06/05/2022 00:16 (act 06/05/2022 00:20)
The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations last four days ©APA/AFP
At first glance, it’s a bombastic celebration for the queen, but it already feels like a pompous goodbye for the queen of records. The third day of the Queen’s 70th Jubilee celebrations on Saturday included a horse race and a star-studded mega-concert at Buckingham Palace. Heir to the throne, Prince Charles thanked his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, for her decades of commitment and service.
“On behalf of us all, I would like to pay my own tribute to your life of selfless service,” the 73-year-old said in a speech to “Your Majesty Mommy” in London on Saturday night. The Queen was not present at the spectacular event of her 70th anniversary of the throne with countless music stars and other celebrities at Buckingham Palace. The 96-year-old monarch has repeatedly canceled appointments due to mobility issues.
During the speech, images of the queen from the years of her reign were projected on the facade of the City Palace, which Charles himself had chosen, according to his residence. Among other things, the passage of the 1966 World Cup to the England team was shown.
The two-and-a-half-hour show in front of Buckingham Palace was the highlight of the third day of anniversary celebrations. Among others, British pop star Rod Stewart, American singer Alicia Keys, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and British bands Queen and Duran Duran played. About 30 members of the Royal Family were among the 22,000 spectators at the concert.
Daughter Princess Anne represented her mother in the traditional Epsom Derby horse race, southwest of London. The 71-year-old singer, who was also a successful contestant, was greeted with cheers and British flags at Epsom Downs with her second husband Tim Laurence. 40 jockeys, who had already ridden for the queen – herself an enthusiastic horse owner and breeder – formed the honor guard.
For a total of four days, the country fell into a royal frenzy, nearly everyone with rank and name participates in the celebrations, millions of Britons across the country applaud their 96-year-old monarch. But if you look closer, it’s clear that not all Brits are participating. And opponents of the royal family expect the royal celebration to be followed by a colossal monarch hangover.
Most people in the country don’t care about the “jubilee,” said Graham Smith of the anti-monarchy organization Republic of the German Press Agency. He referred to a survey the Republic commissioned from the Yougov research institute. Only 11% expressed very high interest and another 32% expressed “very much” interest. On the other hand, 29 percent were “little” and another 25 percent “not at all” interested. Ultimately, many people would be especially happy with a long weekend.
It stands to reason that the “Jubilee” will be the Queen’s last major appearance. The head of state appeared in public three times, mostly at first, smiling and apparently in a good mood. But the day was exhausting for the queen, it was heard. The monarch was absent from the Thanksgiving Mass at St Paul’s Cathedral, as was the horse race on Saturday—faith and horses, along with the family, are most important pillars of it.
The Queen is increasingly being represented by her eldest son Prince Charles and grandson Prince William. Royal experts comment that she wants to put things in order and show that her successors enjoy her trust. Critics like Smith, however, are convinced that the upcoming change of throne will lead to a historic turning point. “For most people, the monarchy and the queen are the same thing,” said the activist. That’s why he hopes the queen’s demise will also herald the end of the monarchy.
Demographic development seems to speak for opponents of the royal family. More than 60% of Britons still support the institution. But the number has dropped a good ten points since Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. It’s amazing that support dwindles the younger the respondents are. In the 18-24 age group, opponents and supporters are nearly equal, each with about a third.
Smith ignores the arguments of supporters of the monarchy, including the economic ones. There is no value in spending hundreds of millions of pounds a year on taxes. Tourists still came and took pictures of the palaces. Critics say the Queen’s role as a unifying force for the United Kingdom is no longer effective. In Scotland, many people fight for independence. Glasgow City Council refused to spend money on ‘Jubilee’ celebrations. In Northern Ireland, for the first time, a party supporting reunification with the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the EU, recently received the most votes.
The queen said nothing about the crumbling Union or the skyrocketing cost of living that could push millions into poverty. “No politics” is her iron rule. When the Queen—or her son Charles, as she recently did—reads the government program written for her by Downing Street, it seems more folklore due to the centuries-old rituals, elegant uniforms and white wigs. Activists like Smith are certain that these images will soon be history.
A look at the Commonwealth of States also gives them hope. In late 2021, the Caribbean state of Barbados declared itself a republic, and Jamaica is also pursuing similar plans. The new Australian government wants to prepare a referendum in the medium term. All Australians should have the opportunity to become heads of state, Cabinet member Matt Thistlethwaite told British news agency PA.
Opponents of the monarchy are also gaining ground in Canada. An Angus Reid Institute poll in April found that 51% want to change the form of government. “Today we are a multicultural society whose colonial ties to Britain are a distant relic,” commented columnist Bob Hepburn in the Toronto Star recently. A monarchy is “ridiculous in a modern country”.