According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), on September 8, local time, Queen Elizabeth II died in Balmoral Castle, Scotland, at the age of 96.
With the Queen's death, a secret program code-named Operation London Bridge was launched. Under British law, Prince Charles, who has been heir to the throne since the age of three, immediately became King of england and is expected to be officially announced soon at St James's Palace in London. However, his official coronation will not take place until some time. While remembering the queen, people also welcomed the birth of a new king.
For the British people, this is like an "expected accident". Seventy years have passed since Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in 1952, and she has become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, surpassing Thailand's predecessor Bhumibol (70 years and 4 months) in global history to become the "second in the world" after Louis XIV of France (72 years). Elizabeth II has contributed a great deal both in promoting unity within the Commonwealth and in maintaining good diplomatic relations.
People always say "the prime minister of flowing water, the queen of iron" – yes, she represents a "constant" force in a changing world. Just two days earlier, also in BalmoralBurg, she had just appointed a new British Prime Minister, Elizabeth Truss. During her long life, she appointed a total of 15 British prime ministers, covering almost all of British history since World War II.
In the modern society after the Enlightenment, the abolition of feudalism and the move towards democracy were the general trend, but the British constitutional monarchy system still exists today. The reason is that although the monarch has only symbolic significance in Britain, it still maintains the British political arena, social cohesion and even the "national nature" of Britain, and the highly prestigious Elizabeth II has maintained a high degree of stability in the British constitutional system. In the "post-queen" era, it is unclear whether charles, the new king who took over the throne, will be able to respond to the expectations of the people.
The official portrait of the Queen, released on 2 June, celebrating the 70th year of Elizabeth II's reign, was taken at Windsor Castle.
Platinum Jubilee Celebration
When you think of the Queen, one might think of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations celebrated in Britain a few months ago – the latest time the Queen has appeared before the public eye. On 5 June, as the four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations drew to a close, crowds gathered near Buckingham Palace Square, and Elizabeth II, who had no scheduled to attend the event, appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace "in surprise".
At the last moment of the celebration, the Queen reappeared for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Before the celebration, the news of the queen's ill health was frequently reported, and there was a rumor that "the queen has passed away", but Elizabeth II, who was the "heroine" at that time, had an elegant and idyllic smile on her face as always, and her elderly back was no longer strong, she was wearing a green suit skirt, wearing a hat of the same color, holding a crutch in her left hand, waving her right hand to the public, and her spirit was strong, it was difficult to imagine that this was an old man who had recently aged.
Keeping a smile at all times was a habit that Elizabeth II had always had, and it was also an obligation she imposed on herself. If the Queen stops smiling at public events, she may incur unnecessary misunderstandings. When the band played the British national anthem, "Blessed Queen," the crowd sang in unison, singing the praises of the once British Empire in their hearts, but there was a hint of sadness in the hilarity — the celebration would finally come to an end, just like the golden age that had passed.
Throughout Elizabeth II's long life, she always seemed very helpless, and this helplessness was reflected in public affairs, family affairs and even personal affairs. As queen, everything must give way to the stability of the constitutional order and the "decency" of the royal family. As she vowed on her 21st birthday: "My whole life, long or short, will serve the public, the royal family." "Her life never belonged to herself, but to the whole Commonwealth.
The reign of the Windsor Dynasty is only more than 100 years, and after four monarchs, Elizabeth II alone has occupied it for 70 years. Like her father, she stood up for the country's tough times and led the people in rebuilding Britain. Whether after the war or when the epidemic was raging, she always became an important spiritual pillar of the British people. Today, Elizabeth II has become the longest reigning monarch in British history, winning the respect and love of the people.
Churchill (right) was the first Prime Minister elizabeth II to work with and was her mentor and friend
From Princess Elizabeth to "Elizabeth II"
In fact, becoming queen didn't seem so predestined for the childhood Princess Elizabeth. In the American British drama "The Crown", the director borrowed Churchill's mouth and said: "Like the previous Queen Elizabeth, in her childhood, she never thought that she would one day become king. ”
Princess Elizabeth (real name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on 21 April 1926 as the first child of Prince Albert, Duke of York. According to the English succession law, the Crown Prince was the older brother of the Duke of York, David (i.e. Edward VIII), while Princess Elizabeth was only the third heir to the throne. At that time, David was in full swing, and even the second-ranked Duke of York was almost impossible to inherit the throne, let alone Elizabeth.
As a child, Princess Elizabeth (first from right) and her sister Princess Margaret had parents who were still Dukes of York and Duchesses of York. The Duke of York later ascended the throne as King George VI.
However, the change occurred when she was ten years old, and everything was caused by her uncle Edward VIII, who had "not loved the country and loved the beauty" after less than a year on the throne, and edward VIII did not hesitate to abdicate in order to marry an American woman who was not recognized by the British royal family. In order to rebuild public confidence in the royal family, the unprepared Duke of York had to provoke the state beams, that is, george vi, and Elizabeth became crown prince. George VI was later widely praised, in part because of the German bombing of London during World War II, but he persevered and never abandoned his people.
I believe that many readers have seen the excellent biographical film "The King's Speech", in which the cowardly and shy but brave to take on heavy responsibilities, and even overcame the language barrier and gave a speech in wartime to inspire the people to stutter the king, telling the story of George VI.
Stills of George VI from The King's Speech
Elizabeth, who devoted her life to serving the British public, and this sense of mission and responsibility to dedicate her life to the country, was probably also influenced by her father, George VI.
The frail George VI died suddenly in 1952 because of state affairs, and the authority of the empire was handed over to the eldest daughter of the father, Lilibai. Elizabeth, who was visiting Kenya, quickly decided on her name, "Elizabeth II". Perhaps by coincidence, or deliberately, in post-war Britain, where its national power declined, "Elizabeth" always reminds people of the golden age of the Tudor dynasty in the past.
Elizabeth II also intended to establish herself as a "new monarch". Her coronation, held at Westminster Church in London, followed tradition in every detail from beginning to end, but at the same time televised most of the ceremony to the nation on television, for the first time in history, and the meaning of innovation was all in it.
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth
The young monarch did not catch up with the good times. She was born between world wars and enlisted in the army to experience World War II. The United Kingdom she inherited was devastated, the Commonwealth was facing a crisis of collapse, and tests followed.
The tricky situation in the early days of taking office
In the exhibition halls of the British Museum, there are many treasures of world civilization, including Egyptian mummies, and many collections highlight the glory of the British Empire in the past, and it is true that they are also "booty" under the acts of robbers.
Behind the glory is the colonies of the "Empire that Never Sets" all over the world in the past, and it is also the forcible seizure of other civilizations in the world by force. People look at the magnificent statue of Ramses II, admiring and fiercely criticizing the "black history" of British colonization.
After the war, under the sweep of the third wave of democratization, many colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America demanded independence, which was undoubtedly a crisis for the British Empire. With the end of the two world wars, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for world hegemony, and Britain was also reduced to a "second world" country, and the scenery was long gone.
Elizabeth II faced such a difficult situation in the early days of her succession. Against this particular backdrop, she embarked on non-stop foreign visits. In foreign affairs, the Queen represents Britain and is particularly critical to maintaining the cohesion of the Commonwealth.
For her, the responsibility of being the monarch of England is heavier than Tarzan, and even more important than life. Even in the face of danger, she was not afraid and carried out her duties very resolutely. For example, before her visit to Ghana in 1961, the local political situation was turbulent and even bombings, and the security situation was worrying, but she insisted on the visit despite the prime minister's persuasion and successfully appeased Ghanaian President Nkrumah and let Ghana stay in the Commonwealth. When visiting Quebec, Canada, she insisted on her visit despite learning that the militants were plotting to "assassinate the queen", and always remained calm.
In 1961, Elizabeth II danced with Ghanaian President Nkrumah
So far, she has visited a large number of countries, maintaining the existence of the Commonwealth as an international organization through diplomatic efforts, and maintaining good economic and trade exchanges and cultural exchanges between countries. To this day, 54 sovereign states(including the United Kingdom) remain in the Commonwealth, although only 15 of them regard the Queen as head of state.
Elizabeth II achieved many diplomatic successes. She is the most visited monarch in British history, with 325 visits to more than 100 countries. On the 20th anniversary of the end of World War II (1965), she visited Germany, the first official visit of a British monarch to Germany since 1913, and also marked the formal "reconciliation" between Britain and the enemy of Germany; She also crossed the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland for the first time in a hundred years, and the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch, melting the historical ice between Britain and Ireland.
On 14 October 1986, Queen Elizabeth II and her wife visited the Badaling Great Wall, the first member of the British royal family to visit Chinese mainland
Although constitutionally speaking, Elizabeth II had only some ceremonial powers and no real power, she made a great contribution to international solidarity in this position.
The fusion of royal power and modern political system
Elizabeth II almost perfectly interpreted the role that the British monarchy should play under the constitutional monarchy, that is, to shape the national identity, unite the people's hearts, maintain national unity, maintain political neutrality, and maintain constitutional order. It is often commented that Elizabeth II's greatest achievement was to adapt the monarchy to the political order of modern society.
Undoubtedly, Elizabeth II and her royal family have become one of Britain's most important cultural symbols, and this depends in large part on her political virtues of moderation.
In The British Constitution, Walter Bégert commented on Britain's constitutional order, saying that "solemnity" and "efficiency" can only work at the same time when they trust and support each other. The former represents the monarch and the latter is the government cabinet. There is such a bridge in the British drama "The Crown", although there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the then Prime Minister Anthony Aiden's conspiracy to occupy the Suez Canal with France and Israel, but limited by the fundamental principle of political neutrality, Elizabeth II only said one word to Aiden: "The sovereign (monarch) always supports the Prime Minister." ”
As a British monarch, Elizabeth II met with the Prime Minister on a weekly basis to hear his recent work reports, often more nuanced and frank. So far, 14 prime ministers have worked with her, and almost every prime minister will give her a very high evaluation, and attach great importance to the advice and advice given by the queen.
Political neutrality is a fundamental principle of maintaining the British constitutional order, and Elizabeth II was well aware of this, so she most of the time avoided voicing opinions on sensitive issues, lest she be unnecessarily drawn into the vortex of partisan politics. This attitude also extends into family affairs and public affairs, thus maintaining the solemnity and majesty of the queen.
There always seems to be a B-side to everything in the world, and restraint is sometimes interpreted as "indifference." In the 1966 Aberfan mine disaster, Elizabeth II's performance was one of the footnotes of "not taking a stand". In October of that year, a pile of wasteland in the town of Aberfan, Wales, England, collapsed due to rainwater, and 34 meters of black mud poured down, flattening everything it went, eventually killing 144 people, most of them children sitting in school classrooms. Elizabeth II, however, initially refused to visit the village in person, and did not come to Aberfan until eight days after the disaster to speak with survivors, prompting media criticism for his "apathy". Many years later, the Queen publicly stated that not visiting Albertan immediately after the disaster was "the greatest regret of her life".
The same was true of Princess Diana in the 1997 incident in which she killed the tunnel. Princess Diana is an atypical member of the royal family, she is easy-going, loved by the public, and often in close contact with the people. Diana, who divorced Charles for infidelity, received widespread sympathy from the public and inspired criticism of the royal family, a sentiment that grew stronger after Princess Diana's death. Since Diana was no longer a member of the royal family at the time, the Queen initially issued only a brief statement, and this overly rational and cautious approach was criticized by public opinion as "impersonal", and she later rushed back from Scotland to London to make a televised speech, which won back the hearts of the people. There is no doubt that Princess Diana's hospitality is an example for members of the royal family, and the Queen is no exception.
Princess Diana
With Princess Diana as a new frame of reference, Elizabeth II has lost its magic by keeping a distance from the populace and maintaining the solemnity and nobility of the royal family through political mystery.
In fact, as early as the 1960s, the BBC made a documentary tracking the "real life" of the royal family for the public to watch, in order to make the royal family appear more pro-people, but it was quickly banned for "undermining the prestige of the royal family". When people realize that the British royal family on the screen also needs to eat and drink Lhasa, and there are love and hate, there is probably little reverence for the royal family left. In the modern society after political disenchantment, the highly developed Internet has dissolved the "sense of distance" between the royal family and the people, and the royal scandals that have been frequently exposed in recent years have made the royal family "walk off the altar".
Does the monarch still have to exist?
Although Elizabeth II shaped the cultural identity of the post-war populace to the symbol of the monarchy, it was unable to shape the political identity of the monarchy as a whole in the United Kingdom according to the model of a single nation-state. To this day, centrifugal tendencies in Scotland and Northern Ireland are still surging today.
The Scottish independence movement has a long history. After the constitutional reform of decentralization in the British Parliament in the late 1990s, the Scottish Parliament gained some internal powers, but sovereignty remained in the British Parliament, and the legal level was still a unitary system. To get out of control, Scotland launched an independence referendum in September 2014, which ended in failure.
The royal family is perhaps one of the few mysterious corners of modern society. The legitimacy of the monarch in the past derived from the divine right of kings, and the monarch was shrouded in the fog of political mysticism. In a secularized modern society, monarchs are most often seen as "poisons of feudal society" in a political sense alone, with the abolition of monarchs and the increasing number of republics, even in 15 countries of the Commonwealth still regard the Queen as a monarch.
Today, the legitimacy of the British monarch derives from the popular love for the monarch, which is premised on the premise that "the monarch has virtues". Ten years ago, Elizabeth II, in her 60-year-old Golden Jubilee celebration, said she had assumed only the role of "leading the kingdom in the changing times."
According to a survey released in May last year by yougov, the UK's polling body, showed that among respondents aged 18 to 24 in the UK (excluding Northern Ireland), the proportion of respondents who supported the election of the head of state (41%) exceeded that of those who wanted to maintain the monarchy (31%). Just two years ago, 46 percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 supported monarchy, compared with only 26 percent who supported the election of heads of state. Voices against the monarchy are growing and their numbers are rising.
The dispute between monarchy and republic in Britain has a long history, and both sides have their own opinions. Although the call for a republic has always existed, the existence of the monarchy involves many problems and is very large. Although republicans have attacked the monarchy in terms of financial expenditures and royal scandals, they have been unable to promote the abolition of the monarch, fundamentally because Britain lacks corresponding motivation.
Britain is essentially a conservative country, and as long as there is no major crisis that can shake the constitution (such as the monarch's intention to be absolute), britain will not go to the step of abolishing the monarch, which is a bit too radical for britain. Although Charles's performance was less than satisfactory compared to that of his mother, Elizabeth II, it is unlikely that he would single-handedly trigger this constitutional crisis.
charles
In fact, the monarch, as an unrelated to political interests, is usually able to unite the British government and people across parties, which is very important for political stability. At the same time, in the hearts of the public, the "national image" represented by the Queen has been widely praised, especially the "tradition" she represents is deeply rooted in the hearts of the British people. We will see the British media judge Johnson as "jokers", but it is almost unlikely that they will treat Elizabeth II in a similar way. Whenever the Queen is mentioned, the faces of the British people are always filled with pride and pride, recalling Britain's long history and glorious golden age. Needless to say, many Britons believe that reverence for tradition is one of the important factors for Britain to become a cultural power.
For most Britons today, the first monarch to be known since the beginning of his understanding was Elizabeth II, who symbolized constancy and stability, and for some Britons, even the pillar of the soul. Once, no matter how the world changed, she stood in front of the people and always smiled. Today, the British have completely bid farewell to the Queen who has accompanied her to this day, and only people are missed for Elizabeth II.
The author is Zhuo Yizi and Chen Miaosong, and the news editor of Shenzhen Satellite TV
Editor 丨 Wu Wei, senior chief writer of Zhi News, special commentator of Shenzhen Satellite TV's "Live Broadcasting, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan".