A unique Queen
At the beginning of this year, it is not just the sixty-eighth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne of the United Kingdom that has been celebrated, but there are more memories accompanying it in the life of the longest-reigning queen among the British monarchs and the longest sitting on the throne. They are the memories of major constitutional changes, and the most important of which she witnessed in the sixties and seventies of the last century When Great Britain granted independence to 20 of its colonies. This queen is credited, according to Lord Mountbatten’s account, for her opposition to the British, French and Israeli attempt to occupy the Suez Canal in 1956. Moreover, the reign of this Queen practically witnessed the consolidation of different relations between Britain and many countries all over the world, which was reflected internally by the monarchy’s gaining popular support, and externally by what her country began to enjoy among Peoples, even those which were subject to its colonial administration (Commonwealth countries) in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, and even of the queen gained personally a strong popular acceptance among her subjects.
And if it had been said in the past, in describing Britain as a united kingdom, that it is the empire which the sun never sets, then it can be described now, in the shadow of this queen with the shade extending for more than six decades, as the kingdom from which the sun of the virtues of her royal era does not set, as it did in other monarchies in many empires, and states, that lacked stability and correct virtues, whether those that preceded its existence or those that coincided with its existence.
In considering the causes and consequences that gave the United Kingdom this character, it could be pointed out that the British constitutional system distinguished itself in its transformation since ancient times into a democratic system that retain for the different groups of people their status and rights on one hand, and retain for the royal family its status and rights on the other, so the democratic system became more established and empowered.
However, it is not possible to overlook the personality traits of a number of its kings, especially in the last century, which added more human features to this system, and erased what had marred the monarchy in earlier eras.
In this context, Queen Elizabeth II, whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Marie, occupies an important status, not only because of the popularity she enjoys in her country, and in the many countries that she was keen to visit other than the usual kings that preceded her, but also because of positions that distinguished her such as Her position on the adventure of occupying the Suez Canal, which abovementioned, and her personal relations with many heads of state who preserved the Queen and her era the most sincere signs of friendship and respect.
On this occasion, on the occasion of her accession to the throne nearly 68 years ago, we are glad to congratulate Her Majesty, hoping that our relations with the United Kingdom will be strengthened as they were on the basis of mutual respect and common interests that serve the two parties, Kuwaiti and British, in an era when waves of domestic and international politics collide. And only by sincere treatment and intentions, that the survival of this or that party could be secure.
By Youssef Mubarak Al-Mubaraki
