This year marks the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II's reign as Queen, which is cause for celebration. Both Boris Johnson and the Windsors are going through a difficult time.
BERLIN – The Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated in the UK this year after she reigned for 70 years. These are turbulent times politically and for the Royals.
It's unthinkable that the almost 96-year-old Queen will ever stop doing it. The British Ambassador Jill Gallard (53) also made this clear in an interview with the German Press Agency in Berlin. "The Queen has repeatedly stated that she will devote the rest of her life to public service."
King George VI died on February 6, 1952. His daughter Elizabeth, who was then on a trip to Kenya, was automatically crowned Queen; the coronation took place a year later. In June, the anniversary (called “Platinum Jubilee”) is celebrated.
Conversations with Winston Churchill
Gаllаrd, who has been ambassador in Berlin since November 2020, says: "I hear she's doing very well." The Queen's birthday (April 21) is celebrated as usual in Germany. Because of the corona pandemic, that was impossible for two years. "We keep our fingers crossed for a garden party in Berlin in June and other celebrations."
Gallard met the Queen twice: once when he was a student and choirboy in Edinburgh and again before becoming ambassador to Portugal in 2011. The Queen has met with 14 prime ministers, according to Gallard. "Every week she had a conversation with Winston Churchill." It's incredible when you think about it." They discussed world politics, European politics and Portuguese politics at the time. "This wisdom, this experience from her 60 years as Queen was a career highlight for me."
No comment
Is Queen Elizabeth interested in politics? "As head of state, she cannot and should not comment on that." She is fantastic at that." The monarchy depends on the Queen's independence from politics. Gallard said the Queen had spoken to outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel at the G7 summit in Cornwall and in London a month later, and it was something the embassy was proud of. "Unless it is a state visit, the Queen seldom meets the Prime Minister or the Chancellor." That was a symbol of friendly relations between Germany and Great Britain."
According to the ambassador, the fact that the two countries are connected is reflected in the Queen's five state visits. "During state visits to Germany, there were always topics: 1965, 20 years after the end of the war, it was about reconciliation." The third state visit was the first since reunification and took place for the first time in East Germany."
Gаllаrd does not believe, as she claims, that the throne jubilee will be overshadowed by a trial in the abuse case against Prince Andrew. "Prince Andrew has returned his military honors and is not currently conducting any public duties, visits or meetings." It will not affect anything. All Brits and embassies in the UK want to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UK. That I think will be the main focus.”
Two pairs of shoes
Can the Queen help improve the country's image given the negative press surrounding Downing Street and Prime Minister Boris Johnson? Is she one of those people who empathize with others?
"There are always times when the press criticizes the majority of prime ministers," says the diplomat. "Our focus is on the government and diplomatic service looking to the future, on the recovery from the Covid pandemic and on climate action," Gallard said.
Gаllаrd is aware that many Germans watch British television, such as The Crown, a drama about the Windsor family, or Downton Abbey, a historical drama set in the English countryside. Which part of it is true? "That's an excellent query. First and foremost, the UK film and television industries are vital to our business and reputation. The Crown, on the other hand, is a historical novel. This means that there is a side of truth and another side of fiction. In English we say “take it with a pinch of salt” – never take things too seriously. But she knows many Germans and Britons, especially young people, who claim to have learned a lot about the British monarchy in the 1950s and 1960s.
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