Tony DeyalTHE SUN never set on the British Empire but the lights went out on the Queen of England in Kingston, Jamaica, a few nights ago.
It has been said that the sun never set on the British Empire because even the Almighty would not trust an Englishman in the dark.
In the same vein, the blackout in Kingston might reflect Britain's loss of power and status in the 50 years of the reign of Elizabeth II. Or then again, whether outage or outrage, it might merely be an attempt by the same Almighty to point out to us our inadequacies in maintaining the institutions left to us by the British when power (including the utilities thereof) changed hands.
The Queen and Prince Philip were taking it light in Jamaica. The Royal couple are on a four-nation Golden Jubilee jaunt, celebrating the Queen's 50 years as ruler of Great Britain, Jamaica, Canada and other places that have retained her symbolic services.
Jamaica, like all other Commonwealth countries, has long agonised over its relationship with the British Crown. An editorial in the Gleaner pointed out that the present Government had considered reviewing the link with Britain when it came to power five years ago. However, as the last few days of the Royal visit proved, that link is alive and well. The young generation of Jamaicans, born long after the historic Coronation of 1953, last week succumbed to the spell of Royalty as much as mine gloried in the Coronation and lustily sang God Save the Queen at every major occasion until we became Independent in 1962.
Yet, the ambivalence persists. It is even more important now to determine, history and tradition notwithstanding, a relationship that is more appropriate to the present and future needs and directions of both countries, Britain and Jamaica. Should Jamaica continue to steer its ship of state under the Queen's helm, or hem for that matter, or should it strike out boldly as a Republic?
This is a debate that has been going on in Britain for a long time, not about Jamaica, but about Britain. Should it get rid of royalty and the royal family? In 1992 things looked really bad for the Queen and her menage. An Oklahoman newspaper listed, "Andrew's separation, Fergie's nude photos, Anne's divorce, Di's love tapes, Charles' philandering and fears that Edward the youngest would come flying out of the closet any day." Britain's Guardian newspaper considered the possibility of a Royal one-parent family instead of a Royal family because of the marriage breakups.
Today, 10 years later, in 2002, the monarchy is once more rampant and ascendant. A survey has shown that there is strong support for the monarchy in Britain. Only a tiny minority said they wanted the monarchy to be abolished, a majority said they admired their Queen.
As many Jamaicans found out last week, there is much to be admired. During the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth became a mechanic, learning how to service and drive military vehicles. On the last day of the course, George VI saw his daughter, in her greasy overalls, working underneath a car. Try as she would, she could not get the car started.
"What?" asked the King with a smile. "You haven't got it going yet?" He had surreptitiously removed the distributor.
Looking at the rigidly groomed senior citizen that Elizabeth II has become, it is almost impossible to see the young woman that she was. She did not want to be Queen and had started to pray for a brother when it was clear that she was next in line. She fell in love with Prince Phillip when she was 13 and pursued him until they got married in 1947, a wedding that Winston Churchill described as a "bright ray of colour on the hard grey road we have to travel." Even now, she is capable of the occasional surprise.
In the Bahamas when her host used a silver pencil, taken from his pocket, to swizzle a drink, the Queen asked, "That's all right in our company, but what happens in high society?"
When one of her Ambassadors equivocated about the mental state of a Middle Eastern head of Government, Elizabeth asked bluntly, "Are you trying to tell me that the man is just bonkers?"
On a visit to the White House during Gerald Ford's Presidency, the Fords' young son, Jack, his shirt unfastened and hair in disarray, stepped into an elevator only to find his parents and the Royal Couple already in it. An embarrassed Mrs. Ford introduced her son. Taking in the young man's unkempt appearance, the Queen remarked sympathetically, "I have one just like that."
The one to whom she was referring, Prince Charles, is next in line for the monarchy. The same poll that wants the monarchy retained, supports Charles getting married to Camilla Parker-Bowles but not to make her his Queen. It might be a dilemma that solves itself the same way 50 years ago in 1952, when on a tour to Australia and New Zealand (her next step on the present visit), the news of the death of her father, King George reached Elizabeth. The King is dead; long live the Queen.
Tony Deyal was last seen agreeing with Fredrick the Great of Prussia (when he declined a coronation) that a crown is no more than a hat that lets in the rain.
