Photo: © Crown Copyright, Ministry of Defence Imagery, Joel Rouse photographer, Open Government Licence v3.0
A curious thing happened the other day. While attending a book sale at a local library, I stumbled upon a marvelous photo album of Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. Moments later, a Canadian lady saw the book and expressed trepidation about who will occupy her throne next. “After all,” she concluded, “She is my queen.” To my surprise, Nancy, an American lady standing nearby, chimed in and categorically affirmed, “She is everyone’s queen.”
This year marks Elizabeth II’s 70th year as head of state, making her the longest-reigning British monarch in history. While the length of her tenure is impressive, her public appeal is even more astounding. According to a You-Gov poll, she enjoys an astonishing 83% approval rating. This is inconceivable for any head of state, especially one who has reigned for seven decades.
I asked Nancy: “What makes her so appealing?” She thought for a moment, then said, “It is her grandeur.” Despite a number of regrettable liberal stances, the Queen’s strict adherence to the grueling demands of her noble office is undoubtedly attractive.
Photo: © The Governor-General of New Zealand, Julian Calder photographer, CC BY-SA 4.0
This grandeur is reflected in a 2011 photograph of Her Majesty in the Blue Room of Buckingham Palace. She is wearing her grandmother’s (Queen Mary) Fringe Tiara and a diamond fern broach given to her by the women of Auckland in 1953.
Her expression is serious and resolute, but there is also a note of sadness . . .without the slightest trace of self-pity. On the contrary, she has an iron-clad determination to be a monarch. When becoming Queen, she understood she would hold the office until her death. This is no small matter since it means living under the microscope of public opinion. The world scrutinizes her every gesture. On top of her royal duties are the weighty problems of motherhood with a family that has had its share of heartaches and tragedies. Yet through it all, the Queen always maintains a spotless comportment.
We can appreciate her dignity by comparing it with that of the current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. In this photo, we do not see the gravitas of the Queen but a cynical smirk of one who does not seem to take his office seriously. Whereas Queen Elizabeth is always impeccable, he has the disheveled look of a teenager without responsibilities.
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I showed his photo to Nancy, who accurately described him as “messy.” We expect much more from a man in a leadership position, especially with his pedigree. Indeed, Mr. Johnson not only received an Oxford education, but he is also distantly related to King George II.
Some say his unkempt appearance is politically calculated to mask his privileged upbringing to better appeal to the masses. If that be the case, he is thumbing his nose at Great Britain’s historical past so well represented by Queen Elizabeth II.
We could easily reduce this analysis to mere externals. However, we sense that the exterior only reflects internal attitudes. Unfortunately, a comb will not solve the problem of our modern-day bureaucrats like Mr. Johnson. What is needed is a restored love for tradition.
As the Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee this year, we could look upon her last seventy years and say she is truly a symbol of stability in a gelatinous world of uncertainty and chaos. In this sense, she is, as Nancy said, “Everyone’s Queen.”