I think it is a risky tactic for the republican and/or leftwing commentators you mentioned. The sharper the criticism of the King...
I always wonder in such cases, what the motivation for these 'opinions' is.
Of course, news about the Royals sell - always! And selling is the base case for the press, to make a profit.
But these stories have a certain spin: Sure, the Royals are supposed to keep out of day-to-day politics, but that does not mean, they are reduced to handshaking with the elderly and making Boo-boo to little kids! They can have an opinion too, especially and if they think, it is wise to talk to the press about personal issues...
So, the King of Sweden has brought up an issue, that is long solved and done and he added nothing new to his already well known position.
But the press and its commentators are trying to silence him. Why?
It might be caused by a resentment: The Royals have haressed the people for centuries with censorship and outright violence. And now the progressive democrats feel, it is time for revenge.
Yes, they personally never experienced such acts, but their ancestors, which were in the most cases not noble, but peasants, craftsmen or even pig herders. And now, that the democratic commentators belong to the opinion elite, they feel, that their humble background is "undeserved" and that their ancestors could have done so much better and they could have lived like the democratic commentators themselves, if it were not for the Royals - Payback time!
Well, yeah, this is kitchen psychology, but I really wonder, what drives these 'noble pens'...