After Germany, the UK is Europe's largest economy. It leads in military spending and power. In the face of a risky international scenario, the promise of rapprochement with the European Union could not be more crucial, even for us Italians. London is rediscovering common interests and values. To understand this country's return to international prominence, we need to look back over the last decade: from Brexit to the possible "reset" towards Europe of the new Labour government, from the end of Elizabeth's long reign to King Charles's new course. And the best way to do this is to travel to the places where history-changing decisions are made. Each chapter is a stopover in the fascinating English metropolis that explains the trends in the country: palaces of power such as Westminster and Downing Street to explore the end of the Conservative era and the return of Labour. Buckingham Palace to chronicle the turnaround at Windsor. The US Embassy, to explore the relationship with the Trump presidency and the dilemma of standing between Washington and Brussels. Neighbourhoods like the East End, areas of high immigration and difficult social climates, and Kentish Town, Labour's 'new Islington'.
One of Rai's most familiar faces, a long-time London correspondent, recounts London's power centres and the "ten years that shook the kingdom" (to paraphrase the famous account of the Bolshevik revolution). He explains the new beginning for Britain, both politically and institutionally. With the new monarch turning his illness into a sign of closeness to all his subjects, in unison with the future Queen Catherine, Prince William's wife. Between the tabloids and social media, the royal family remains an important chapter in understanding the British enigma and explaining the new phase of British life.