It’s complicated. A central figure of our era has passed. Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest amidst all the pomp and ceremony expected when one says farewell to a monarch, especially one who has served dutifully for seventy years. As news of her death spread throughout the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world, many were surprised by the plethora of emotions and the varied reactions caused by her demise. From expressions of heartfelt sorrow to indifference and even outright disdain, people around the world used available media to make their perspectives known.
There is no doubt that Queen Elizabeth II was an iconic figure of the 20th and 21st Centuries. There is no doubt that her reign spanned several historic watersheds that cemented the role of democracy in world leadership and resulted in improved lives for many around the world. While we cannot say definitively what role she played in these historic milestones, she was always a constant, reassuring presence and a representation of stability among the chaos. For many people in the United Kingdom, she will be dearly missed.
However, the Queen also represented the monarchy. An establishment that sees persons rise to power and prominence, not based on merit, intellect or accomplishment but solely on lineage. It is an elitist system where wealth and prestige are passed down through generations of “royals” and persons are revered simply because they are of royal lineage. The system perpetuates class divides but, despite its innate shortcomings, seems in large part to be accepted by the people of the United Kingdom who joyfully sing God Save the Queen (now God save the King) – a national anthem based solely on giving reverence to a person with no mention of the country, its people and their aspirations.
Historically, the monarchy was at the helm of atrocities committed around the world. Under its direction, colonisation of various countries resulted in genocide of indigenous populations, dehumanisation of people, dislocation of people through the trans-Atlantic slave trade, oppression of people through apartheid, erasing of indigenous culture and an imposition of British values, language and traditions. In fact, the wealth now passed down by the monarchy was obtained through its plunder of countries around the world for centuries. It was earned on the backs of slaves and indentured labourers. It was stolen from indigenous peoples.
While the Queen herself may not have been responsible for these atrocities, for many persons in the countries pillaged, by the monarchy, she was a reminder that the monarchy is still very much alive, and well, and has made no effort to right the wrongs it has committed. Though many would not go as far as famed calypsonian and cultural ambassador Gabby of Barbados who, on hearing of her death, penned a poem entitled “Good Riddance to Rubbish”, persons particularly in the Caribbean and African continent openly expressed lack of compassion and a hope that her death would signal the beginning of the end of the monarchy. Many called on the family to return the precious gems which they allege were stolen from Africa. Others continue to appeal for reparations.
For those who revere the Queen, the fact that others do not hold her in the same regard, may be shocking. After all, she did serve with dignity for seven decades; she was a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. However, when we dig a little deeper we must appreciate that the world’s relationship with the Queen is complicated. Persons’ perspectives of her are shaped by their different experiences, historical backgrounds and current circumstances, and cannot be simplified. In the Caribbean where we share a history of colonisation and slavery, several leaders travelled to the United Kingdom to attend her funeral. Up to the time of her passing she was still the Head of State of many of our countries and some declared public holidays to commemorate the day of her funeral, while others chose not to. It seems as if many Caribbean people are ambivalent about the Queen’s death; we are expected to walk a thin line of being respectful of the Queen without appearing to revere her given the sordid history which she represents. We are caught in a loop of complex emotions which some are hesitant to express for fear of being labelled disrespectful on one hand or mentally enslaved on the other.
Perhaps, rather than focussing on the Queen, our focus should be on what’s next for us as Caribbean countries. Will independent countries continue to maintain connections with the monarchy? Will overseas territories remain as part of the British empire, or as they now say the new global Britain? Will we begin to sever ties or will we simply transition to God save the King without coming to grips with the paradox that is our Caribbean reality? It’s complicated.
