“How did you go bankrupt? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” The quip by a character of Ernest Hemingway’s could just as easily apply to one’s discussion of history. Titanic events with permanent consequences that realign our way of life, often slowly develop before advancing on a monumental scale. Russian troops were positioned on Ukraine’s border for months before the invasion began. Discontent in Arab countries over years catalysed into the Arab Spring when the late street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia.
And so the same pattern of events come to pass with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death. In later years, it became apparent that the Queen was taking on fewer duties. Naturally, more of her responsibilities were being delegated to the younger generations, as would only be right. Famously, the Queen’s Speech this May was given by Prince Charles, as the Queen missed the event for the first time since 1963. Her last Royal visit abroad was in November 2015 to Malta with Prince Philip . Yet it is, on the surface, extraordinary and remarkable how vast and extensive her range of duties and commitments remained right up until her death. At the age of 96 (96!), she was inviting new Prime Minister Liz Truss to form a government. Her appearances during her Platinum Jubilee were less frequent, but still remarkable. During the pandemic, she regularly took part in Zoom calls, with the interior of Windsor Castle in the background. The Queen’s adaptation to different technologies is a vital component of how she enjoys such an enduring legacy. Anyone would think 80, 85 even, was a more than suitable age to retire, wholly retreat from public duties and pass the baton to the next generation. Never with the Queen. On her 21st birthday (a landmark I hit last week), she declared ‘that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.’ To abdicate would have been to break that most important of verbal contracts, which she believed epitomised her duty towards the nation. The photos with the Queen and Liz Truss when the latter formed a government showed a bruised right hand. It was clear the natural ageing process was taking its toll, as Her Majesty postponed a Privy Council meeting the following day she will now never attend. It took notes being passed around Parliament, a strangely old fashioned manner of communication akin to when the Queen took the throne, to set the twitter and national rumour mill alike. Suddenly, the government’s £150 billion energy package faded into obscurity and irrelevance, at least for what was to dominate national attention. Upon hearing news about ‘concern for Her Majesty’s health’ and reading the official Buckingham Palace statement, I felt a sense of befuddlement, disorientation and confusion. The Queen had always been around: both in the background, visibly at Buckingham Palace and all our stamps, banknotes and postboxes. She was an eternal presence, calmly visible, a source of continuity and appreciation, in a volatile, ever changing world. Until 8th September. When both the initial news broke at 12.30pm of health concerns and the eventual sadness at 6.30pm, I was practising shorthand. A difficult, but, somewhat, rewarding way to shorten the alphabet as a journalist, the concentration it requires makes it impossible to look at social media. When I eventually did, my heart sank. The worst had taken place - but what a brilliant innings at 96. Andrew Marr and Shelagh Fogarty brilliantly anchored coverage on LBC, speaking in a dignified, moving manner about Her Majesty, interviewing key experts and reflecting the mood of the nation. When such monumental events occur, having professional, dignified anchors who the public can turn to is more important than ever. Musings on the Queen’s life were balanced with describing upcoming formal proceedings and the shape of the nation in the future. What will it mean to be British without the Queen? Her connections and breadth of cultural strength ranged far and wide. Just think of how many places she has opened, the volume of people she had met, the number of awards she has given. For the South West Londoner, the in-house website of my journalism school, I wrote about when the Queen visited Twickenham Stadium in 1994 before an England v Wales match. Every newsroom around the country will have been localising a truly international event. Despite all the upheaval, it is important not to be alarmist. As the dust slowly settles and the public begins to adjust to life under a new monarch, let us take stock. Charles became King immediately. When he returned to Buckingham Palace, he was surrounded by cheers, support and messages of condolence. His accession took place without any fuss at all. I am not a huge monarchist. Admittedly, as a young child, I wrote to the Queen, detailing my life and asking lots of inquisitive questions. One of her ladies-in-waiting responded and expressed the Queen’s appreciation I had written. Similarly, aged ten, I strongly remember the Diamond Jubilee and all the celebrations, within and outside school. ‘Sing’, Gary Barlow’s official song for the Diamond Jubilee, is a remarkable piece of beauty. However, as I got older and became more politically aware, having a hereditary head of state seemed undemocratic, archaic and suggested the establishment did not trust the demos to determine who ruled them. Thus, as my republican tendencies strengthened, my admiration for constitutional monarchy weakened. Dramas inside the Royal Family too was no help to this. Yet I always believed any change, or the discussion of it, should take place after the Queen’s passing. Her position in the world, the respect she garnered from across the globe, meant even staunch republicans had to admit the Queen was a dignified, respectful figurehead. The regular political statements from Charles as prince on climate change, combined with suspicious charity dealings, would suggest his time on the throne would mark a great difference to his predecessor. So far, I believe King Charles has not put a foot wrong. His opening speech was measured, dignified and recognised his public activism must cease. Praising his mother, his personal grief is universal, something we have all experienced. The public are willing him to do well, to succeed and attempt to live up to his predecessor on the throne. Of course, many will never forgive him for the aftermath of his marriage to Princess Diana. In light of the Queen’s death, a rather negative trend has been the mass cancellation of different events. From football matches to union conferences and possibly even party conferences, it seems a retreat from the public sphere into private grief has been encouraged. While the mass wave of, potentially, hysterical mourning after the passing of Princess Diana was perhaps excessive (as outlined in a Christopher Hitchens documentary), the public spirit of commemoration and coming together should instead be encouraged. Keep Calm and Carry On mugs, anyone? The long term questions about the constitution’s future are ones that still need to be had. From a democratic perspective and analysing the UK’s position in the world, whether a constitutional monarch or republic is best must be up for debate. During that period, labels should avoid being thrown around. Most republicans don’t personally hold the Royal Family in animosity, but instead the political system. Similarly, most monarchists are accepting of an alternative viewpoint. There is usually a degree of nuance. As for Her Majesty the Queen, we can only begin to imagine what the funeral service will be like. Which world leaders shall attend? What is the formal outline for the day? It’s been confirmed as a Bank Holiday, meaning the volume of visitors shall be immense. Last year, Politico outlined the worst case scenario for the police and other public services being simply unable to cope with the capacity of visitors. For Britain long term future, the nation will always remember her Majesty. Simply her length of tenure - 70 years - puts her right at the top of the history books (second only to Louis XIV internationally). Yet her values and service were the embodiment of duty and dignity. Never afraid to have a good chuckle and rich sense of humour, she demonstrated the value which can come from keeping opinions private. What would I say to the Queen were she still here? Well, it was Paddington who said it best: “Thank you, ma’am, for everything.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Author:Noah enjoys writing a blog and drinking tea Archives
September 2022
Categories
All
|