Death of Queen Elizabeth
By ALLEGRA LAI and GOWRI NAIR
On the afternoon of Sept. 8, flags across the Commonwealth were lowered in respect of the former monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
Many across the globe have plunged into a deep mourning, with floral tributes and masses outside the Queen’s residences, as well as public statements from government’s all across the globe. Through this emotional grieving period for countless people, many have taken to social media sites such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram to post memes and gimmicks revolving around her death, while many have also delved deeper into criticizing the monarchy and the Queen’s negative influence during her reign.
As a culturally diverse community, it is natural for the Academy’s student body to have diversity in its reactions to the news of the Queen’s death. To many, the Queen represented stability to Britain and the Commonwealth realms. Yet, there are also a vast number of people whose countries were negatively impacted during Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
So, should we mourn her death? Before Queen Elizabeth’s reign, the Kenyan concentration camps were still in existence. After World War II, an anti-colonial movement called Mau Mau emerged. A large amount of time was spent detaining the Kikuyu population, with women and children being put into detention camps and subjected to horrific brutality and torture. These implementations forced the population to submit to British colonial rule. Through all 70 years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she has never acknowledged let alone apologized for the monarchy’s brutal past of colonizing multiple countries.
One might argue that the Queen bears no responsibility for actions committed by her predecessors. But because the Queen still represents the British monarchy, many see her as still a symbol of the oppression and brutality from the Commonwealth’s past. While on her trip to India in 1997, the Queen gave a speech in Jallainwala Bagh in Amritsar. This site is where multiple civilians were shot in a massacre ordered by a British General. Many citizens were hoping an apology would be delivered, but instead, the topic was barely spoken about. Alongside that, multiple artifacts have been stolen from many countries, including the Koh-I-Noor Diamond, Benin Bronzes, and even Parthenon Statues. Given that Queen Elizabeth stood as the representative of the previous colonial British Empire, many countries and their citizens felt as though they should receive an apology.
Another example that is gaining media attention are Kenyan concentration camps. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the concentration camps committed acts of rape, murder, and other different kinds of torture, and many ancestual stories depict the terrible actions that took place in these camps. After the Queen’s death, this brutal past came to light in social media. Morally, I think she is responsible for the hideous actions her ancestors have committed.
Through her reign, Queen Elizabeth has done some extremely problematic things, but has also been a face of celebration and grace for her country, so it is understandable as to why millions have gathered to grieve for her. However, even though she may seem like an elegant and admirable public personality, she as a person shouldn’t be separated from her legacy and her actions. Though she might have brought stability to Britain, she has also caused numerous others to suffer, and she should be held accountable for her actions. Even if she was an enjoyable internet persona, her legacy is what surpasses her mortality, and many will remember her sourly.
