The Queen’s record-breaking numbers
Queen Elizabeth II in Bonn, Germany, 1965. (Photo: AP/Time)
Elizabeth II was the world’s longest-serving head of state, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, and the second-longest reigning sovereign in the world. Crowned at age 25 after her father died in 1952, her reign lasted for 70 years. As a new sovereign steps onto the throne, the centuries-long debate of whether or not there’s even a need for the British monarchy continues.
Elizabeth’s reign was long and storied. She served as the advisor for 15 British prime ministers, and was alive to see 14 American presidents. She was around for the world’s very first commercial flight, the Apollo 11 moon landing, World War II, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall. She lived through the dismantlement of the Apartheid, 9/11, and a pandemic. In her lifetime, she also owned over a hundred horses and more than 30 Welsh Corgis.
The 43 monarchs following William the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England, lived to an average age of 54. Elizabeth died at 96, and reigned even longer than some of her longest-living predecessors, like her grandmother Victoria who died at 81 and reigned for 64 years. It’s unlikely that we’ll see a monarch reign for as long as Elizabeth did in any of our lifetimes.
Charles III, Elizabeth’s successor, has just been crowned King at age 73 and is the oldest new monarch in UK history. Taking into account life expectancy for British men, some estimate that he’ll reign for another 12 years. His heir apparent, William, will be 52 by then—and he would have to live until the age of 122 to reign longer than Elizabeth. Although William may not even ascend the throne, since some speculate that the monarchy could come to an end with Charles III.
I’ve always had a few questions about the British monarchy myself, as a self-proclaimed social scientist. What exactly do the royals contribute to (and take from) the UK and the world, and why does it continue to exist in an age of modern politics?
The rise and fall of an empire
The reigning monarch is not only the head of state of England, but also the sovereign leader of 15 nations, which include some of the biggest economies in the world like Australia and Canada. They also head the Commonwealth of Nations, a group of more than 50 countries that used to be part of the British Colony. Mind you, the British Empire was once so expansive, only 22 countries in the world were never invaded. An actual count shows that the British colonized a whopping 90% of countries on earth.
And that big of an empire means a whole lot of blood on their ledger.
It’s difficult to estimate the British empire’s true death toll. With over 1,200 years of history, they’ve directly and indirectly caused millions upon millions of deaths. Conflicts in southern Africa, 12-29 million deaths during the famine in India in the 1940s, and the mass genocide of Native Americans of which they took part are only a few of the atrocities they committed for the sake of expanding their empire.
After many wars in which colonies fought for and won their independence, the empire fell. By 1979, then Prince Charles III himself said they had reached “the end of the empire.”
The British monarchy today
Despite the empire “ending” several decades ago, the monarchy is far from over. In fact, a portion of taxpayer money still goes to the royal family each year. It’s called the Sovereign Grant, and it amounted to GBP102.4 million last year, up by 17% from the previous year. This money goes to the Queen and her household’s official expenses, including maintenance of Buckingham Palace and their other estates, as well as travel costs of the royal family.
On the flipside, the royal family also brings in a significant amount of income to the British economy. According to Forbes, the House of Windsor is worth GBP19 billion and contributes hundreds of millions of pounds to the UK’s GDP each year in the form of tourism and merchandise, media coverage, Royal Warrants, and more.
While there is a whole lot of real money and resources involved, and the monarch is officially the head of state of England and the remaining 14 Commonwealth realms, the position is largely symbolic. The monarch is the head of state, but not the head of government. They are not involved in political decisions or in day-to-day governing.
Today, the role of the British monarch is to unify the people of the Commonwealth realms. For 70 years, Queen Elizabeth II was the focus for the UK’s national identity, a cultural icon. She gave a sense of stability and continuity through changing times and faces in government.
Since the French Revolution, monarchies around the world have dwindled. Only 44 monarchies exist today, and now there are only 29 monarchs. With King Charles III at the helm, many question whether the British royal family will soon join the ranks of fallen monarchies. After all, the monarch is supposed to be a “sober, ceremonial force” in society—and Charles’ controversy-riddled past only lends to the argument of abolishing the institution altogether. There are reports of anti-royal protesters being arrested all over the UK, showing that now more than ever, some have had enough of the monarchy.
The monarch is a symbol of unity, and people seem hesitant to unify under a man who once told a woman that he wanted to “live inside her trousers.” And honestly? I don’t blame them.
