After Brexit, Covid and Boris Johnson, a dollop of platinum jubilee pudding is just what the country needs

Editorial: There is little point denying the popularity of the Queen, and much reason to join in with the celebration of her seven decades of service as head of state

These next few days will, to varying degrees, be a time of celebration and joy (Getty)

Some years ago, or so the story goes, the then editor of The Independent attended a reception at Buckingham Palace for newspaper executives. During the course of the evening, the Duke of Edinburgh came over and asked who he was. When he stated his credentials, the Duke replied “You’ve got a bloody cheek,” turned on his heel, and strode off, in that brisk style of his.

It was an unfortunate exchange, and – perhaps not for the first time – an occasion on which Prince Philip’s directness was misguided. The Independent isn’t hostile to the notion of a rationalised, accountable, constitutional monarchy; one that commands the respect of the people, and is of use to the nation. Over the centuries, however, such traits have not always been evident. Criticism of the institution is right, proper – and inevitable.

That healthy scepticism is different from campaigning for its destruction, or indeed, making the lives of those who happen to be members of “The Firm” miserable. Where matters of law and public interest are concerned, such as in the case of Prince Andrew and the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, reportage and scrutiny are essential. By contrast, Prince Harry and Meghan are only the latest victims of a tendency within the media to treat the private lives of the royal family as “fair game”. They ought to have been left alone, for the simple reason that they are far away from the line of succession.

Philip himself once said that “the media is a professional intruder”, and yet this organisation is one that has never involved itself much in that, and certainly not in the phone hacking of members of the family and their household that was practised by others, who now so sycophantically enthuse about the platinum jubilee.

In any case, the House of Windsor seems perfectly secure for the time being. There is little point denying the popularity of the Queen, and much reason to join in with the celebration of her seven decades of service as head of state. Even the most ardent republican would have to concede that Elizabeth II has indeed fulfilled the pledge she made in 1947, at the age of 21, “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”. The empire may be gone, but the Queen’s service continues.

The Queen is a religious person, and she also takes seriously the solemn vows before God that she took at her coronation, on this day in 1953. Inevitably, though, at 96, it is more difficult for her to travel and to keep up physically in the way that she did until very recently.

As we saw at the state opening of parliament in May, when Prince Charles and Prince William attended as counsellors of state, she can delegate some of her public and ceremonial duties to other members of the family. However, the time may come when a further step may need to be taken, as the more central duties of the sovereign simply become too onerous. At that point, a regency, already provided for in legislation passed in 1937 and 1953, could be used to bridge the transition to the next reign. There is certainly no need to harm the Queen’s health by prolonging her working life.

These next few days will, to varying degrees, be a time of celebration and joy – though for many of her citizens, life will be no easier simply because of the jubilee, and many more are rather apathetic. It is also a poignant moment; more valedictory than, say, the silver jubilee in 1977, when the Queen had barely turned 50.

In Britain, and in her commonwealth realms, it is a moment of reflection, as well as an opportunity to lavish thanks and praise. There seems little doubt that some commonwealth countries will follow the example first set by India in 1950, and most recently by Barbados, and move to the status of republic within the commonwealth. In the UK, looking forward to the reign of Charles III, questions will also be asked. The republican movement will have another chance to make its case, but the focus of the debate about the future will be much more concerned with what kind of constitutional monarchy Britain would be.

To keep up to speed with all the latest opinions and comment sign up to our free weekly Voices Dispatches newsletter by clicking here

What should the powers of the sovereign be? Who should be funded by the sovereign grant? What level of accountability is appropriate? Is there a case for modernisation, and dispensing with some of the more cumbersome and Ruritanian customs – fewer silver sticks and purple rods? Post “Megxit”, how can the institution be made more representative of the nation and the commonwealth it serves?

The polls indicate that the young are less convinced of the need for the monarchy, and it will need to adapt to a changing mood in a country that has lost its once near-universal sense of deference. The aftermath of the death of Diana in 1997 shows how rapidly public opinion can turn, and how skilfully the Queen, advised at the time by Tony Blair, recovered the family’s position. At that point, Prince Charles and the then Camilla Parker Bowles were not respected by the public. Rehabilitation has taken a long time.

The signs are that reform is already being contemplated by the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, and with the Queen’s blessing. The anachronism of a hereditary head of state can only persist with democratic support, ironically, and the consent of the people can’t be taken for granted. The Queen’s successors will need to command respect, and it will have to be earned, just as Elizabeth II accrued her version of political capital. But for now, the nation is well satisfied with its monarch, and we can simply enjoy the show. After Brexit, Covid and Boris Johnson, a dollop of platinum jubilee pudding is just what the country needs.