Britons are celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th year as monarch this weekend. While Americans might struggle to understand why there is such fanfare over the anniversary of an unelected ruler, for many Britons, it’s a moment for joy.
First off, the queen is Britain’s corporeal equivalent of the U.S. Constitution. The technical commander in chief of the British armed forces, the queen commands great respect and personal dedication from the military. Promotions and honors are granted in her name. Dedications such as the annual “Trooping the Colour” celebration of the Queen’s Official Birthday, held on Thursday, encapsulate this dynamic. They involve the lowering of treasured regimental battle honors to the dirt, for example. This symbolizes the absolute dedication of the military to the queen and, via her, the nation.
Other representations of the queen’s constitutional role are equally significant. To this day, the British monarch must provide “royal assent” to any parliamentary legislation. The equivalent of the president’s signature on a bill that comes out of Congress, this royal assent allows the queen theoretically to reject legislation with which she disagrees. She can thus prevent the making of law. Of course, the unstated truth of British parliamentary democracy is that any decision to withhold royal assent would lead to a constitutional crisis and the end of the monarchy. But that this responsibility of royal assent even exists encapsulates the continuing relevance of the monarchy to British political tradition.
At a more personal level, the queen is held in deep respect even by many Britons who believe their nation should be governed as a republic. Throughout her 96 years, the queen has shown a remarkable sense of decorum. Firm, polite, but also resistant of undue fanfare, the queen is a role model for a Britain that used to be and, through her example, continues to be. The queen’s reliable moral example has become more important in recent years as royal scandals such as that involving Prince Andrew and the Prince Harry-Meghan situation have taken on public attention.
Finally, there’s the basic issue of age and durability. The queen is 96 years old and still makes public appearances (though mobility issues are precluding more events). Britons like a party, especially when it isn’t raining relentlessly: which this time of the year tends to offer a short respite from! The queen’s 70 years of rule offer a chance for that party.
