Pootler

Now that the monarchy is a colourful but toothless institution, most of us are content to keep it. In days of old, when it played a more pivotal role in Government, the issue of monarch's attitude and aptitude was central to the national story. There are three Kings remembered on Trafalgar Square and merit doesn’t seem to have played a part in their selection.      Charles 1st  To the south of Square, marooned by traffic on the little roundabout is  Charles 1 st   an 'S' size man on an 'XXL' horse. Brains are no correlate of wisdom. Charles was not a dope, but was encumbered by a rigid belief in his divine right to be boss and made no pretence to be a man of the people. Many people didn't like autocracy and were similarly averse to his suspected wish to re-introduce Catholic practices into what was then a protestant country. To add the problem,  Parliament was developing its own muscle in governance and many members shared those views.  The grim outcome was the