King Charles will struggle to gain public sympathy in the long-term, says a royal expert who warns support for the Queen shouldn't be confused with support for the monarchy.
There will be a honeymoon period for the new monarch, but the royal family will face fresh challenges after the Queen's funeral, says Prof Pauline Maclaran, co-author of 'Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture'.
According to the expert, the future survival of the monarchy will be a central concern. The 'big adjustment' to King Charles comes in the wake of troubles that have rocked the royal family, including the Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew scandal.
Prof Maclaran of Royal Holloway University said: "I think this will be a big adjustment for the royal brand as it transitions into the King Charles III era. Many people have been used to the Queen at its helm for over 70 years and it will not be easy for the public to accept Charles in her place.
"We should not conflate support and admiration for the Queen with support for the monarchy. There will be a honeymoon period for King Charles as the memory of his mother remains vivid and the state funeral takes place.
Complicating the matters are the new king's troubled relationship with Prince Harry who painted a harsh portrait of royal life in a bombshell interview with Oprah last year.
She continued: "However, in the longer term, the monarchy is likely to face fresh challenges, particularly in relation to the various family dynamics, such as the scandals with Prince Andrew and Harry and Meghan's various revelations.
"It will be more difficult for Charles to gain public sympathy. It is likely that he will put emphasis on the family aspects of the royal family brand in order to convince the public of the monarchy's future.
"This will be in relation to William and Kate and their family as well as possibly the roles of Princess Anne and Prince Edward. But William and Kate will be looked to for the future survival of the monarchy."
In January 2021, another author, Clive Irving, claimed in an interview that the Prince of Wales was "entirely unsuitable" to be the next head of the Royal family.
Citing the royal's popularity compared to the Queen and William, he said it would be better if the crown could "jump straight" to the Duke of Cambridge.
Back then, Mr Irving, author of The Last Queen, told The Express that the Queen was "more modern" than her son, calling her "very timeless".
He added: "It's a pity they can't jump straight from the Queen to William; they can't do that because that's not how the constitution works".
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here .
