London (CNN) – Why does Britain have a monarchy? It is a question as old as the institution. But more than that, there is only one monarchy in countries beyond Britain.
The Empress is the head of state in 15 other countries that were formerly under British rule, stretching as far as Australia and New Zealand – literally on the other side of the planet.
Because of his age, His Majesty did not travel to these countries for years, making it even more remarkable that he has retained his posts there. More recently, his sons, Prince Edward and grandchildren, have been visited by senior royals such as Sussex and Cambridge.
So how does she keep relationships strong? Well, she demonstrated that this week down the road with a fleeting symbolic journey from Windsor Castle.
The 94-year-old visited the Air Force Memorial at Runnemede on Wednesday to mark the centenary celebrations of the Royal Australian Air Force. It was surprisingly the first in-person public engagement of the year by the emperor.
“It’s been a long time since I came here,” the queen remarked as she arrived at the Air Force memorial. Australian and British media cameras were invited to capture the moment.
And her choice was not selected by Australian shops. Reading the headline on News.com.au’s website, the Queen’s first public appearance after Meghan and Harry’s interview pointed to Australia.
The Queen may not have set foot in Australia for a decade, but the message here was that she had not forgotten it, even amid the latest family feud.
In order to serve the event, the Queen wrote: “During my reign, the Royal Australian Air Force has shown extreme dedication to duty and defended our freedom in many conflicts around the world.”
Those words are valued by Australians and she reminds him of his place in his history by mentioning his record-breaking reign, during which he has consistently represented and promoted Australian interests on the world stage.
After several countries gained independence, Elizabeth was dropped as their head of state. But when it comes to Australia, the Queen participated in a final referendum on replacing her as head of state in 1999 and that was just after the Diana crisis. Does Meghan and Harry’s interview hurt her any more? It will be left to the Australians to decide, but if history teaches us anything, it is not to underestimate the power of Elizabeth.
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The Royals also had a lockdown projectS
Whether it is baking, redecorating, or learning a new skill, many people have found new projects to take advantage of the endless hours – including the Duchess of Cambridge. Katherine has spent the last year working on her passion project – blending her love of photography with community outreach. Last year, it invited people across Britain to present the pictures they had taken during the first national lockdown as part of their “host still” initiative. With the help of the National Portrait Gallery, 31,000 submissions have been reduced to 100, which will be published in a new book in May, it was announced this week. The Duchess wrote in the preface to the book that she “wanted to harness the power of photography that we were all experiencing – the stories and documents of individuals to capture moments important to families and communities, as we pandemic Lived through. “
From royal vat
The Queen expressed her anguish over the cancellation of the traditional Royal Mandy service for the second consecutive year due to the epidemic. As the “Protector of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England”, the Queen marks the Holy Week with a service held before Easter Sunday.
This year’s event was to take place in Westminster Abbey, London. Instead, the emperor sent gifts to the 190 people who were invited this week.
“I am sure you will be saddened, as I am, that current circumstances make it impossible for that service. I hope this muted gift reminds you for years to come that your efforts have truly been appreciated , “The queen wrote a letter to each recipient.
During the reign of the Empress, she extended the Mauni money ritual beyond London and traveled to various cathedrals and abbey in the United Kingdom to distribute symbolic gifts. As part of the service, Elizabeth took out two leather purses that are blessed: one red and one white.
This year the red pouch includes two new coins: a £ 5 coin in honor of the queen’s upcoming 95th birthday as well as a 50p piece that marks the 50th anniversary of the decimal of the currency. Historically, the sum of £ 5.50 represents the sovereign’s gift for food and clothing.
The white purse has minted bespoke mouni money for one, two, three and four pieces of silver money for the occasion, which extends its lifespan.
By custom, the queen celebrates Easter weekend privately with her family at Windsor Castle – where she has gone with a bubble with her husband, Philip, and her staff, since the virus occurred last year.
We usually get a glimpse of the emperor as she attends the church at St. George’s Chapel on Sunday morning – the beautiful chapel which was built at the end of the 15th century and still has the scene of many royal baptisms, weddings and burials – Along with some members of the clan. But the traditional family gathering is unlikely to take place this year, with Kovid-19 restrictions prohibiting the meeting of more than six people or two families.
The queen may choose to worship in private – which she does in the chapel of the All Saints, near Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge home in Windsor Great Park – but she can avoid any crowds at St. George’s. Will definitely complete the normal journey.
In exchange for public appearances, it is possible that we may still hear from a member of the royal family. Prince Charles has often recorded special Easter messages to mark the holidays, including participating in the “Abecast” podcast last year and sending a supportive video message to those persecuted for their faith in 2018.
