Having looked back into the exciting year of 2013, now it’s time to peer forward into what the future holds for the monarchy in this year of 2014.
While the occasions of this year will not likely have the
same international reach as the ones in the last three years (Royal Wedding in
2011, Diamond Jubilee in 2012, and Prince George’s birth in 2013), it will
nonetheless prove to be eventful and fascinating, with perhaps a few surprises
along the way.
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| Zara Tindall |
Starting the year off, Zara (Phillips) Tindall and her
husband Mike are expected to welcome their first child sometime this month.
Zara is the only daughter of Princess Anne, as well as the Queen’s eldest
granddaughter and second-eldest grandchild. Her baby will be the Queen’s fourth
great-grandchild, 16th in the line of succession to the Commonwealth
realms (including the United Kingdom), and almost doubtless will be a playmate
for cousin Prince George, as well as Savannah and Isla Phillips – the children
of Zara’s elder brother Peter.
On February 6th, Elizabeth II will have been on
the throne for 62 years, and she will likely observe the date of her succession
in
private, with no special public engagements being planned for that day. It
is hard-pressed to call this moment a celebration, because it must be
remembered that Elizabeth lost her beloved father George VI on the same day.
Thus is the paradox regarding succession: the heir must lose the person most
dear to him or her in order to gain the throne. For the Queen, this was the day on which she assumed a solemn duty with great responsibility. Nonetheless, this moment will also be a celebration in the sense that it marks the continuity of the monarchy and the stability it provides.
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| The Queen is usually at Sandringham on February 6th, where her father passed away in 1952. |
In April, the Queen will welcome Michael D. Higgins, the
President of the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland for a three-day state visit – the first ever for an Irish
president.
Nearly three years ago, the Queen made history by becoming
the first British monarch to make a state visit to the Republic of Ireland
since that country gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The last
time a monarch stepped foot in Dublin was George V – the Queen’s grandfather –
in 1911 during his coronation year, when all of Ireland was part of the UK.
This year’s return visit by President Higgins, who will stay
at Windsor Castle, will be seen as symbolizing the furthering and deepening of
positive relations between the UK and Ireland.
During the same month of April, the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge will be traveling Down Under to visit the
Commonwealth realms of
Australia and New Zealand. It is a highly-anticipated journey, and if (as
expected) Prince George come along, it will be his first overseas visit. This will also be the first time that Kate
has visited either country, and will echo a similar tour taken by Prince
Charles and Diana, when they brought a nine-month old Prince William to those
same countries in 1983. As the future King and Queen of Australia and New
Zealand, William and Kate are expected to represent the reigning Queen at
official functions and carry out engagements on their own behalf. Royal visits
Down Under tend to be popular – so popular that one Australian anti-monarchist
bitterly complained that every time the Queen or another member of the royal
family does visit, the republican cause gets set back by 20 years.
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| William and Kate during their successful tour of Canada in 2011. |
In July, the Queen will open the 2014 Commonwealth Games in
Glasgow. Last year, she placed her message to Commonwealth athletes into a baton at Buckingham Palace, which began a journey across the Commonwealth
called the Queen’s Baton Relay, much like the Olympic Torch Relay. This year,
the Baton will arrive in Scotland, where it will make its way to the Opening
Ceremony and the Queen will read the message.
Following the closing ceremony of the Games, she is expected
to attend a World War I Commonwealth memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral on
August 3rd. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the
start of WWI, and the Queen and other members of the royal family are likely to
take part in events that will observe this centennial.
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| The Queen and Prince Philip arriving at a State Opening of Parliament |
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| The Earl and Countess of Wessex |
The royal family will also be carrying out several engagements throughout the UK and around the world on behalf of organizations and charities they support. In particular, the Earl and Countess of Wessex will be traveling to the United States, Jamaica, and Barbados to promote the work of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in those countries.
Occasions of personal significance for members of the royal family will also be marked in 2014, including four milestone birthdays:
- March 10th - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex will celebrate his 50th birthday.
- July 22nd - Prince George of Cambridge will celebrate his first birthday.
- September 15th - Prince Harry of Wales will celebrate his 30th birthday.
- August 25th - Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester will celebrate his 70th birthday.
- June 19th - The Earl and Countess of Wessex will mark their 15th anniversary.
- September 12th - Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor will mark their 5th anniversary.
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| Captain Harry Wales |
2014 also marks Harry’s eighth year in the British Army, which means that he will be eligible for promotion to the rank of Major. According to the Ministry of Defense’s website, such a promotion may take place in a window of 8-10 years of military service, and for nearly three years, Harry has been a Captain in the Blues and Royals regiment, of which Princess Anne is Colonel and the Queen is Colonel-in-Chief.
Then there are the rumors about his ongoing relationship with Cressida Bonas. Gossip hounds and tabloid newspaper/magazine editors are foaming at the mouth believing that the Prince will be at least engaged to Bonas sometime this year. As I have said before, I do not believe there will be a wedding or engagement involving Prince Harry this year, but if his relationship with Bonas does continue through the year, and if they are seen together at public engagements, then there may be something to say about an engagement and/or marriage in 2015. If anything, 2014 may be the year that Princess Beatrice has the question popped to her by long-time boyfriend Dave Clark.
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| Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
In the final analysis, the year of 2014 - from the observance of the Queen's 62 years on the throne to the journey Down Under for William and Kate - appears to be another exciting year for the monarchy, though it will likely come and go without the live global coverage that has been associated with the royal events that have occurred in the last couple of years.
Cynics tend to say the monarchy is, at its base nature, simply a self-perpetuating institution with no relevance to our times. I would argue that it is the self-perpetuating nature of the monarchy that makes it interesting to observe. It is interesting to watch how different occupants on the throne have brought their own style to the monarchy while also being mindful of long-established traditions. In the 21st Century, it is even more fascinating to witness how the monarchy works in our information age. It has shown itself to be flexible and durable over the centuries, and I believe that it will continue to exhibit these traits in 2014 and beyond.
Photo Credit: Mareklug via Wikimedia Commons cc, Elwyn Thomas Roddick via Geograph cc, Sara Star NS via Flickr cc, Surrey County Council News via Flickr cc, Surtsicna via Wikimedia Commons cc, Sodacan via Wikimedia Commons cc
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