In keeping with her duty of confidentiality, Queen Elizabeth II invited the British people to come to an understanding in a context of strong divisions around Brexit.
In the face of divisions tearing her country apart, Queen Elizabeth II called on the British to agree and respect one another, while being careful not to reveal her feelings about leaving the European Union. has been hailed by several ministers who see it as a support for their bitter attempt to find an arrangement on Brexit that can accommodate the greatest number.
“In our quest for new answers in modern times, I prefer recipes, such as talking to each other with respect and respect for different points of view, coming together to find common ground and never forget back, “ said the 92-year-old sovereign on Thursday.
“For me, these approaches are timeless, and I recommend them to everyone ,” she added, speaking to members of a women’s association, the Women’s Institute, located near her estate in Sandringham. (East of England), where she spends part of the winter. Elizabeth II praised the values of this organization she presides, such as “patience, friendship, a strong community approach and consideration of the needs of others” .
Words of “great wisdom”
These remarks come in full tension around the implementation of the exit of the country of the European Union, scheduled for March 29. “These words are very wise and I think no one will be surprised to hear the Queen argue that in any controversy we should seek compromise,” said Finance Minister Philip Hammond on the BBC. “It’s actually what we should do in this country, that’s how we solve problems, by compromise and pragmatism” .
Pro-EU Labor Minister Amber Rudd also saw “wise words” . In her Christmas address already, Elizabeth II called on the British to show “respect” to each other.
In keeping with her reserve duty, she observes as head of state a strict neutrality on the political plane and rarely expresses her opinion, usually in a veiled manner. She had suggested that she was against Scottish independence before the 2014 referendum.
For or against Brexit?
The intervention of Queen Elizabeth II does not lift the veil on a well-kept secret: which side does its heart lean when it comes to Brexit? In June 2017, she wore a blue hat decorated with yellow-heart flowers, the colors of the European flag, for her opening speech to the British Parliament following an early election. A Europhile proclamation? This sartorial choice had been intensely commented.
In keeping with her duty of confidentiality, Queen Elizabeth II invited the British people to come to an understanding in a context of strong divisions around Brexit.
A little more than a year ago, in the middle of referendum campaign on Brexit, the tabloid The Sun had affirmed that the queen supported the Brexit, on the basis of a confidence that she would have made a few years earlier to parliamentarians during a reception. “I do not understand Europe,” she would have said. The Sun was banged on the fingers by the regulator of the British press for this risky extrapolation.
For or against Brexit, Elizabeth II believes that this is a “very complex problem , “ said US President Donald Trump last July, sharing a private conversation with her during her visit to the United Kingdom.
