The Queen’s Death - A moment of Opportunity?
We live in momentous times. The Queen’s death is a unique moment in our national life. While we mourn an extraordinary woman of faith, there are various opportunities which can be grasped at this time of transition.
Our King’s accession to the throne is different from his mother’s in many ways. The Queen was in her twenties; the King is in his seventies. The Queen had only spoken publicly on a few occasions; the King has been a public figure for decades. We did not know what the Queen thought about just about every issue of the day, something that remained true until her death. By contrast we know a good deal about the issues that are important to the new King. When he got frustrated with his pen in public this week, even this outburst of emotion was a contrast to his implacable predecessor. This is not necessarily a bad thing in an age where feelings matter.
We already have some clues as to the approach the King will take. He broadcast to the nation the day after the Queen’s death and has spoken in public several times since. The accession council was televised for the first time. Engagement with the mass media is completely different from the 1950s, when Prime Minister Winston Churchill argued that TV cameras should not be allowed into the Queen’s Coronation. The King’s journey with the media has not been an easy one, but he is acutely aware of how powerfully a message can go around the world in 2022. He has also been adept in working with the mass media. Consider the turnaround in his reputation, and that of his second wife, Queen Consort Camilla, in the decade after the death of Diana, the last Princess of Wales. Few thought our new Queen Consort would ever be accepted by the public, but she has been embraced. This was largely through hard work engaging with the media and the public over many years.
Some Christians have wondered whether faith will play as big a part in the King’s reign as it did in the Queen’s. Church leaders were nervous when Charles proclaimed many years ago that, as King, he would like to be ‘defender of all faiths’ as opposed to his traditional title of ‘Defender of the Faith’. The King’s Christian faith has been evident in many of the things he has said over the last week, but also in his championing of the persecuted church around the world. This is something the Christian press has covered extensively, but which the mainstream press has largely ignored. To ‘defend all faiths’ is not to sideline the church; it is to recognise that Christians are sometimes called upon to stand up for the rights of those of other faiths as well as our own. As people of faith, we may be more sympathetic to the teachings and ethics of Islam or Hinduism than atheists would be.
All of this provides huge opportunities for His Majesty. He can make a difference through the soft power his position wields, although he can no longer speak out in public about the issues that concern him. He seems likely to take a more open, transparent and informal approach to the monarchy; it would not make sense to continue with ‘business as usual’, when so much of this was built around the Queen’s position, personality and experience. He will be influenced by his sons William and Harry in their roles leading the next generation of royalty. As we pray for our new King, we ask God to give him wisdom for all the areas where a new approach will be welcome.
In the run-up to the Queen’s funeral, I have also been praying for our new Prime Minister Liz Truss. As well as facing a very challenging inbox, the Queen died on her third day in post. Gus O’Donnell, the former Cabinet Secretary, recently gave an interview where he remembered David Cameron arriving at 10 Downing Street for the first time, looking joyful as he entered, sitting at his desk and putting his head in his hands. The reality of government and the challenges he faced was beginning to hit home. How much more must this be true for Mrs Truss as she faces the cost of living crisis, the clogged up NHS, unrest among workers and the stalemate over the Brexit settlement in Northern Ireland.
We have to hope that our new Prime Minister can grasp some of the opportunities of this moment. The disruption caused by the Queen’s death has focused everyone’s mind. Strike action has been called off temporarily by postal and railway workers. After committing to spending an eyewatering amount of money to keep people’s energy bills down, might Liz Truss be willing to spend a smaller amount to settle matters with these workers and others who are striking? With an outpouring of public sympathy in Northern Ireland, and support from leaders across the European Union, could a new solution to cross-border trade be found, to reignite the political process there? One comment made about Truss when she took office was that she is someone who is prepared to look for new solutions to old problems, even when those solutions are unorthodox. One of her university tutors remembered her arguing strongly for political positions he had never seen in an undergraduate essay (which is saying something – most tutors have seen just about every argument there is). These issues are complex, but a new energy, a can-do attitude and a willingness to challenge establishment thinking might make just make a difference. Above all, we pray for a renewal of integrity and trust in our government after the many lapses of the last three years.
We also have a new Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley. His in-tray includes the appallingly low conviction rate for sexual offences, misogyny and racism in the force and several high-profile cases which have been mishandled. Top of the list this week is the unprecedented security operation around the Queen’s funeral. We need to pray for him and his team as they seek to rebuild trust in the police.
The Queen’s death has also given Christians opportunities to talk about our beliefs. Discussion about Her Majesty’s strong faith has been central to the coverage, and many people are talking about it, as well as prayer for those who mourn. National moments like this tend to focus people’s minds about their own mortality, the losses in their lives and their futures. Pray for opportunities to share your faith with others, and think about how you can talk about the Queen’s faith. The Bible encourages us to pray for everyone with responsibility for our public life. As they appear over these next weeks, do pray for those taking up new responsibilities, for God’s wisdom and courage as they seek to make a positive difference to our society.
