The UK and the World Will Miss Queen Elizabeth II

My ancestors came to America from the British islands. One branch was Irish - the first to make it to Texas in the 1820s, in fact. Another was Scottish, landing in the early 1800s in what is now North Carolina, although they, too soon made their way to Texas. A couple more were from England, also ending up in Texas via North Carolina around the same time.

Despite that British family heritage, I’ve never understood the fascination with the British royal family held by millions of Americans. It just seems so odd to me that citizens of a country that fought a war to free itself from the 18th century shackles of royalty have continued, more than 240 years later, to concern themselves with the goings on among the Windsor family, whose members have time and time again proven themselves to be little more than common trash, only with a bunch of castles to live in, rather than single-wides.

I don’t understand the whole notion of European royalty in general, in fact. I do know how it all germinated centuries ago, the conditions and survival necessities that enabled its rise. I just don’t really understand why Europeans allow it all to persist into the 21st century. Then again, I also don’t understand the whole notion and behaviors of Texas Aggies, either. It’s all just arcane tradition, I suppose. It’s like the Aggies say: From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it; from the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.

Perhaps the poor behavior among her family helps explain why, despite my frank disdain for the Windsor family and the notion of royalty as an institution, I’ve maintained such a high degree of respect and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II throughout my lifetime. She, among all her family peers, has been the calm in the roiling sea. She, among all of the Windsor clan, has been the one who has steadfastly managed to retain her dignity. She, among all the family foibles, irresponsibilities and shenanigans, has been the one who has maintained her sense of duty and carried it out without fail. More than anything else, she has reminded me of my own mother, and those who know my family will fully understand why that’s the case.

Elizabeth has always stood as a rock, an element of indominable stability in a constantly changing, often frightening world. As we watch the media coverage of Great Britain’s mourning process, we see so many of the common folk interviewed say things like “she’s always been there for us, hasn’t she?” Yes, for anyone 70 years or younger, she always has. Young, middle-aged, or old, she’s always been that same person, that same steady, calming influence she displayed even as a young child during the Nazi blitz.

Though her time as Queen has coincided with the inevitable decline of Britain’s stature on the global stage with the ending of colonialism and diminution of the British realm, I believe her personal bearing and conduct of the duties of her office have enabled the British government to retain an outsized influence in international affairs. This has been achieved in spite of a procession of weak and ineffectual Prime Ministers, most recently the terminally silly Boris Johnson. Johnson’s replacement, Liz Truss, holds the promise of being something of an improvement, and certainly has displayed no similar disposition towards personal silliness.

But now, after 70 years of Elizabeth’s devotion to duty and service, the throne itself will be assumed by a weak and ineffectual man, Elizabeth’s oldest son, King Charles III. At a time when the western world desperately needs its leadership to be injected with a heavy dose of reality, this succession to the British throne seems more likely to provide just another big dose of globalism and climate change fantasy-mongering instead.

Charles, to put it bluntly, is a bit of a dope. Always has been. He’s transparently weak and timid. Always has been. He’s too easily influenced by others, too willing to latch on to whatever leftist trend comes along and use his personal office to amplify it.

The best, most optimistic thing that can be said about Charles is that at least he isn’t Andrew. There doesn’t seem to be any indication he ever flew on Jeffrey Epstein’s jet or set foot on Epstein’s infamous island, so there is at least that.

Otherwise, the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in Britain’s history, leaves not much room for optimism about the future of the commonwealth and the realm. It’s a shame she couldn’t just go on forever, but then, none of us can. She more than did her part, and now she deserves to rest.

That is all.