Andrew Roberts

The Queen’s achievement

There will be much reason to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Although it has been well over a century since monarchs have had regular, direct, significant influence on political decision-making in Britain, the influence the Queen has on the tone, values and sense of identity of the nation is still profound. And even politically she can make subterranean waves if she wants; her enjoining of the Scots to ‘think very carefully’ before casting their ballots in the independence referendum was taken as implying that she was opposed to it. (Rightly, it seemed, when David Cameron’s remark about her ‘purring’ with satisfaction at the result was picked up by a stray microphone.)

We can’t know precisely what’s said in her weekly meetings with her prime ministers, though not one of them has failed to state in their memoirs that they found the meetings helpful in carrying out their jobs. She thus fulfils that part of her unofficial role ‘to advise, encourage and warn’ — Walter Bagehot’s words regarding Queen Victoria, not ones found in constitutional law. Her very existence above the political fight — keeping politicians who might otherwise become prone to megalomania firmly in their place — is another reason we admire the institution she represents.

The world’s longest-reigning monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, is a year younger than the Queen but has been on his throne since 1946. He is currently very ill, so she could break even his extraordinary record of 68 years. Of course there’s a slight cruelty in any system that forces an elderly lady to continue carrying out duties 20 years after her contemporaries have retired, and in any other line of work the Human Rights Commission would be investigating. However: ‘I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service,’ she told the Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, and she meant it.

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