Elizabeth II (post 4)

The next section of Monarch: The Life and Reign of Elizabeth II focuses on the time between Elizabeth II's Coronation and a few years after her Silver Jubilee. Once again, there is a lot more information on Prince Margaret (the Queen's sister), Prince Philip (the Queen's husband) and Prince Charles (the Queen's eldest child) than there is about the Queen herself. Lacey recounts Princess Margaret's marital woes in greater detail than is relevant. The Queen's marriage was not entirely smooth either. Loud arguments were heard by staff from behind closed doors. The issue of the names of the royal children was a major point of tension. Prince Philip was angry that he was not allowed to give his name to his children (because of royal precedent, the Queen's children were expected to take the name of Winsdor), and this caused significant dissent not only between the Queen and Philip, but also between Philip and the government. Prince Charles went through several years of both less-than-serious girlfriends and potential wives (several of which he proposed to and was turned down) before his parent's encouragement prompted him to choose Diana Spencer as his bride. During this time, he met, fell in love with and had two affairs with Camilla Parker Bowles.

Underneath all the superfluous details, the Queen is constantly mentioned as being stoic, though more willing to show emotion in public, upright and regal. Her Coronation and Silver Jubilee both spurred revivals in public feelings for the monarchy, with huge crowds turning out to witness the events, both on television and in person. Lacey also discusses her reaction to the rising costs of keeping the monarchy afloat. When rising inflation and increased unemployment made it more and more difficult for the government to pay the costs of the monarchy, she is reported to have dipped into her own pocket to help shoulder the costs. Another issue that the Queen shows her willingness to compromise is the continued rising importance of the press. Lacey recounts how the Queen was "chief opponent of television," (183). However, she allowed most of the Coronation to be televised, though with restrictions on the types of shots and which moments could not be filmed (183). This shows her growing sense of the new era of media that she would rule in, and the increasing sense of ownership the people had over their monarch. Though sometimes Elizabeth would be reluctant to make the changes a new era demanded, her newly-created willingness to connect with the people shows her acceptance change. In the late 1960s, she even allowed the BBC to construct a documentary, called Royal Family, about (who would've guessed?) the royal family. However, she also demonstrated that she would not be pushed around or be afraid of the people if she did not want to be. When she was the victim of an assassination attempt on June 13, 1981, she "steadied her horse Burmese and rode on to arrive at her birthday parade on the stroke of eleven" (285). Britain was entering a new era where the Queen belonged to her people, and Elizabeth's challenge was to belong to her people while still being who she was.