Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered for her amazing dignity in adapting to changing times

Queen Elizabeth II acceded to the throne in 1952, when she was 25.

It is no mean feat for a monarch to reign for more than 70 long years, and find a special place in the minds of her subjects. Queen Elizabeth II achieved this and more by being a royal figure who adapted to the changing times. At the age of 96, she passed away on September 8.

At the age of 10 she became heir apparent, and acceded to the throne as Queen Elizabeth II when she was 25 in 1952. In the following seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II has remained the most endearing and adaptive royal figure in the world.

Tough Times

But her time on the throne, especially the initial years, were by no means easy. Even though hereditary monarchy was constantly challenged by both popular and populist democracies around the world, it didn’t diminish her stature.

The Sun had almost set on the British Empire by the time Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. So were many of the unique perks enjoyed by the royalty that were followed more as a revered custom than any requirement by law.

Queen’s Commonwealth

When she acceded the throne, the institution of monarchy seemed facing a slow but sure death. A post-colonial world order was taking shape, and Queen Elizabeth II was seen as too young to learn the ropes fast enough to make changes that are both transformational as well as essential for the monarchy to reinvent itself. She waded into many difficulties, beginning with the Suez Crisis in 1956.

With many former colonies declaring independence, the Commonwealth remained a fledgling idea with just eight countries in 1952. However, under her watch, it grew into what can be comfortably termed as a 'family' of 2.6-plus billion people from 54 nations across six continents. Though a titular head, Queen Elizabeth II shepherded the grouping with efficacy which also helped her grow her own international footprint.

The People’s Queen

When she took over the reins in 1952, some changes seemed like they would never come. She inherited a generation for whom it would have been culturally unthinkable to doubt the importance of the monarchy or the Church of England in their daily lives.

What British diplomat-politician Sir Harold Nicolson said about Queen Victoria: “Her subjects could feel that in any crisis she was weeping the same salt tears into the same over-strong tea as they were,’ rang true for Queen Elizabeth II in early days.

She had the ability to foresee the changes, and devise ways to make herself relevant and endearing to her people: the underlying motif was obviously the unstated rule that the Queen must embody their Sunday-mass idea of what a good woman ought to be.

It was under her that the ‘royal family’ was given prominence over the image of the ‘monarchy’. Televising Christmas messages, stressing on the importance of family in her own life (during her golden wedding celebrations, the Queen praised her husband Philip as “my strength and stay all these years”), to bringing to her advantage the cable television turning British royals into global megastars, Queen Elizabeth II could adapt to changes, and remained ahead of the curve. Of course she had her critics; but proved them all wrong with her popularity among the people increasing.

A Positive Reflection

For her people, their monarch was firm when they needed her the most.
When the United States invaded the Commonwealth Island of Grenada in 1983, the Queen summoned Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to Buckingham Palace, and is said to have left her standing throughout the audience. The Queen played to perfection the average British idea of the Queen being a unifier and a figure everyone can find their own positive reflection in some way or the other.

The tumultuous changes in the society did not have much of an impact on her in that way.

Similarly, in 2011, she was hailed everywhere when she becomes the first British monarch in a century to travel to the Republic of Ireland.

Legacy

Queen Elizabeth II leaves at a time when the royal family and the United Kingdom are facing economic headwinds unseen in decades, and political uncertainties like never before. King Charles III’s mettle will be tested in these trying times.

Seven decades is a long time for any monarch to keep the same sagacity or wisdom in the face of many ups and downs, controversies, and excessive (and excruciating) media scrutiny. But Queen Elizabeth II will be primarily remembered for her amazing dignity in adapting to the changing moorings of hereditary monarchy, and navigating societal changes to her advantage.

Jayanth Jacob is a foreign policy commentator who covered the ministry of external affairs for more than two decades. Twitter: @jayanthjacob. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.