The devotion to duty that defined the queen’s life is still much needed
- Elizabeth’s seven decades on the throne coincided with a period of unprecedented change. Now her son Charles becomes king at a time of impending crisis
My parents celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary this month. Pride of place, on the table at a celebratory lunch, was a card bearing a picture of an elderly woman in a hat smiling for the camera. That woman was, of course, the queen and the card was one of thousands sent each year on her behalf.
Sadly, it would have been among the last to bear her name. The death of Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, last week is more than the end of an era. The 96 years of her life, including seven decades on the throne, coincided with a period of unprecedented change.
My parents were schoolchildren when Elizabeth became queen in 1952. I remember, when a child myself in 1977, attending a street party to mark her silver jubilee. This was two years after her first visit to Hong Kong. More recently, many will recall the queen’s uplifting address during the darkest days of pandemic lockdowns, rekindling the spirit of the second world war with her assurance that “we will meet again”.
She has always been there, through good times and bad, a source of comfort and continuity, a living link with the past. The news of her death felt disorientating. It will not be easy to get used to life without her.
Britain is now in mourning. Church bells rang and guns fired salutes. Crowds flocked to lay flowers at royal residences. Some shops closed and football matches were cancelled. But the country did not come to a standstill. For many, it was business as usual.
The period of mourning will give people time to get used to the idea that Britain is now entering what has been described as the new Carolean age. The national anthem becomes God Save the King. Senior British barristers are now King’s Counsel rather than QCs.
King Charles III ascends to the throne at a time of impending crisis, with deep public concerns about spiralling inflation, a looming recession and the war in Ukraine. Last week saw a new prime minister take office. Now, there is a new sovereign.
Questions will, once again, be asked about the future of the monarchy. The demise of this seemingly anachronistic institution has long been predicted. It is not easy to reconcile the bestowing of so much wealth, privilege and influence (if not power) on one family with modern democratic values.
But the constitutional monarchy is an inalienable part of Britain’s history and identity. The queen’s dignified presence spanning 15 prime ministers offered a welcome counterpoint to the often ugly, turbulent world of partisan politics.
The monarchy has survived scandals and ridden out tough times thanks largely to the ability of the queen to adapt and to command respect through her hard work, sense of duty and decency.
She will be a hard act to follow. Her son Charles has been waiting – and dreading – this moment for most of his life. In the past, he has been ridiculed for talking to plants and cast as the villain in the break-up of his marriage to Princess Diana.
Queen Elizabeth was a reassuring presence in troubled and turbulent times
Charles has also been accused, at times, of disturbing the delicate constitutional balance by intervening on issues he feels passionately about, such as the environment. His style will, no doubt, be different to the queen. But he appears to be well aware of the difference between being a prince and reigning as king. We can expect more self-restraint.
The new king made an impressive start with his first address, promising to serve the country “with loyalty, respect and love” while also giving a touching and heartfelt tribute to his “darling Mama”.
“Her dedication and devotion as sovereign never wavered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss,” he said.
The queen will be missed, not just in Britain but around the world. And the devotion to duty which defined her life will be much needed in these troubled times.
