There is a weird time to be in the UK. During a period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, the nation finds itself divided. Some will queue to pay their respects to the Queen as she lies in state in Edinburgh and London, while others will lay flowers at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Life will continue as normal for many more. There are others who will take the chance to debate and protest the monarchy.
The responses are OK. They’re to be expected, in fact. What to do, what to say, how to feel are all questions that nobody knows how to answer. There are no definitive rules on how to grieve. It’s possible to get it wrong by being too sycophantic or reserved, lacking in resilience or lacking in empathy.
The word “disgusting” trended on the social media site on Saturday as a result of many people taking aim at those who didn’t care about the 96-year-old passing away.
You don’t have to be a fan of the Queen or the royal family to mock someone’s death. It is disgusting and I have a full timeline. One user said that she was a mother, a grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, sister, cousin, friend and a human being. You don’t have a heart, wrote another person.
An old lady is dying. The Queen and the Royal Family are the UK’s unelected head of state, and they represent everything that is wrong with the country’s imperialist past. Queen Elizabeth II was more of a figurehead than a political representative according to her supporters. That is one of the most important legacies to passively front. For republicans, now is a good time to have a discussion about the future of the monarchy, and for those whose ancestors were affected by colonialism, it is equally important to ensure that the most uncomfortable parts of our history are not erased through mourning.
“What does it say about our culture if we save our tears for those with power?”
The demand is that the citizens grieve the Queen out of respect and decency. It feels more like an exercise in cultural hegemony than a genuine collective sorrow when events are canceled in large numbers and corporations plaster “RIP” graphics on social media. Is the fitness brand Crossfit being more respectful for posting a Queen-themed workout than someone who acknowledges the monarchy’s fault? The institution and those who uphold it are just as valid as the pain and anger of the oppressor. There is a chasm between the two.
Many people who are critical of what they view to be inadequate grief took aim at Diane Abbott and Stormzy over the weekend for attending a protest demanding justice for Chris Kaba, a Black man who was shot dead by Metropolitan Police officers. Everyone at that march was mourning, but they were not the correct person. Anyone who cares about the UK’s national identity should be just as upset by Kaba’s death as anyone else. If we save our tears only for those with power, what will our culture say?
The mentality that grieve the royals, or else, doesn’t only exist online is worrying. A man in Oxford, who was handcuffed to a police van, and a woman in Scotland, who will face criminal charges for holding a ” fuck imperialism, abolish monarchy” placard, were arrested for protesting the monarchy. A man was arrested on Monday for heckling a prince. This is cause for concern. You should be arrested in a democratic society for protesting.
The policing of royal grief seems to be more about compliance than about genuine mourning. No one should be able to tell us how to feel, what to do, or what to say.