The Reign of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ:
Introduction
Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in 1926, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ broke the record of the longest-serving leader in the British Monarch. She was born in London as the first child and daughter to the Duke (King George Ⅵ) and Duchess of York (Queen Elizabeth Ⅰ). Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ became the Queen in 1952, at the age of twenty-five, when her father died. At the time of her demise on 8 September 2022, she had held the throne for seventy years and two hundred and fourteen days. Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ was not only the Queen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland but also the head of other thirty-two Commonwealth sovereign states such as Canada, New Zealand, Ceylon, and Jamaica. The paper discusses the momentous seven-decade reign of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ and the highlights of some of her achievements.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ was eventful, from her coronation up until her death. According to Blakemore (2022), Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ became the Queen of the United Kingdom by default; she was not supposed to become one. At the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ assumes power following the abdication of her uncle, King Edward Ⅷ. The young Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ had her work well cut out for herself by her predecessors; her first duty was to serve in the Auxiliary Territorial Services during World War Ⅱ. Queen Elizabeth and her husband Phillip Mountbatten had four children: Edward, Anne, Charles, and Andrew. The Queen died at the age of ninety-six, and several months before that, she marked her seventy-year (Platinum Jubilee) reign with jubilant celebrations in the United Kingdom. Indeed, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ proved her unrelenting endurance and consistency to the World.
Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ spent much of her time in diplomatic duties and fostering unity. Clancy (2021) asserts that Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ made her first official tour since her coronation to Germany to symbolize reconciliation and mark new beginnings. Germany and the United Kingdom were at war, and the Queen’s visit culminated in peace and harmony between the two nations. The Queen was a dedicated servant who ensured peace in all the Commonwealth Nations under her rule and influence. “Although my father made that vow in my salad days when I was green in judgment, I do not regret nor retract one word of it.” The Queen made the remarks during her Silver Jubilee anniversary celebrations and thanksgiving service at her Buckingham Palace (Andrews, 2021). The Queen also made trips to countries such as Australia, South Africa, India, China, the Czech Republic, and other Caribbean countries to show love and appreciate human diversities. Indeed, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ was driven by the need to serve humanity with utmost dignity and respect.
Conclusion
Seven decades at the helm was a good stint for Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ. She served with dignity and ensured unity, love, and harmony in all the thirty-commonwealth states. However, at some point, her tenure was equally dotted with controversies, public criticisms, and ridicule. Her children had troubled marriages and relationships, and in 1992, she admitted that she had a terrible year-things were not all rosy for the Queen. Even death had knocked on the doors of her Palace; she had lost Princess Diana in a car crash. All that could not stop Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ from serving her people and making decisive decisions. Even the COVID-19 she contracted in 2021 could not stop her. Indeed, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ had a good run and will be forever missed by many.
References List
Clancy, L. (2021). The corporate power of the British monarchy: Capital (ism), wealth, and power in contemporary Britain. The Sociological Review, 69(2), 330-347.
Blakemore, E. (2022). How Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ Embraced New Technologies During her Reign. History & Culture. The National Geographic.
Andrews, K. (2021, January). The post-racial princess: Delusions of racial progress and intersectional failures. In Women’s Studies International Forum (Vol. 84, p. 102432). Pergamum.