strengths is it? A new bill limits press freedom, according to the King. In his first speech to the nation, King Charles described it.
There is a law that gives the government the right.
Power to restrict and then make a decision.
In print, what is acceptable to say?
Politician who is fragile can.
It is claimed public sensitivity.
If you don't censor what's writ it will.
It's easy to govern as corrupt.
Being held unto account is more important than being bothered.
Questions of how that law would work in practice should be brushed aside. Come and get us. The bill is not a good one. It breaks long-held norms and weakens democracy, just as the new Prime Minister vows it will pass a bill that breaks international law by ripping up its deal to leave the European Union.
What is Charles going to do? That's what the Bartlett-verse says. The bill has been passed by the House of Commons and the House of Lords. This is a big deal. The British monarchs are not president. One does not have to veto a bill. One has not for more than 300 years. In 1708 Queen Anne vetoed a bill because her ministers asked if they'd changed their minds about making the law.
Charles doesn't want to sign because his conscience won't let him The king no longer needs to sign bills to make them law as a result of a bill prepared by the government. Charles walked into the House of Commons and used his unused right to call for fresh elections.
There is a standoff. The palace is surrounded by protesters. There's a tank in the picture. The threat comes from inside. If William and Kate can get Charles to abdicate, the monarchy will be saved. They threaten to cut off Harry's access to himself and his family.
This is a stone cold power move worthy of Succession.
It is possible that this is a clue to what is lacking in King Charles III: enough fleshing out to fulfill its potential for a great multi season series. The morality of every character is tested. Everything about their world is gray. Even though he avoids and dislikes the press, Charles still risks his throne to defend it. The prime minister points out that the Murdoch phone hacking saga was detestable and that Jess' national shame is an example of how low the British press will sink.
Never mind Shakespeare, this is a stone-cold familial power move worthy of 'Succession.'
Mr. Evans believes that the people's representatives should decide law in this century. You can almost hear the firefights over this question on the side of the road.
The leader of the opposition is a role that could benefit from being fleshed out. She seems to have manipulated Charles into opposing the press bill and then betrayed him later. What she tells him makes sense and has been pointed to as a benefit of constitutional monarchy.
I think we could never see.
The British laws are being made by a Nazi party.
The reigning monarch would remain.
His ground and being the head of state don't agree.
Don't allow the country to lose.
Rebellion is caused by democracy and doing so.
An idea that could be dramatized could be here. Brits have long believed that a monarch's power to refuse assent could be used to fight off fascists. The first ever fascist prime minister, Mussolini, was appointed by Italy's King Victor Emanuel III and he could do nothing to stop Italy from entering World War II. That was there and then. It wasn't possible here and now.
The world has hopefully learned that 21st century fascists use the levers of democracy against themselves. The zone can be flooded by political donations from dictators. Social media can be used by companies to influence voters. Over time, a close referendum can be twisted to serve the hard right's will.
Americans have the same hopes for checks and balances. A president can lose the popular vote twice, deny it both times, lead an insurrection with conspiracy theories about election theft, and try to seed state governments with conspiracy candidates who can put their thumb on the scales for him.
The world's greatest democracy can be found at the mercy of unelected rulers.
The odd duck that is King Charles III is paddling in the right direction but not far enough. Whether the odd duck that is King Charles III can do anything to swim against his own, far more subtle tide of darkness, or whether we'll see an abdication and a King William V sooner rather than later, this we'll start to learn soon, post-funer
King Charles III can be rented on Apple TV and Prime Video.
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