King Charles’ Coronation should be a chance to unite our Kingdom with Scottish independence on the back burner
WE all seem more divided and polarised than ever.
So nobody would dispute that right now, what Britain desperately needs is some unity.
One of this country’s bastions of stability, the Royal Family, has been splintered and fractured over the past year by Harry and Meghan’s constant complaining.
Before that, the UK was split with endless wrangling from both sides about Brexit, a divide widened by the Scottish drive for independence under Nicola Sturgeon.
The First Minister’s resignation looks to me the perfect starting point from which to begin healing these divisions.
When Sturgeon leaves office, the momentum for Scottish independence will immediately dwindle.
She’d already announced she would fight the next election on that single issue, a “de facto” referendum.
Now her divisive plot is dead in the water and it may be five years before it gets near a ballot box again, if ever.
So what we need now, to help heal these wounds and remind us what is great about this kingdom, is a moment of national unity.
A pause in which we all stop squabbling about our differences and take time to focus on how much we have in common.
At the time of writing, it even looks as if the years of deadlock in Northern Ireland over the implementation of Brexit could be limping to an end.
In Belfast’s volatile political climate, anything could yet happen.
But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears to be making progress in doing a deal on the trade border.
So finally things are looking up and the Coronation of King Charles in May could not be better timed.
Of course, this is not just about the ceremony itself, although I have no doubt it will be beyond fabulous, full of the pomp and pageantry that make British hearts swell with pride.
What we will really be celebrating and supporting is the King himself, and the future of his realm.
We all know Queen Elizabeth devoted her life to the union and would want the Coronation to bring it together.
There is undoubtedly a lot sitting on Charles’s shoulders.
Pulling together
But if he gets this right, our new monarch could find himself ruling over a kingdom that is more united than it has been for many years.
First, he has to show he is equal to that challenge within his own family.
Orchestrating a united front with Harry and Meghan, getting William onside and managing his brother Andrew’s unrealistic expectations will all be tricky.
Of course, Charles and Camilla have spent close to their whole life together learning how to practise the art of diplomacy.
This past week they have already dodged one potential Coronation scandal by deciding not to inflame foreign sensibilities with their choice of crown for Camilla.
The couple rejected the one worn by the last Queen Consort, the Queen Mother, which features the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond.
It is a jewel half of Asia seems to lay claim to, including India, Iran, Pakistan, and even the Taliban.
A spokesman for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi complained that the gem “brings back painful memories of the colonial past”.
But this isn’t Charles and Camilla’s first rodeo.
They know enough about the importance of symbolism to take such misgivings seriously.
So, King Charles and Camilla, there is a lot resting on that little trip to Westminster Abbey on May 6.
You just need to get your whole family pulling together for one day, or at least looking like it, and avoid offending the Commonwealth.
And above all, you need to make every part of this land feel passionately proud to be British.
Because the result of getting that right could transform our fortunes.
GOOD LUCK BRUCE
THE fact action man Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with dementia shows this cruel disease does not discriminate.
His family said it was a “relief to finally have a clear diagnosis”.
The 67-year-old was found to have aphasia, which causes difficulties with speech, in spring last year, but this has now progressed.
Frontotemporal dementia, which Bruce has, affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behaviour, problem-solving, planning and emotions.
The family statement said: “Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately.
“We know in our hearts that, if he could today, he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”
I wish them strength.
GO FOR LATER DATER
POOR Leonardo DiCaprio.
Apparently the actor is incredibly upset with the ongoing jokes and speculation about his love life.
Those close to the 48-year-old claimed this week that he is desperate to ditch his image of only dating women under the age of 25, while settling down in a “more mature” relationship.
A source said: “It is just ridiculous because he cannot go anywhere without being linked to the youngest beautiful woman there . . . he wants to ditch this image once and for all and he is really bothered that this continues to follow him.”
The story did make me chuckle given that the situation would be fairly easy to rectify by dating someone over 25.
Dame Vivienne was the last word in fashion
DAME Vivienne Westwood has left the world with one final piece of advice: “If in doubt, dress up!”
The dress code for her memorial service was taken seriously by all the A-Listers who attended, with many in classic Westwood designs.
There was Helena Bonham Carter, who paid tribute in a red tartan blazer and matching skirt.
And Kate Moss, who wore Westwood’s signature black suede heels.
Richard E Grant wore a charming fascinator and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour sported a tailored navy skirt and blazer accompanied by her famous shades.
The service showed just what a force Vivienne was in the world of fashion.
This star-studded gathering was testament to the power of putting your best fashion foot forward through thick and thin.
A PRICE IS PAID BY KIDS
I AM absolutely furious at how the police are portraying Nicola Bulley, releasing deeply personal information into the public domain.
I fear learning the very private information about Nicola’s menopause problems and her relationship with alcohol will not help them track her down.
If anything, it looks to me like Lancashire police are trying to distract attention away from their own failings.
If that information was relevant to identifying where she is, they should have released it at the beginning of the investigation, not three weeks into it.
The people now paying the price for that shameful misjudgment are her two very vulnerable little girls.
I am also thinking of Joe Westerman’s kids this week.
According to their mother, they have been repeatedly sent the particularly grim footage on social media of their father doing something with a woman other than their mum that he will no doubt regret for the rest of his life.
If only Westerman had thought of his three children before doing what he did. But he didn’t.
So it’s no wonder his wife says their marriage is a trillion per cent over.
How could anyone ever forgive this?
But his children should not be being punished for his mistakes.
They really do not need reminding of this incident on social media.
Instead, they need protecting from it.
Unfortunately, the very nature of social media makes that impossible.