As the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II approaches, we devote a special section to the role and future of the British monarchy. In Britain our cover leader reflects on the improbable success of an institution that, on the face of it, runs against the spirit of the times. Deference is dead and populism sneers at elites. In an age of meritocracy, monarchy is rooted in the unjustifiable privilege of birth. Support for the crown should have crumbled under Elizabeth. Instead, the monarchy thrived. As King Charles III begins his reign amid strife in Britain, populism in the West and a challenge to democratic systems led by China and Russia, Elizabeth’s success sheds light on how all democracies work—including republics.
 
Outside Britain our cover assesses the astonishing progress made by Ukrainian forces in recent days, the most dramatic Russian reversal since Mr Putin abandoned his effort to seize Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, at the end of March. Predictions in war are always risky, but the tide seems to have turned. Russia’s occupation is everywhere held in check, and Ukraine is gradually—and sometimes suddenly—rolling it back. Victory for Ukraine is not yet certain, but a path is discernible. Evicting Russia entirely from Ukraine will be hard. It will mean pushing it out of territory where it is far better dug in and organised than in Kharkiv. A general collapse of the Russian forces cannot be ruled out, but is unlikely. The West should, therefore, reinforce success, by sending more and better weapons, as well as ammunition and armoured vehicles. 

Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state in Westminster Hall in London ahead of her funeral. The 96-year-old monarch died on September 8th at her Scottish home, Balmoral Castle. Charles III was proclaimed king in the four nations of the United Kingdom, and in the 14 countries where the British monarch is also head of state. Millions of people in Britain and across the world paid their respects to the queen.

America’s annual inflation rate dipped in August to 8.3% from 8.5% in July, but month-on-month the consumer-price index unexpectedly rose by 0.1%. The government had hoped that falling petrol prices, now at a six-month low of $3.70 a gallon, would ease inflationary pressures. But core inflation, which does not include volatile energy and food prices, rose sharply. Household electricity bills were up by 15.8%, year on year, the biggest jump since 1981, and natural gas by 33%.