Queen Elizabeth II is the current Head of State for the United Kingdom, however, she holds no political or executive power in her own government. The Prime Minister holds the powers of government, while the Queen simply “…undertakes constitutional and representational duties ….” Therefore, Queen Elizabeth II acts to connect government with its constituents by focusing on “…national identity, unity, and pride….” With Queen Elizabeth’s success of connection between the two parties, the populous is given “…a sense of stability and continuity.…” With limitations on the monarch’s power by the Bill of Rights and other legislation post-civil war, the office has evolved over time into one of internal and public relations.
What do her duties entail?
The Queen often travels throughout the Commonwealth, visiting, observing, and listening to Her Majesty’s people, their needs, desires, and opinions. The Queen recently traveled to West Sussex where Her Majesty visited a charity called Canine Partners, which focuses on canine training for puppies, service animals, and works with other charities. As shown in the picture above, Her Majesty is observing a puppy training class. After which, Her Majesty went to visit Chichester Festival Theatre, which is “…one of the UK’s flagship theatres, renowned for the high standard of its productions as well as its work with the community and young people.”
The Queen contributes, participates, and visits numerous charities, philanthropies, and organizations which help develop, better, and revolutionize the United Kingdom politically, socially, and economically. These duties prescribed to the office of Queen are extremely important to maintain peace, security, normalcy, and tradition.
PR Scandal that affected the Monarchy royally….
The Royal Family is not perfect. They have had several scandals, including divorce, abdication, and treason. They have gracefully, humbly, and successfully recovered from all despite the effects. Former King Edward VIII married an American woman with no title, no money, and no position in society and who was a divorcee. This was viewed as an error in judgment by the King, which would come full circle as it inspired him to abdicate the throne just as tensions were rising in Europe before World War II. As was later discovered, this would not be the only “error in judgment” made by King Edward. After World War II, a series of documents was published proving his relations, support, and actions to be pro-Nazi, pro-Hitler, and pro-Aryan. The Marburg Files would further tarnish the shine of the Crown, with attributes of treason. Such attributes, however, did not hinder the Royals in their role in the United Kingdom.
Will the Monarchy survive?
Despite the actual importance, the Monarchy of England is viewed as simply an office of service between the government and the people. The Monarch is now a marionette that is used to benefit the Commonwealth and ensure its survival. Additionally, the Queen has successfully conveyed a recent history of prosperity, unity, and peace, which has willed the people of the world to fall in love with the Royal Family and their every move, causing them to be revered more as celebrities than as heads of state. Therefore, I do personally believe that the monarchy will survive if they can continue to deepen, personalize, and romanticize their relations with the public. With their success in this, they will forever rule as the Head of State, Queen/King, and the biggest Public Relations Officer in the United Kingdom.
Emily Williard is an exchange student, currently studying public relations at Ulster University, as part of her degree in Public Relations at Appalachian State University in the US. She can be contacted on Instagram at emilee_5 or LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-williard-0196a4151.