Queen Elizabeth II passed away on September 8. It marked the end of a 70-year reign, the longest in British history and second longest of any monarch in world history. Yet many Americans don’t understand why she was so important.
The Queen passed away at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. A procession carried her coffin along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, where an estimated 60,000 people lined the streets. She was then flown to London and conveyed to Buckingham Palace. Then, in another grand procession, her coffin was quietly carried by horse-drawn cart, under the protection of the Scots Guard and Grenadier Guards, to Westminster Hall, while the royal family walked behind. Heathrow Airport pauses flights to silence jet noise. An estimated 750,000 people will view her coffin. Her funeral will be in Westminster Hall, built in 1097 by King William II. “She’s the matriarch of the United Kingdom, really,” said one mourner.
But why was she so important? England is the oldest modern nation-state. It was born after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. Before this, 40 years of turmoil and civil war reigned. By the 1680s, however, England had figured out that the key to forming a sustainable nation-state was the separation and balance of powers. In England, this is accomplished by balancing the monarchy and the Parliament. In America, this is accomplished by balancing the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. Nation-states that do not achieve this separation and balance of powers do not last long. Even though the British monarchy has largely ceremonial power today, it is still essential for maintaining balanced governance.
Queen Elizabeth played her role magnificently. Her calm demeanor provided a counterweight to the bizarre and disruptive behavior that occurs in Parliament. Even the Prime Minister can act foolishly without harming Britain’s standing because the monarch, the boss, is still in control. In America, much can be learned from the Queen’s quiet example.
Source:
“Thousands line Edinburgh’s Streets to See Queen’s Coffin,” BBC, 12 September 2022, accessed from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-62869534
Mark Landler, “Queen’s Coffin Passes London Landmarks, in a Grand but Hushed Royal Display,” New York Times, 14 September 2022, accessed from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/world/europe/queen-elizabeth-funeral-procession-london.html
Fareed Zakaria,” Elizabeth II Decided to be Boring—for Britain’s Sake,” Washington Post, 11 September 2022, A23.
Photo: Kristy O’Connor (AP)