Queen Elizabeth II Dies: The World Reacts
Photo from BBC
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the opinions of The Conglomerate as a whole or Centenary College.
On September 8, 2022, at 6:41 pm, the Royal Family tweeted that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, had died peacefully at Balmoral earlier that afternoon. The responses to the news have been varied, to say the least. For many, the Queen was a beacon of nonpartisan unity and stability, as well as a beloved grandmother-like figure. For others, she was a lasting symbol of British imperialism that left many countries economically and socially devastated. Despite the monarchy’s dark past, leaders from around the world released statements offering their condolences to the Queen.
Britain has never properly paid reparations to the countries crippled by its imperial past, and as the face of the country, Queen Elizabeth has been the one held responsible by the modern world. She began her reign in 1952, when parts of Africa, India, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands were being dominated by Britain, and over the last seventy years, those regions have been decolonized. Many still associate her legacy with imperialism and colonization, therefore, it is worth reflecting on the history that has brought us to this point.
In 1765, Britain’s East India Company took control over India to create a monopoly on trade. By using the same money the British collected from taxes on the Indian people, they paid for Indian goods, which cheated the Indian producers out of a profit. This system allowed the British to essentially take the items for free at the expense of the Indian people and then resell them with a markup to other countries. Through this exploitative process, India became indebted to Britain. The British Crown pocketed the money, and India lost $45 trillion. Had India actually been paid for its goods, it would have been able to invest the money into its own economic and infrastructural development. Financial stability likely would have allowed India to become independent from Britain much sooner than it did in 1947.
Among the laundry list of transgressions the British Empire committed is the partitioning of India in 1947. In 1858, the British occupied India and finally withdrew in 1947 after dividing the country into India and Pakistan without respect to the already existing communities. This period is known as the British Raj, meaning “Crown rule in India”. When the British withdrew, they neglected to leave behind an orderly system to maintain peace among the variety of ethnic groups that inhabited the country. Each ethnic group was cut off from either land, businesses, or other essential resources, which caused violence and chaos to erupt in the once peaceful nation. Even today, India and Pakistan have a hostile relationship partly as a result of British scheming.
However conniving, the British didn’t stop there. Circa 1952, the government spent approximately £55 million on suppressing a rebellion in Kenya, massacring its civilians, and torturing rebels in detention camps. Additionally, in 2003, British forces, alongside the U.S., invaded Iraq in search of Saddam Hussein. Both nations claimed that Hussein was harboring weapons of mass destruction, however, these alleged weapons were never found. Following their invasion, Amnesty International reported the UK’s armed forces and the U.S. military committed war crimes against the Iraquis. The number of civilian casualties was never accurately reported, but it is believed to be in the hundreds of thousands. Overall, this war was widely considered inhumane and responsible for inciting racist and Islamophobic attacks on innocent civilians. Although she was not directly responsible for the military’s actions, the Queen fulfilled a symbolic and very patriotic, role as Head of the Armed Forces. Her recent passing is a painful reminder of the violence Iraqis and others endured at the hands of the British.
Queen Elizabeth II also served as the Head of the Commonwealth. Today, the Commonwealth is committed to ensuring democracy, gender equality, and climate change action. Despite this progressive agenda, the Commonwealth has dark origins, and some still consider it repackaged imperialism. However, the Commonwealth is a voluntary association that includes fifty-six countries (most of which were formerly part of the British Empire). The Queen was the Head of State in fifteen member countries. To unite and stabilize the association, she made visits to its member states over 200 times to deliver speeches, meet with political leaders, and partake in traditional cultural activities. In response to her passing, many leaders in the Commonwealth have said they are “deeply grieved.”
The President of Nigeria expressed, “The story of modern Nigeria will never be complete without a chapter on Queen Elizabeth ll, a towering global personality, and an outstanding leader. She dedicated her life to making her nation, the Commonwealth, and the entire world a better place."
I spoke about the Queen’s passing with DPS Officer, Simoné Adams, who is originally from England. When asked about how she felt she said, “You know, it’s really sad. My mum and auntie went to Buckingham Palace [to pay their respects]. She’s always been there my entire life. She reigned for 70 years. She’s like everyone’s grandmother.” She continued, “But I think Charles, who will be King Charles III, is ready to succeed her. He has the same spirit that she did…and now everyone is singing ‘God Save the King.’”
I also conversed with Dr. Chad Fulwider, the head of the History department at Centenary, about the impact of the Queen’s death, and he explained, “Elizabeth II was a much-loved figure, especially in England, but even within the “four nations” of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland). Her son, now King Charles III, is less well regarded by many. I think one thing to watch for may be Scotland’s drift toward independence, which has gained ground since Britain’s exit from the European Union. While that issue is clearly more complicated than one person, the loss of Elizabeth as a figure of unity may alter the calculus of Scotland’s political leadership on the question of independence.”
Following this conversation, I spoke with Dr. Amanda Donahoe, a professor of political science at Centenary who teaches International Relations, and studies conflict in Ireland. I asked if she thought the monarchy has an expiration date that may arrive sooner than later as a result of the Queen’s death. She answered, “There is a strong political minority within the UK calling for an end to the Monarchy and the creation of a Republic. Queen Elizabeth was symbolic of a now bygone era of empire and domination as well as decades of transition to a different set of priorities including human rights and emancipative values. For many across the UK, this is an important opportunity to reflect on that transition and render monarchy a historical relic. We have seen right-wing populism and nationalism on the rise in the UK, particularly in the decision to break with the European Union, known as Brexit. It will be interesting to see the ways that this nationalism may play out by retaining monarchy as part of British culture — part of ‘who we are’ as a nation.”
When asked about the ways Britain’s relations with the UK, and Ireland might change, Dr. Donahoe answered, “In Northern Ireland in particular, the people have been very divided between Irish Nationalism and British Nationalism. Decades of violence have entrenched people in these positions, and there has been only a narrow majority of people who support the union. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement included a commitment to membership in the European Union. Brexit (the UK's exit from the EU) broke that commitment and has further been damaging in interesting ways in Northern Ireland. For many, loyalty to the Queen has overcome that frustration. In the Queen's absence, and without loyalty to the new King, there may be a shift in that majority.”
Student Natalie Taylor-Watkins described her reaction to the news, “I was very shocked because the Queen has been queen for as long as we’ve all been alive. We all made jokes that she was going to die, but maybe because of that, we all became desensitized to it ever actually happening.”
After speaking to several students, it is evident that some are conflicted and wrestling to form an opinion on the death of the Queen. I myself did not know how to feel at first, but I have come to accept the duality of a Queen who inherited a violent imperial empire but also led democratization efforts through the Commonwealth. That being said, people have a right to feel hurt by the irreversible damage the monarchy caused throughout history. However, we can, at the same time, respect the woman who dedicated her life to uniting her country under a polarizing political environment, as well as the countries that voted to remain members of the Commonwealth.
