Britain’s new king ascends the throne

Prince Charles became King Charles III on Thursday after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at 96. Although the title passed to Charles automatically, a formal coronation may not take place for months. Robert Hazell, a professor in the University College London’s Constitution Unit, said that the former crown prince does not score high in opinion polls, and that’s unlikely to change now that he’s king.

Why is the new monarch less popular? The prince alienated many Britons with his messy divorce from Princess Diana, which was finalized in 1996. She died in a car crash in Paris a year later. The 73-year-old has also strained the rules governing royalty’s participation in public affairs, speaking out on issues such as environmental protection and architectural preservation. His accession to the throne may ignite public debate about whether the monarchy should continue to exist.

Dig deeper: Read Lynde Langdon’s obituary of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s monarch of 70 years.