It is perhaps easy to forget the details of a British coronation ceremony, so long has it been since one was necessary. The new monarch swears to maintain the Church of England, as well as to "cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed". This pledge is made in front of every aspect of the British state, from the Prime Minister to the Archbishop of Canterbury – and latterly, thanks to the advent of television, the subjects themselves. In 1953, 27 million people in the UK watched as Queen Elizabeth II was crowned.
That generation will now join with those born since in celebration of her platinum jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. The longevity of her reign alone makes her one of the most significant royals in British history. But back in June 1953, very little was known about the 25-year-old. And there was even less certainty about the direction the UK would go during her reign.
She vowed to govern not just the people of the UK, but also those of "Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and the other Territories". But this colonial reality was already unravelling. India, the former "Jewel in the Crown", had left in 1947. Three years into her reign Britain, France and Israel launched a failed attempt to recapture the Suez Canal after it was reclaimed by the post-colonial administration in Egypt led by Gamal Abdel Nasser. It was a humiliating defeat and a moment many view as the death knell for western imperialism.
Change was also happening within the UK. The devastation of the Second World War, which most of the Queen's subjects had lived through, bankrupted the economy and changed politics and society. The calls for recognition from under-represented groups, particularly women and colonial subjects, both of whom made great sacrifices during the war, would spell an end to the previous social order.
Since then, 14 British Prime Ministers have grappled with such issues on a political level. The Queen has followed them closely with weekly conversations. While she stays out of political decision-making, this astonishing breadth of historical experience is an asset to the country. Barely anyone knows anything about the content of these interactions, making this secret knowledge just one of the many fascinating aspects of her reign.
Another gift is her ability to pick up on the mood of the nation. She has always chosen to be close to people. She carried out 341 official engagements at the age of 89. This commitment was never as important as during the pandemic. Almost 24 million people watched a rare special address she made in March 2020. An image of her sitting alone at her husband's funeral, sticking to Covid-19 regulations, became a symbol of the country’s sacrifice.
A benefit of monarchies is the stability they can embody. The past few decades have been the fastest-changing era in history. Queen Elizabeth is one of the few leaders who has been in the public eye throughout, remaining an example of the responsible use and respect of power. Today, such harmony is a gold standard to which future UK monarchs should aspire.
