Queen of the world

A Jubilee for the Commonwealth – and beyond

Recently I took a flight to my native Malaysia to celebrate my mum’s 79th birthday. I knew that, since I am currently living in London, a birthday present that screamed BRITAIN was in order — a ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ notepaper set wrapped in tartan and placed in a Harrods shopping bag, say, or silver tea caddies in the shape of double-decker buses. At one of the tourist shops in Heathrow, my eyes fell on a shelf of bone china Diamond Jubilee plates all emblazoned in gold, many with HRH Elizabeth II’s visage beaming from the centre. I bought one.

On the flight, I fretted — was it really that clever, or diplomatic, to celebrate one elderly woman’s birthday by giving her an object commemorating another old lady’s anniversary? I needn’t have worried; my mother was elated. She beamed at the plate that beamed at her. ‘Oh, I didn’t know the Jubilee happened at the same time,’ she gushed, mistakenly thinking the royal event occurred on the day of her own birthday (a supposition I didn’t refute). She added, ‘Next time can you get me something with William and Kate on it?’

I contemplated my future visits, shuttling Windsor paraphernalia from London to Kuala Lumpur. I also contemplated something else — the fascination the Queen exerts over people who aren’t her subjects. My mother is unique in many ways (this topic would require another article), and doubtless there are many people around the world, especially in ex-colonies such as Malaysia, who feel that Her Majesty represents an era they’d rather forget. Yet I think my mum also taps into a universal feeling.

Last month, for instance, a Ugandan war orphan called Lydia Amito broke with protocol and gave Her Majesty a hug.