The King is Dead, Long Live the King! Majesty, Mourning and Modernity in Edwardian Britain, by Martin Williams

the king is dead, long live the king! majesty, mourning and modernity in edwardian britain martin williams hodder & stoughton, £25...

Shan Jenkins

Can we believe our ancestors’ tales of the supernatural?

Fr Gavan Jennings

What Raphael understood about the Archangel

Daniel Beurthe

Depicting God’s messengers

4 min read

The King is Dead, Long Live the King! Majesty, Mourning and Modernity in Edwardian Britain

Martin Williams

Hodder & Stoughton, £25, 304 pages

It may well seem improper and almost indecent to be reviewing a volume with a title like this while nation and Commonwealth are still basking in the afterglow of the recent Coronation. Nevertheless, Martin Williams’s beautifully written book about royal change and mourning is timely, because by linking it to the public outpouring of sorrow and affection that accompanied the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, he is able to frame its theme: a similar phenomenon that occurred at the death of King Edward VII in May 1910.

5freearticles every month

Continue reading with a free account. No card needed.

Five free articles every thirty days, on any device you sign in on
The Catholic Herald newsletter, every morning
Subscribe whenever you like for everything: every article and the magazine

Create free account See our subscription offers

subscribe to the catholic herald today

Our best content is exclusively available to our subscribers. Subscribe today and gain instant access to expert analysis, in-depth articles, and thought-provoking insights—anytime, anywhere. Don’t miss out on the conversations that matter most.