Being partly of Irish descent, I may get in trouble with some if I come off too positive about the British monarchy. But it is fair to say that many of us Americans have been fascinated with it for a long time.
We can hardly be blamed. Those of us of a certain age grew up learning as much, or even more, of British history than our own. But with British history, there is simply more of it.
I was taught in school, for example, that the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066 and that King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215. Then there was Henry VIII and his penchant for beheading wives. Let’s not forget that if it weren’t for mad King George, there might not have been a revolution here and a United States of America today.
There are still monarchies all over the world. Not all royal families enjoy the wealth and status of the British one, but it is that one that is in our historical line. And Elizabeth II was Queen for the entire lives of many of us. I was fond of her partly because I collected stamps as a little boy, and her head was on those in use at the time.
All of this said, there is no question that the British monarchy is an undemocratic anachronism that a sizeable number of people, even in the UK itself, consider unnecessary, unfairly privileged, and too expensive. But I think most of us could agree that if Britain had to have a monarch, Elizabeth was just about the best one possible. We are hearing much about her devotion to duty from a young age, her genuine interest in people, her breadth of historical knowledge, and her sense of humor. And, of course, she was a “crazy dog lady” too.
But what happens now? Will Charles III be the last British monarch? Maybe that position will fall to William after him. The end will come, but it will only happen when the Brits are truly ready for it. Abruptly throwing out the monarchy would be like discarding a treasured family heirloom too soon. The surprise comes when survivors discover how much they miss it when it’s gone.
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