This weekend sees an outburst of national emotion in the United Kingdom as we celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. It will be done in style: a four-day holiday weekend will see a pageant of 1,000 boats sail down the River Thames including a specially designed royal barge, a concert at Buckingham Palace with some of the biggest names in British music and a national service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Why all the fuss? Simple: because for 60 years the Queen has been the symbol of our nation. Because she is a woman who has held her country together over the lifetime of the majority of her subjects. And because she has done so with dignity, dedication and a deep sense of duty.
For me, the Queen is a symbol of continuity and change. As Confucius said: “They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.” In this case, “they” are the British people who have faced enormous change since the Queen ascended to the throne in 1952. Recovery from war, granting of independence to many new countries that had been colonies, confronting and surviving huge economic pressures and participating in conflicts in different parts of the world. In addition to massive technological change that no-one could have dreamed of 60 years ago: when the internet, mobile phones and cheap international travel were unheard of.
Throughout all this change, the Queen has provided continuity. She has given the nation roots; and the nation has branched out, stretched and grown. She has provided a example of impartial public service while governments, Prime Ministers and parliaments changed. She has given us confidence in our history, traditions and culture despite the pressures of globalisation. And she has espoused crucial values of tolerance, integrity and service to her people. In a remarkable speech in Westminster Hall two months ago, she rededicated herself to her people.
As a symbol of the nation, the Queen presides over the system of government. Even though she does not interfere in political decisions, we all know that we are governed by Her Majesty’s Government, and that they in turn confront Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Of course, they fight like cats and dogs in the House of Commons, but have the best interests of the country and its people at the centre of their priorities.
Much of our respect for Her Majesty is linked to her willingness to adapt to new circumstances. She has dealt with many Prime Ministers and world leaders, even some who were born under her reign. She has visited many countries around the world and met hundreds of celebrities and thousands of ordinary people. But she never fails to take an interest in the people she is meeting and the activities she is undertaking.
She has notched up significant achievements. She was not only the first British monarch to circumnavigate the globe and to visit China, she is also the only sovereign to be trained to change a spark plug and fix a truck engine as part of the women’s section of the British Army during the Second World War.
Her Majesty is also a role model for women. Despite being born into the job, she has succeeded in carving out a strong role for herself and earning her people’s respect. Indeed, looking at the 40 British monarchs since the Normans invaded in 1066, three of the greatest have been women: Queen Elizabeth I who defeated the Spanish Armada and patronised Shakespeare; Queen Victoria who presided over the British Empire and gave her name to an era; and our present Queen who has seen unprecedented progress across every aspect of human endeavour.
The theme of continuity and change of course applies to Jordan as well. Queen Elizabeth and the late King Hussein both assumed their thrones at a young age within months of each other. Both steered their countries through periods of enormous change and held their countries together under pressure.
We will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee in Amman on Tuesday. We will all raise a glass to Her Majesty for the enormous achievement of seeing her country through 60 years of change. And we will demonstrate our pride, devotion and affection for her, now and for the future.