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ABC panel casts a pall on pomp in Mark Knight’s Coronation cartoon

Mark Knight was among the global audience that eagerly tuned in to watch the Coronation of King Charles III on May 6 – but the ABC’s commentary pooped the party for many viewers

Mark Knight cartoon on the ABC’s commentary of the Coronation.
Mark Knight cartoon on the ABC’s commentary of the Coronation.

READING LEVEL: GREEN

You couldn’t miss the Coronation* of King Charles the III if you turned on a television last weekend. Wall to wall coverage of His Majesty’s big dance on all the TV networks made it hard to miss.

The last Coronation of an English monarch* was Elizabeth II, Charles’ mum, and that was way back on the 2nd June 1953 – 70 years ago!

Despite the palace saying this was going to be a modest* celebration due to the tough economic times, the official crowning of a British monarch was always going to be a visual feast of costume, cathedrals, horses and carriages, marching parades and regalia*, with a soundtrack of choralists* and amplified* piped organ that would knock your socks off.

Britain's Queen Camilla and Britain's King Charles III travelled in the Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey after the Coronation. Picture: Sebastien Bozon/POOL/AFP
Britain's Queen Camilla and Britain's King Charles III travelled in the Gold State Coach back to Buckingham Palace from Westminster Abbey after the Coronation. Picture: Sebastien Bozon/POOL/AFP

Politicians, members of royal families from around the world and celebrities were there, so it was a “spot the famous person” event too. And of course we all wanted to see if Prince Harry was really sitting in the seat up the back next to the men’s toilet.

It was witnessing history like never before. Even if you weren’t a monarchist*, there was a lot to learn about a line of kings and queens that stretches back over a thousand years. Another reason for watching is that Australia might decide in the future to become a Republic and sever* our ties to the British monarchy. This might be one of the last coronations we witness as a member of the Commonwealth*.

Everyone including cartoonist Mark Knight kept a keen eye on Prince Harry’s seating arrangements. Picture: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images
Everyone including cartoonist Mark Knight kept a keen eye on Prince Harry’s seating arrangements. Picture: Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images

At our house we sat on the couch with our shepherd’s pies and Pimms* and switched between the networks to watch the coverage and hear expert royal commentators explain the history of the Golden carriage, why Princess Anne was wearing that strange feathered hat, and who was the blonde lady carrying that huge golden sword standing next to the King? They also had a camera on the naughty but entertaining Prince Louis, the youngest son of William and Kate. Switching to the ABC’s coverage we got a different form of commentary.

It had Indigenous journalist and activist Stan Grant on the panel, as well as Craig Foster, who is co-chair of the Australian Republican Movement*. These two gents took a different tack and reminded viewers that it was the British monarchy that invaded Australia 235 years ago and stole this land from the Indigenous people. True. They went on to say that the monarchy “was at the heart of the wound of this nation”. In short, they were not in a mood to celebrate the King’s Coronation. They were blowing raspberries at it. Point made, but for people wanting to watch the Coronation and experience a historic moment of the 21st century, it was time to put down their Royal Doulton cups of tea and quietly change channels.

The ABC's panel during King Charles III's Coronation included co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement Craig Foster, far left, and Indigenous journalist and activist Stan Grant, far right. Picture: supplied
The ABC's panel during King Charles III's Coronation included co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement Craig Foster, far left, and Indigenous journalist and activist Stan Grant, far right. Picture: supplied

The blowback the next day from viewers who wanted to watch the Coronation on the ABC was large, with people feeling that it was inappropriate for the public broadcaster to launch political attacks instead of simply covering the event. I felt it was a great topic for my daily cartoon in the paper. My idea was to try to caricature the commentary style of the ABC’s panel hosting the Coronation coverage. Would they be blowing raspberries on set like I intimated* before?

I drew the set with Stan Grant and Craig Foster at the desk, large LED screens behind them displaying the shots of the King in Westminster Abbey being crowned, studio cameras focusing on the action. At this point, I wondered how I would illustrate the two commentators’ disdain* for the event. As I was thinking, news reports came through of the AFL football game on the weekend where Collingwood supporters booed Indigenous Sydney superstar Buddy Franklin.

Sydney Swans Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin was booed by Collingwood fans, giving Mark Knight the idea for his cartoon. Picture: Phil Hillyard
Sydney Swans Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin was booed by Collingwood fans, giving Mark Knight the idea for his cartoon. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The debate was whether booing was appropriate? Should booing be banned? Booing was a hot news item! That’s when I decided that the way the ABC Coronation coverage team should cover the event was to boo at the images coming in from London. Special ABC comments on the Coronation? Simple: “BOOOO!”

The sight of Grant and Foster voicing their displeasure with a behaviour you would normally see reserved for the stands at a footy match was a simple and humorous way of illustrating the ABC’s contrarian* approach in covering a major historic event.

GLOSSARY

  • Coronation: the ceremony to crown a new king or queen
  • monarch: king or queen, the person who rules a kingdom or empire
  • modest: humble, moderate, not excessively large in size, amount or cost
  • regalia: emblems of royalty, especially the crown, sceptre, special clothes and decorations
  • choralists: people who sing in the choir or chorus
  • amplified: increased in volume
  • monarchist: someone in favour of keeping the monarchy
  • sever: cut off, separate, put an end to a relationship
  • Commonwealth: an organisation made up of countries that used to be under the political control of the UK
  • Pimms: a traditional British drink containing alcohol
  • Australian Republic Movement: a nonpartisan organisation campaigning for Australia to become a republic
  • intimated: making it clear what you think or want without saying it directly
  • disdain: dislike, distaste, disapprove
  • contrarian: person who opposes or rejects popular opinion

EXTRA READING

King Charles III crowned at Coronation

Stone of Destiny arrives for King’s Coronation

King Charles’ sweet surprise

QUICK QUIZ

  1. What year was the last Coronation and whose was it?
  2. Which member of the royal family was wearing a strange feathered hat?
  3. Which AFL player was booed by Collingwood supporters?
  4. The ABC commentators described the monarchy as what at the heart of our nation?
  5. How many years ago did the British arrive and dispossess Indigenous Australians?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What happens next?
Imagine this cartoon is part of a story that is made up of three cartoons. The three cartoons tell a complete story, and Mark’s cartoon is the start of the story. Think about what the story could be and draw the next two cartoons that tell the story.

Time: allow 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Visual Arts; Visual Communication Design; Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Being able to draw is only one of the skills needed to be a great cartoonist. Write a list of all of the other skills that you think cartoonists like Mark need to do their job.

Next to each skill, write a sentence that explains why that skill is important or helps them to do a great job.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Personal and Social Capability; Media Arts; Visual Communication Design

VCOP ACTIVITY
Describe it
Look at the cartoon and make a list of five nouns that you see. Then describe those five nouns with five adjectives. Choose your favourite bundle and put all the words together to make one descriptive sentence.