[News Article] In Memoriam of the Nation’s Grandmother and Britain’s Great Diplomat
Brillin Yapply — FPCI Chapter Universitas Airlangga
September 8th 2022 marks the day Queen Elizabeth II died and a time for nations and the world to mourn. She is the longest reigning monarch in Britain, with 70 years in her reign. From 1952 to 2022, she has witnessed major world events, such as the first commercial jet service (1952), to China’s cultural revolution (1966), end of Vietnam war (1975), Chernobyl nuclear disaster (1986), 9/11 (2001), Brexit (2016), and covid-19 (2020). In addition, she took great pride in the Commonwealth as one of the states of the 16 Commonwealth realms and as head of the Commonwealth of Nations, a voluntary organization bringing together 54 countries, most of which were previously territories of the British Empire. Moreover, her reign ended Britain’s imperial era and oversaw a transition from an Empire to a Commonwealth. The Queen played an important symbolic role in facilitating the demand of equal footing and promotion for free and democratic societies in the Commonwealth. Through her reign, she would be remembered as quiet, compassionate, and dutiful person who promotes cooperation, community and kindness. As an irreplaceable heart of its people, indeed she was the nation’s grandmother.
Globally, the role of the monarchy in foreign policy is as important and viable as ever. The remarkable service of Queen Elizabeth and the royal family managed to bring power of attraction and utilized it as important foreign policy tool. She managed to have state visits and high-level diplomatic visits to 117 countries, including all 56 Commonwealth States. The implication as one of public diplomacy, can have real political and economic effects to improve bilateral trade flows, influence public opinion, and extend the tenure of other leaders. She visited India for the third time in 1997 and it marked 50 years since India’s independence from Britain. She expressed regret at the Amritsar massacre for the “distressing” episode in which British soldiers gunned down hundreds of unarmed civilians. The gesture was seen by some as inadequate as she tried to impress Indians. In 2011, during her first visit to the Republic of Ireland, it was celebrated as the beginning of the new era of friendship, as she expressed her sincere thoughts and deep sympathy for the past victims.
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