After more than 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II died on Sept. 8. She was 96 years old, Queen Regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime, but only 15 at the time of her death. Though I am from Ethiopia, a country that was not under the British flag, I have seen the lasting effects of foreign imperial domination and can account for the loss of cultural relics.
I didn’t know much about the Queen before her passing, and though I would love to say that her life was spent well, working towards a better future for her people and the world, I can’t.
Most of her actions as acting Queen were public appearances, smiling and waving. There is one incident that stood out to me, the 1966 avalanche in the South Wales village of Aberfan which killed 116 children and 28 adults.
Her response to the situation was to stay in her castle, as she supposedly feared that her presence would distract others from the efforts to help. Her husband, Prince Phillip, was at the location the day after the tragedy. If the presence of royalty would disturb rescue operations, Prince Phillip should have stayed back, and if Prince Phillip was already there, her presence would have encouraged them since all the distracting she was talking about had already commenced.
Bringing up events from 1966 is a valid point to make since that was still in the height of her reign. A 70-year-long reign is unprecedented. No one person should hold power for that long of a time. Does the seat not get too stiff? Does your back not ache for rest? I’ll give her credit for that, she lived till 96 while ruling one of the biggest nations not just in terms of military strength, but also economical wealth. After that long of a lifespan, she needed a royal resting place, which was provided by St. George Chapel.
The chapel serves as a Royal Peculiar and Chapel of the Order of the Garter, a church that falls under the control of the monarch rather than the Church of England diocese in which it is located. There is one more thing that it serves as: the final resting place of a young African boy called Prince Alemayehu, the son of Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia. Alemayehu was stolen from his father’s imperial citadel, which was looted by British soldiers in 1868. Instead of killing or imprisoning him, they ferried him to Britain on a cargo ship with other Ethiopian artifacts, where he served under Queen Victoria as a “parade horse.” He pleaded to be sent back to his country until his passing at the age of 18. For 150 years, Ethiopians have been asking for his body to at least be returned to its rightful place, but instead it has a tiny little corner in the St George Chapel.
This is not directly Queen Elizabeth II’s fault since it was before her time, but is nevertheless an example of the savagery and thievery that Great Britain has shown in the past and to emphasize the lack of effort by Queen Elizabeth II to remedy the travesties her “Great” country has commited. It enrages me to see my country’s history being diminished and disrespected in such a blatant manner and the knowledge that Ethiopia isn’t the only one being restricted from their relics is quiet saddening.
I fear what we will learn about the Queen in the near future as I expect more people to come out with unflattering stories and truths now that her watchful eye has been lifted.
My condolences to those who knew her as a person, but I don’t see Queen Elizabeth II as a great ruler, but rather one with a lot of faults that come with the good.