The Queen

There’s a scene in the movie National Lampoon’s European Vacation where the Griswold family drive round London. The enthusiastic father Clark, played by Chevy Chase, points out the sights to his wife and children:

• Clark Griswold: “There’s Buckingham Palace, kids. That’s where the Queen lives and works.”
• Audrey Griswold: “Works? What does she do, Dad?”
• Clark Griswold: “She queens… and vacuums.”

It was funny, affectionate and quite sweet and, in its own little way, an example of how important the Queen was. The American tourists came if not to see the Queen but to acknowledge her existence as a huge figure in people’s lives, including mine.

If I lean any way, I now tilt slightly towards republicanism, although the arguments can wait for another day. But when it came to Queen Elizabeth II there was no desire to end the monarchy, certainly not with me. On the contrary, even grinches like me saw her as a vital, unifying figure, a constant in an ever changing world, providing comfort in dark times in wars and more recently in a pandemic. “We will meet again”, she said as the country locked down. As it turned out, we did not all meet again, but the words she used gave us hope. She was near to being word perfect.

The Queen has been there for all of my life, outliving all my senior relatives. That she held no political power and that her duties were largely ceremonial and born of tradition actually brought her closer to us. Because she was clearly an astute and clever person, she stayed away from our political discourse, largely staying out of controversy, wishing to unite, not divide.

If I was truly apathetic or anti-royal, then why did I watch countless hours of the BBC’s excellent rolling coverage yesterday afternoon? It’s hard to give an honest and clear answer to that, other than to say as soon as I saw the faces in the House of Commons when it was clear something very serious had happened, it felt like history was being made before me. In fact, the first thing I thought when I saw Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner receive what was clearly urgent and potentially serious news and then leave the chamber was, it must be the Queen. Of course, it could have been anything but for some reason I just knew it had to be about the Queen.

Huw Edwards, wearing a black tie, fronted the TV coverage for many hours, with only a single simple statement about the Queen’s medical condition being made public to go on. Much of what was broadcast was filler and just occasionally speculation but there was only one announcement that would come later on and we all knew it.

I share the nation’s shock at the Queen’s death and indeed feel it myself. I would think myself almost inhuman if I didn’t. Part of this is because, due to my condition, I crave normality and nothing is normal now. I am a creature of habit not by choice but by necessity. I want things to be like they always are and I hope against hope that at least some aspects of normality will continue as much of the country grieves. Speaking personally, I would prefer it if sporting events and concerts went ahead, allowing people to pay their respects collectively, rather than cancel them, although I know others will not share that view.

in a country where everything appears to be broken and nothing seems to work, we have lost our one constant. She wasn’t the nation’s grandmother: she was the Queen and when times were hard she led where others followed. Talk of who and what follows is, again, a matter for another day, although I struggle to see how King Charles will command the attention and loyalty that the Queen did. In truth, I doubt that anyone could.

I’d imagine the Queen was the most famous person in the world and that’s who and what we have lost. Everything will begin to stop now. It’s just a question of whether our country can start again now that the Queen has died. It’s certainly a new day, but a better one? I somehow doubt it. No one could Queen like Elizabeth II. And without her, I fear for our future.