The death of the Queen shows once again how great the interest in the royals in America is. The royal family offers everything that even Hollywood couldn’t invent better.
Flags on American government buildings have flown at half-mast since the death of the British monarch, like here at the White House in Washington.
The front pages of American newspapers after the death of Queen Elizabeth II were not far behind those in Britain. The mass newspapers USA Today and New York Post each printed a photo of the monarch across their entire front page, although events abroad are usually of little interest to the United States. Quality titles such as the “Wall Street Journal” also announced the death in very large letters and photos.
Since then, the flags on all American government buildings have flown at half-mast – until the funeral, i.e. for the unusually long period of twelve days. Meanwhile, television reports almost continuously: the news channels CNN, MSNBC and Fox News dedicated the past week to the Queen ten times more airtime than the successful Ukrainian offensive in the Donbass, which is incomparably more important for the USA.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II also made the headlines in the USA the following day.
Bloody independence from the British crown
All of this is astonishing, given that the USA is founded on bloody independence from the British crown. The republican form of government is fundamental to the country’s identity. It is no coincidence that the White House is a humble structure compared to European castles and that in over 230 years only one president has dared to serve more than two terms – a possibility that was immediately stopped thereafter. The concept of inherited power is in stark contrast to the idea of the “American dream” that everyone should be able to achieve.
Nevertheless, the British royal family exerts a strange fascination on the USA. Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who is from California, was watched by 17 million Americans last year – so many otherwise only tune in for sports programs. The couple’s night time American time wedding was watched by 29 million in 2018.
The reasons for the interest are manifold. In the 18th and 19th centuries, royalty was still viewed as an outdated Old World institution, incompatible with American freedom thinking. Nevertheless, the “special relationship” developed towards the end of the 19th century – a term coined by Winston Churchill in 1946. The two countries were linked by the common language, family ties and the liberal order. This alliance was strengthened during the two world wars, when American and British soldiers fought side by side.
In 1939 the parents of the late Queen, King George VI. and Elizabeth, the first British monarchs to travel to the United States. The visit at the invitation of President Franklin Roosevelt became a PR success for the royal family. The coronation of Elizabeth II was already a major event in the USA, and in 1952 “Time Magazine” named the young Queen “Person of the Year”.
Since then, Queen Elizabeth II has also been a constant for Americans – with their own presidents, Hollywood stars and sports stars constantly changing. In addition, the United States does not have a comparable family whose fate one takes part in. The Kennedys are politically too one-sided, the Kardashians too trashy for many.
In a country that loves big productions, pomp and glamour, and heroes rising and falling, the royals have become part of popular culture – with the much-loved British accent at that. Scandals and tragedies didn’t change that, but only increased the attention. Like Hollywood, the Windsors consistently provided entertainment and a good show. Various studios filmed episodes from the history of the royal family, and the Netflix streaming service landed a hit with “The Crown”. The series about Elizabeth II’s reign won ten Emmys and seven Golden Globes.
Even Trump only commented appreciatively on the Queen
In recent decades, however, another aspect has come into play: the deep party-political polarization in the USA has eroded the reputation of its own institutions. SFor the last ten years, only around 20 percent of the population say they trust the government – hardly ever before has the value been so small. A strictly apolitical head of state, who does not achieve his position through power games, is therefore attractive to many, says James Vaughn, professor of British history at the University of Chicago. to the BBC.
Elizabeth II exemplified this role and was a guarantor of stability above partisan politics, earning her enormous respect in the United States. President Barack Obama summed up this sentiment, as he explained at the reception of then-Prince Charles in the Oval Office in 2015, Americans would much prefer the royal family to their own politicians. His successor Donald Trump made headlines because he repeatedly violated protocol during state visits to London and in 2018 clumsily stood in the way of the Queen when walking through the honor formation. But he, too, always spoke of and with her with great respect, which he rarely showed to foreign leaders.
However, there is also criticism. Meghan Markle’s accusation of having experienced racism at court made big headlines in the USA, which is particularly sensitive to this topic. In general, the debates that are being held in one’s own country are also being extended to the kingdom. The New York Times published an opinion article, which stated that the era of Elizabeth II should not be romanticized. She helped veil the bloody history of decolonization. The text sparked outrage among conservatives in the UK, and in the US it was also criticized for appearing on the anniversary of the Queen’s death.
And finally, the many public signs of grief caused some to frown. Minutes of silence and lowered flags were also met with irritation on social networks. “Didn’t we fight for the American Revolution?” one user asked.
