The world is watching as Queen Elizabeth II is buried in England. This is due to the fascination for her person as well as the grandiose staging of the royal family by the British.
The Queen’s convoy to the funeral service in Westminster.
President Joe Biden sits with his wife Jill in the 14th row of Westminster Abbey and follows the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II. French President Macron is also there, German Federal President Steinmeier and EU Commission President von der Leyen. Brazilian President Bolsonaro, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, South Korean President Yoon and many other heads of state have traveled from far away. An audience of billions was expected for the television broadcast. Which personality can expect a similar amount of attention when they die? The world appeal of the Queen of England is unparalleled.
That has a lot to do with her personally, who has traveled to 117 countries on official missions during 70 years as head of state. She has never allowed herself to make a mistake, she has never alienated a guest or a host. The perfection and perseverance with which Queen Elizabeth has represented her country in the world inspires respect and admiration from all around. The Queen deserves a big thank you from the population for this.
It takes more than perfect performance of duty
But it cannot be the term of office and the conduct of office alone. Denmark’s Queen Margarethe II celebrated the 50th anniversary of her reign in January. During this time she has made 55 state visits and has not made a name for herself with any missteps. But outside of your country, hardly anyone takes notice of the now longest-serving monarch in Europe.
Queen Elizabeth’s reputation, on the other hand, has reached the furthest corners of the world. He makes a significant contribution to the fact that today’s European medium-sized power Great Britain enjoys a much greater reputation worldwide than would be expected given the size of the population, economic power or military potential. This is an immense advantage for the country, which pays off not only politically but also economically.
But this success requires more than a perfect queen. The last twelve days of the farewell showed this clearly. An important part of the fascination is based on the history of Great Britain as a former world power, which was always represented by the Crown. Without the weight of history, the importance of the House of Windsor would be inconceivable. After the need to show thanks and respect to the Queen, the second most frequently mentioned wish by grieving citizens in Westminster in recent days is the desire to be part of a world event.
The British royal family, the state, the media and the population are doing a great deal together to ensure that this great story is not forgotten. She would never have achieved this status if it were not for the deep bond that a large majority of Britons have with their Queen. Added to this is the careful maintenance of tradition. History and meaning come to life in magnificent productions such as Queen Elizabeth’s Twelve Days Farewell. No country can stage a funeral as bombastic, dignified and persistent as Great Britain. The parades, the colorful uniforms, the Gothic arches of Westminster Abbey all combine to create a unique event.
Breathtaking media presentation
The British media also play an important role, above all the BBC. They did breathless non-stop coverage of the Queen’s farewell. The lavish images broadcast live from Westminster Abbey around the world by the BBC are masterful. Even the kilometer-long line of mourners on the Thames became a global media event. Critical voices were not suppressed during this period, but they were not significant. Important political or economic issues were suppressed. As a media consumer, you can regret that. But the media deliver what the majority of their users expect from them. In this respect, public service broadcasting hardly differs from private competition.
With events such as Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, Great Britain spreads a soft power in the world that many countries envy. Russia has much more military power, but hardly anyone wants to watch news programs from Moscow. China has not only replaced Great Britain, the former world sea power, but also the USA as the country with the largest naval force. But the ruthless power politics of the head of state Xi Jinping only gives China a threatening and not a welcoming face on the world stage. The true kings of soft power are the British.