Long live the Queen! Millions watched the broadcast of the Queen’s state funeral in Westminster Abbey. Faithfully keeping her 50-year-old promises of serving her royal duties to the best of her ability, the Queen is remembered as the epitome of a benevolent monarch. However, with an absence of vicarious political power and urges to recognize the impact of colonialism, England faces a tumultuous future. 

On September 8, a flag above Buckingham Palace was flown at half- mast. Indicating Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor)’s death, this signal left England and many commonwealth nations in mourning. The Queen was hailed as a figure who stood strong with her people and to the throne stemming from her dedication, according to BBC. The Queen met and appointed 15 prime ministers, ranging from Winston Churchill himself to the present prime minister, Liz Truss. Especially as Britain underwent tumultuous times, from World War II to when the monarchy itself was in question, she nevertheless symbolized the throne as a solid point for people to look up to. Now Britain is in the face of a new king, Charles III, the Queen’s son succeeding the throne, and Camilla as the new Queen consort.  

The Queen’s Vast Political Power  

Although the royals’ interference inpolitics is limited, with its historic feud of political powers dating back to the Magna Carta, their political influence remains significant. Specific authorities reside exclusively within the boundaries of royals’ rights, such as opening each new session of Parliament or granting Royal Assent to legislation, as written in The Royal Family. 

Nonetheless, the royals’ duties extend far beyond performing mere political formalities. The Washington Post particularly noted the royals’ soft power, which signifies persuasion or other means than force to achieve positive outcomes. Professor Andrew R. Walkling, (English, General Literature and Rhetoric, Binghamton University) explained that “The British monarchs retained certain vestiges of their previous power in the form of their ability to present themselves to the public as symbols of authority and to rise above everyday concerns. When monarchs did offer their opinion about something, it was often seen by the public through the lens of that almost mystical authority and as a result, the British monarchs can affect public opinion, to set the terms of certain social conditions and even to help preserve traditional practices in the face of novelty and innovation. Through all of these things, they are able to affect policy in subtle ways that remain outside of the traditional exercise of political power”.  Her magnifying influence is nevertheless validated by the long queue to pay respects at the Queen’s state funeral by public figures from all parts of the world, ranging from David Beckham to President Biden, according to CNN.

However, just as the Queen possessed the hefty responsibility of her crown, her passing inevitably sparks uncertainty for Britain’s future. The already rattling notion concerns the independence of countries under English ties, such as Scotland and Northern Ireland, as reported by The Washington Post. To address the elephant in the room, the Herald newspaper even published on its front-page headline “Union’s Saviour or Last King of Scotland?”, insinuating that Scotland may withhold subjection to the English king in due time. Beyond the British Isles, during the last few years of Elizabeth’s reign, a few commonwealth nations pushed for independence and urged the monarchy’s acknowledgment of their atrocities in the colonization period. Barbados became a republic in November 2021, forging its way out of the commonwealth union, as reported by the Washington Post. Already multiple news media are projecting the diminishing British powers over commonwealth nations, ending the glorified golden history of the Thames River. 

Mixed Feelings

Not every citizen is wiping tears at the passing of a monumental figure in the history of Britain. Especially for those whose countries suffered under the British Empire, her death is met with mixed feelings. The Queen is a staunch symbol of British colonialism, which was embedded in racist ideologies and wielded violence to gain profits. Although the Queen’s ruling era was post-colonial, she had some connection with the practices of vicious colonialism, as reported by NBC news. These emotions are particularly strongly shared within the Caribbean countries and Africa, where remnants of the British empire still exist to haunt its people and the social structure. For example, in South Africa, the British had implanted apartheid-era customs, where poverty and race are parallel, and British descendants still control many of the nation’s mines, according to the Washington Post.

Critics point out that the Queen could have utilized much authority, endowed from her powerful royal heritage to create recompense for some of the historical atrocities committed. But some of the Queen’s conduct has disheartened victimized countries. Professor Thorsheim (Department of History, University of North Carolina at Charlotte) illustrated that “after Kenya’s independence from the United Kingdom (U.K.), some victims of the abuse inflicted by the British colonial administration obtained compensation and an apology from the government of the United Kingdom, but not from the Queen herself. The violence during British colonization was not limited to Kenya, nor was resentment about the exploitation of people and natural resources that had occurred throughout the British Empire. With many former British colonies becoming republics, others are now considering this move. Demands for further acts of contrition as well as reparations are growing in many former colonies. When King Charles III visits Commonwealth countries, he is likely to face much more strenuous criticism of Britain’s colonial past. It also is unlikely that Charles III or any future British monarch will receive the same level of respect and deference that Elizabeth II enjoyed – partly because of the way that she conducted herself as queen, but largely because we live in a post-colonial world.”

That being said, many are now realizing how much performance, whether physical or spiritual, the Queen upheld during her reign as the monarch of vast lands. The current vacancy in power also ironically drew attention to the British monarchy’s culpability behind the nation’s formidable past. It is not easy to draw a line on to what extent a historical figure has responsibilities for these incidents. However, as a proudly standing symbol of British monarchy, the Queen somehow represents the need to acknowledge the justifications behind an independence crusade of former colonized countries. It is up to the new King to decide the path for England’s monarchy, a revival of England’s glorious past or a plunge into gloomy waters.