We're told the monarchy steps up in a national crisis. This time it's been absent | Andy Beckett

The royal family have barely been seen during the pandemic. It’s in keeping with their 21st-century introversion

For any monarchy that wants to be central to national life, presence is important. In the media, in popular culture, at public events and in the minds of its subjects, the monarchy’s usefulness and mystique need to be reinforced and appreciated on a regular basis. According to the BBC royal correspondent Sarah Campbell, “the family mantra” of the House of Windsor is: “We have to be seen to be believed.”

Related: Extra bank holiday announced for Queen’s 2022 platinum jubilee

Continue reading...