Queen Elizabeth: The Queen shows herself emotionally and makes demands

opinion

British Royalty
Between tradition and modernity: At 95, the Queen reinvents herself

The 95-year-old is known for completing appointments with a stoic expression, for mastering small talk to perfection and for shying away from clear words – especially when it comes to politics. It is the symbol of a conservative, tradition-conscious monarchy and runs “the company”, as the British royal family calls itself, according to these guidelines. And so the filmed message is all the more impressive. It is everything that the Queen did not stand for: emotional, demanding and political.

At the beginning of her address, the Queen welcomed the guests in Glasgow and then got personal: “I am particularly happy to fulfill this duty, as the impact of the environment on human progress is an affair of the heart of my dear late husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince Consort had died on April 9 at the age of 99 at Windsor Castle.

In her speech, his widow recalled his commitment at a time when hardly anyone had environmental protection on their radar. “I am proud that the leadership my husband has played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet continues through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William. I couldn’t be more proud of her, ”emphasizes the Queen.

Queen Elizabeth unusually emotional – but would Prince Philip have liked that?

The words touch, even if the 95-year-old looked stoically into the camera as usual. She has seldom been seen so emotionally in public. And not everyone liked that, because Prince Philips biographer Robert Jobson claimed in the “Daily Mail” that the Prince Consort was “ashamed”.

Being the center of attention was a lifelong disgust for the native prince of Greece and Denmark. He, the former naval officer, stood steadfastly behind his wife. Although he had to get used to this role at first, serving the crown was his top priority. As much as Philip was a pioneer when it came to protecting the environment, nature and animals, he was just as firmly rooted in tradition. In his eyes, outbursts of emotion had no place in public. As is the case with good couples, his wife complemented him very well on this matter. Even if the Queen is a woman of her generation, she knows very well that she has to adapt to the changing times – so that the royal family will continue to exist in the future.

So it is absolutely right that she gave the speech. Whether he would have wanted it or not: Prince Philip deserves to be mentioned with praise. Not only because he was of inestimable value to his wife and family, but because he raised problems early on, shaped the heir to the throne and thus exerted influence on the royal family. This can now help to change the world.

The Queen admonishes the politicians at the climate summit

So far, the British royals have only made use of their “soft power”. That means: you draw attention to a topic with your presence. Because when Duchess Kate visits a charity organization or Prince William takes on a new patronage, the media report about it. Political statements were forbidden. But with climate change, social issues are mixed with political challenges. This is probably why the Queen dared to find such clear words. “For my part, I hope that this conference will be one of the rare occasions where everyone has the chance to rise above the politics of the moment and achieve true statecraft.” had gathered in Scotland could not admonish. One reason could be that the 95-year-old is becoming more and more aware of her own mortality.

She was recently in the hospital overnight and then canceled her participation in the climate summit. One sentence at the end of her speech is a clue: “Of course not everyone here will enjoy the benefits of these actions: none of us will live forever.”

The Queen demands decisions that go down in the history books – there she too will take her rightful place. As the queen of the century who has adapted to the changing times.