Health issues. Family drama. And now, one of the four countries that make up the United Kingdom
may be on its way out. Keep watching for the newest of 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth's worries.
It's been a year of ups and downs for Queen Elizabeth II ["the second"]. The
big high point was her Platinum Jubilee celebration, which marked 70 years of
service as the monarch of the United Kingdom. Thousands of adoring fans traveled to London
from all over the world, joining the British public in celebrating the queen's anniversary.
But the rough patches have been pretty rough:
Her son Prince Andrew is still dealing with the repercussions of the sexual abuse
accusations against him. The queen has stripped Andrew of all his royal titles.
Elizabeth has also been dealing with health issues. According to CNN, she missed out on
several of her favorite events during the Jubilee celebration due to a previous COVID-19 diagnosis
and ongoing mobility issues. She has been laying low since the big celebrations, but the queen
recently made another public appearance, where she was met with some shocking news.
Going out hasn't been an easy task for the queen this year. At 96 years old,
it's not surprising that she isn't moving as well as she once did. Her recent health struggles have
caused her to miss some royal events, sending Prince Charles or Prince William in her stead.
"Well, as you can see, I can't move."
Though she hadn't traveled for a public appearance since the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, she was
able to make the trek to Scotland to visit First Minister Nicola Sturgeon [NICK-oh-luh STER-jun] on
June 29, 2022. During her visit, some interesting things were going on behind
the scenes. The Scottish Parliament announced it would hold a referendum to determine
whether Scotland will become an independent country, thus leaving the United Kingdom.
Only 44.7% of voters opted to leave the UK when Scotland had its last referendum in
2014. This new independence vote will take place in October 2023.
"I can announce that the Scottish government is proposing that the
independence referendum be held on the 19th of October, 2023."
The royal family typically stays out of politics,
but if the Scottish people do vote to leave the United Kingdom, it could mean drastic changes
for the firm. Buckingham Palace released a statement in response to suggestions
that the queen had a major stake in the referendum's outcome. It read, in part:
"The sovereign's constitutional impartiality is an established principle of our democracy and
one which the queen has demonstrated throughout her reign. Any suggestion that the queen would
wish to influence the outcome of the current referendum campaign is categorically wrong.
Her Majesty is simply of the view this is a matter for the people of Scotland."
The BBC notes that Her Majesty has strong links to Scotland, not least because her beloved family
residence, Balmoral [bal-MORE-uhl] Castle, is located in Aberdeenshire [ABB-uhr-deen-sherr].
Likewise, she frequently spends week-long stints in Holyrood [HOH-lee-rood] Palace in
Edinburgh [ED-in-brah], the official Scotland residence of the reigning British monarch.
When the previous referendum occurred in 2014, then-First Minister Alex Salmond reassured
Elizabeth that she will always be the "Queen of Scots," regardless of how the vote went. Salmond
also reasoned Elizabeth would "be proud" to rule over an independent sovereign nation.
Campaigners fought back against the idea that the queen should rule over an independent Scotland,
arguing it should be also put to a vote. Furthermore, Professor Robert
Hazell [HAY-zuhl], director of University College London's Constitution Unit, clarified that:
"[The queen's duties would] depend on the role provided for head of
state in Scotland's new written constitution."
Robert Hardman, author of "Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II,"
says an independent Scotland would be a defeat for the queen. He told Express,
"She would ready herself for either result. Of course, she would be very sad if the Union came
to an end, but if it is the democratic will, I think she will say to herself,
'If this is what people have voted for, it is my duty to make it work.'"
Many senior members of the royal family feel a distinct connection to Scotland,
with their ownership of Balmoral dating back to the 19th century. Hardman noted,
"The queen and Prince Charles feel viscerally Scottish, especially when they are in Scotland."
In the documentary "Our Queen at 90," Princess Eugenie [YOO-juh-nee] also
opined that Balmoral is her grandmother's happy place.
"Granny is most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands."
On top of everything, it's becoming harder to ignore how frail the long-reigning monarch
looks. The Guardian argues that her time on the throne is gradually winding down as Prince
Charles takes on more official duties. Given her seeming reduced workload that the independence
referendum is over a year away, there's still time for her to enjoy her beloved Balmoral.
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