Queen Elizabeth

As Queen Elizabeth celebrates 70 years on the throne, she continues to impress people around the world with her steadfast commitment to her people (of sixteen countries that recognize her as Head of State, including Canada) – a promise that she made when she turned 21 and has respected and followed throughout her reign.

I served as Spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretary General from 2007 until 2011. On Commonwealth Day, each year the Queen visited Marlborough House – seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat – to meet and greet staff and guests. Even at an advanced age, she took the time to chat with many guests about their home countries and the work of the organization and displayed a broad and deep understanding of the issues of the day as well as the Commonwealth’s unique history.

During my time at the Secretariat, I attended two Commonwealth Heads of Government Summits. I was always impressed with her bonds to African leaders and their admiration for her and her concern for African problems. This empathy with Africa is one characteristic that she has passed on to her grandsons William and Harry, who have both been personally involved in sponsoring and supporting development projects on that continent from a young age.

Throughout her life, the Queen’s mantra has been service.

As a teenager, she served in the army as a mechanic during the second world war. 

She saw how her father’s health problems were exacerbated by the pressures of a monarchy thrust upon him unexpectedly by the abdication of Edward VIII. She knew how well he personified Britain and the Commonwealth in the war against Nazi Germany and became an apt and remarkable student of the responsibilities of the monarchy. 

She committed to service at a young age and had the benefit of learning from a variety of Prime Ministers of both the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth realms. Her hands-on education, together with her strong and focused work ethic and total lack of frivolousness, made her a valuable and serious interlocutor for many British and world leaders.

Queen Elizabeth has the “royal jelly” and presence missing in many of the current royals.

Has she made mistakes?

Indeed, the movie The Queen describes her misreading the mood of the British people when Princess Diana tragically died. She survived that episode, as well as the varied scandals that her sons Charles and Andrew have incurred.

Yet, she has learned from them, endured them and risen above them with her popularity intact.

This weekend, monarchists and republicans are celebrating her remarkable tenure.

But one may question whether monarchy is an institution fit for purpose in the 21st century. 

One may also question whether her son and grandson will be able to stem the tide of modernity and republicanism and create a relevant monarchy.

Queen Elizabeth has set the bar high and remains popular and respected by her subjects around the world.

But is she the last of her kind? 

Time will tell.

But, as long as she reigns, she will be a very popular and highly respected Queen of fifteen countries and Head of the Commonwealth.

And that is an achievement worth celebrating.

Edición: Emilio Gómez