Queen Elizabeth II, Her Legacy, & What’s Next for the British Monarchy
On September 20, 2022, Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies and its Center for the Study of Europe hosted the first of its Fall 2022 “Beyond the Headlines” (BtH) events, during which BU diplomacy, history, global affairs scholars discussed the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.
The panel discussion was led by Ambassador Paul Hare, Pardee School Senior Lecturer, and featured Arianne Chernock, BU Professor of History; David Glovsky, BU Assistant Professor of History; and Erik Goldstein, Pardee School Professor of History and International Relations. Panelists explored how the late Queen reinforced the monarchy within Britain, how she shaped public perception of the monarchy, the role she played in colonial governance and decolonization, as well as her role as Britain’s Head of State.
Chernock kicked off the event by explaining how much of Queen Elizabeth II’s success and perception stemmed from personal qualities; she described the Queen as dedicated to service, selfless, and having a firm grasp on her role as a constitutional monarch. Whether good or bad, Chernock also noted how Queen Elizabeth II reinforced the gendered role of her position as she was perceived as matriarchal or, in the context of British colonies “like a mother watching over her children,” a distinction Glovsky called patronizing.
On the colonial legacy of the Queen, Glovsky noted that Elizabeth II inherited the vast majority of Britain’s colonial history and policies; however, he argued that there will be an interesting reckoning from members of the commonwealth under King Charles since Queen Elizabeth never changed her position on colonial policy in her reign.
Goldstein and Hare spoke extensively about the Queen’s role as a knowledgeable public diplomat, a powerfully influential political figure, and a global monarch. Goldstein recounted stories of British foreign service officers who met with the Queen and remarked how she had a deep knowledge of the world pulling from decades of meeting with Prime Ministers and other heads of state, something Hare echoed having served as a British ambassador.
Following prepared remarks, panelists took questions from the audience. Questions covered a range of topics including the future of British colonies, the global obsession with the British monarchy, whether the Queen should have taken a more assertive stance on global crises, the future under King Charles, and more.
A recording of the event can be viewed above. To access recordings of past Beyond the Headlines panels, visit the Pardee School’s YouTube channel.
Beyond the Headlines is a regular series at the Pardee School that seeks to cultivate informed conversations among experts and practitioners on issues that are currently in the news headlines, but to do so with a focus on intellectual analysis and longer-range trends. Recent Beyond the Headlines discussions have focused on topics including the global perception of U.S. presidential elections, civil-military relations, Brexit, International Women’s Day, and the crisis in Kashmir.