Fr Geoffrey G. Attard expresses his admiration for the queen, who is celebrating her birthday today
Mother of four children, grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of another eight, Queen of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, Head of the Commonwealth; these are some of the few facts that come to my mind when I think of Queen Elizabeth II. I have admired her at least since 1992, when she visited the Maltese islands for an official visit together with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. I was only 14 years old.
Family background
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on April 21, 1926, the first child and eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Duchess of York. From her father’s side, she is the niece of King Edward VIII – the king of the ‘Abdication crisis’ – and granddaughter of King George V, as well as great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
Through her descent from Queen Victoria, she happens to be a third cousin with her own husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Her mother, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was the ninth child of the 14th Earl and Countess of Strathmore and, though her father, she was descended from the Kings of Scotland.
Throughout her life, the queen was close to her family of origin, especially to her mother, the late Queen Mother. She was allegedly closer to her family of origin than to her own family due to the many engagements she has been involved in throughout her 68-year long reign, the longest in British history.
Continuity in service
What I admire most about Her Majesty is the way she has served her country, radiating a sense of service that is inferior to no other.
Since her accession back in 1952, seven popes sat on the Petrine throne; she has worked with 14 prime ministers, Churchill being her favourite.
The most renowned words she has uttered are perhaps the following ones, cited from a her speech on her 21st birthday in 1947 – she was then still Princess Elizabeth: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
Since her coronation in 1953, she has delivered her Christmas speech on an annual basis and millions expect it every year. Lately, she has delivered a rare speech to address the COVID-19 crisis in the UK. The televised address to the nation was only the fifth of her 68-year-reign.
What I admire most about Her Majesty is the way she has served her country
One particular newspaper stated: “The only other events to be marked in this way are the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 and the First Gulf War in 1991.”
It is in particular moments like these that the important role of the queen is underlined in such a unique way.
More than any politician, the queen unites the country in a manner like no other. The fact that her face is the most familiar one in Britain is an asset that few other countries in the world can be proud of.
Queen of many firsts and facts
Having become the longest-reigning monarch in British History, Queen Elizabeth can also boast of other ‘firsts’.
On September 9, 2015, The New York Times commented: “Queen Elizabeth II set the record as the longest-serving British monarch on Wednesday, when at around 5.30pm British time, she had ruled 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes.”
Her coronation was the first to be broadcast from Westminster Abbey, the monarchy began its own website and Twitter account and the queen’s traditional Christmas message is broadcast on YouTube.
Queen Elizabeth has three generations of heirs in line to the throne. Her son Charles, Prince of Wales, is followed by her grandson, William, the Duke of Cambridge, and George, Prince of Cambridge.
She even ‘invented’ a new breed of dog when her corgi mated with a dachshund belonging to her sister, Princess Margaret, creating the ‘dorgi’.
She’s the only person in the UK allowed to drive without a licence, and she does not use a passport.
The queen has two birthdays: her actual birthday – April 21 – and her official birthday, which is held on a Saturday in June – when the weather’s more fair.
The queen first sent an e-mail in 1976 and published her first Instagram post in 2019.
This year, Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her birthday in particular circumstances. She is staying at Windsor Castle, away from all her immediate family, due to the COVID-19 phenomenon. However, like her mother during World War II, who remained in London uttering the famous words “I can look at the East End in the face!” − earning from Hitler the title of “the most dangerous woman in Europe” − our present queen is very much near to her people and it is this love with which she cherishes her nation that has transformed the eldest daughter of King George VI into the most popular and legendary figure of our age.