May will be a big month for the UK with King Charles's Coronation. 70 years ago, the late Queen Elizabeth was sworn in as the sovereign of the United Kingdom. The lovely 25-year-old had gone through World War II as a trained mechanic and driver. She insisted on joining the women's branch of the army at just 18. Elizabeth was dubbed "Princess Auto Mechanic." From then, Princess Elizabeth vowed to serve her country unconditionally--which she did until her death on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96.

Surely, from a personal perspective, Queen Elizabeth had a lot of challenges to handle in her family. From the dissolution of now King Charles' marriage and scandal with now Queen Consort Camilla surrounding his union with the late Princess Diana, to Prince Andrews' broken marriage to Sarah Ferguson and his subsequent alleged involvement with the late Jeffrey Epstein and sex trafficking, to Prince Harry's controversial exit from the Royal Family with his wife Meghan Markle and the aftereffects of interviews and books from the duo slamming the Crown. For anyone, these circumstances would be bitter pills to swallow. 

But the Queen carried on with the traditional 'stiff upper lip' that is expected from classic British behavior. I admired Queen Elizabeth for her guts, dedication, humor, and civility. More than once, I've heard that the Royals are a waste of money, costing the taxpayers in the UK staggering bills. Some of the cost to support the monarchy undoubtedly is raised from tourism, but this is an area that needs a second look.

But despite all of the aforementioned negative aspects of the Crown, the Monarchy is alive and well as King Charles prepares for a three-day Coronation celebration in May. Why do people care? I think focusing on the pomp and circumstance provides a bit of an escape from reality. It gives folks something to focus on, albeit temporarily, rather than dealing with the harshness of reality in the U.K., perhaps exacerbated by Brexit, the country's split from the European Union.

So what's in store for King Charles III's festivities? On May 6, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla will go to the historical Westminister Abbey, where the official ceremony will take place. Ironically, it is where the King married the late Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981. After the swearing-in, the procession will head to Buckingham Palace and do their traditional waves to the crowds from the palace balcony.

May 7 will bring a huge public celebration with the so-called "Coronation Big Lunch," which involves block parties in London. May 8 is designated as a day of celebration with residents helping out in a massive volunteer day. 

In addition to the services, there will be world-class entertainment and choirs. The now 74-year-old environmentalist, who has faced controversy due to his personal life, seems to be getting a thumbs up from the British public. The King wants to blend traditional and modern elements.