'There is no escape from history' for Britain, its new king and the rest of us

Britain, old and new. The late Queen stares out of a BT Street Hub, next-gen furniture for public spaces, which is being rolled out across the UK with the offer of free ultra-fast wifi, public messaging capabilities and a button to summon the emergency services. Photo: Rashmee Roshan Lall

Despite the BBC’s obsequious abandonment of sense and sensibility as it bows low, curtseys deeply and pays heartfelt obeisance to the British royal family, it has at least allowed David Olusoga to be a guest on some of its programmes.

One has to marvel at the BBC’s daring.

Adrift in a sea foaming with hagiographical highlights about Queen Elizabeth II, the British-Nigerian historian routinely throws the flailing lay news consumer a life ring of common sense.

Professor Olusoga’s unique perspective — a measured summing-up of what we’ve been witnessing — stands out in the rushing rivers of reminiscence, royal praise, anecdote and biographical sketch.

Don’t take the pageantry that stretches back 700 years too…