King Charles III spoke for the first time on Friday about the unrest in British cities and praised the work of the police in combating the violence.

While the monarch and Queen Camilla expressed their condolences to the families of the three girls killed in a stabbing on July 29, there was no comment from Buckingham Palace on the almost daily unrest that followed.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the king praised British police and emergency services “for all they are doing to restore peace in areas affected by violent unrest.”

He hopes that the “shared values ​​of mutual respect and understanding will continue to strengthen and unite the nation,” the spokesman added.

Many observers had been waiting anxiously to see whether the king, who is spending his annual summer holiday in Scotland, would break his conspicuous silence on the unrest.

Hundreds of people were arrested during the almost nightly riots in cities across England and Northern Ireland. The authorities blame right-wing extremist agitators for the unrest.

According to official information, the rioters used the murder of the girls in the north-west English coastal town of Southport to stage racist and anti-Islamic protests. The suspect accused of the murders was born in Great Britain.

Traditionally, the monarch does not comment on anything that could cause political controversy.

But in phone calls with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and police chiefs, the king said he was “hugely encouraged” by the response “which met the aggression and criminality of the few with the compassion and resilience of the many.”

Although additional police forces were deployed on standby, numerous counter-demonstrations took place in cities where right-wing extremist protests were planned.

– ‘Dangerous Moment’ –

His call for unity was followed by a silence that had worried some observers of the royal family.

“I am surprised that the King has not spoken more forcefully as Head of State, given that this is a dangerous moment for the United Kingdom,” said historian and royal commentator Ed Owens before the statement was released.

However, according to constitutional law expert Craig Prescott, the monarchy does not comment on current political events. The late Queen Elizabeth II also remained similarly quiet during the last wave of unrest that shook England in 2011.

“Once the unrest has subsided, you can expect to see members of the Royal Family visiting the affected locations and perhaps seeing them more frequently in multicultural settings,” Prescott said in a post on the social media platform X.

“If the King speaks on this issue, what about the next big issue and the one after that?”

Owens argued that Charles, who gradually resumed his public duties following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year, may not have responded publicly for two main reasons.

He may have been advised by his government that it would be “unwise at this time” to intervene directly.

And the monarch himself may have considered the issue too “explosive.” The issue of “illegal immigration” is politically controversial and sensitive in Britain, said Owens.

But as heir to the throne, Charles expressed his opposition to the previous government’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

And the king has become increasingly outspoken on issues such as climate change over the years. Since becoming monarch, he has been seen as more approachable than his predecessors, including being more open about his health.

But for Graham Smith, chairman of Republic, a pressure group that campaigns for an elected British head of state to replace the monarch, the lack of response to the unrest shows that the monarchy is an institution “for someone who can’t really speak.”

According to media reports citing palace sources, the king has asked for a daily update on the crisis.

But Smith said: “There’s no value in a billionaire sitting in his vacation home keeping up with current events. I mean, it’s very easy to keep up with current events – you just have to turn on the TV.”

aks/jj/imm