WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 Welcome to the Deep Dive, where we sift through 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:05.919 monumental stacks of historical context, biographical 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:08.759 sources, and global research to give you the 00:00:08.759 --> 00:00:11.380 fastest, most insightful understanding of the 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:15.080 world's most complex subjects. And today, we 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:17.739 are attempting a feat. of historical compression, 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:21.000 one that spans seven whole decades. We're diving 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:24.579 deep into the life and really the unparalleled 00:00:24.579 --> 00:00:27.000 reign of Queen Elizabeth II. When you just look 00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:30.059 at the sheer scale of her tenure, 70 years and 00:00:30.059 --> 00:00:33.140 314 days, it's an almost unimaginable stretch 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:35.640 of history. I mean, it's hard to even comprehend. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.600 Right. She reigned over 32 sovereign states during 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:41.729 her lifetime and 15 realms at her death. She 00:00:41.729 --> 00:00:43.429 wasn't just the longest reigning British monarch. 00:00:43.630 --> 00:00:45.810 She was the second longest sovereign ruler in 00:00:45.810 --> 00:00:49.030 world history, second only to Louis XIV of France. 00:00:49.189 --> 00:00:51.310 That kind of longevity, it makes her less of 00:00:51.310 --> 00:00:53.590 a contemporary political figure and more of a 00:00:53.590 --> 00:00:57.310 historical anchor. And so our mission today is 00:00:57.310 --> 00:00:59.270 to provide you with the essential architecture 00:00:59.270 --> 00:01:02.829 of that reign, tracing her path from, well, an 00:01:02.829 --> 00:01:05.930 unexpected, almost accidental heir to a global 00:01:05.930 --> 00:01:09.260 figurehead. who really mastered the art of constitutional 00:01:09.260 --> 00:01:12.719 restraint while adapting the monarchy to seismic, 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:15.299 political, and social change. We've distilled 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:18.159 a massive body of source material to focus on 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:21.280 three core themes. Dedication, transformation, 00:01:21.420 --> 00:01:23.900 and I think resilience. Okay. We're going to 00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:26.019 unpack her foundational pledge of service, the 00:01:26.019 --> 00:01:28.459 major constitutional shifts she oversaw, the 00:01:28.459 --> 00:01:31.340 personal challenges like the 1992 Annis Horribilis, 00:01:31.420 --> 00:01:33.780 and most importantly, the strategic move she 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:36.079 made to preserve the relevance of the crown. 00:01:36.620 --> 00:01:39.359 in a fiercely modernizing world okay let's unpack 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.659 this monumental journey starting with the simple 00:01:41.659 --> 00:01:45.140 fact that the girl who became queen she was never 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:47.019 supposed to be queen at all not at all she was 00:01:47.019 --> 00:01:50.500 born elizabeth alexandra mary on april 21st 1926 00:01:50.500 --> 00:01:53.579 in mayfair london and crucially at the moment 00:01:53.579 --> 00:01:56.269 of her birth She was third in line to the throne. 00:01:56.409 --> 00:01:59.090 Third. So not even close. Oh, not even a remote 00:01:59.090 --> 00:02:01.569 possibility in most people's minds. Her position 00:02:01.569 --> 00:02:03.430 was behind her uncle Edward, who was the Prince 00:02:03.430 --> 00:02:05.189 of Wales, and then, of course, her own father, 00:02:05.290 --> 00:02:07.209 Prince Albert, the Duke of York. So there was 00:02:07.209 --> 00:02:09.650 almost zero expectation that she would ever wear 00:02:09.650 --> 00:02:13.229 the crown. Zero. And yet, even as a child, she 00:02:13.229 --> 00:02:16.530 seemed to possess this certain formality, a seriousness 00:02:16.530 --> 00:02:19.280 that... It kind of hinted at the role she would 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:21.419 eventually take on. We know she was affectionately 00:02:21.419 --> 00:02:24.539 called Lilibet by her closest family. Yeah, that's 00:02:24.539 --> 00:02:26.919 right. Which is such a personal, tender detail. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:29.699 A nickname that came from her own attempts to 00:02:29.699 --> 00:02:32.460 say Elizabeth, right? Exactly. And it just gets 00:02:32.460 --> 00:02:35.419 so quickly overwhelmed by the immense formality 00:02:35.419 --> 00:02:37.819 of her future life. It really does. It truly 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:40.919 contrasts with the image of the monarch. She 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:42.919 and her sister, Margaret, who was born in 1930, 00:02:43.259 --> 00:02:45.620 they were educated privately at home. Right, 00:02:45.639 --> 00:02:48.199 so no public school. No, the instruction was 00:02:48.199 --> 00:02:50.259 primarily in history, languages, literature, 00:02:50.379 --> 00:02:53.819 and music. But she had this innate dignity. It's 00:02:53.819 --> 00:02:55.759 worth remembering that Winston Churchill, upon 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:58.060 observing the two -year -old princess, commented 00:02:58.060 --> 00:03:00.580 that she had an air of authority and reflectiveness 00:03:00.580 --> 00:03:03.860 astonishing in an infant. Wow, at two years old. 00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:06.620 At two. That character was present from the very 00:03:06.620 --> 00:03:09.039 start. She also had a very close relationship 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.340 with her grandfather, King George V. She called 00:03:12.340 --> 00:03:14.860 him Grandpa England. Which is just a wonderful 00:03:14.860 --> 00:03:18.139 nickname. It is. And we learn that her visits 00:03:18.139 --> 00:03:20.780 were publicly credited with significantly raising 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:23.259 his spirits during a serious illness he suffered 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:27.599 in 1929. But that stability, that entire world 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:31.039 was shattered seven years later. What happened 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.979 in 1936 that fundamentally rewrote the destiny 00:03:33.979 --> 00:03:36.400 of this 10 -year -old girl? That was the abdication 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.840 crisis. Her uncle, Edward VIII, had succeeded 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:42.939 George V, but he chose to abdicate after less 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:44.830 than a year on the throne. And also he could 00:03:44.830 --> 00:03:48.050 marry Wallis Simpson. Exactly. A twice -divorced 00:03:48.050 --> 00:03:51.349 American socialite. His decision was a direct 00:03:51.349 --> 00:03:54.289 conflict between his royal duty and his personal 00:03:54.289 --> 00:03:56.569 desire. And the consequence for Elizabeth was 00:03:56.569 --> 00:03:59.509 immediate and completely life -changing. It thrust 00:03:59.509 --> 00:04:02.150 her father, the Duke of York, into the role of 00:04:02.150 --> 00:04:05.550 King George VI. And suddenly, this 10 -year -old 00:04:05.550 --> 00:04:09.099 girl, Elizabeth, was elevated to heir presumptive. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:11.759 That distinction is vital, isn't it? Heir presumptive. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.400 It's a huge distinction. Yeah. Because male preference 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:16.680 primogeniture was the law of the land at the 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:18.980 time. Meaning a future brother could have jumped 00:04:18.980 --> 00:04:21.920 ahead of her. Precisely. She was the heir presumptive 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.000 because if her parents had later had a son, that 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:26.680 son would have superseded her in the line of 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:29.560 succession. So her path was open, but it wasn't 00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:32.819 guaranteed. So the very foundation of her future 00:04:32.819 --> 00:04:35.339 monarchy was built on this unexpected family 00:04:35.339 --> 00:04:38.220 sacrifice, her uncle's choice to abandon his 00:04:38.220 --> 00:04:41.779 duty. That must have just cemented the absolute 00:04:41.779 --> 00:04:45.079 necessity of service in her mind. Oh, absolutely. 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:50.300 The trauma and the immense sense of duty that 00:04:50.300 --> 00:04:52.600 this session brought to her father profoundly 00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:55.529 influenced her. But those formative years were 00:04:55.529 --> 00:04:57.629 then immediately plunged into the crisis of the 00:04:57.629 --> 00:04:59.910 Second World War. The fortitude the royal family 00:04:59.910 --> 00:05:02.449 showed during the war is legendary, isn't it? 00:05:03.009 --> 00:05:05.310 Starting with the refusal to evacuate the young 00:05:05.310 --> 00:05:07.509 princesses to the safety of Canada. It's one 00:05:07.509 --> 00:05:09.389 of the most powerful declarations of the entire 00:05:09.389 --> 00:05:12.649 war. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth, stated it plainly. 00:05:12.829 --> 00:05:15.509 The children won't go without me. I won't leave 00:05:15.509 --> 00:05:17.269 without the king, and the king will never leave. 00:05:17.550 --> 00:05:20.370 This declaration rooted the monarchy in the shared 00:05:20.370 --> 00:05:23.339 danger and struggle of the British people. The 00:05:23.339 --> 00:05:26.319 princesses spent five years mostly residing safely 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:29.759 within Windsor Castle, but they were active participants. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.660 What did that look like? They even staged Christmas 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:35.079 pantomimes to raise funds for the Queen's Wool 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:37.480 Fund, which was buying materials for military 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:40.720 garments. So she quickly began to take on these 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:43.300 symbolic duties, starting with her first radio 00:05:43.300 --> 00:05:47.860 broadcast in 1940. Yes, aged just 14, during 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:50.569 the BBC's Children's Hour. She addressed the 00:05:50.569 --> 00:05:52.689 evacuated children of the Commonwealth, many 00:05:52.689 --> 00:05:55.389 of whom were far from home and, you know, terrified. 00:05:55.689 --> 00:05:58.389 And her message was simple but powerful. Incredibly. 00:05:58.569 --> 00:06:00.970 We're trying, too, to bear our own share of the 00:06:00.970 --> 00:06:03.569 danger and sadness of war. This established a 00:06:03.569 --> 00:06:05.629 lifetime pattern of connecting the royal family's 00:06:05.629 --> 00:06:08.009 experience directly to the national experience. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:11.220 But her service went beyond symbolic broadcasts. 00:06:11.220 --> 00:06:13.540 Her personal commitment really peaked in 1945 00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:16.699 when she entered military service herself. She 00:06:16.699 --> 00:06:18.480 had already become colonel of the Grenadier Guards 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.220 in 1942, which was her first solo public military 00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:25.540 appearance. But then in February 1945, she joined 00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:28.839 the Auxiliary Territorial Service, or ATS. The 00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:30.720 women's branch of the British Army? That's the 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:33.339 one. She was an honorary second subaltern. She 00:06:33.339 --> 00:06:37.250 was even given a service number, 230873. So the 00:06:37.250 --> 00:06:39.110 future Queen of England was actually getting 00:06:39.110 --> 00:06:41.790 grease under her fingernails. Exactly. She underwent 00:06:41.790 --> 00:06:43.730 hands -on training as a driver and a mechanic. 00:06:44.089 --> 00:06:46.170 She was learning to strip and rebuild engines, 00:06:46.230 --> 00:06:48.870 driving military trucks. That's incredible. By 00:06:48.870 --> 00:06:51.870 July 1945, she was promoted to Honorary Junior 00:06:51.870 --> 00:06:53.850 Commander, which is the equivalent of a captain. 00:06:54.170 --> 00:06:57.689 This was not a PR stunt. It was direct, practical 00:06:57.689 --> 00:07:00.610 participation in the war effort. A deeply unusual 00:07:00.610 --> 00:07:03.490 action for an air presumptive, and it cemented 00:07:03.490 --> 00:07:05.689 her reputation for duty and practical competence 00:07:05.689 --> 00:07:08.110 among the public. And the emotional climax of 00:07:08.110 --> 00:07:10.290 this whole period has to be victory in Europe 00:07:10.290 --> 00:07:12.870 Day. We have this wonderful image of her celebrating 00:07:12.870 --> 00:07:15.250 incognito with the crowds. It's a beautifully 00:07:15.250 --> 00:07:17.870 human moment. She and Margaret were allowed to 00:07:17.870 --> 00:07:19.610 slip out of the palace with a small group of 00:07:19.610 --> 00:07:22.430 officers and just mingle with the massive crowd 00:07:22.430 --> 00:07:24.689 celebrating in London. I can't even imagine. 00:07:25.050 --> 00:07:27.029 She later recounted the thrill of the night, 00:07:27.170 --> 00:07:30.310 recalling being terrified of being recognized, 00:07:30.569 --> 00:07:33.509 but describing how she linked arms with lines 00:07:33.509 --> 00:07:37.149 of unknown people. and was swept along on a tide 00:07:37.149 --> 00:07:39.829 of happiness and relief. A fleeting, necessary 00:07:39.829 --> 00:07:42.529 moment of anonymous freedom before her life was 00:07:42.529 --> 00:07:45.310 claimed entirely by the crown. Which it was, 00:07:45.490 --> 00:07:49.149 formally, in 1947, during her first major overseas 00:07:49.149 --> 00:07:52.410 tour. This leads up to a 21st birthday speech. 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:54.759 Right. She was with her parents in Southern Africa. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:57.279 And the broadcast she gave to the entire Commonwealth 00:07:57.279 --> 00:07:59.240 on her birthday was perhaps the most defining 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:01.519 statement of intent she ever made. The famous 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:03.939 declaration. The famous declaration. I declare 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:06.540 before you all that my whole life, whether it 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:09.379 be long or short, shall be devoted to your service 00:08:09.379 --> 00:08:11.839 and the service of our great imperial family 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:14.220 to which we all belong. And you have to notice 00:08:14.220 --> 00:08:17.560 the phrasing, my whole life. It was a public 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:20.959 vow of absolute lifelong dedication. It framed 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:24.420 her future reign not as a privilege, but as a 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:26.759 sacred contract that could never be broken or 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:29.459 retired from. It set the irreversible standard. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.980 Now we shift from the accidental princess who 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:36.279 served as a mechanic to the young bride and queen 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:38.779 who would have to navigate a crumbling global 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:41.019 power structure. Here's where it gets really 00:08:41.019 --> 00:08:43.740 interesting. How did the personal life of the 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:46.240 young royal clash with the immense political 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:48.519 machinery of the crown? Well, the romance between 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:50.559 Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.799 began early. She met him when she was just a 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:55.139 girl, but she truly fell in love after meeting 00:08:55.139 --> 00:08:58.179 him again in 1939 when she was visiting the Royal 00:08:58.179 --> 00:09:00.909 Naval College, Dartmouth. But that romance was 00:09:00.909 --> 00:09:03.269 met with significant resistance, especially in 00:09:03.269 --> 00:09:05.090 the post -war climate. He was certainly not the 00:09:05.090 --> 00:09:06.929 standard choice. I mean, he was foreign born, 00:09:07.090 --> 00:09:09.549 had been exiled from Greece as a boy, lacked 00:09:09.549 --> 00:09:13.669 substantial financial standing, and most controversially, 00:09:13.669 --> 00:09:16.669 his four elder sisters were all married to German 00:09:16.669 --> 00:09:19.789 noblemen. Some with clear Nazi links. Yes, some 00:09:19.789 --> 00:09:22.009 with very clear Nazi links. I understand even 00:09:22.009 --> 00:09:24.730 her own mother initially had serious reservations 00:09:24.730 --> 00:09:27.769 about the match. She did. Elizabeth's mother. 00:09:28.220 --> 00:09:31.460 reportedly referred to Philip as the Hun at first. 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:34.059 Wow. Though she eventually warmed to him, calling 00:09:34.059 --> 00:09:37.519 him an English gentleman. Despite the controversy 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:44.399 and become a naturalized British subject, Elizabeth 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:47.179 was absolutely determined. And they married at 00:09:47.179 --> 00:09:50.679 Westminster Abbey on November 20th, 1947. The 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:53.220 symbolism of that wedding ceremony itself speaks 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:55.700 volumes about post -war Britain, doesn't it? 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.200 It really does. I mean, despite the spectacular 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:00.960 pomp of the event, the country was still gripped 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.659 by austerity. And Elizabeth famously had to save 00:10:03.659 --> 00:10:06.399 up ration coupons for her dress. Ration coupons 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.279 to purchase the material needed for her elaborate 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:11.820 wedding gown. It was this potent symbol. The 00:10:11.820 --> 00:10:14.500 monarchy was grand, but the nation was struggling. 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:16.740 And even the future queen had to participate 00:10:16.740 --> 00:10:18.799 in the rationing system. And it was notable who 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.820 wasn't invited. Oh, very notable. Philip's German 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:24.500 relatives, including his sisters and the Duke 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:27.340 of Windsor, Edward VIII, were all excluded from 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:30.179 the guest list due to sensitivity. In a world 00:10:30.179 --> 00:10:32.460 of increasing duty, the couple did manage to 00:10:32.460 --> 00:10:34.700 carve out a brief period of near normalcy in 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:36.259 the early years of their marriage. They did, 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:40.840 in Malta. Between 1949 and 1951, while Philip 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:43.580 was serving as a Royal Navy officer, they lived 00:10:43.580 --> 00:10:46.559 intermittently at Villa Garda Mangia. And what 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:49.519 was that like? It was, relatively speaking, the 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:51.759 life of a typical naval couple. They drove themselves 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:54.740 around. They went to parties. It was likely the 00:10:54.740 --> 00:10:57.720 closest Elizabeth ever came to living a life 00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:00.700 outside the direct glare of history. That quiet 00:11:00.700 --> 00:11:04.500 chapter ended abruptly in February 1952. Walk 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:06.080 us through the moment of accession in Kenya. 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:09.179 Her father, George VI, who had struggled with 00:11:09.179 --> 00:11:11.740 ill health following the strain of the war, died 00:11:11.740 --> 00:11:14.700 in his sleep. Elizabeth and Philip were on an 00:11:14.700 --> 00:11:17.379 official tour representing the ailing king. They 00:11:17.379 --> 00:11:19.279 were at Treetops Hotel, weren't they? They had 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.200 just spent a night there and had returned to 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:24.279 Sagana Lodge in Kenya. And it was Philip who 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:26.860 delivered the devastating news to his 25 -year 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:31.120 -old wife. She was queen immediately. She chose 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.179 to retain Elizabeth as her regnal name, becoming 00:11:34.179 --> 00:11:37.419 Elizabeth II. But that choice immediately sparked 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:40.570 friction in one of her realms. It did. Some Scots 00:11:40.570 --> 00:11:42.269 were offended by the use of the numeral, too, 00:11:42.389 --> 00:11:44.429 as she was technically the first Queen Elizabeth 00:11:44.429 --> 00:11:47.429 to rule in Scotland. This was a subtle but early 00:11:47.429 --> 00:11:50.590 indication of the complexities of her new multinational 00:11:50.590 --> 00:11:53.370 role. The greater internal battle, however, was 00:11:53.370 --> 00:11:55.769 about the name of the royal house. The source 00:11:55.769 --> 00:11:58.350 mentions a significant dispute over whether the 00:11:58.350 --> 00:12:00.710 House of Windsor would change its name to reflect 00:12:00.710 --> 00:12:03.289 Prince Philip's lineage. Oh, this was intensely 00:12:03.289 --> 00:12:06.289 personal for Philip. The traditionalists, led 00:12:06.289 --> 00:12:08.669 by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the Queen 00:12:08.669 --> 00:12:11.309 Mother, Queen Mary, insisted that the house must 00:12:11.309 --> 00:12:14.070 retain the name of Windsor. And Philip was furious. 00:12:14.529 --> 00:12:17.230 Furious. It led to his famous, bitterly delivered 00:12:17.230 --> 00:12:20.210 complaint. I am the only man in the country not 00:12:20.210 --> 00:12:22.009 allowed to give his name to his own children. 00:12:22.190 --> 00:12:24.519 So what was the compromise? Elizabeth eventually 00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:27.139 declared the house would remain Windsor, upholding 00:12:27.139 --> 00:12:29.419 the wishes of the establishment, even against 00:12:29.419 --> 00:12:32.899 her husband. It wasn't until 1960 that a compromise 00:12:32.899 --> 00:12:35.120 was made, stating that male line descendants 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.240 who didn't carry royal titles would use the surname 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:41.059 Mountbatten -Windsor. That incident really speaks 00:12:41.059 --> 00:12:44.100 volumes about the early tension she faced between 00:12:44.100 --> 00:12:46.820 her loyalty to Philip and the immense weight 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:49.639 of the institution she led. Absolutely. And the 00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:52.940 world watched her coronation in June 1953. And 00:12:52.940 --> 00:12:55.240 this moment was truly revolutionary for public 00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:57.139 engagement with the monarchy. A communications 00:12:57.139 --> 00:13:00.700 watershed. Exactly. Despite intense resistance 00:13:00.700 --> 00:13:03.039 from traditionalists, including Churchill, who 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.759 worried about demeaning the sacred ceremony, 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:07.639 Elizabeth insisted the event be televised. The 00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:10.139 first time a British coronation had ever been 00:13:10.139 --> 00:13:13.019 broadcast. The first time the most sacred elements, 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:15.240 the anointing and communion, remained private. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.549 And the impact was immediate. It was massive. 00:13:17.830 --> 00:13:21.029 The number of UK television licenses doubled 00:13:21.029 --> 00:13:24.129 to three million almost overnight. It cemented 00:13:24.129 --> 00:13:26.389 television as the dominant medium in British 00:13:26.389 --> 00:13:28.850 homes. It brought the spectacle of the monarchy 00:13:28.850 --> 00:13:31.529 right into people's living rooms, democratizing 00:13:31.529 --> 00:13:33.570 access to the crown in a way that was previously 00:13:33.570 --> 00:13:36.049 unimaginable. And her gown was symbolic, too. 00:13:36.210 --> 00:13:39.320 Her coronation gown. embroidered with the floral 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:43.039 emblems of Commonwealth countries, visually symbolized 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:46.440 her new, modern, international focus. That international 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:48.960 focus was immediately put into action. She quickly 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:50.960 became the most widely traveled head of state 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.299 in history. Just months after her coronation, 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:55.519 she undertook a seven -month round -the -world 00:13:55.519 --> 00:14:00.700 tour, 1953 to 1954. She visited 13 countries, 00:14:00.779 --> 00:14:04.379 covering an astonishing 40 ,000 miles. She was 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:06.639 the first reigning British monarch ever to visit 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:09.019 countries like Australia and New Zealand, and 00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:11.559 the crowds were immense. In Australia, it's estimated 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:13.899 three -quarters of the entire population saw 00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:16.179 her during that trip. And this global travel 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:18.799 underscored the biggest constitutional shift 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.299 of her early reign, the rapid acceleration of 00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:24.200 decolonization. Right. Her role was transforming 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:26.919 from the head of a declining empire to the head 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:29.279 of a voluntary association of sovereign states, 00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:32.139 the Commonwealth of Nations. This transition 00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:34.700 required immense political and constitutional 00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:37.379 agility. She had to manage the challenge of former 00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:39.720 colonies choosing to become republics like India? 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.220 Yes, but still wanting to remain part of the 00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:44.610 Commonwealth. This was an ingenious constitutional 00:14:44.610 --> 00:14:47.809 compromise that subtly reframed the relationship 00:14:47.809 --> 00:14:51.049 from one of loyalty to the crown to one of shared 00:14:51.049 --> 00:14:53.710 values and friendship. However, this geopolitical 00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:55.950 transition wasn't smooth. Her constitutional 00:14:55.950 --> 00:14:58.250 role came under serious domestic fire during 00:14:58.250 --> 00:15:01.450 the Suez Crisis in 1956 and the subsequent appointment 00:15:01.450 --> 00:15:04.250 of new prime ministers. The Suez Crisis was a 00:15:04.250 --> 00:15:06.570 political disaster that ended the premiership 00:15:06.570 --> 00:15:09.370 of Anthony Eden. And when Eden resigned in January 00:15:09.370 --> 00:15:12.929 1957, the Conservative Party had no formal mechanism 00:15:12.929 --> 00:15:15.570 for electing a new leader. So the decision defaulted 00:15:15.570 --> 00:15:17.870 to the monarch. She had to exercise one of her 00:15:17.870 --> 00:15:20.870 few remaining reserve powers, commissioning someone 00:15:20.870 --> 00:15:23.750 to form a government. Exactly. And she was expected 00:15:23.750 --> 00:15:26.370 to consult senior party figures, often referred 00:15:26.370 --> 00:15:29.269 to as the Magic Circle, to determine who commanded 00:15:29.269 --> 00:15:32.309 the majority support of the party. She was advised 00:15:32.309 --> 00:15:35.320 to appoint Harold MacMillan. But she faced immediate 00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:37.799 criticism for it. Immediate criticism that she 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:40.919 was acting on advice from an old boys network 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:43.960 rather than a democratic process. And this controversy 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:47.480 was repeated in 1963 when she appointed Alec 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:49.340 Douglas home. So the media and the political 00:15:49.340 --> 00:15:51.440 atmosphere grew uncomfortable with the monarch 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:54.279 exercising any political choice, even if she 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.559 was advised. That's the key insight. The monarchy 00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:00.840 had to be seen as apolitical. The public backlash 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.159 and media scrutiny surrounding those two appointments 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:06.139 became so intense that the Conservative Party 00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:08.460 was compelled to adopt a formal leadership election 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:11.620 process in 1965. Which effectively took her out 00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:13.919 of that controversial decision -making loop forever. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.379 Exactly. It preserved the neutrality of the crown. 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:18.899 What's fascinating is the personal courage she 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:21.100 showed in parallel while dealing with these large 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.700 geopolitical shifts. The source highlights her 00:16:23.700 --> 00:16:27.139 1961 visit to Ghana. Ghana was hugely important. 00:16:27.539 --> 00:16:30.080 It had recently become independent under President 00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.600 Kwame Nkrumah, who was leaning toward the Soviet 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:37.019 bloc. There were genuine security concerns. Assassins 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:39.960 were targeting Nkrumah. A risky visit. Politically, 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:43.480 very risky. But the Queen dismissed safety fears 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:46.899 and went anyway. Harold MacMillan noted her calmness 00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:49.720 and courage, recognizing that her presence cemented 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:51.799 Ghana's place in the Commonwealth when it could 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.440 have easily broken away. She even broke ground 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:58.220 by visiting a communist country. Yes. In 1972, 00:16:58.519 --> 00:17:00.620 she became the first British monarch to visit 00:17:00.620 --> 00:17:03.200 a communist country when she toured Yugoslavia 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.900 and met President Pito. These acts weren't just 00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:07.660 state visits. They were strategic diplomatic 00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:11.160 efforts, leveraging her soft power. Her commitment 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:13.460 to constitutional restraint was really tested 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:16.299 to its limit during the 1975 Australian constitutional 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:19.200 crisis. The Australian Prime Minister, Gough 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:21.180 Whitlam, was dismissed by the Governor General, 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:23.640 Sir John Kerr, and the public immediately looked 00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:26.339 to the Queen to intervene. And she refused. She 00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:28.680 stated firmly that she would not interrupt decisions 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:30.720 reserved specifically for the Governor General 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.019 under the Constitution of Australia. She had 00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:35.480 the power to intervene, though. She had the power, 00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:37.980 but she realized that doing so would undermine 00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:40.539 the independence of the Australian constitutional 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:43.819 process. So she essentially sacrificed popular 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:46.599 involvement and the ability to save the situation 00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:49.519 in order to preserve constitutional integrity. 00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:53.500 Precisely. Her refusal taught future realms that 00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:55.559 the monarch would not save them from their own 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:58.839 constitutions. It was a pure, deliberate demonstration 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.119 of the limits of her reserve powers, even though 00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:05.279 the crisis itself. significantly boosted Republican 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.539 sentiment in Australia. Moving into the 1980s, 00:18:08.539 --> 00:18:11.019 the dangers to the crown shifted from constitutional 00:18:11.019 --> 00:18:15.140 ambiguity to, well, to physical threats and intense 00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:17.500 media scrutiny. Let's start with the literal 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:20.700 threats to her life in 1981. That year was marked 00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:23.579 by two significant assassination attempts. The 00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:25.539 first occurred during the Tripping the Colors 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:28.200 ceremony in London, as she rode her favorite 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:31.609 horse, Burmese, down the hall. Six blanks were 00:18:31.609 --> 00:18:33.970 fired at her from the crowd. By a 17 -year -old. 00:18:34.049 --> 00:18:36.630 A 17 -year -old assailant who was later jailed. 00:18:36.630 --> 00:18:38.849 The most remarkable thing was her reaction. She 00:18:38.849 --> 00:18:40.470 maintained incredible composure, didn't she? 00:18:40.670 --> 00:18:44.329 She did. She was shaken. But she expertly controlled 00:18:44.329 --> 00:18:47.190 the panicked horse and just continued the parade 00:18:47.190 --> 00:18:50.809 with immense dignity. Then, later that same year 00:18:50.809 --> 00:18:53.250 while on a visit to New Zealand, another 17 -year 00:18:53.250 --> 00:18:55.890 -old, Christopher John Lewis, fired a shot from 00:18:55.890 --> 00:18:59.109 a .22 rifle from an overlooking building in Dunedin. 00:18:59.549 --> 00:19:02.410 And he missed her. Narrowly missed her. And Lewis 00:19:02.410 --> 00:19:04.430 was only charged with unlawful possession of 00:19:04.430 --> 00:19:06.650 a firearm, which is just extraordinary considering 00:19:06.650 --> 00:19:09.069 the context. It speaks to the bizarre nature 00:19:09.069 --> 00:19:11.150 of the security around the monarchy at the time. 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:14.160 Lewis was actually involved in a subsequent attempt 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.740 to assassinate Prince Charles two years later. 00:19:16.940 --> 00:19:19.960 These close calls exposed vulnerabilities and 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:22.359 ultimately intensified the need for stricter 00:19:22.359 --> 00:19:25.299 security reforms. The security concerns culminated 00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:28.819 in a deeply embarrassing incident in 1982, the 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:31.559 Michael Fagan intrusion. That was a catastrophic 00:19:31.559 --> 00:19:34.380 lapse. Fagan, an unemployed decorator, scaled 00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:36.460 the walls, navigated corridors, and managed to 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:38.759 enter her private bedroom in Buckingham Palace 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:41.220 where she was sleeping. He woke her up. He woke 00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:43.980 her up, and the Queen handled the situation by 00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:46.859 calmly engaging him in conversation until security 00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:49.839 finally arrived. The incident deeply shocked 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:52.240 the nation. The sanctum of the Queen's bedroom 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:55.160 had been breached, leading to immediate high 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:58.500 -level security reviews. At the same time, the 00:19:58.500 --> 00:20:00.839 political realm was defined by her relationship 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:03.700 with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. There 00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:05.859 were frequent rumors of tension, particularly 00:20:05.859 --> 00:20:08.480 over foreign policy. And there were concrete 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:12.319 instances of disagreement. In 1983, the Queen 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:14.440 was reportedly angered when the U .S. administration 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:17.599 ordered the invasion of Granada, one of her Caribbean 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:20.059 realms, without informing her as head of state. 00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:22.839 A significant diplomatic breach. A huge breach. 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:25.579 And the disagreement over apartheid South Africa 00:20:25.579 --> 00:20:28.000 was much more public and fundamentally concerned 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:29.980 the integrity of the Commonwealth. Right. The 00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:33.880 reports in the Sunday Times. Yes. In 1986, the 00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:36.279 paper suggested Elizabeth was profoundly worried 00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:39.019 that Thatcher's economic policies were fostering 00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:41.480 deep social... divisions at home, pointing to 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:43.680 high unemployment and the violence of the miners' 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:46.359 strikes. But the biggest political friction was 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:49.319 Thatcher's steadfast refusal to apply sanctions 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:51.960 against the apartheid regime in South Africa. 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:54.079 And how do we know these rumors weren't just 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:56.599 media embellishment? Because of later testimony. 00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:59.039 While the palace often downplayed these reports, 00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:01.700 Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney later 00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:04.160 confirmed that Elizabeth was an effective behind 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:07.339 -the -scenes force in applying pressure and ending 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:10.339 apartheid. So her political views rarely surfaced, 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:12.500 but when they concerned the survival of the Commonwealth, 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.119 she found ways to exert influence. Exactly. On 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:18.920 a more diplomatic note, her 1986 state visit 00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:21.099 to communist China was crucial for Britain's 00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:23.759 future interests. It was pioneering. She became 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:25.940 the first British monarch to visit the People's 00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:28.759 Republic of China. touring historic sites like 00:21:28.759 --> 00:21:31.220 the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. And this 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:33.660 visit was pivotal because it signified mutual 00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:36.500 acceptance between Britain and China of the planned 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:39.779 1997 transfer of Hong Kong, giving the process 00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:42.819 a sense of official legitimacy. All these challenges, 00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:45.759 security breaches, political disagreements, diplomatic 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:49.140 tightropes, they all culminated in 1992, the 00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:51.559 year she famously called her Annis Horribilis. 00:21:51.660 --> 00:21:54.700 The term. Latin for horrible year, was delivered 00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:57.400 in her speech marking her Ruby Jubilee. And it 00:21:57.400 --> 00:21:59.160 felt like the institution of the monarchy was 00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:01.480 simply collapsing around her. The family breakdowns 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:04.200 were relentless. Absolutely. Prince Andrew and 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:06.519 Sarah separated. Princess Anne divorced Captain 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:09.099 Mark Phillips. And Prince Charles and Diana formally 00:22:09.099 --> 00:22:11.839 separated in December. And then the fire at Windsor 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:14.900 Castle, one of her primary residences, seemed 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:17.099 to symbolize the destruction of the old regime. 00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:21.059 The fire in November 1992 was catastrophic. It 00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:23.759 caused massive damage and immediately catalyzed 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:26.279 intense public scrutiny, not just over the tragedy, 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.940 but over who should pay for the estimated $40 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:31.259 million in repairs. Right, Republican sentiment 00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:35.119 soared. It did, fueled by the family drama, but 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:37.619 primarily by concerns over financial transparency. 00:22:38.269 --> 00:22:40.730 The public was asking why they should fund the 00:22:40.730 --> 00:22:43.369 repairs for the queen's residences when she was 00:22:43.369 --> 00:22:45.289 reportedly one of the wealthiest women in the 00:22:45.289 --> 00:22:47.910 world. And this public pressure directly resulted 00:22:47.910 --> 00:22:50.410 in major financial reforms for the crown. It 00:22:50.410 --> 00:22:52.730 did. The political pressure became overwhelming, 00:22:53.069 --> 00:22:55.809 forcing the monarchy to modernize its finances 00:22:55.809 --> 00:22:58.049 drastically. It was announced that Elizabeth 00:22:58.049 --> 00:23:00.890 would begin paying income tax from 1993 onwards. 00:23:01.210 --> 00:23:04.190 And the civil list, the system for funding the 00:23:04.190 --> 00:23:07.000 royal household. was significantly reduced. A 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:10.359 critical moment where Republican sentiment successfully 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:13.680 forced transparency and accountability. She also 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:15.960 showed she was ready to fight back, successfully 00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:18.440 suing the Sun for publishing her Christmas message 00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:21.519 early, forcing them to pay legal fees and a large 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:24.119 charitable donation. The ultimate crisis of that 00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:26.299 decade, however, was the tragic death of Diana, 00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:29.980 Princess of Wales, in August 1997. This was the 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:32.119 moment the public's emotional demands clashed 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:34.000 most dramatically with the monarchy's traditional 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.980 instinct. This crisis required the Queen to take 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:39.440 a calculated, deeply uncomfortable constitutional 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:43.859 risk. After Diana's death, the royal family retreated 00:23:43.859 --> 00:23:46.680 to Belmoral to shield William and Harry. The 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:50.039 monarchical instinct was private grief and stoicism. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:53.680 But the media and the public demanded a public 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:56.019 theatrical performance of grief. They really 00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:58.480 did. The family's silence and the initial failure 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:01.039 to fly the Union Jack flag at half -mast over 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:04.769 Buckingham Palace caused widespread dismay. The 00:24:04.769 --> 00:24:07.910 backlash was visceral. It was intense. The hostility 00:24:07.910 --> 00:24:10.569 became intense. Polls showed the monarchy's popularity 00:24:10.569 --> 00:24:13.329 plummeting. The queen realized that adherence 00:24:13.329 --> 00:24:15.730 to traditional protocol was actively endangering 00:24:15.730 --> 00:24:18.029 the institution. She was pressured to return 00:24:18.029 --> 00:24:20.269 to London, and on September 5th, the day before 00:24:20.269 --> 00:24:22.910 Diana's funeral, she delivered a live, televised 00:24:22.910 --> 00:24:25.569 address to the nation. And in that speech, she 00:24:25.569 --> 00:24:27.950 made a deliberate strategic choice with her language. 00:24:28.150 --> 00:24:30.049 Oh, absolutely. She didn't speak merely as the 00:24:30.049 --> 00:24:32.710 monarch or head of state. She consciously chose 00:24:32.710 --> 00:24:35.089 to speak as a grandmother, offering admiration 00:24:35.089 --> 00:24:37.970 for Diana and articulated the difficulty of their 00:24:37.970 --> 00:24:40.589 shared grief. That shift, choosing a personal 00:24:40.589 --> 00:24:43.710 emotional title over her formal role, was unprecedented. 00:24:44.289 --> 00:24:46.609 Completely. It was a calculated humanization 00:24:46.609 --> 00:24:48.890 of the crown designed to meet the public's demand 00:24:48.890 --> 00:24:51.930 for emotion. And it worked instantly. Public 00:24:51.930 --> 00:24:54.250 hostility just evaporated almost immediately. 00:24:54.589 --> 00:24:57.609 The institution was saved not by following tradition, 00:24:57.829 --> 00:25:00.190 but by deliberately breaking it to connect personally. 00:25:00.450 --> 00:25:02.829 She finished that challenging year with another 00:25:02.829 --> 00:25:06.349 act of powerful diplomatic courage. Her controversial 00:25:06.349 --> 00:25:08.910 visit to India. Her visit to the Jallianwala 00:25:08.910 --> 00:25:12.809 Bagh massacre site in India in October 1997 was 00:25:12.809 --> 00:25:14.990 fraught with tension. Protesters were chanting, 00:25:15.130 --> 00:25:18.369 killer queen, go back. But after she and Philip 00:25:18.369 --> 00:25:21.009 laid a wreath at the memorial, the fury softened. 00:25:21.109 --> 00:25:23.470 It was another example of her willingness to 00:25:23.470 --> 00:25:26.130 face historical friction and rely on her personal 00:25:26.130 --> 00:25:28.809 presence and quiet, respectful gestures to diffuse 00:25:28.809 --> 00:25:31.549 intense political situations. As we move into 00:25:31.549 --> 00:25:34.150 the 21st century, Elizabeth II's reign transitions 00:25:34.150 --> 00:25:36.529 from constant firefighting and crisis management 00:25:36.529 --> 00:25:39.190 to becoming an internationally respected anchor 00:25:39.190 --> 00:25:41.470 of global stability. We see a clear statement 00:25:41.470 --> 00:25:43.910 of solidarity immediately after the 9 -11 attacks. 00:25:44.289 --> 00:25:48.109 Yes. In a powerful, deeply felt break with tradition, 00:25:48.369 --> 00:25:50.869 she ordered the American national anthem, the 00:25:50.869 --> 00:25:53.250 Star -Spangled Banner, to be played during the 00:25:53.250 --> 00:25:55.029 Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham 00:25:55.029 --> 00:25:58.190 Palace. A small... but highly visible gesture. 00:25:58.289 --> 00:26:00.970 A gesture of solidarity that resonated globally 00:26:00.970 --> 00:26:03.910 and showed her capacity for emotional diplomacy. 00:26:04.190 --> 00:26:06.109 The start of the new century, however, was also 00:26:06.109 --> 00:26:09.029 marked by deep personal sorrow right before a 00:26:09.029 --> 00:26:11.890 major milestone. Her golden jubilee in 2002, 00:26:12.309 --> 00:26:15.210 marking 50 years on the throne, followed the 00:26:15.210 --> 00:26:17.940 deaths of her sister. Princess Margaret and her 00:26:17.940 --> 00:26:20.420 mother, the Queen Mother, within just two months 00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:23.079 of each other. So the media speculated the Jubilee 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:25.799 might be subdued. They did, but Elizabeth proceeded 00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:28.440 with an extensive tour, starting in Jamaica, 00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:31.240 and the celebrations in London saw immense public 00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:33.940 enthusiasm, with over a million attendees daily. 00:26:34.430 --> 00:26:37.029 Her personal resilience in the face of such profound 00:26:37.029 --> 00:26:40.349 private loss seemed to fuel a surge of public 00:26:40.349 --> 00:26:42.650 support for the institution. She continued to 00:26:42.650 --> 00:26:45.250 navigate modern realities, including taking on 00:26:45.250 --> 00:26:48.089 the aggressive tabloid press in court. In 2003, 00:26:48.269 --> 00:26:50.910 she successfully sued the Daily Mirror for breach 00:26:50.910 --> 00:26:53.710 of confidence after a reporter managed to pose 00:26:53.710 --> 00:26:56.509 as a footman inside Buckingham Palace to gather 00:26:56.509 --> 00:26:59.450 information. And she won? She won, forcing the 00:26:59.450 --> 00:27:02.329 paper to cover her substantial legal costs. That 00:27:02.329 --> 00:27:04.910 same year, Despite being generally healthy, she 00:27:04.910 --> 00:27:07.970 underwent keyhole surgery on both knees, a sign 00:27:07.970 --> 00:27:09.910 that the physical demands of her role were beginning 00:27:09.910 --> 00:27:12.210 to catch up with her. But the milestones just 00:27:12.210 --> 00:27:15.210 kept accumulating, redefining historical norms. 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:17.509 She became the longest lived British monarch 00:27:17.509 --> 00:27:20.970 in 2007. And then the monumental achievement 00:27:20.970 --> 00:27:24.390 came on September 9, 2015, when she surpassed 00:27:24.390 --> 00:27:26.250 her great -great -grandmother, Queen Victoria, 00:27:26.470 --> 00:27:28.630 to become the longest reigning British monarch 00:27:28.630 --> 00:27:30.890 in history. That must have been a subtle but 00:27:30.890 --> 00:27:33.210 profound challenge stepping out of Victoria as 00:27:33.210 --> 00:27:35.470 a men's shadow. Indeed. She was the first British 00:27:35.470 --> 00:27:38.009 monarch to commemorate a sapphire jubilee at 00:27:38.009 --> 00:27:41.910 65 years in 2017. And later that year, she and 00:27:41.910 --> 00:27:43.950 Philip celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary. 00:27:45.190 --> 00:27:47.150 Characteristically, in her speech marking the 00:27:47.150 --> 00:27:49.529 longest reign, she noted she had never aspired 00:27:49.529 --> 00:27:51.930 to achieve the milestone, highlighting her focus 00:27:51.930 --> 00:27:54.420 on service over records. Her later years were 00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:57.559 defined by critical diplomatic efforts, particularly 00:27:57.559 --> 00:28:00.660 the 2011 state visit to the Republic of Ireland. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:03.059 That was truly a watershed moment. It was the 00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:05.519 first state visit by a British monarch to the 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:08.119 Republic of Ireland since its independence. Her 00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:10.279 personal diplomacy, including a visit to the 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:12.240 Garden of Remembrance and delivering a few words 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:15.400 in Irish, marked a massive step forward in Anglo 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:17.819 -Irish relations. Healing centuries of friction. 00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:20.819 It really was. She was being recognized globally 00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:23.509 for her role as an anchor. She addressed the 00:28:23.509 --> 00:28:26.089 UN General Assembly a second time in 2010, where 00:28:26.089 --> 00:28:28.170 she was specifically introduced as an anchor 00:28:28.170 --> 00:28:31.009 for our age. The 2012 Diamond Jubilee demonstrated 00:28:31.009 --> 00:28:33.869 her willingness to embrace modernization and 00:28:33.869 --> 00:28:36.250 even self -deprecating humor on a global stage. 00:28:36.549 --> 00:28:38.609 We can't talk about that celebration without 00:28:38.609 --> 00:28:41.250 discussing her surprising cinematic debut. Well, 00:28:41.269 --> 00:28:43.049 the short film for the opening ceremony of the 00:28:43.049 --> 00:28:45.730 London Olympic Games was iconic. She appeared 00:28:45.730 --> 00:28:48.390 alongside Daniel Craig as James Bond. And the 00:28:48.390 --> 00:28:51.109 scene culminating in the Queen parachuting into 00:28:51.109 --> 00:28:54.049 the stadium, it was a moment of pure, unexpected 00:28:54.049 --> 00:28:56.970 humor. It demonstrated a truly modern approach 00:28:56.970 --> 00:28:59.710 to her role, suggesting that even the ultimate 00:28:59.710 --> 00:29:01.829 symbol of tradition could poke fun at itself. 00:29:02.089 --> 00:29:04.170 It's reported that her staff were absolutely 00:29:04.170 --> 00:29:06.690 shocked that she agreed to this. They were stunned. 00:29:07.289 --> 00:29:10.769 But the Queen saw the strategic value in this 00:29:10.769 --> 00:29:14.940 highly public, self -deprecating act. It humanized 00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:17.799 her on a global level to billions of viewers. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:21.279 She later received an honorary BAFTA award for 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:23.420 her patronage of the film industry. In the last 00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:25.819 decade of her life, there was a visible, smooth 00:29:25.819 --> 00:29:28.740 transition of duties to Prince Charles, ensuring 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:31.180 a soft succession plan. She started reducing 00:29:31.180 --> 00:29:33.500 her long -haul travel, and Charles started representing 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:36.940 her more. This transition was formally cemented 00:29:36.940 --> 00:29:39.519 in 2018 when Commonwealth heads announced that 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.440 Prince Charles would succeed her as head of the 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.839 Commonwealth. Which she publicly stated was her 00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:47.079 sincere wish. And then came the ultimate period 00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:49.960 of isolation and reflection, the COVID -19 pandemic. 00:29:50.279 --> 00:29:52.900 She moved to Windsor Castle in March 2020. And 00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:55.460 lived under an extremely strict sanitary protocol, 00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:59.559 affectionately nicknamed HMS Bubble. The Queen 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:01.740 used this moment to directly connect with the 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:04.359 nation's struggle. Her televised address during 00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:06.839 the pandemic was a poignant moment watched by 00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:09.880 24 million UK viewers, where she consciously 00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:12.299 echoed the language and fortitude of her childhood 00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:14.619 wartime experience. She drew that direct line 00:30:14.619 --> 00:30:18.240 from 1940 to 2020, promising better days will 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:21.039 return. We will be with our friends again. We 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:24.039 will meet again. Incredibly powerful. Yeah. But 00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:26.579 the isolation intensified with the death of Prince 00:30:26.579 --> 00:30:30.339 Philip in April 2021 after 73 years of marriage. 00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:32.920 She was now the first British monarch to reign 00:30:32.920 --> 00:30:35.500 as a widow since Queen Victoria. And the image 00:30:35.500 --> 00:30:37.559 of her sitting entirely alone at his funeral 00:30:37.559 --> 00:30:40.359 service due to COVID restrictions. It resonated 00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:42.839 globally as a profound symbol of duty and personal 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:44.960 sacrifice. It showed the world that even the 00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:47.480 queen was subject to the same public health restrictions 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:50.319 as everyone else, demanding personal grief be 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:52.920 set aside for civic obedience. Despite this immense 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:55.019 personal sorrow and increasing health issues, 00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:57.940 she battled COVID -19 and suffered from episodic 00:30:57.940 --> 00:31:00.839 mobility problems. She reached her platinum jubilee. 00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:03.700 70 years. She renewed her lifetime commitment 00:31:03.700 --> 00:31:06.339 in her accession day message and continued to 00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:09.079 make surprise public appearances, including officially 00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:11.519 opening the Elizabeth Line Railway in London. 00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:14.700 Her final constitutional duty occurred just two 00:31:14.700 --> 00:31:17.180 days before her death, appointing Liz Truss as 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:19.759 her 15th British prime minister. She received 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:22.539 Liz Truss at Balmoral. marking the only occasion 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:24.980 she did not receive a new prime minister at Buckingham 00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:28.700 Palace or Windsor during her 70 years. That single 00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:32.220 fact appointing 15 British prime ministers plus 00:31:32.220 --> 00:31:35.500 14 other prime ministers across her realms speaks 00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:38.440 to the sheer scope and unprecedented nature of 00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:40.859 her constitutional service, which she literally 00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:43.869 fulfilled right up until the very end. Let's 00:31:43.869 --> 00:31:45.970 delve into how Elizabeth II managed to maintain 00:31:45.970 --> 00:31:48.730 such high levels of popular support, often serving 00:31:48.730 --> 00:31:50.829 as the constitutional safety net for the institution, 00:31:51.150 --> 00:31:53.369 even when the rest of the royal family came under 00:31:53.369 --> 00:31:56.009 intense scrutiny. It all seems to begin with 00:31:56.009 --> 00:31:58.450 her personal sense of duty and faith. Her deep 00:31:58.450 --> 00:32:01.230 sense of religious and civic duty was the absolute 00:32:01.230 --> 00:32:04.109 core of her character. She took her coronation 00:32:04.109 --> 00:32:06.569 oath, which established her as supreme governor 00:32:06.569 --> 00:32:08.809 of the Church of England, incredibly seriously. 00:32:09.349 --> 00:32:11.650 She was also a dedicated member of the Church 00:32:11.650 --> 00:32:14.140 of Scotland. And she often gave us glimpses into 00:32:14.140 --> 00:32:16.259 this personal faith through her annual Christmas 00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:19.400 message. Indeed. Her Christmas broadcasts evolved 00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:21.680 over the years, becoming increasingly personal. 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:24.660 In her 2000 message, for example, she made it 00:32:24.660 --> 00:32:27.420 clear, For me, the teachings of Christ and my 00:32:27.420 --> 00:32:30.019 own personal accountability before God provide 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:32.599 a framework in which I try to lead my life. That 00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:34.980 emphasis on personal accountability must have 00:32:34.980 --> 00:32:37.400 resonated deeply with the public. I think so. 00:32:37.849 --> 00:32:39.809 They saw her actions as stemming from a genuine 00:32:39.809 --> 00:32:42.390 moral commitment rather than mere political obligation. 00:32:42.750 --> 00:32:45.130 She also actively supported interfaith relations, 00:32:45.529 --> 00:32:48.069 meeting five different popes during her lifetime. 00:32:48.329 --> 00:32:50.609 Beyond serious duty, her character was defined 00:32:50.609 --> 00:32:54.210 by her passions, horses and dogs. They were her 00:32:54.210 --> 00:32:56.869 respite. She's a keen equestrian and remained 00:32:56.869 --> 00:32:59.650 an active rider well into her 90s, overseeing 00:32:59.650 --> 00:33:01.990 her racing stables and attending major events 00:33:01.990 --> 00:33:04.809 like Royal Ascot. And of course, there were her 00:33:04.809 --> 00:33:08.220 dogs. The Corgis. Her Pembroke Welsh Corgis, 00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:12.160 a line that started with Dookie in 1933. These 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:14.220 interests provided a vital counterpoint to the 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:16.960 formality of her public life. The rare scenes 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:19.900 that surfaced, showing her relaxed, perhaps preparing 00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:22.539 meals or washing dishes with her family, helped 00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:25.200 soften the monarchy's distant image. Her public 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:28.119 image evolved significantly over her reign. Initially 00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:31.680 in the 1950s, she was the fairy tale queen. How 00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:33.740 did she modernize that image to maintain relevance? 00:33:34.509 --> 00:33:36.269 Well, the turning point was often considered 00:33:36.269 --> 00:33:38.470 the controversial television documentary Royal 00:33:38.470 --> 00:33:41.390 Family in the late 1960s, which gave the public 00:33:41.390 --> 00:33:44.309 a brief glimpse behind the scenes. However, our 00:33:44.309 --> 00:33:46.029 most critical innovation in public engagement 00:33:46.029 --> 00:33:48.869 was instituting the first royal walkabout. What 00:33:48.869 --> 00:33:50.589 was that exactly? Leaving the protection of the 00:33:50.589 --> 00:33:52.549 royal enclosure to directly greet and interact 00:33:52.549 --> 00:33:54.910 with ordinary people. She did it first during 00:33:54.910 --> 00:33:57.829 a 1970 tour of Australia and New Zealand. And 00:33:57.829 --> 00:34:00.549 the walkabout became standard practice, transforming 00:34:00.549 --> 00:34:03.339 public access to the monarchy. It did. It allowed 00:34:03.339 --> 00:34:05.339 people to physically connect with the monarch. 00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:08.320 And her wardrobe became functional, part of that 00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:11.260 strategy. She adopted a signature style of solid 00:34:11.260 --> 00:34:14.179 color overcoats and decorative, often brightly 00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:16.639 colored hats. Which wasn't just about fashion. 00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:19.840 Not at all. It was explicitly designed to ensure 00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:23.360 she could be seen easily in any crowd. The strategy 00:34:23.360 --> 00:34:26.119 worked. By the end of her reign, almost one -third 00:34:26.119 --> 00:34:28.360 of Britons claimed to have seen or met her in 00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:30.760 person. Even though her personal approval ratings 00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:33.000 were sky high, we noted that support for the 00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:35.460 institution itself fluctuated, hitting a low 00:34:35.460 --> 00:34:38.159 point in the 1990s. The criticism was almost 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:40.639 always directed at the conduct of the wider family 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:43.360 or the perceived cost of the monarchy, never 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:46.119 at the queen's own dedication. Her personal popularity 00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:49.139 served as a crucial constitutional shield, especially 00:34:49.139 --> 00:34:52.039 in the realms outside the UK. We see this constitutional 00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:54.639 power play out specifically in referenda concerning 00:34:54.639 --> 00:34:57.400 whether her realms should become republics. Exactly. 00:34:57.659 --> 00:35:00.920 In Australia's 1999 referendum, the proposal 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:03.320 to become a republic was rejected by voters. 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:06.360 Several Australian politicians, even those who 00:35:06.360 --> 00:35:08.519 were personally Republican, later acknowledged 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:10.599 that the issue should wait until after her reign. 00:35:10.739 --> 00:35:13.130 Right. Malcolm Turnbull, a former Republican 00:35:13.130 --> 00:35:15.190 prime minister, noted that in Australia there 00:35:15.190 --> 00:35:18.150 were simply more Elizabethans than there are 00:35:18.150 --> 00:35:21.130 monarchists. The person was more popular than 00:35:21.130 --> 00:35:23.409 the political structure she represented. It's 00:35:23.409 --> 00:35:26.329 the ultimate soft power checkmate. Her personal 00:35:26.329 --> 00:35:28.869 popularity acted as a pause button on Republican 00:35:28.869 --> 00:35:31.230 movements globally. Even in other places. Oh, 00:35:31.230 --> 00:35:34.789 yes. Referendums in Tuvalu in 2008 and St. Vincent 00:35:34.789 --> 00:35:37.969 and the Grenadines in 2009 also rejected proposals 00:35:37.969 --> 00:35:41.260 to ditch the monarchy. Even amid later turbulence 00:35:41.260 --> 00:35:43.980 involving her family members, her approval remained 00:35:43.980 --> 00:35:46.860 incredibly high. She was the third most admired 00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:49.400 woman globally in the annual Gallup poll, having 00:35:49.400 --> 00:35:51.679 appeared in the top 10 more than any other woman 00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:54.099 in the poll's history. On September 8, 2022, 00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:56.500 the longest reign in British history came to 00:35:56.500 --> 00:35:58.980 an end. It was announced suddenly after Buckingham 00:35:58.980 --> 00:36:01.219 Palace issued a stark statement that doctors 00:36:01.219 --> 00:36:03.900 were, quote, concerned for Her Majesty's health. 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:06.480 Her immediate family rushed to Balmoral Castle. 00:36:07.019 --> 00:36:09.559 in the Scottish Highlands, where she died peacefully 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.579 that afternoon, age 96. Her death immediately 00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:15.440 activated Operation London Bridge, the plan for 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:17.719 her funeral and accession. And because she died 00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:20.400 in Scotland, another plan was activated. The 00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:23.559 localized plan, Operation Unicorn, was also put 00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:26.260 into motion. She was the first monarch to die 00:36:26.260 --> 00:36:30.099 in Scotland since James V in 1542. The official 00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:33.039 cause of death was recorded as old age. However, 00:36:33.179 --> 00:36:35.360 some sources, including a biographer and former 00:36:35.360 --> 00:36:38.119 Prime Minister Boris Johnson, later suggested 00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:40.639 she may have been suffering from multiple myeloma, 00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:43.820 a form of bone marrow cancer. Regardless of the 00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:46.179 precise medical cause, the transition of power 00:36:46.179 --> 00:36:48.840 was immediate and seamless. She was succeeded 00:36:48.840 --> 00:36:51.559 instantly by her eldest son, Charles III, who 00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:54.300 was proclaimed king. The subsequent period of 00:36:54.300 --> 00:36:56.480 national mourning was unprecedented in its scale. 00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:59.019 The public's response began in Scotland with 00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:01.480 the lying in state at St. Giles Cathedral in 00:37:01.480 --> 00:37:03.699 Edinburgh. It was an intensely moving scene. 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:06.579 The Crown of Scotland was placed atop her coffin 00:37:06.579 --> 00:37:09.500 and approximately 33 ,000 members of the public 00:37:09.500 --> 00:37:13.050 filed past in Edinburgh. After the coffin was 00:37:13.050 --> 00:37:16.090 flown to London, the scale just grew exponentially. 00:37:16.510 --> 00:37:18.750 It lay in state at Westminster Hall for four 00:37:18.750 --> 00:37:20.969 days. Where an estimated quarter of a million 00:37:20.969 --> 00:37:23.050 members of the public queued for hours to pay 00:37:23.050 --> 00:37:25.949 their respects. This period also saw her children 00:37:25.949 --> 00:37:28.789 and grandchildren hold silent vigils around the 00:37:28.789 --> 00:37:31.889 coffin. The state funeral on September 19, 2022, 00:37:32.269 --> 00:37:35.440 was a historic event televised globally. It was 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:37.579 the first monarch's funeral service held at Westminster 00:37:37.579 --> 00:37:41.380 Abbey since George II in 1760. More than a million 00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:43.500 people lined the streets of central London in 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:46.300 silence. The guest list included hundreds of 00:37:46.300 --> 00:37:48.579 heads of state reflecting her enormous global 00:37:48.579 --> 00:37:50.659 standing. And the final procession at Windsor 00:37:50.659 --> 00:37:53.039 Castle contained some deeply personal touches. 00:37:53.380 --> 00:37:56.260 Her fill pony, Emma, and her two royal corgis 00:37:56.260 --> 00:37:58.199 were waiting at the side as the procession approached. 00:37:58.539 --> 00:38:00.860 And her final resting place reunited her with 00:38:00.860 --> 00:38:03.440 the man who was her strength and stay. She was 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:05.239 interred with Prince Philip in the King George 00:38:05.239 --> 00:38:08.280 VI Memorial Chapel at St. George's Chapel, Windsor 00:38:08.280 --> 00:38:11.099 Castle, during a private family ceremony later 00:38:11.099 --> 00:38:13.679 that evening. It marked the closure of a chapter 00:38:13.679 --> 00:38:16.159 spanning over seven decades of continuous public 00:38:16.159 --> 00:38:18.760 service. It truly is staggering when you look 00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:21.099 at the historical sweep of her life. She was 00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:23.079 born when Calvin Coolidge was U .S. president. 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:26.239 She oversaw the premierships of 15 British leaders, 00:38:26.360 --> 00:38:29.699 from Winston Churchill to Liz Truss. She witnessed 00:38:29.699 --> 00:38:32.380 the British Empire dissolve and transform into 00:38:32.380 --> 00:38:36.320 a voluntary commonwealth of 56 nations. She maintained 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:39.420 consistency, stability, and constitutional discipline 00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:41.940 throughout decades of cycle. seismic political 00:38:41.940 --> 00:38:44.460 and social upheaval. She fulfilled the vow she 00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:47.219 made as a 21 -year -old in 1947. Absolutely. 00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:49.739 Her commitment to service was total, and that 00:38:49.739 --> 00:38:52.340 constancy is why the world ultimately respected 00:38:52.340 --> 00:38:54.639 her so much. Right. We often hear criticism that 00:38:54.639 --> 00:38:56.539 she was aloof or emotionally distant, particularly 00:38:56.539 --> 00:38:58.860 during the Diana crisis. But we must understand 00:38:58.860 --> 00:39:01.679 that her restraint was not apathy. It was constitutional 00:39:01.679 --> 00:39:04.639 discipline born from that sacred, lifelong promise. 00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:07.880 The complexity of our constitutional role, the 00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:10.179 separation of the personal self from the political 00:39:10.179 --> 00:39:12.719 machinery of the state, must have demanded an 00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:15.340 almost impossible level of endurance. It demanded 00:39:15.340 --> 00:39:18.219 everything. And that brings us back to the core 00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:21.179 element of her dedication. The sources tell us 00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:23.760 that in 2002, she told the Canadian Governor 00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:26.579 General, Adrienne Clarkson, that she would never 00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:29.619 abdicate. Stating firmly, it is not our tradition. 00:39:29.760 --> 00:39:31.980 So she added a qualifier. She did. She said, 00:39:32.099 --> 00:39:34.980 although I suppose if I became completely gaga, 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:37.420 one would have to do something. That conviction 00:39:37.420 --> 00:39:40.940 that her duty was for life, regardless of circumstances 00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:43.980 or personal cost or even political unpopularity, 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:46.679 is perhaps the most revealing detail about her 00:39:46.679 --> 00:39:49.599 character. Indeed. It forces us to consider the 00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:51.789 ultimate question of her legacy. How did this 00:39:51.789 --> 00:39:53.829 foundational conviction that her commitment was 00:39:53.829 --> 00:39:56.570 permanent and irrevocable shape her reliance 00:39:56.570 --> 00:39:59.340 on rigorous constitutional restraint? And more 00:39:59.340 --> 00:40:01.920 importantly, how did this resolve, this dedication 00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:04.659 to never give up, never despair, the phrase she 00:40:04.659 --> 00:40:07.539 used during her VE Day 75 message, ultimately 00:40:07.539 --> 00:40:09.820 preserve the relevance of the monarchy in an 00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:12.320 era where almost every other country modernized 00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:15.179 by reducing or eliminating their royal houses? 00:40:15.300 --> 00:40:17.000 Her lifelong commitment to the vow she made in 00:40:17.000 --> 00:40:19.960 1947 is, I think, the ultimate explanation for 00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:22.480 why the crown survived her unprecedented deep 00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:23.219 dive through history.