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Whereas Charles Stewart, late king of England, Ireland and the territories and

Dominions there unto belonging, path by authority derived from Parliament to be declared to be

justly condemned, a judge to die and put to death for many treason's murders and other

heinous offenses committed by him. And whereas it has been found by experience that the office of a

king in this nation and Ireland is unnecessary, burdensome and dangerous to the liberty,

safety and public interest of the people. Be it therefore enacted and ordained by this present

Parliament, but the office of a king in this nation shall not henceforth be exercised by any one

single person. And by the abolition of the Kingley office provided for in this act,

a most happy way is made for this nation to return to its just and ancient right of being governed

by its own representatives. From time to time chosen and entrusted for that purpose by the people,

as shall most conduce to the lasting freedom and good of this commonwealth.

So Tom Holland, the year is 1649. King Charles I has had his head cut off and as a loyal reader of

the Guardian, you're probably delighted by those words that are read out, aren't you?

I was just thinking what a wonderful way to mark the coronation year.

You read out the sentence pronounced on Charles I and the abolition of the monarchy.

I'm such an astonishing moment, isn't it? And we did two episodes on the trial of Charles I,

which I still think is the single most extraordinary episode in the whole of English history.

Well, obviously the question is, what are people going to do next?

What happens next? Because they have cut off the head of the King. And then there's this decade,

...