As we enter a new stage of global politics ushering out of office and welcoming a new generation, we reflect on lessons from Queen Elizabeth II.
When her father, King George VI, died, Elizabeth II was 25. She was Queen of the United Kingdom from February 6, 1952, to the time of her death on September 8, 2022. She was the longest reigning Queen ever to occupy the throne. Can you imagine working for 70 consecutive years?
At 25, she became Queen of seven independent Commonwealth countries: The United Kingdom. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (known today as Sri Lanka). She ran the monarchy and never commented on politics.
Elizabeth II had a solid and sincere relationship with her husband, Prince Phillip. Their marriage lasted 73 years until his death in April 2021, and they birthed four children: Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward. She was a working mother and indeed had plenty of help, but she did not shun her parental responsibilities, which was to prepare the next ones for the throne.
Her eldest son, Charles, has waited all of his life, some 72 years, for the throne, which he could only occupy after his mother’s death. His is a bittersweet moment. He is the oldest to assume the throne from his mother, the longest reigning Queen, and is fully prepared. Unfortunately, she wasn’t, as she accidentally took the seat at the young age of 25 years old.
King Charles III is the most prepared to take the throne, compared to his mother, who was trained but not prepared. Hers was on-the-job training. The Queen was a proper lady who loved wearing bright colors, tiaras, hats and gloves, and her forever purse. She left behind a vast collection of jewels, tiaras, and brooches.
Elizabeth II gave the world protocols and pomp and circumstance. Her husband, Prince Phillip, was always at her side, yet he died of old age just short of reaching 100 years. He was the longest-serving royal consort. Their relationship was one of love, respect, and long-lasting admiration.
The Rule of Monarchy…
The Monarchy is not a political office. The Queen ruled without taking on politics. She was neutral and non-political. But she met with the Prime Minister weekly, beginning with the veteran Winston Churchill. Her respect went to the position of the office, not the personality.
Queen Elizabeth II met with 15 different United States Presidents. She rode horseback with President Regan, danced with President Ford, and even joked with President Bush. She laughed as some of the most powerful men disregarded monarchy protocol. President Barack toasted her over the British National Anthem, and Michelle Obama made headlines when she hugged the Queen, not knowing the policy was do not touch the Queen. But the Queen responded with a hug.
President Bush misspoke by saying 1776 rather than 1976. And Donald Trump made a critical mistake, walking in front of the Queen. So much for American knowing British protocols. The Queen laughed and even made fun of them all., not taking it too seriously and taking it all in stride. Everyone keeps asking those who met with the Queen what they talked about, but the Queen’s conversations are not discussed; they are private.
The Queen’s Interview…
The success of the Queen is in all of her 70 years; she never gave an interview in all of her reigns. She made her statements from the palace with control and precision and was well guarded. Her public relations were very deliberate and controlled.
Her family broke the rules of the Royal Family. Whom you marry is of the utmost importance to the royals because the children can become heirs to the throne. Her children are all divorced. The rules changed. Her sister, Margaret, was penalized for being a progressive woman, not being allowed to marry the man she loved. The Queen had to grant her sister, Margaret, permission to marry because she was under 25 years old. After two years apart, the Princess decided that she would not marry Peter Townsend, the man she loved after all.
The Queen devoted her life to her commonwealth. She was the Queen of 56 different countries or one-third of the world. Her country came first. She was about her royal duty. It absorbed her life with pomp and circumstance.
The Queen in Africa…
All did not forgive the Queen for her deeds in Africa. Africa’s Marxist opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, said: “We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth.”
“Our interaction with Britain has been one of pain, death and dispossession, and of the dehumanization of the African people,” it said, listing atrocities committed by British forces in the late 19th and early two centuries.
The Queen never apologized for slavery and the ills done to Africa under her reign. She met with South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela, and he called her by her first name, Elizabeth.
The Challenge of Diana…
The Queen lived strictly by protocols. It was her life map. Princess Diana threatened the firm, as the royals have been called. She became intensely popular, and her husband was threatened by her popularity.
Diana was labeled the “People’s Princess,” and her caring for the oppressed was open and on public display. She was outspoken as she made her own way, and it was believed that the monarchy’s powers made her life miserable.
As she divorced the now King and went her separate way. Her accidental car crash death in Paris shocked the world. It was rumored that she might marry brown skin Dodi Al Fayed. She was young enough to have more children. Some royal historians said the castle would not have room for brown siblings to the throne’s heirs. All of the Queen’s children broke the marital protocols, and the royal family was introduced to divorce.
Prince Harry‘s marriage to Meghan Markle, an American Black woman, gives rise to the same discussion of a dark skin child born into the royal family. So, where was the Queen in the probability? We will never know, but the speculation is that the” royals would not welcome a brown child.” Meghan speaks to the racism she experienced, so much so that the family departed the country to live in America. In the long run, how this pans out is a story to watch.
Real Estate, Jewels and Wealth…
The Queen is the most famous woman in the world and one of the richest. Her wealth comes from real estate, jewels, and investment to about $500 million, which will probably go to her children. Like a good mother, she provided for her children as they moved closer to the mighty throne. The Crown Estate, a collection of lands, and holdings in the United Kingdom belongs to the British monarch and is valued at $34 billion. The King does not have to pay inheritance taxes.
Queen Elizabeth II was the Queen of the world. Her picture is on the currency. She rose to most occasions.
The Queen changed the succession laws to the British throne to follow birth order, not gender. She served in the Armed Forces in World War II and was an auto mechanic, a first for the Royal Family. The woman born of royalty was progressive and enjoyed a good laugh.
A role model for many as a first, as a woman, as a mother, and most of all, as a queen. She made a pledge four years before she took the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. “I declare before you that my whole life, whether long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” Queen Elizabeth II worked to her very last days.
Her grandson Prince Harry thanked his “granny” on social media, saying, “Thank you for your commitment to service. Thank you for your sound advice.Thank you for your infectious smile.”
There will be movies, documentaries, and new stories about the Queen. She was legendary, and her life well-lived. She changed the world with her monarchy.
Long Live the Queen.
