A SPECIAL TRIBUTE – CHARNIKA IMBULANA MUNASINGHE
- Longest reigning monarch in British history
- Head of the Commonwealth comprising of 54 countries
COLOMBO: Seventy years ago on this day 6th February 1962, the life of Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York of the UK was to change forever. She was in Kenya en-route to the Southern Hemisphere with her husband Prince Phillip, when the sad news was conveyed to her, of her father’s demise. Upon the death of her father King George the VI, that day, she was proclaimed Queen of the UK by her Privy and Executive Councils in London.
The 25 year old also became Queen Regent of seven independent Commonwealth countries: The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, as well as the Head of the Commonwealth.
At age 96, she is the longest-reigning Monarch in British history and records today the Platinum jubilee -the day she was proclaimed the Queen of the United Kingdom and thus reached a landmark of her momentous reign that has spanned the better part of the century. She is also Queen to 14 other Commonwealth realms and the Head of the Commonwealth that comprise 54 countries.
- Tryst with Destiny
How she came to be the heir to the throne is intriguing. It was all unexpected. With time it has only shown that she was destined for the role and has carried on her duties with aplomb, courage and style consistently amidst challenges, crisis, political turmoil, personal tragedies and deaths.
She has won admiration and respect from across the world for her strength and charm to have wielded and retained the power she inherited, to be the head of State for seven decades long.
- Little Lilibet-
Born on 21st April in 2026 in Mayfair London, Elizabeth, the first child of Prince Albert and Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, affectionately called Lillibet, by her grandfather King George V, was the third in line to the throne.
For her parents also holding tittles of Duke and Duchess of York, the Crown seemed to have been literally thrust on them, suddenly with the unexpected abdication of the elder brother of the Duke of York. King Edward VIII had chosen love over duty.
It was a choice he had to face and make, at the time deemed inevitable with restrictions imposed when it came to marriage. His prospective bride, an American socialite Wallis Simpson being a divorcee, is what caused a constitutional crisis.
Consequently the Coronation and the reign thereafter of her father under the regnal name King George the VI, meant that, Lilibet being the elder of the two daughters of the King and Queen Consort would then indeed, be the next in line to the British throne, the heir presumptive.
Lilibet was only ten years of age when her father was compelled to ascend the throne and that was to be the first major change to her lifestyle. Secure under the close watch of her parents, and Governess, Marion Crawford the Princess and her only sibling, Princess Margaret, were educated privately at home on history, literature, language and music. She received private tuition in constitutional history and learnt French from native speaking Governesses.
- Exceptional Qualities
To get an insight to her character in the early years, one could find in the book ‘Little Princesses’, written by her Governess Crawford. She refers to “her love of horses and dogs, her orderliness and her attitude of responsibility.” Perhaps it was the British Prime Minister then, Winston Churchill who described her best, as; “a Character, she has an authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant”. Ironically after she became Queen, he served as her first Prime Minister. Her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as “a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well behaved.’
Princess Elizabeth grew to be a remarkable young lady and had undertaken public duties during the Second World War, serving even in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
At age 21, the Princess married Phillip Mountbatten a former Prince of Greece. His was styled HRH and received the title, Duke of Edinburgh, upon marriage. They became proud parents to four children, namely Prince Charles, Princess Anne, (After her Coronation) Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
- Visits Ceylon –
The Queen’s Coronation was held, a year after the proclamation of her as Queen, on June 2nd in 1953. Soon after, from April 10th to 21st 1954 she engaged in a Royal visit to Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka.
The 10 day tour included a Royal procession through Colombo where she opened the first session of Parliament of Ceylon, a train ride to Kandy and tours of Anuradhapure, Polonnaruwe and Nuwera Eliye. In Nuwera Eliye the Queen stayed at the ‘Queen’s Cottage’ which became to be later known as the ‘President’s Lodge’, which was built by Sir William Gregory in the Colonial times in 1893. Ironically it is located alongside what is known as the ‘Queen Elizabeth drive’.
The writer remembers her mother relating in the latter’s later years that she, as wife of an upcountry Tea plantation owner then, along with many other Planter’s wives gathered at the famous upcountry cricket grounds Radella, where the Queen was hosted to a Tea ceremony. Tea being synonymous with Ceylon, the surrounding area of the Radella Grounds depicts the typical, beautiful tea landscapes and gardens of the hill country, often referred to as Little England.
A photograph, a black and white- as was with the times then, taken at this special occasion, at which the Queen has been captured, beautifully attired and smiling, enjoying the occasion, is yet treasured.
Her tour in Ceylon coincided with her first birthday as the Queen. It is reported in the Guardian newspaper that a crowd estimated to be 50.000 sang “Happy Birthday’ which was her 28th. The crowd had gathered to witness her review of troops of the three services on her last day of tour in Ceylon.
- Second visit- to ‘Sri Lanka’-
Queen Elizabeth II visited Sri Lanka for the second time from the 21st to 25th October in 1981 at which time the country having become a republic had the name change from Ceylon to Sri Lanka, since 1972.
Her second visit was to attend the celebrations marking 50 years of Universal Adult franchise in Sri Lanka and a few other engagements.
On her second visit, the writer, was privileged to be among the crowd invited to a ceremony at the Peradeniye Botanical Gardens in Kandy at which an Orchid flower was named after the Queen. Yes, another photograph that captures this occasion, preserved carefully is in the possession of the writer.
Although we have a history of almost 100 years of occupation by the British and great trails left behind to be grateful for, but yet on record too are treacherous incidents, atrocities committed and documented that have left horrendous memories.
However that part of the past put aside, the perception of Queen Elizabeth II, as a person is entirely different. She does hold a special place among most of the Sri Lankans for her dignified and elegant presence.
Being the remarkable character that she is, during her reign she has weathered all the turbulence and successes within the long years with equal ease. She has earned praise from around the globe and continues to do so. Her individual traits in particular made her very popular. Her sense of humour and intelligent retorts are often quoted. In total, 14 British Prime Ministers have served the Queen since she ascended the throne. Interestingly she has had 170 serve as her realms Prime Ministers throughout her reign, the first new appointment being Dudley Senanayake as Prime Minister of Ceylon.
The many great highlights of her life cannot even be chronicled in one article. However some need to be specifically mentioned in honour of her charismatic presence in the world as a public figure.
Public perception of her has mostly been one of admiration of her exemplary conduct and impeccable dress sense. But anti Royal sentiments have been prevalent every now and then, due to some adversity or the other, especially at the time of the death of Princess Diana, it took a mighty dip.
She has yet managed to uphold the dignity of the institution at all times and regained her status and popularity like no other head of State in our times.
She is Patron of 600 charities and organizations. In my opinion she single handedly holds the pillars of the establishment Britain draws huge revenue from. What also comes to my mind is how amazingly very modern her thinking is when she sportily joined the famous James Bond character, actor Daniel Craig on the special acting stint for the opening of the Olympics Games when held in the UK.
When this writer did the coverage for Commonwealth Heads of meeting (CHOGM) 2015 in Malta, there she was in full attendance what was to be her final official tour overseas on a decision made due to her scaling down on work. I was glad to see her although we were in the media enclosure.
- A surprise meeting
With no idea about what was to happen next, this writer along with the other scribes made way towards the exit, set apart for the media after the ceremonial opening.
Due to a door that was to be used for the Queen’s exit, being jammed, after the ceremonial opening, she was rerouted on the path we journalist were gathered to exit from. The Commonwealth Secretary General was accompanying her out and on her path, on either side the scribes lined up. And there I stood, only to be recognized by the Secretary General Sharma, who I had interviewed only the previous evening.
It was only because of that interview that he was able to acknowledge my presence in particular for a brief moment he stopped and explained to the Queen that these are journalists covering the event and “she”, pointing out to me, he said, “is from Sri Lanka”.
I gazed at this lady of 89 years in disbelief, just one year older to my mom. Her smile so pleasant and her eyes crystal clear, twinkling, like of one much younger in years. It was indeed one of those moments I will treasure to have had that fleeting exchange that gave me an eyeful of this elegantly dressed lady so dainty, pretty and so sweet, with all of her indomitable courage and dedication to duty, resilience, all that packed in to her- so very much a Queen.
Of Course I was elated to have met her in person, in such close proximity, by sheer chance as it were. 27th November 2015, was special. I met a Queen, I admire as a person, on my special day, my birthday! I was called giddy by some, and reminded that we are no more a Colony. That did not matter. I celebrate the human being in her to achieve what she set out to do.
The writer appreciates the fact that this lady who by birth was destined to be who she is, did not rest on her laurels, and privilege she was born to but has in her inimitable style worked hard to maintain and sustain the status that is expected of her and saw through the threats and challenges of such high position. She kept to her word to her people and still continues to do what she pledged with responsibility. Such qualities and high standards are exemplary and rare.
In a broadcast to the British Commonwealth, on her 21st Birthday she made the following pledge -;
‘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’.
While the people are jubilant of her reign, it will also be a day of sad remembrance for her of her father’s death. Thus it will also be a day of reflection for her, going by her values. But her father would be proud of what she has achieved. Discreet in her expression of emotion, but yet so apparent in what her sincere intentions are, for her country.
An exceptional lady and a remarkable Queen, indeed I take this opportunity to congratulate her for having achieved this feat of 70 years of reign and counting. Wish her more strength and good health on this momentous occasion of her Platinum Jubilee and cheer her in the typical British way with a Hip! Hip! Hooray, three times over !
(The Writer, a veteran journalist is a Council Member of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Sri Lanka and functions as its’ Assistant Treasurer. She did press coverage of CHOGM 2015 Malta & 2018 UK and was nominated and accredited to the first ever Women’s Forum, slotted to the ‘Political Empowerment of Women’ Group at the CHOGM Malta‘15 and successfully secured exclusive interviews with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma and the current Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland in 2019.)
