The Censorship of King Charles III’s Coronation
On the coronation of King Charles III, the world has seen only what has been approved by the governing body. The Guardian had anticipated it in May, explaining that the BBC had allowed the monarchy to establish which footage could be used for the coverage of the event and raising doubts about the impartiality of the national broadcaster. John Ryley, the former head of Sky News, spoke of “extraordinary restrictions” imposed by the monarchy on channels that would broadcast the ceremony.
The Agreement between Buckingham Palace and Broadcasters
An “private and confidential” agreement was established between Buckingham Palace and the broadcasters: “The royal spin doctors had the opportunity to censor any image of the coronation before it could be reproduced… And always the royal spin doctors decreed which parts of the footage could be shown in future transmissions in what they called, with an Orwellian phrase, “an eternal montage”.
Ryley’s Comments on the Royal Family
Ryley’s decision to speak openly has broken the omertà around the secret agreements between British television and the royal family. His comments also confirm what the Guardian had written about the control, by the governing body, of the coverage of the funeral of the previous monarch, even before the coronation of King Charles III. According to the former head of Sky News, broadcasters are now “too supine” and “too complacent” when it comes to the monarchy.
