A 15-foot dinosaur called Chuck the Rex has become the centerpiece of a rally calling for the abolition of the monarchy ahead of the first anniversary of King Charles’ coronation.
Monday will mark one year since the king’s coronation, with gun salutes across the capital to mark his reign.
About 100 people attended Sunday’s rally in Trafalgar Square in central London, organized by campaign group Republic, and parallel rallies in Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Demonstrators chanted “Abide, abdicate” in front of two large yellow banners reading “Abolish the monarchy” and “Change our country forever”.
Republic chief executive Graham Smith said the group brought in the giant puppet dinosaurs to represent the anachronisms of the monarchy. “The fossilized remains should be in a museum so we can look at them and actually enjoy life in a modern democracy,” he says.
Mr Smith and other Republic members were arrested last year for taking part in a pre-agreed protest on the day of the coronation. Smith was detained for 14 hours and filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police last year.
He told the crowd that the action continues. “We need to challenge the monarchy and the royal family because it is a corrupt system. They are lazy people, they have not earned their place and they need to be kicked out.” he said.
He added: “We want a constitution, institutions, and democracy that actually celebrate our best principles and values. This is not just a matter of principle; It will change the way we govern, which in turn will change society, and the way we see ourselves not as subjects but as citizens.”
Mr Smith said people had been “forced to compromise our values and principles” and likened the surveillance of politicians to that of a monarchy.
“We criticize MPs spending thousands of pounds on holiday homes…but we don’t criticize them.” [Prince] “William spent £4.5 million of our money building us a fourth home, not a second or third home,” he said.
Mr Smith told the Guardian that interest in the idea of abolishing the monarchy increased in the first years of Charles’ reign.
“We’ve grown a lot in the last 12 months, we’ve got more funding, more members, more activists. We couldn’t have planned this two years ago. Charles is not the Queen. [Elizabeth]. In other words, the Queen was the monarchy for many people. ”
A poll released on Sunday suggested increasing support for King Charles, but also showed an increase in people who think Britain should become a republic.
An Ipsos poll for the Mail on Sunday found that 56% of people believe Prince Charles is doing a good job as king, up from 49% last year. It also found that 28% of people supported making Britain a republic, compared to 22% four months before Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2023.
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Peter Tatchell, a human rights activist who has supported the Republic for decades, was among the speakers. He told the Guardian: “The monarchy symbolizes elitism, privilege, and deference. It is totally incompatible with modern democracy in the 21st century.
“The royal family has 23 palaces and mansions, 700 servants and a combined personal fortune of £2 billion.”
Mr Tuttle pointed to growing enthusiasm for republicanism among young people and said support for the monarchy was “in decline”. A new Ipsos poll found that a third of young people said it would be “better” if the monarchy was abolished, compared to just one in six older people.
Immediately after the meeting, the Archbishop of Canterbury praised King Charles’ “sense of duty” in returning to public life after being diagnosed with cancer.
In a statement released to coincide with Coronation Day, Justin Welby said anointing the King and Queen at the ceremony was a “once in a lifetime privilege”.
The king resumed engagement with the royal family and the public last week, attending three events. His first encounter was with cancer experts and patients undergoing chemotherapy at the University College Hospital Cancer Center in London.
Reflecting on the response to Prince Charles’ illness, Mr. Welby said: But I was impressed by his continued sense of duty, having recently returned to royal duties after completing treatment.
“His openness about his condition is a hallmark of his willingness to help and support others.”
