The British Monarchy's Popularity Problem

A video about how the British Monarchy developed a popularity problem. And how King Charles might be about to make it worse...

Written, directed and presented by Tom Nicholas.
Edited by Georgia Burrows.

*Chapters*
00:00 King Charles' Sudden Popularity
03:38 Queen Victoria and the Rise of Democracy
08:02 The Birth of the Royal Family
12:01 How to Research Like a PhD Student
14:25 Victoria in Mourning
17:07 The Republican Surge
20:51 Typhoid Saves the Day
23:22 Will King Charles' Popularity Last?

Bibliography

With the coronation of Charles III just around the corner, I thought I'd celebrate in the only way I know how: by creating a mini-series of videos telling the stories of various rebels, radicals and republicans throughout the centuries who have tried (with varying degrees of success) to consign the British crown to history.

In this second episode of what I'm calling "Treason Fest 2023", we're looking at how the British Monarchy became obsessed with maintaining its own popularity, how that obsession almost brought-down the institution under Queen Victoria and how King Charles might similarly place it at risk.

Select footage courtesy of Getty

[Tom_Nicholas]

I hope you'll notice that we've really been increasing the production value of what we make over the last few videos. I'm really proud of the stuff we're putting out but doing so is fairly costly.

If you'd like to support me and my team to make more videos like this, then you can do so in a couple of different ways.


Thanks so much and I hope you find time to check out the rest of Treason Fest 2023!

[cinnanyan]

I think the funniest and most cursed outcome would be if Britain becomes a republic but Canada keeps the monarchy and the royal family has to move to Ottawa

[matiasyannuzzi]

"The Queen was more popular than spending time with your partner."

...just British things.

[bobbybooshay]

Elizabeth was basically holding the monarchy together with the strength of Atlas. It was very funny people started asking if they even needed the monarchy the nano second she died.

[Saxolotl]

If I’ve learned nothing else from this series, there is nothing more British than getting to the precipice of getting rid of the monarchy then going “maybe we should give this a bit of a think” and keeping the monarchy

[victorgonzalez]

"In 1861, Prince Albert made the questionable decision to die" really got me 😂 You got a fantastic honest laugh out of me. Played that little clip a couple times

[Fordnan]

This notion of all British charity work hingeing on the work of the royals is one of the most insane attempts at justifying the monarchy's existence. I didn't realise the reason behind it would be mildly interesting. Thanks, Tom.

[jword]

Prince Albert's decision in 1861 was pretty problematic, ngl.

[stewy]

The monarchy is a precarious house of cards that lasted by virtue of Lizzie never moving a muscle. Charles won't last two minutes. God save the king, because nothing else will.

[honestbaguette]

As a vile French man I find that whole series pretty captivating.

[lunaangeleclipse]

The fact that Victoria and Albert were so close in age is honestly a bit of a miracle

[Idkpleasejustletmechangeit]

I remember back when the queen died, a game I play(Splatoon 3) was filled with people saying stuff like "rip lizzy she would've loved this game" or litteraly just "fuck the monarchy". It was very funny to see that, because in game there were just allot of squid/octopus people saying that shit.

[Veldrynvs]

I am endlessly fascinated by the fact that people can passionately argue for meritocracy and still be okay with the monarchy. What the hell is going on there?

[toastedbread]

What I have a hard time to understand is why the Brits find it acceptable that the royal family’s expenses are publicly funded when most of the members have millions, if not billions, in private assets to their name.

[dietwald]

As a German who has little love for the English, the fact the Royal family is descendant from a third rate branch of a minor German aristocratic family will never cease to amuse me.

[Talentedtadpole]

My Victorian studies tutor was correct when she said the Victorians were obsessed with sex

[aprofondir]

In Serbia, we have a royal family but we aren't a monarchy anymore (despite having a crown on our flag for some reason), and they do this charity/public appearance charade too. They barely speak the language.

There is a small group of monarchists wanting them to rule, and their main argument used to be "look how well the British are doing"....uh oh.

[saintbrush]

I love this series. It's not too often I hear about the monarchy from a Leftist Brit's perspective

[James-epbx]

Not a brit so solely an fascinated outsiders take, but the English crown, hell many surviving such titles, have become akin to a secular papacy. Positions of immense soft power and little hard power surving more a cultural role then a political one

[AnFirscealFein]

Missed opportunity to call the series "The Season of Treason"