Queen Elizabeth II: An Assessment

[Stavros]

Having been a Republican for most of my life, the death of a Queen does not cause me as much grief as evidently it does to other citizens of the UK, and beyond. That said, I think if one enduring legacy of the long reign of QEII affects our politics, it will be to maintain the Head of State as a non-political office.

For my part, I feel that what has been overlooked so far, are three moments in the reign of this Queen which have been profound, and of enough importance to validate her role as Head of State, while being part of her personal, Christian faith. I refer to the Queen's role in the reconciliation of the United Kingdom with former enemies in Germany, Japan, and Northern Ireland.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, there was an understandable bitterness and resentment toward the Germans and the Japanese. Indeed, last year when I was in hospital a 90-something patient in the bed opposite asked my 'Why were the Japanese so cruel?' to which I did not have a satisfactory answer. For generations who lived through it, the conduct of war, whether as citizens of the UK bombed by the Germans, or those killed or injured in combat, or imprisoned by Germans and Japanese, the memories were raw, bitter and difficult to assuage.

Here, then is the key to the Head of State's mission, to reconcile the UK and Germany, And it happened in 1965 when the Queen made an official visit to West Germany, thus

"“Her commitment to German-British reconciliation after the horrors of World War II will remain unforgotten,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Separately, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the queen’s state visit in 1965 to post-war Germany was an “invaluably important signal ofreconciliation after two devastating world wars”.
Germany hails Queen Elizabeth as ‘symbol of reconciliation’ after two world wars (thelocal.de)

The case of Japan was more controversial because the Emperor Hirohito whose State visit took place in 1971 had been Emperor throughout the War. It was followed by the Queen's official visit to Japan in 1975-

"On both sides there was an overwhelming view that the Queen’s visit with its innovations ‘marked a significant step towards reconciliation and renewal of old friendships.’ "
The Japan Society - British Royal and Japanese Imperial Relations, 1868-2018

Third, are the visits the Queen made to the Republic of Ireland in 2011, and Northern Ireland in 2012, in which she acknowledged the violent history of Anglo-Irish relations, and in particular, in 2012, greeted, and was greeted with cordial enthusiasm by a former Quarter-Master of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, Martin McGuinness-

"these two memorial events respectfully recognised the complexities of British and Irish history, giving equal acknowledgement to the losses of both countries. Moreover, the images of the Queen and President McAleese standing side by side – first at a memorial to those who gave their lives for Irish independence, then at one for those who died fighting for Britain – are arguably as significant to these islands as was the sight of President de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer – kneeling and praying together in Reims Cathedral in 1962 – were for Franco-German reconciliation in post-war Europe."
Jubilee reflections: Regal Diplomacy: Elizabeth II and the Northern Ireland Peace Process - Queen's Policy Engagement (qub.ac.uk)

If there are two gaps in this story, one is that QEII was unable to affect any reconciliation with Argentina in the aftermath of the war of 1982, and I believe that is because the Argentine is reluctant to consider its claim on the Falkland Island settled by the outcome of that war.

The Queen's love of the Commonwealth also suggests that while the Monarchy does not say 'sorry' for Slavery or the Colonial Empire in Africa and the Caribbean, a reconciliation with Africa in particular is less explicit than in the three cases above. That Caribbean islands now wish to be Republican is I think part of a trend that will over time weaken and deplete the Commonwealth, a process accelerated by the absence of QEII, the less influential Charles III, and Brexit as the poison rotting the UK from within.

But, fundamental to the processes described above, is that what QEII did was not just the duty of a Head of State directed by her Government, but part of her personal, religious duty as a Christian. Here, for example, is how she explained her faith, and how it connects with the processes of reconciliation I have referred to-

""For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.""
Queen Elizabeth on her relationship with Christ (britishheritage.com)

At a time when the Christian filth of America is engaged in a dual process of theft of people's money, and the vile, cruel punishment of women raped be they 10 or 20 years old, the simple, but practical demonstration of Christian forgiveness by Queen Elizabeth II, throws into darkness the beliefs and behaviours of the frauds, while illuminating for all, what was her profound belief that people can always be better, that we can all find the capacity within ourselves to love, and to forgive.

[Stavros]

Out of the noise surrounding QEII's death, came an outrageous comment from an American academic, noteworthy not for its attack on the dying monarch, but it's ignorance of British politics.

The academic is Uju Anya, thus

"A professor who wished the Queen an “excruciating” death and tweeted that she hoped the monarch would die “in agony” has doubled down on her criticism despite the backlash."
She added later - "In response to the controversy, Anya tweeted: “If anyone expects me to express anything but disdain for the monarch who supervised a government that sponsored the genocide that massacred and displaced half my family and the consequences of which those alive today are still trying to overcome, you can keep wishing upon a star.”
Professor who wished Queen ‘excruciating death’ doubles down on criticism despite backlash | The Independent

The context for these remarks is Anya's Biafran heritage, and her complaint that the Queen was Head of State when the British Government supported the Government of Nigeria's military and economic suppression of the independent state of Biafra, which seceded from Nigeria in 1967. Articles below will help those not familiar with the crisis to approach it, and there is no doubt that Harold Wilson, famous for his duplicity -or political cunning if you prefer- was 'economical with the truth' when it came to the UK's support for Nigeria.

The point is that the Queen had no influence over the UK's policy, and it is jejune to think she ought to be held responsible for it, and thus as some sort of revenge, to suffer 'excruciating pain'. Moreover, had the Queen told Wilson he should change policy, he could have ignored it, or simply told her to shut up, though he wouldn't have done that. I suggest Dr Anya doesn't understand how the relationship between the Monarch and the Govt in the UK works, and has thus made a fool of herself.

The grim reality of Biafra is that it was on a hiding to nothing. Yes, it had a well-educated population, though the Igbo/Ibo/Ebo people were both successors and victims in independent Nigeria, and yes, the protection of Nigeria's oil supplies, concentrated in Biafra, and the Shell/BP investments there were important motives for the UK Govt to support Nigeria. It was also the case that having created this State, the British were more than reluctant to see it broken into separate independent states, the nightmare that was and for some still stalks across post-Colonial Africa. And for the record, Nigeria was supported by the UK and the USSR, which had been cultivating relations in Nigeria before 1967, while the French supported Biafra -but again, for its oil resources- as did Israel, on the spurious basis that a proportion of Igbo were Jews converted millenia ago, though one suspects because Israel has been anti-British since the 1920s.

These articles may help.

How Britain’s Labour government facilitated the massa... (dailymaverick.co.za)

How Herold Wilson Helped Yakuku Gowon Slaughter Biafrans in 1967-70 (ekwenche.org)

EXCLUSIVE: Real reason France supported Biafra during Nigerian civil war | Premium Times Nigeria (premiumtimesng.com)

Israel, Nigeria and the Biafra Civil War, 1967–1970 (researchgate.net)

[mrtrebus]

Pathetic. We MUST end the monarchy.

[Stavros]

Pathetic. We MUST end the monarchy.

I don't know what you find pathetic, and maybe you could offer us your assessment of the late Queen's record as Head of State. I think she was clever enough not to do anything wrong to attract severe criticism of the Monarchy, and at times had to put up with decisions made by her Prime Minister that she would have preferred not to -the State visit of Nicolae Ceaușescu in 1978 was one example and yet another of the poor decision making made by Harold Wilson and James Callaghan at the time. You can read about it here-
Why Ceausescu’s 1978 state visit was far more humiliating than Trump’s ever could be | The Spectator Australia

The Queen once ‘hid in a bush’ to avoid Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu | The Independent

And then tell us how you would replace the Monarchy, and with what.