This remarkable woman has lived her entire life in service to us. True, it’s a service some do not believe should be necessary, but it is a service nonetheless. At her age, I think I’ll want to be retired somewhere quiet, sipping tea, reading a book and watching the world go by. Instead, the monarch duly obliges and goes wherever she is invited, touring around the world in representation of her country.
IT is disgraceful, then, that she is today being accused of political interference by the campaign group Republic, for her comments in Germany. Can’t we show the extraordinary life experiences of this lady a more fitting, worthy acknowledgement than this?
Republic believes, according to statements it has made, that the palace is following a sinister pattern of interfering, then denying that it was a political intervention.
Republic believes, according to statements it has made, that the palace is following a sinister pattern of interfering, then denying that it was a political intervention.
The Queen is actually under no obligation to be apolitical, but she does choose not to focus on commenting on the political hot potatoes of the day, which I think most wise. To say that her comments on Europe constitute taking sides in the referendum debate is nonsense. The Queen’s message is far more profound.
Speaking to German and UK leaders, she said: “In our lives, we have seen the worst but also the best of our continent. We have witnessed how quickly things can change for the better. But we know that we must work hard to maintain the benefits of the post-war world. We know that division in Europe is dangerous and that we must guard against it in the West as well as in the East of our continent. That remains a common endeavour.”
The monarch speaks of something far more important and honourable than the murky business of referendums and the detail of complex political negotiations.
She speaks, quite simply, of the hand of friendship. Her words remind us that Europe’s recent history clearly shows us the terrible consequences when imperialism, tyranny and hatred triumph, and democracy fails.
Not only that, it also reminds us that we should be proud to talk of a European identity as well as a British or German one. If you think labels and pride in mere geography is nonsense, take it to mean at the very least that we should see those from other countries as more like us than unlike us.
We should ask ourselves whether we do enough to celebrate the countless town twinnings with European towns, or to promote educational exchange programmes, or learn the languages of our nearby cousins.
I think it is highly unlikely that the referendum contest will in any way be marked by nastiness about people from other parts of Europe. I hope it’ll be a sensible debate, particularly if David Cameron succeeds in giving us a new offer to mull over.
I think it is highly unlikely that the referendum contest will in any way be marked by nastiness about people from other parts of Europe. I hope it’ll be a sensible debate, particularly if David Cameron succeeds in giving us a new offer to mull over.
Our monarch has simply reminded us that Europe is about more than its political institutions. Perhaps Republic scoffs because it has swallowed the belief that it is naïve to believe the bonds of friendship are more powerful than the divisions the business of politics creates. We can all do our own little bit to show that this is wrong.
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