Queen Elizabeth II: Was Her Legacy Good or Bad?
Article by Emma Campbell, TPT Staff Writer
Queen Elizabeth II was the 2nd-longest reigning monarch in the world’s history and Britain's longest reigning monarch. During her 70 years of rule, she accomplished a lot for both herself and her nation. While being loved by many, her recent passing was also met with bitter reminders of the former Queen’s past involvements.
During her time as monarch, Queen Elizabeth managed to spearhead many changes for Britain –most notably, the monarchy’s modernization. Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, ruled in the early years of the 20th century; making modernization a necessity in the eyes of many when the Queen came to power due to the nation’s ebbing political power and overall political beliefs. Britain’s reconstruction was done by establishing a more contemporary model for marriage and divorce, which lessened the monarchy’s traditional laws regarding marriage between people of different social statuses. In addition, the embrace of technology by the monarchy helped with the seamless transition into the modern industrial age. Also, the monarchy took on a more welcoming approach to the public, leading to a better-received royal family due to frequent public appearances after centuries of pure power, control, and fear. Most notably, Queen Elizabeth II guided Britain’s change into a commonwealth, heightening the nation’s finances and stability through international trade and relationships.
On the other hand, many are questioning Queen Elizabeth and the monarchy’s validity. With the Queen’s past coming back into the spotlight, it is hard to remember the good without the bad. Queen Elizabeth II was the last colonial monarch, meaning that she led Britain through active colonization. Until her death, the Queen was the legal monarch of 15 nations, with many more having achieved their independence. For many, the queen’s passing revived memories of the nation’s involvement in the slave trade; “Growing up, she was an omnipresent figurehead that came to represent deeds done in the name of empire and expansion regardless of the cost…I hope those of us who experienced the other side of ‘Rule, Britannia’ use this moment to ultimately heal and continue to move toward self-determination.”, said Justin Knowles, a data manager in the Bahamas.
The Queen’s passing brought up widespread disdain regarding her racism and anti-Blackness, made evident through viral Twitter Hashtags including #LizzysInABox and #AbolishTheMonarchy. It also brought up reminders of the monarchy’s privilege within Britain: “The royals seem to be adored by so many, and at times like this I find it a bit frustrating when so many are suffering and those in power don’t appear to care about that,”, said Mo Varley, an English schoolteacher. However, despite all of this, there are many that still support the Queen and monarchy due to their now more modernized beliefs and behavior.
Following the Queen’s death, her son Charles became King Charles III, continuing the monarchical rule. Now that there is a new monarch, the world must watch and wait to see what political and social change is to come. Over the years, Charles has developed a forceful stance on environmental issues, stating the world should adopt a “war-like footing” in order to combat climate change. In the future, this might lead to a more authoritative stance on global issues, instead of the more passive approach that was pursued by the Queen. What do you believe? Was Queen Elizabeth’s rule a good or bad thing for England and the people of the world?
The views articulated in this piece are the writer’s own, and do not reflect the official stances of The Progressive Teen or HSDA at large.