God Salvage the Queen

In a short videocast yesterday, titled Queen Elisabeth is the worst royal ever, Piero San Giorgio pointed out the epic disaster that has been the reign of Elizabeth II. She took the throne in 1952 while still young - only 26 - and now at 93 serves as the longest-reigning monarch of all British history. Back then, World War II was only a few years in the past. Britain was already past its peak as world power, which, if measured by land held, occurred in 1922, beyond which London had lost its grip on Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India, but still stood as "the empire on which the sun never sets," holding vast territories over several continents. When Elizabeth was anointed, Britain was still a first-class world power.

Today, Britain's claims are reduced to a handful of small scattered islands, Gibraltar and a portion of Antarctica. It's not a terrible spread for a former naval power with lost appetite for governing other nations. In some context, the changes are preferable. This blog is highly skeptical of empire-building, as it so often destroys the host. Had Elizabeth shed the empire deliberately to preserve the people of her realm, her actions would be admirable. But, of course, she did not do so, and her nation is under grave threat, with now a British minority in the once-great capital city, and the newest potential heir to the throne - due to be born any day now - of mixed race.

Now, the obvious counter-argument would be that the British monarch is today a mere figurehead with little vested power. Supposedly she has the power to dissolve the Parliament, and those of Australia and Canada as well, but it's debated how realistic those powers are. Still, as figurehead of the people, she holds great social influence, yet has not uttered a word in defense of her people. Elizabeth is the queen who lost the British Empire; that she was weakly empowered will be given only mild consideration towards her legacy. History is full of leaders who didn't effectively fight to defend their people, and tends not to treat them very kindly.