As British and American civilians alike mourn the death of Elizabeth II, I’m here to remind you about the darker things she represented and stood for, and encourage you to place your energy elsewhere.
Elizabeth II reigned from 1952 until her recent death in September. When she died, she was not only the head of state of the UK, but also of fifteen other Commonwealth member countries. For background, The Commonwealth is made up of fifty-six countries and most of these include former British Colonial territories. Some of the member countries (referred to as Commonwealth Realms) are under the influence of the British Monarchy, with the Queen reigning as their figurehead—a situation that is eerily reminiscent of Britain’s violent and colonial past. Therefore, many countries have removed the British Royal as their head of state throughout the course of Elizabeth’s reign, including Barbados, Fiji, Ghana, Kenya, and more. When Barbados announced its intention to remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state, the government stated that “the time had come to fully leave our colonial history behind.”
Although the role the Queen held was largely ceremonial, her being the “head of state” still held certain, less than an ideal implication. Many Caribbean nations want to separate themselves from an empire that brutally colonized and enslaved their people. As Harvard University historian Maya Jasanoff wrote, “The Commonwealth had its origins in a racist and paternalistic conception of British rule as a form of tutelage, educating colonies into the mature responsibilities of self-government.” Nonetheless, the organization continues to exist and the Royal Family has still not attempted to actually apologize or make any sort of amends for their actions, which has elicited anger from the people of former colonies in a new era facing the reality of colonialism. More than ever, people all over the world are discussing the impacts of colonization and the need for reparations.
Moreover, The Queen’s reign included the Troubles of Northern Ireland, in which Britain brutally oppressed the Irish for decades. Violent encounters between the British and the Northern Irish continued from the late 1960s to the late 1990s—when Queen Elizabeth was very much the queen. Of course, not everything the late Queen did was cruel; many Northern Irish mourn her death, as she had offered sympathy to those affected by the bloody years of Ireland’s past with Britain. She visited Northern Ireland, and met with former Irish Republican Army (IRA) leader Martin
McGuinness. The Queen did make somewhat of an effort to be better than her ancestors; that I will acknowledge. Therefore, the feelings towards the departed Queen are very much mixed in Ireland. Many remember the trauma they endured at the hands of her country and her family, while others remember her visits and handshakes with prominent Irish leaders.
Of course though, a handshake can’t erase the British Empire’s brutal past, and the monarch knew that perfectly well. Even if she wasn’t directly responsible for all of this, as a symbol of the empire and descendant of the royalty of the past, she still represents all of this cruelty. When you embody an entire empire, you are subsequently agreeing to stand behind the past and present actions of the nation (unless you outright denounce them, which she did not). Even with her diplomatic actions and visits all over the world, Queen Elizabeth didn’t make substantial efforts to right the colonial wrongs of her family—for example, there was a significant lack of participation in financial reparations during her reign. Additionally, the British Monarch is technically the one who is in charge of giving assent to the elected Prime Minister. Yes, the Monarch almost always goes with the more popular candidate. Technically, however they don’t have to. Meaning, the awful things Margaret Thatcher did to the working class of England and the citizens of Northern Ireland are partially the responsibility of the Queen. It’s completely fair that many people have had trouble mourning her death.
Aside from its tremendous participation in colonization, the Monarchy is a system where people born into privilege benefit off the hard work of regular citizens. The Royal Family is funded by taxpayer dollars, as part of the Sovereign Grant. This grant funds upkeep of Royal property, the family’s travel, and more. Other money comes from land and other assets (such as stolen artwork) passed down the royal lineage. Their lives are the epitome of irony: just this year, Kate and William (Princess and Prince of Wales) took a tour of the Caribbean, which, according to the Royal Household’s Annual Financial Review, cost around 274,000 dollars just to pay for charter flights, according to the royal household’s annual financial review. So, why is this trip extremely ironic? Because the British royalty is traveling on taxpayer dollars to countries formerly terrorized by Britain through slavery, colonialism, and racism. Taking a few pictures with Jamaican children is hardly what the country meant when they demanded reparations. The Royals’ Instagram posts and lengthy captions are especially disgusting when you realize that the very children in the photos you see live in their present conditions because of William’s family. There’s nothing quite as performative as this publicity stunt vacation taken by England’s beloved royals.
To add insult to injury, the Royal family is not required to pay taxes—not even on their large inheritance. Up until 1993, Queen Elizabeth didn’t pay any taxes, living a lavish lifestyle on the backs of working English people. Thus, it is understandable that the number of British people supporting the Monarchy—especially among those who are younger—is decreasing, even while the majority still supports the regime. With the Queen’s death, it’s speculated that the institution as a whole will be put into question.
Additionally, despite the fact that not all British people support the Monarchy, all citizens must fund the Royal Family, which has led to speculation on the ethicality of the system. As actor Daniel Radcliffe said, “I just don’t see the use of the monarchy though I’m a fierce patriot. I’m proud proud proud of being English, but I think the monarchy symbolizes a lot of what was wrong with the country.”
With all this said, the Queen is somehow still a beloved figure for many around the world. I believe the reasoning for this is that the propaganda fed to working people for centuries has created a perverse fascination with royalty. We idolize these people, their lavish lifestyles, their beautiful clothes, and their immoral actions. It’s tempting to do so: Elizabeth was a soft spoken, kind-looking attractive young woman, and then an innocent-looking old lady. It’s hard to look at her and her corgis and think about imperialism, yet we must try our best to do so.