It’s a desire to matter, not necessarily the desire for empire. They want to be “the centre” of Europe.
They will never matter that much again. Their place as an empire and head of nations was a historical accident and they blew it, and now they’re just one nation of many with nothing special to offer.
Why do you think they go so overboard with their monarch pageantry? They yearn for the old days.
"There are only two types of countries in Europe: small countries… and countries which are small but don’t yet know that they are. " --Paul-Henri Spaak
It’s a desire to matter, not necessarily the desire for empire. They want to be “the centre” of Europe.
They will never matter that much again. Their place as an empire and head of nations was a historical accident and they blew it, and now they’re just one nation of many with nothing special to offer.
Why do you think they go so overboard with their monarch pageantry? They yearn for the old days.
"There are only two types of countries in Europe: small countries… and countries which are small but don’t yet know that they are. " --Paul-Henri Spaak
Nope, most British just wanted the single market, there was no appetite and little awareness of the EU’s desire for ever more political union.
The monarchy is a historical relic, a tape back up if parliament fails and a tourist attraction.