Life after monarchy and the only question we’ll ask ourselves: why did it take us so long?
The phrase “things that seem impossible today will seem inevitable tomorrow,” captures how social and political change almost always unfolds: gradually, then suddenly. How could that apply to the idea of abolishing the British monarchy?
11/11/20251 min read
1. The illusion of permanence
Right now, the monarchy feels immovable — stitched into national identity, culture, and ceremony.
But every entrenched institution once seemed eternal:
-Slavery, once “the natural order.”
-The divine right of kings.
-The idea that women couldn’t vote or own property.
-The British Empire itself.
Each of those seemed unthinkable to end — until, through moral evolution and social pressure, their end became inevitable.
The monarchy feels permanent only because it hasn’t yet faced that same tipping point.
2. Changing what people can imagine
Abolition isn’t just a legal act — it’s an imaginative act.
People first have to believe that life without monarchy is possible — that British identity doesn’t depend on deference.
Once that mental shift happens, everything else follows fast.
As history shows, the unthinkable becomes common sense almost overnight.
3. From tradition to transition
When monarchists say “it could never happen here,” they’re expressing habit, not truth.
But social attitudes evolve quietly:
Each scandal chips away at reverence.
Each generation values equality more than hierarchy.
Each debate over cost or relevance makes the institution look more anachronistic.
At some point, continuing the monarchy will require more justification than ending it — and that’s when “impossible” becomes “inevitable.”
4. The cycle of history
Every age thinks it’s different — yet history repeats a rhythm:
-First they laugh at the idea.
-Then they debate it.
-Then they deny it’s necessary.
-And finally, they claim it was obvious all along.
The end of monarchy in Britain will likely follow that same arc — slow erosion followed by a sudden dawn.
5. The moral of the quote
“Things that seem impossible today will seem inevitable tomorrow” reminds us that change begins in disbelief but ends in hindsight.
For British republicans, it’s a statement of hope and patience: the day will come when the question will no longer be “Should Britain abolish the monarchy?”
but “Why did it take us so long?”