Photo by Laython Photos: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-sculpture-of-a-lion-with-a-crown-13047973/

Fiction almost always reflects issues present in our reality. Zombie movie? Shades of a runaway pandemic and the chaos, destruction, and changes to everyday life. Political, social, environmental, and every other kind of situation has been reflected in fiction since humanity started storytelling.

Nothing is Ever Easy

In my contemporary fantasy novel, The Excalibur Vow, blacksmith apprentice Wystan accidentally breaks off a sliver of Excalibur. He unknowingly makes a blood vow to return the piece to the rightful king-but Arthur dies in battle. The magic throws Wystan into current day Britain. So all he has to do is find the king, return the piece and vow satisfied.

You know it’s not the simple, right? Who is the rightful sovereign? The one sitting on the throne, whose ancestors married into British royalty with no blood ties to the land? Could a blood ancestor to Arthur and Excalibur be found?

But what if there is no more monarchy?

A Growing Trend

When I started The Excalibur Vow, I knew there were whispers of discontent over the continuation of the British monarchy. Centuries of royal privilege, declarations of divine right, and abuses of power, which follow any monarchy, were cited as some of the reasons that people quote to support the dissolution of the monarchy. In the United Kingdom (which if people don’t know includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Island, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Anguilla, and the Falkland, Cayman, Gibraltar, Monserrat, Turks & Caicos, S Georgia, South Sandwich, Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, Oeno, St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha islands. Phew!), there are groups, like The Republic who feel the dissolution of the monarchy would “change the country for good”, and that Parliament could easily dissolve the monarchy if they wished. (Read about it here: https://www.republic.org.uk/abolish_the_monarchy).

Photo by Josh Withers: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-group-of-horses-and-riders-with-british-flags-17152221/

That Creates A Problem

For Wystan, if there is no monarchy, is there a rightful heir to claim Excalibur? He sees growing protests as the people are divided over the issue, which holds true today. Social media shows the growing public sentiment that the monarchy is outdated, too costly, and useless. Yet, there are those who are loyal to the institution and feel that the charitable outreach and pageantry are reasons why the monarchy is worth keeping. Ponder for a moment, if Excalibur was found; could anyone claim it if they could trace their ancestry back to Arthur? Could the current king, or any of the royal heirs claim it? What if no one could claim it? Would it simply sit in the Tower of London with all the other crown jewels?

A Question for Another Day

Currently, even with the paring down of the monarchy by King Charles, there are still calls to abolish the institution. That’s a question for our British cousins to decide. I don’t see it happening any time soon, but one day… it might. That poses an interesting dilemma for Wystan as his adventure continues…

I’ll be working on the sequel this summer and you can be sure the question of the monarchy will be only one of the many obstacles that Wystan and Jenna will face. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping an eye on this political situation. Truth is always stranger than fiction, as the saying goes.

One Last Thing…

If anyone knows of podcasters looking for authors guests (I write fantasy, paranormal, horror, science fiction, romance, young adult and middle grade), please let me know.

And…

If you read The Excalibur Vow, please leave a review on my Amazon, GoodReads, or Facebook pages, or on my social media platforms. (listed below!) I’d be happy to send you a paper bookmark and a signed bookplate.