Americans love royalty. We search streaming services for British shows about the monarchy, tour the United Kingdom to see the palaces and relish time throwing darts in pubs. Many of us watched celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s recent platinum jubilee marking seven decades on the throne and her meeting with the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Liz Truss.
With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we find ourselves reflecting on royal business and our fascination with the crown.
The queen’s family has been of great interest to the world going back at least to Princess Diana and her fateful trip to France, where she died in 1997 in a tragic car accident. Palace intrigue has always led to paparazzi swarming the royals. An estimated 2.5 billion people watched Diana’s funeral.
We have also followed the travails of Princes Edward, Andrew, William and, of course, Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who recently formally separated from the royal family.
So, what exactly did the queen do? And how do we really feel about having a monarchy?
At 96, her majesty was Britain’s longest-serving monarch. She was a stable presence in the lives of Britons, reassuring them during World War II that all would be well in the world. She did the same during the recent challenges posed by Brexit and COVID-19.
The queen served an important global function. First, there’s the symbolism. Every passport in the United Kingdom is stamped with the queen’s name. And part of good public diplomacy is showing off your nation to the rest of the world.
The queen, as a public figure, placed her nation in a positive light, and is revered by most. Despite some negative press, she remained one of the most popular leaders in Europe.
There have always been scandals within the royal family and charges of mistreatment and smothering rules. But the queen was the country’s leading figure in charitable activities and represents some 600 good causes, including youth empowerment programs, public health and environmental and wildlife preservation.
Secondly, the queen was often the person who said, “thank you.” She thanked countless soldiers, presidents and citizens, and there is nothing we need more today than gratitude.
At her platinum jubilee, the queen ended her public message by saying, “I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come. I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.”
Lastly, the queen gave pomp and circumstance to government at a time when faith and confidence in government is low. Her duties included opening new sessions of Parliament and granting her royal assent to legislation.
At a time when Americans are debating whether anyone is “above the law,” it is fair to say that in the United Kingdom, the queen was the law; indeed, technically, she could not have been prosecuted for a crime.
As for Americans’ thoughts about the monarchy, most recent polls suggest we are royally ambivalent. On the one hand, we love royal romances. On the other hand, we bristle at the notion of royalty ruling over us.
And like on most issues, the British monarchy divides us. Many Americans found the decision by Harry and Meghan to leave the Royal family disrespectful, leading to a drop in their popularity. But others praised the independence of the couple, citing aristocracy as a negative trait.
Regardless of what you think about monarchies, it is sad to know that Queen Elizabeth II has died. The coming days and weeks will reveal how deeply she was loved by her nation and by so many people across the globe. At a time when the British – like so much of the world – are divided about so much, perhaps the queen’s death will unite the nation.
I wish the queen’s family, and her nation, well in these difficult days.
Tara D. Sonenshine is the Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice in Public Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.