There is no need for the throne to bypass Prince Charles

Public attitudes to royalty can seem at times to be a mixture of traditional conservatism and emotional impulse.

Hence the simultaneous unwavering support for the Queen, and the sudden swings against Her Majesty on specific matters of conduct, from the demand that she pay taxes (to subsidise the restoration of Windsor Castle after the 1992 fire) to the clamour to have the royal standard flown at half mast (in defiance of protocol) after the 1997 death of Princess Diana.

Almost all major royals have fallen out of favour at one time or another, and even at moments there has been some support for the Queen standing aside for the younger generation (a 2016 survey showed that a fifth of people thought she should abdicate rather than stay on the throne).

Now a survey has found that almost half of Britons think that the heir to the throne Prince Charles should step aside for his eldest son, Prince William, to become king.

This reveals something of a pick and mix attitude to the monarchical principle. A hereditary head of state is a peculiar form of hierarchy that few new states would choose to adopt. But if you have a successful existing such system, as Britain does, then it can work very well.

The throne then passes from one monarch to his or her heir on death, and so on, indefinitely.

The Prince of Wales can be a controversial and political figure but few people would dispute that he has demonstrated keen awareness of the duty that comes with being a king-in-waiting. Prince Charles is now in his early 70s, but shows the sort of energy levels that his own parents did past retirement age, as evident in his recent visit to Northern Ireland. He has been next in line to the throne for 70 years and has more than proven his suitability for that role.

The Prince of Wales has good reason to be proud of his own heir, William, but the conscientious younger prince’s time will come, and there is no need to hasten it.

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