People’s Queen

Built on a system of hereditary privilege, the monarchy is an anachronism in the modern age. That said, kings and queens who are adored by their people remain the favourite theme of children’s stories. Queen Elizabeth II exemplified it in real life. A shared sense of loss at her death, at the age of 96, reflects a life of extraordinary service. A constant presence in millions of lives, her monarchical reign, the longest in British history stretching more than 70 years, was a symbol of continuity, unity, grace and fortitude. Deeply loved by the people she had pledged to serve, the ‘matriarch’ was admired by many others, including anti-monarchists and those who expected an apology for the Empire’s sins.

It is a measure of Queen Elizabeth’s popularity that she will be remembered for playing her part so well for so long, and not for the family’s scandals or the extravagance associated with royalty. With her demeanour and unwavering service, she came to define the constitutional monarch. Her restraint and political neutrality set her apart, but the monarchy of the future may not be the same. King Charles III, who is not known to hold back his views, comes to the throne aged 73. Not particularly popular, his reign is expected to raise the volume on questions about the new role and identity Britain would like for the family, minus its brightest star.

The Queen was born when Britain ruled a global empire. She adapted to the change with remarkable clarity about her country’s hugely diminished position in the world, and her own within the Commonwealth. The post-imperial grouping mattered to her though, and keeping it together would be a challenge. The Indian Government, by announcing a day of state mourning on September 11 as a mark of respect, joins the world in paying tribute to a woman whose global influence straddled two centuries.