WALKING THROUGH HER PRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME: HER ROYAL MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II

 

Walking through her Prints on the Sands of Time

“She was more than a monarch…!” Joe Biden stated in his speech on 8^th of September 2022 reacting to the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at 96years. She is the longest reigning monarch Britain has had. Queen Elizabeth has been described “a source of stability,” a strong female, a remarkable woman, a “figure of national pride”, a good boss, a “figure of unity”, “an anchor in uncertain times,” a very resilient female, a historical figure. She is said to be kind, hardworking and devoted. Born on 21^st April, 1926 and died on 8^th September, 2022. Messages continue to pour in from around the world in honour of the British monarch who greatly influenced the world throughout her reign. She indeed seemed everlasting; a figure that was always there and seemed never to be going away but all earthly life must come to an end. One thing no one can take away from Queen Elizabeth is that she was a world figure and her death marks the end of an era.

Queen Elizabeth was born on the 21^st of April 1926. She was Her royal Highness Princess Elizabeth Alexandria Mary of York. Her parents were Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth who were at the time the duke and Duchess of York.  Although she was the first child of her parents, she was not in the line of succession of the throne. She was to live a privileged life but a quiet and most likely out of the public life. She had a wonderful and organized childhood, playing

However, as life they say can change in a moment, Elizabeth’s life changed suddenly when on the death of her grandfather her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to his younger brother Prince Albert her father in 1936. Prince Albert was enthroned; His Majesty King George VI and Elizabeth became the heiress presumptive, next in line to the throne. She was not ‘heir apparent’ because if her parents bore a male child, he will automatically become the heir, moving Elizabeth down in the succession line. This was the law at that time. However, Queen Elizabeth has since changed this law thanks to the strong drive towards building a world of gender equality.

During the second world war, queen Elizabeth at 14years read a speech which was broadcasted on the radio to all children living through the war and being evacuated to be protected. Part of her speech read

“ …And when peace comes remember it will be for us the children of today to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place…”

As the war continued, Elizabeth enlisted in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women’s wing of the British Army when she turned 18. She served as a mechanic and driver until the war came to an end in 1945. While giving a speech in 1947 at 21 years, she in a sincere tone stated;

“…I declare before you all with my whole life, whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong…”

During the second world war, Elizabeth kept in touch with Prince Philip through letters. In 1947, she got engaged and married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburg. Their wedding was celebrated across the country. They were married for over 73 years until the death of Prince Philip on April 2021. Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. It is said that although she was queen and head of her country, she let her husband be the head of the family. She made time for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was an excellent partner.  She is remembered as a devoted wife and mother.

While on a tour of the Commonwealth with her husband where she was standing in for her father the King who was ill, King George the VI died. Prince Philip informed Elizabeth of her new role as Queen in a lodge in Kenya. She ascended the throne on February 6^th 1952 at 25years. The coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the first British coronation to be televised with cameras allowed inside Westminster Abbey where the coronation took place. queen Elizabeth explained years later that in her early years as Queen, she had to prove herself to courtiers, politicians, her country and the world at large. she explained years later that,

“In a way I didn’t have an apprenticeship. My father died much too young. It was all a very sudden kind of taking on and making the best job you can.”

She understood the importance of connecting with the people. She took on thousands of engagements and invented the “walk about”. The “walk about” changed the way the public interacted with the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II greeted people face to face, shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries and waving rather than being chauffeured from afar. Rather than living a remote life shielded from the public's eye, she opened the royal doors of the Buckingham palace to the public for tours.

She has been the Monarch of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth nations since 1952. As head of the commonwealth and Queen of other realms, she frequently visited many countries. It is said that she travelled more than any other Head of State. Wherever she went, she pulled a large crowd. It is said that she was concerned about conflicts and was very diplomatic. She was the first British Monarch to visit the Republic of Ireland in 100 years.

During the Corona Virus Pandemic, she was a source of strength, comfort, reassurance and encouragement. In her speech addressing nation during the COVID-19 pandemic, she stated that

“…we should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again. We will be with our families again, we will meet again.”

Her Christmas broadcast every year which was keenly looked forward to was where she sent a personal message to the public. She loved her dogs and horses. She had a good sense of humor.

In 2021, she bade farewell to her loving, devoted consort and kind husband, Prince Philip. She was in grief but carried herself with strength in the public. She rarely showed emotion in public.

She was the Royal monarch that welcomed the age of technology and she did this wholeheartedly. Her coronation was the first televised coronation, her annual Christmas message was broadcasted on television in 1957, In 2014 she joined twitter and uploaded her picture on Instagram in 2019 for the first time. it is noted that she is the first British Monarch to pay income taxes. It can be noted that her reign was filled with new inventions and welcomed new traditions.

 

Criticism and Backlash

She was criticized for initially not showing grief at the death of Princess Diana, the divorced wife of her son Prince Charles. She was heavily criticized for not giving a speech in the wake of Lady Diana’s death. The Queen shortly after much criticism came forward a made a passionate speech about Princess Diana and mourning her loss.

Until the time of her death, she has faced criticism over the neo colonialism of African countries formerly colonized by Britain. During her reign, several African countries became independent and the bloody days of Apartheid in South Africa and Kenya took place and came to an end.

Gone but Never Will Be Forgotten

She is the first monarch to mark a platinum jubilee. She has had a remarkable reign, grown a large family and served wholeheartedly her nation. Her death marks the end of an era and it will likely be a long time before another Queen rules Britain as there are three males next in the Windsor line of succession.  God save the Queen!