London:
Not all Britons are fans of the monarchy, but many recognize that Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign is an achievement, as they see her as an enduring figurehead of the nation.
The 95-year-old head of state on Sunday became the first British monarch in history to rule for 70 years. Public celebrations are planned for early June.
On the streets of London, the public welcomed the historic event widely. Here are some reactions:
John Paul, 22, works in politics
“I think it’s a really great achievement… it’s a real thing for the country to bring people together. The Queen is very popular, people of all generations, three generations can now watch the Queen and they have a kind of connection with her.
“We’ve been through a really tough time as a country. And I think one of the things that I look back on, especially during the first wave of the pandemic, when we had the first lockdown, was people watching the Queen.
“Hopefully it will bring people back… and we’ll forget, if only for a day, and I’m sure it’ll see people forget those divisions. They’ll get back together. That would be nice to see.” “
David Newell, 33, works in education
“It means something, I think, it’s not nothing… we live in Britain, I’m British, and it’s a British institution, part of the country’s makeup. So I think it makes a difference. And I’m quite fortunate to have a few days off too.
“There’s still a lot of evolution to do. I definitely think, with recent news, there’s definitely work to be done and I think there’s the opportunity for that to happen… I wouldn’t abolish the monarchy. But yeah, I think there is work to be done.”
Bill Hartness, 50, works in responsible investing
“She’s had some ups and downs over the years, but I think she’s very respected now and as a leader with integrity, and that’s something I think we need to see more in our leaders these days because we don’t see much of it somewhere else.
“I think everybody’s had to adapt incredibly in the last 70 years. Think about all the changes and technology and problems and all these things, you know, and the monarchy, I think, has evolved a lot in general, probably in the last 15 up to 20 years.”
Helen Chadwick, 60, retired
“I’m not much of a royalist I must say. Because my culture and my background is from the north and I also have Irish heritage.
“But it means something to everyone and I certainly think at this point that if there is one person who embodies what the country stands for, it is certainly Her Majesty the Queen.
“This is supposed to be a great democracy, and I feel quite let down by elected officials, elected members. So the person I see in my mind as the epitome of Britain’s greatness and integrity, honesty and compassion is the person’s queen.”
Bill and Ann Stack, in their sixties, retired veterans
“We’re both ex-veterans. So for us, you know, it’s absolutely fantastic to serve Queen and Country and see her up to this stage… what a fantastic envoy she is to the country.
“That’s what makes us great because at the end of the day we still have our royalty, we still have a royal family, especially the queen, and politics will always go on. It’s never a straight line.
“It’s important that she is above everything else, that she remains apolitical. And let’s continue. But in general she is the constant.”
(This story was not edited by DailyExpertNews staff and was generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)