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The Queen and monarchy, a beneficial royal tradition By Sean Coates Grade 12, Iroquois Ridge H.S. 35 · Friday, June 15, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com O n her 21st birthday, then-Princess Elizabeth declared that, "My whole life, whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service." More than 60 years later, she has remained true to her declaration. As most people know, this past weekend, much of the world had their eyes towards the U.K. as Queen Elizabeth celebrated her Diamond Jubilee commemorating 60 years on the throne. While most of the country and world seemed happy to celebrate Her Majesty's achievement, there were groups that used the celebration to protest against the monarchy, which also has brought up many questions about whether we should still have a royal family in modern times. Many people will say that there is no purpose to the monarchy -- they waste money and give nothing to the people; however, they do much more than most people realize and we take for granted all they do. IMPARTIAL HEAD OF STATE There are many benefits to having a constitutional monarch, the first being that the Queen is an impartial head of state, meaning that all people can feel an attachment to her and not have their view clouded by political agendas and policies -- as so often happens with prime ministers and our other elected officials. She is the Queen of Canada, which is not only a connection to Great Britain but also 53 other commonwealth realms whom we will always share a bond with in trade and diplomatic relations, etc., all because we share a common Queen. A CONNECTION TO THE PAST The monarchy connects us to our past and reminds us that although we are a completely unique and independent culture, we are still in touch and respectful of our roots and beginnings. Those who say the monarchy does not work hard, have not taken a careful enough look at what the Queen and her family actu- ally do. They are all patrons to their own favourite charities. Between the immediate family, the royals take part in around 4,000 engagements a year and they are very rarely able to all be together. While being a royal has its many perks, it comes with a certain responsibility, as Queen Mary once told a younger relative complaining about duties, "You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals." Not only is each member of the family expected to work hard and accomplish great "The Queen is an impartial head of state, meaning all people can feel an attachment to her and not have their view clouded by political agendas... as so often happens with our... elected officials." things but they are also under constant scrutiny from the people and press. Knowing that one mistake could cost everything for one's entire family must be a constant stress. A QUEEN FOR ALL The Queen belongs to us all. She is a true constant in our lives. For many of us, as long as we can remember, her Majesty the Queen has been there and in a world where nothing is certain, she can make us feel secure. As Princess Beatrice once commented, "She is a matriarch of society." She connects the young and old, is a link to the past and a beacon for the future. She is not only the Queen -- she is our Queen. If you are a teacher or student interested in participating in an upcoming Kids Speak Out - School News column featured in the Beaver, please e-mail Tom Dykes at dykes@cogeco.ca. Follow Oakville Beaver staff on Twitter @OakvilleBeaver or @NewsHooked @DavidLea6 @DominikKurek @Beaversports or @Halton_Photog Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar June 22-24, 2012 Fri. 4-11 pm, Sat. 10 am-11 pm, Sun. Noon-7 pm Sheridan College Trafalgar Road Campus FREE ADMISSION Ribs, Chicken & more Musical Acts Kid's PlayZone Crafters & Vendors Lots of Parking FREE Shuttle www.oakvillefamilyribfest.com PLATINUM SPONSOR HOST SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSORS GOLD SPONSOR SILVER SPONSORS Epoch Times Home Digest Toronto Star