The memorial will have the broadest-ever international representation and will be the most widely watched funeral in history. Indeed, the new King knows that Queen Elizabeth’s reign has set an inspiring and daunting standard to follow. On turning 21, when contemporaries were partying, she broadcast to the whole Commonwealth committing herself to a life of public service. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the empire underwent an inevitable contraction – a retreat that could have undermined our country’s confidence. Her reign marked the shift from a heavily deferential and hierarchical society to a country that is far more egalitarian and culturally diverse.

Source: The Times September 18, 2022 23:23 UTC