Jewel in the Crown

This weekend sees the country celebrate the rare occasion of a monarch reigning for 60 years, with Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

Events to mark the historic moment have been held nationwide, and it is difficult to escape from the bombardment of programmes across the television and radio that proffer discussion and debate on the past six decades.

Similar to the glorious era that saw Queen Victoria on the throne, the Queen’s reign has seen revolutions in lifestyle, communication, opinions, fashions, economy, politics, society and any other aspect of life that one might care to mention.

However, whilst Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother was a respected symbol of power worldwide, with Britain at the height of her Empire, our Queen does not appear to command the same sentiments from her peoples in this country, somewhat a figurehead of a bygone age.

Yes, congratulations to the Queen for being born of the right family and living for a very long time afterwards some might scoff. Well done on following up an ancient institution of praising a single figure sent from God in an increasingly agnostic populous. Kudos on ‘forming’ our governments, that are just as scandalous as the rule of a single monarch was to in the Tudor era. Hurrah. Cakes and ices all round.

Yet, perhaps such cynical pessimism should be locked away in the Tower.

Imagine being made head of state in almost 20 countries around the world, having a Commonwealth thrust upon you and suddenly being under the scrutiny of millions in an era of unprecedented media intrusion. And having that job for 60 years. Thought the proposition of retiring at 67 was a bad idea did we? I’m sure Elizabeth would have loved that privilege.

As Queen, her majesty is to represent a symbol of British resilience, strength and reserve. This fabric of humanity is something bred into the Queen from her childhood, that saw her father overcome impediments to lead a nation as a beacon through World War Two. She is not likely to give up her throne before death because her predecessors instilled a sense of pride and responsibility into her that few can understand. Integrity of the nation has shifted dramatically since the 1950s, but the Queen remains a stonewall symbol of old fashioned values integrating with modern man.

Admittedly, the power of the royal family is far from the absolute rule of those just a couple of centuries ago; but if anything the quintessential Britishness that the royals represent has grown in purpose.

Consider the French, who, in the middle of Eurocrisis, face a loss of identity to the mega-power of Germany and who look back on their own bloody usurping of monarchy with some gruesome horror. Or the Russians, who deposed of their Tsar amidst waging war, yet are left with a vast void, empty landscapes with no symbol of power.

Many European counterparts have no resolute figures that represent the proud heritage of their nation in the way that the royal family afford our country.

Modern society may deem that those in Buckingham Palace are relics of a bygone age; and yet their lives continue to provide a microcosm of social norms and wants. Never before has a cross-generation of imperial powers captured the public imagination as the current Windsor family. Perhaps Diana rocketed the royals to en vogue status, and her legacy is that the family are much more public property than before, an idea reignited by the marriage of Kate Middleton to William. Whilst the Queen is the staunch, strong and determined head of the family, she remains in the public eye and appears genuinely interested in maintaining links and visits to other Commonwealth nations. Her grandchildren are magnets of an eclectic mix of social respectability on the one hand, with numerous awards for their fighting and fundraising efforts, and extravagant parties on the other. Never has a previous century enjoyed such an intimate insight to regal routines.

As such, the jubilee is not so much a celebration of the power of the monarch, all but absorbed by government, but of the new generation of sovereign, who find themselves dedicated anew to the role of representing the sensibilities, morals and behaviours that are such causes for national pride.