Of queens, kings and monarchies

Much of the western world is in mourning. From our timelines, we can see photographs that tell of the continuous outpouring of grief. Daisies, yellow, white, pink, burgundy, and orange – symbol of motherhood in the Victorian language – and all sorts of flowers, letters, and gifts have piled up outside Buckingham Palace.

When news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death spread like wildfire, a crowd immediately gathered in front of the London royal residence. They gasped as the Union Jack began its slow descent to half-staff.

The Queen had died, a death that marked the end of an era.

She died at age 96, at her Scottish estate, after reigning for 70 years or after ascending the throne in 1952.

Her son Charles III, now the king, said the death of his beloved mother was a “moment of great sadness” for him and his family. He said her loss would be “deeply felt” around the world.

He is right, for sure and indeed, the world is feeling the loss. Tributes from world leaders continue to pour for the well-loved and well-respected queen.

Here at home, Filipino celebrities and politicians expressed their grief.

The world, of course, has reason to feel the deep void left by the passing of the cherished queen.

After all, as BBC reported: “Elizabeth reformed the monarchy for this less deferential age, engaging with the public through walkabouts, royal visits, and attendance at public events. Her commitment to the Commonwealth was a constant – she visited every Commonwealth country at least once.”

‘In the name of the Crown’

But her death also puts the spotlight on the monarchy’s relevance in modern society.

Elsewhere, such as in Africa and British colonies in the Caribbean, many have opted to include in the discussion the “ugly side” of the monarchy.

The New York Times, in its article Queen Elizabeth’s Death Renews British Empire Debate in Africa, said:

“In a younger generation of Africans growing up in a post-colonial world, some lamented that the queen never faced up to the grim aftermath of colonialism and empire, or issued an official apology. They said they wanted to use the moment to recall the oppression and horrors their parents and grandparents endured in the name of the Crown, and to urge for the return of crown jewels – rare massive diamonds – taken from the continent.”

“You can look at the monarchy from the point of view of high tea and nice outfits and charity,” said Alice Mugo, a 34-year-old lawyer in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. “But there’s also the ugly side, and for you to ignore the ugly side is dishonest.”

“Those mourning the queen’s death, Ms. Mugo said, were not aware of how her government robbed millions of basic freedoms.”

Other statements were even more controversial.

As quoted by the Times article, South African political party, Economic Freedom Fighters, said it would not mourn the queen, “because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africa’s history.”

The queen, they wrote, was the “head of an institution built up, sustained and living off a brutal legacy of dehumanization of millions of people across the world.”

The debate

Those following the royal family would know that the debate over the monarchy’s relevance and its past actions has been ongoing long before the queen’s passing.

But others, including world billionaires, find the timing of such renewed conversations off, especially with the world in deep mourning.

One thing’s for sure. Now that the well-loved queen is no longer around, tough conversations about the empire’s past will get louder. King Charles II may not have the same influence or clout as his mother.

Countries that recognized the late monarch as their head of state, including Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Belize, Jamaica, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands may start rethinking about the importance of the monarchy.

Time magazine quoted Katie Pickles, a professor of history at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, as saying: “As the importance of the monarchy became less important in society, places like New Zealand hung on because they held the Queen personally in such high respect.”

In this modern day and age, anti-monarchist and anti-colonialist sentiment has certainly been growing, along with better awareness of people’s freedoms and indigenous rights.

Lessons

What does this tell us? It simply tells us that there are lessons to be learned and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, even if she is well-loved by millions and millions of people from the world over, reminds us of this reality.

Our past, current, and future leaders here in our country would do well to heed these lessons.

One is that history is certainly not chismis and it can never be erased. The second is that, as the world evolves and as younger and more progressive generations become better aware of their nations’ past, the fight for justice will continue until the heavens fall.

And the biggest lesson is this: that the sins of the past will eventually catch up on everyone, prince or pauper; revolutionary or the conventional; saint or sinner; and yes, both people and institutions, even the most royal of them all.

Iris Gonzales’ email address is [email protected].

Follow her on Twitter @eyesgonzales. Column archives at eyesgonzales.com