For many years now it has been apparent that Prince Charles has been stepping up his duties as The Queen reduces her own. This is a sure sign that Prince Charles is preparing for the role that he will one day fulfil, though not just yet. To completely dispel any idea that abdication is the word on The Queen’s lips at the moment, here are 5 reasons why Her Majesty won’t abdicate.
1. ‘I DECLARE BEFORE YOU ALL…’
On the occasion of her 21st birthday the then Princess Elizabeth made a vow in a radio message to the Commonwealth, in it she said: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”
2. ESTABLISHED CHURCH
Unlike many other Monarchies in the world, the United Kingdom’s Monarchy is unique in that it is closely associated with an established church, the Church of England. The Queen is a very religious person and at her Coronation in 1953, she promised to serve the countries of which she is Queen for her life, in the sight of God.
Photo copyright: Charlie Proctor / Royal Central
3. THE ABDICATION CRISIS
Abdication is not a words Elizabeth II is likely to ‘enjoy’ hearing, her uncle Edward VIII abdicated in a cloud of scandal in 1936 when he was forced to abdicate in order to marry his twice divorced American lover, Wallis Simpson. This abdication left Elizabeth’s father to be King, a job he did not want and some say that Elizabeth II blames Edward VIII for her father’s early demise and excess stress the role of King put on him. She can not want to go down a similar avenue to Edward, regardless of her reasons being different.
4. A JOB FOR LIFE
Whereas in the Dutch Monarchy, abdication is a common mechanism for retirement of Monarchs, the same is not true in the United Kingdom. Dutch Monarchs tend to abdicate in old age, British Monarchs often occupy the throne until death. This is probably due to a combination of the aforementioned reasons. The only Monarch in British History to voluntarily abdicate was Edward VIII.
Copyright House of Lords 2017 / Roger Harris
5. ‘MARRIED TO THE COUNTRY’
At her Coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury placed the ‘Ring of England’ on The Queen, at which point it is said that the Monarch is ‘married to England’. This is another symbolic act that Elizabeth II would take very seriously, she hates people not sticking to their word and one supposes she would see abdication almost as a dereliction of duty and a breaking off of a ‘marriage’ to a country she loves so dearly and reigned over for almost 70 years.
