With the Queen
turning 90 today and her birthday celebrations looming, it is natural
to be astounded by the longevity of her popularity in an age where trends and
celebrities only have transient appeal. In a 2015 YouGov poll, it was shown
that 68% of adult Britons believe that the monarchy is beneficial to the
country. It is unlikely that such a distinctly positive result would come from
conducting a survey about any other celebrated figure.
Of course, she is not
the typical personality; neither famous for her talent, sex appeal or
intelligence. So for what reason does she inspire such admiration and respect
in strangers? One could argue that it is the Queen herself. Unlike most figures
in the public eye, she has avoided scandal and remains a figure of morality and
self control. Perhaps it is also her mysterious life which entices us. The lack
of documentation of her
private activities on social media means that our hunger for mundane information regarding her television preferences and favourite foods will never be satiated.
This guardedness and consequent anonymity is appealing to our curiosity.
Indeed, she is a rather sombre, emotionless figure in public, almost superhuman in her persistent duty, her stamina and her
astounding mental and physical capability when many of her peers are
incapacitated.
Certainly there
is also an argument that it is merely her Royal blood and Windsor title which
attracts people, and the fact that she stands for a bygone age; a living relic
of past feudal systems and hierarchy. She is a direct link to history who
maintains the legacy of famous monarchs such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I who
have been characterised to such an extent that they would otherwise seem
unreal.
One must address
whether the Queen's popularity comes from the idea that she is one of the last
of her kind and people are fascinated by her, not for her individual identity,
but just as people might flock to catch a glimpse of the endangered Asian
elephant before its extinction.
The Royal family
are also the glue of patriotism, the quintessence of Britishness. During Royal
events, many people retrieve long lost Union Jack paraphernalia and a wild
frenzy of national pride ensues. For example, her birthday this week has
produced a host of branded party poppers, novelty cake stands and teapots and
there is even a special edition shortbread tin. It all seems very bizarre, and
yet many Britons will invariably end up with some such frivolous item of
memorabilia.
One would not
expect modern Britain to remain under monarchical reign. It seems strange that
a rich, unelected white family is the figurehead for a multicultural,
democratic country of diminished class divides. And yet, although the Royal
Family should logically be redundant, there is every sign of their continued
popularity with the front pages of recent newspapers dominated by pictures of
Will and Kate having a nice time in India. Certainly it is more pleasant to
look at Will and Kate feeding baby elephants than to read about terrorism and
natural disasters and perhaps this is the crux of the matter; the Royal Family is a form of escapism for
the everyday Briton. Escapism into the past and into a luxurious, almost
romantic view of family life that is not representative of typical British
homes.
Can we afford to
maintain the Royal Family if only for our indulgences? Over the years, the
Royal Family's levels of responsibility have dwindled to the extent that they
are now essentially useless apart from minor matters of diplomacy. Brand
Finance estimated that the Royal Family's net contribution to the UK economy
was around £1.155
billion in 2015. Aside from tourism, there is the merchandise: the
commemorative royal wedding mug in the cupboard, the diamond jubilee tea
towel... And then there is the so-called 'Kate effect', with items of clothing
worn by Kate selling out almost immediately in both high street and designer
shops. Only last week in India, Kate wore a Topshop dress in Assam which is no
longer available. Overall, Kate's power over sales is estimated by Newsweek to
be worth £1bn. At the same time, a substantial portion of this money goes back
into the Royal Family, sustaining
their grand and extravagant lifestyles. Consider the palatial maintenance fees,
the living costs, holidays, state visits, security... The list could continue.
The money brought in by the Royal Family is more or less equivalent to the
money which supports them. To some, this may be a demonstration of the Royal
Family's harmlessness, but, even if the Royal Family did end their reign,
tourism would certainly still be attracted by Royal artefacts, just without the
added expenditure of keeping the Royals' opulent customs.
To conclude, on
Thursday, the majority of Britons will be celebrating alongside the Queen.
Public interest in the birthday celebrations has been shown by the fact that
the 25,000 tickets for a dedicatory extravaganza in May sold out
instantaneously. Many would justify this level of celebration (also including,
amongst other things, the lighting of 1000 global beacons) for a monarch of her
high repute and for reaching such an impressive age, and yet there are those
who question whether she is deserving of such acclaim.
I certainly like the
Queen, but her role is too ceremonial to justify the vast sums (and often
adoration) which she receives. As for the future, I believe that the 62% of
adult Britons who predict that the monarchy will remain in 100 years time are
idealists, not realists. Tourism could still be attracted to view remnants of
the monarchy, simply without the Royal presence. We should acknowledge that the
monarchy is dying, however painful this separation from tradition.
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