As King Charles III is crowned, popping boba may be the last thing on your mind. And yet, a closer look will tell us that there are uncanny similarities between the 74-year-old soon-to-be monarch’s ascent that’s breaking with tradition and the sweet seaweed extract bubble tea topping that bursts in your mouth.

In that sense, a recipe with popping boba, such as King Charles III's Official Coronation Recipe from Adam Handling, detailed in full here, would be most suitable to celebrate the planet’s newest and most famous king. 

In this post, we will briefly show the line of monarchs leading to King Charles III — starting with the legendary King Henry VIII. Call it a trip down memory lane. Most importantly, we will explore 3 unique ways in which England’s new king’s ascent is breaking with tradition and how such moves draw parallels with the mouth-watering popping boba. 

Indeed, King Charles III's bolt from tradition is reminiscent of King Henry III of old and his formation of the Church of England. It’s nothing short of a promise of another great monarch to embrace and follow the likes of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in the UK. Read on. 

 Photo credit: 98961127 © creativecommonsphotos | Dreamstime.com

A Little Backgrounder: From King Henry VIII to King Charles III

A little history should help us. Everybody knows King Charles III is the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926 - 8 September 2022), who died at 96 and ruled England as its queen for 70 years, longer than before. Elizabeth became queen leader of England after King George VI, her father, died on 6 February 1952.

How is King Charles III related to King Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547)? The answer is simple. 

Experts detail King Charles III is descended from Queen Margaret of Scotland, Henry VIII’s sister and the grandmother of Mary Queen of Scots. Henry VIII is Queen Elizabeth II’s great grand uncle, and she has 1/32,768th part of Queen Margaret’s blood. So, King Charles III and Henry VIII are related but not directly.

Table 1: Succession of England’s Rulers from King Henry VIII to King Charles III

Henry’s most significant contribution to history may be when he broke ties with the pope, turned his back on Catholicism and founded the Church of England, the established Christian church in the land today. That’s aside from his infamous six marriages led partly by his pursuit of a son heir to the thrown. 

3 Ways King Charles III Broke with Tradition Like Popping Boba

The long line of succession meant tradition played a huge role in the crowning of England’s monarch. But King Charles III chose to break tradition and forge a new path. Below are three ways he’s letting everyone know he’s adamant on that and how this reminds us of the succulent popping boba. 

1. Defender of All Faith

Faith has been deeply embedded in the ascension of a monarch leader in the history of England. King Henry VIII was a devout Catholic at the onset, for one. In fact, he had defended the Pope against the scathing attacks of Martin Luther, the German reformist priest who started the Protestant Reformation that hounded Catholicism’s excesses even today. 

For his valiant and brilliant efforts as a Catholic scholar defending the faith, Henry VIII was awarded the title of “Defender of the Faith” by the church, conferred by Pope Leo X. Still, Henry’s obsession with finding a male heir, which his first wife failed to do, drove him in direct conflict with the Pope. Ironically, Henry’s book Assertio Septem Sacramentorum (Defence of the Seven Sacraments) emphasized marriage's sacredness and the pope's supremacy. And the rest is history. 

Since their rule, the British monarchy has been tasked as a primary defender of the faith. This means whoever sits on the throne should defend the Church of England, founded by King Henry VIII against the pope's wishes. 

Eventually, a tug-of-war ensued as many rulers of England either leaned on the Protestant Reformation movement or the Catholic faith. The bitter rivalry between cousins Queen Elizabeth I (Protestant) and Mary, Queen of Scots (Catholic), which ended in the beheading of the latter by order of the former, is a classic example.

But King Charles III had other ideas. He wants to embrace all faiths, breaking from tradition in the process. . 

In 1994, he mentioned, "I personally would rather see [my future role] as Defender of Faith, not the Faith.” He clarified in 2015 that "while at the same time being Defender of the Faith you can also be protector of faiths."

And true enough, for the first time in the history of England, other faiths will play a central role in King Charle’s coronation on the 6th of May, 2023, at Westminster Abbey. Though Christian liturgy will predominantly provide the texts as Charles takes oath, other faiths have been invited to participate and take part. 

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby confirmed that Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jewish leaders are given roles and will deliver a greeting in unison. 

Non-Christian regalia will also be handed to the king from the members of the House of Lords belonging to minority faiths. 

This emphasizes King Charles's commitment to embracing everyone, regardless of faith. It’s a universal approach indeed that breaks tradition and known barriers.

How This Reminds Us of Popping Boba

At the onset, popping boba played second fiddle to tapioca pearls. When bubble tea rose to prominence from Taiwan and conquered the world, tapioca balls were everywhere the drink went. It has cemented itself as a quintessential bubble tea topping everyone loves. 

Well, each bubble tea topping has its own strong points. You really can’t deny the classy nature of traditional tapioca pearls. Truth be told, there’s a reason why those chewy, squishy balls have been ingrained to bubble tea since the 80s.

But popping boba is clearly at an edge here regarding universality. The seaweed extract wrapped in sweetness offers a wide array of fruit combinations that would leave the largely tasteless tapioca pearls essentially wanting.

Over time, popping boba has contributed a huge role at the table. Not only is it a bubble tea topping giving tapioca pearls a run for the money, but also it’s been paired with far more delicacies than those traditional boba balls. We’re talking about smoothies, slushies, and even frozen yogurt. 

Moreover, popping boba, dubbed bursting boba, promises much more versatility. It works well with hot and cold temperatures, unlike tapioca which could grow hard to chew on when the mercury drops. 

In that sense, popping boba exhibits characteristics that remind us of King Charles III’s rise. England’s new king chose to embrace a broader range of religions. By the same token, popping boba does not limit itself; instead, it embraces much more than usual. 

2. Champion of Sustainability 

Another way that Charles III is breaking with tradition is with clothes for the coronation Instead of using newly-minted elaborate (not to mention expensive) imperial clothes, England’s new king chose to wear an old, used vestment for his crowning. 

Specifically, he’ll wear the vestment worn by his great monarch predecessor King George IV in his coronation in 1821. Already, this garment is being dubbed as the oldest vestment used in the service. 

King George VIII will also reuse his grandfather George VI’s Colobium Sindonis, a simple white tunic to be worn right after anointing. Plus, the new king will don his grandfather’s Coronation Sword Belt and Coronation Glove.

King Charles III chose to reuse these garments to emphasize “sustainability and efficiency,” according to Buckingham Palace. And it’s genuinely timely when the world is grappling with the horrors of climate change. 

In a way, clothes can be a source of pain, especially true for Mother Earth. All that fashion people wear, from shoes to tops to jeans, have its purpose. But after we’re done with it, they contribute to global pollution. 

Think about it. In America alone, 85% of textiles thrown end up in a landfill. We’re talking about used clothes, unsold clothes, and unused materials. Average American throws away about 37 kg per 81 pounds of clothes yearly. Roughly, that’s about how heavy an 11-year-old child is. 

That will be a huge problem as many of these textiles are non-recyclable. Most are made of plastic or synthetic polyester, acrylic, and nylon fibers. These are by-products of crude oil, so they are nearly impossible to dispose of. And think about what happens when you burn them: they damage the planet by releasing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.  

King Charles III sends a message to Mother Earth by reusing old garments. His example should be a message for the times and everyone on the planet.

How This Reminds Us of Popping Boba

Popping boba is natural. It’s basically juice wrapped in seaweed extract. For starters, it provides a healthy alternative to tapioca as a lower-calorie alternative. Thus, if you want to watch your weight taking in bursting boba is the wise choice.

What makes it even more astonishing is that popping boba can be eaten immediately from the merchant’s pouch. More often, you’d have to cook tapioca for nearly an hour, depending on the requirements. 

Plus, tapioca pearls have a shorter shelf life. It’s not unusual for these balls to last but a day once cooked. Popping boba outlasts tapioca in this field as it can last for as long as one year if refrigerated properly. 

So, if you talk about sustainability, there are a lot of points that go to popping boba. Once again, it shows us how these sweet toppings speak King Charles III's language regarding sustainability. 

3. Man of the People

King Charles III’s coronation is seeking more involvement from the people right from the onset. Archbishop Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, envisions a “chorus of a million voices” to respond to him when he invites people from all over the planet to swear allegiance to the new king. 

The archbishop clarified that he is inviting "those who wish, from the United Kingdom and the other realms both within the abbey and those watching and listening at home" to make the homage.”

Archbishop of Canterbury: All who so desire, in the Abbey, and elsewhere, say together:

All:

I swear that I will pay true allegiance to Your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law.

So help me, God.

Pledge of Allegiance - excerpt of the text to be read during King Charles III Coronation

It’s an untraditional move that has been met with mixed reactions. Though many have been excited about the grand coronation this Saturday, some are hesitant to participate, even calling pledging allegiance a “Game of Thrones” moment that belongs only to the feudal past. 

Traditionally, the homage is called the homage of peers and doesn’t involve the people directly. It is delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the heir apparent thereafter, then the other royalties follow. 

That is ditched in favor of a more modern approach that involves homage from the people. 

Still, this shows how much King Charles is willing to break traditions to be closer to the people. And possibly live to be the most loved monarch yet.

How This Reminds Us of Popping Boba

Well, you just can’t help it. Everyone loves bursting boba. We may not have to pledge our allegiance to it, but we’ll naturally fall in love with the luscious toppings. It’s simple as that. 

For one, it’s a natural choice for kids who can’t help but get excited by all the colors and sweetness that the balls offer. Add to the mix the fun you get when squishing those balls in your mouth, and they burst with succulent sweetness.

If you’re a true bubble tea connoisseur, you can’t deny the great prospects the bursting balls offer to put the boba experience to a whole new level. In that sense, it can easily rule your heart as King Charles III would from the UK. 

Taking It All In: King's Coronation  Recipe

What better way indeed to celebrate Earth’s most famous king today than with a touch of popping boba? 

So with great excitement and without further ado, here’s King's coronation recipe. Take note this is a “strawberry and ginger trifle" with a popping boba twist!

And yes, before you forget, put a few balls of choice bursting boba toppings to cap it all. And give King Charle’s III coronation a fitting royal flare.