The Queen and the lasting relevance of the monarchy
Photo credits: Aidan Kirby, Y13
The Queen was a consistent, permanent presence in many people’s lives, even before her coronation in 1953, the Queen had already started changing Britain for the better. For example, serving the country as a car mechanic and truck driver in WW2. Throughout her reign, the Queen supported more than 600 charities and helped raise up to £1.4 billion with a focus on helping to reduce poverty across the UK. This eye-watering amount of money would have been spent well, contributing to real change across the country. The Queen also fought the stereotype of racist royals, supporting racial equality and aided in forming a more accepting world, she also supported movements such as Black Lives Matter.
The Queen also provided a steady, stable monarchy that many people saw as permanent. She established stability when her father died and has provided a solid basis for the quality of monarch that Britain deserves. As the first British monarch to reach their platinum jubilee, the Queen was served by 15 prime ministers. Such a long term of service to the nation meant her death was an emotional tidal wave for the British people. The vast majority of Britain knew the Queen as the only monarch to have reigned during their lifetime, meaning there was a period of intense mourning. The Queen meant a lot of different things to many different people. The main theme being her permanent persistence in supporting the British people and providing consistency to our chaotic lives, especially surrounding the pandemic. It is truly the ‘end of an era’ in British history.
The Queen was proof of the persisting relevance of the British monarchy: many believe the monarchy to be a relic of the past and have shown particularly cynical views reflecting on the Queen’s death. However, the majority reception to the tragic news, proved that the Queen was widely loved across the country and even had an effect on the population of foreign nations as well. For example America, who were granted independence 250 years ago, still showed their fondness for the Queen and British culture. France is another example of how the Queen’s death has had an effect worldwide; Macron paid his tribute to the Queen, stating how even in France, she was simply known as ‘the Queen’ regardless of her allegiance to Britain as opposed to the French. This showed the true bond between France and Britain as it demonstrated the positive effect the monarch has had on the people, even amongst typically anti-monarchist nations such as France. This marked the end of an era and had some significance on everyone, not just Britons, it has brought union and community worldwide as we came together to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II who saw stability grow and develop since the Second World War.
Fin Jones, Y11
The Queen also provided a steady, stable monarchy that many people saw as permanent. She established stability when her father died and has provided a solid basis for the quality of monarch that Britain deserves. As the first British monarch to reach their platinum jubilee, the Queen was served by 15 prime ministers. Such a long term of service to the nation meant her death was an emotional tidal wave for the British people. The vast majority of Britain knew the Queen as the only monarch to have reigned during their lifetime, meaning there was a period of intense mourning. The Queen meant a lot of different things to many different people. The main theme being her permanent persistence in supporting the British people and providing consistency to our chaotic lives, especially surrounding the pandemic. It is truly the ‘end of an era’ in British history.
The Queen was proof of the persisting relevance of the British monarchy: many believe the monarchy to be a relic of the past and have shown particularly cynical views reflecting on the Queen’s death. However, the majority reception to the tragic news, proved that the Queen was widely loved across the country and even had an effect on the population of foreign nations as well. For example America, who were granted independence 250 years ago, still showed their fondness for the Queen and British culture. France is another example of how the Queen’s death has had an effect worldwide; Macron paid his tribute to the Queen, stating how even in France, she was simply known as ‘the Queen’ regardless of her allegiance to Britain as opposed to the French. This showed the true bond between France and Britain as it demonstrated the positive effect the monarch has had on the people, even amongst typically anti-monarchist nations such as France. This marked the end of an era and had some significance on everyone, not just Britons, it has brought union and community worldwide as we came together to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II who saw stability grow and develop since the Second World War.
Fin Jones, Y11
