Leading World Woman bids farewell to Queen Elizabeth II

The young princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor became Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, at the age of 26, upon the death of her father, the King of England. She had been preceded in the same seat by another female monarch, the famous Queen Victoria, who reigned for 63 years between 1837 and 1901. Elizabeth was less involved in the politics of the country than Victoria and traditionalism prevailed during her reign. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days went down in history as the longest reign of any British king or queen. She was also the woman who ruled a state for the longest time in human history.

Elizabeth sat on the throne again as a female representative of the British dynasty after four kings who were the successors of Victoria. At the time, women in the British House were clearly seen as "second best" among the royals. Only in cases like hers could a woman become monarch if a male heir was not available. This traditional line in the royal family did not change under Elizabeth.

When she took over as Queen, the bitter memories of World War II still lingered on the island. Gender stereotypes prevailed in England and the world at large. Elizabeth II, who made us forget that she was a "woman" with the way she ruled, began to play the traditional role of "monarch" in a very beautiful and sympathetic way with her own color and style, with her gentle, elegant and always smiling personality.

She read government newspapers, met prime ministers and entertained world leaders, almost all of them men. Being Queen was now the most important job of her life. She was addressed as "boss" by the royal officials close to her. She was now a busy working mother who left her children at home for work. After the coronation, for example, she left her children, young Charles (the new King) and Anne, at home and did not hesitate to risk a six-month tour of the Commonwealth.

During her 1971 visit to Turkey, the Queen met with İsmet İnönü at the Glass Pavilion in Ankara and said that she agreed with his comment that "Youth movements in a country are the harbingers of social change, they must be listened to and understood!" and that as a mother she tried to act in line with this view for her own children, but was not always successful.

Elizabeth II, the head of the Royal Family, who sits at the very top of the foreign affairs/diplomatic arm of the UK government, has lived up to the traditional role she inherited, and has fought for it ruthlessly when necessary, even with family members. She sacrificed her own life and that of her family to tradition, ruined the love lives of her sons and even caused a Lady Diana affair. She did not hesitate to show the door to family members who wanted to step outside the royal role.

During her 70-year reign, the Queen carefully avoided emphasizing her gender and making prominent statements on women's rights. However, she always managed to be seen as a strong female figure. As a woman of status and influence, she has become a symbol of power for the women of the world. Recognizing this, the organization Global Women's Leadership stated that "her success in the role of queen, which she assumed with incredible grace and dignity, has had a positive impact on the way we view women leaders in the world."

During her reign, the specific weight of women within the British dynasty almost increased. In the eyes of the British public, and indeed the world, "dynasty" became almost equivalent to Elizabeth II. The Queen strictly adhered to the tradition that the head of the British constitutional monarchy should not engage in political matters. Therefore, whatever her personal beliefs, she did not play an active role in the movements for women's liberation or women's equality. She saw this as outside the boundaries of the position she represented.

Nevertheless, the Queen naturally managed to put women at the forefront through her actions rather than her words. For example, during her visit to the Gulf in 1979, which made headlines around the world, she shook the hands of Arab monarchs with a ruling mentality that kept women away from public life, but as a female role model, she made sure to show the world that women are equal to men. She took the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, which does not allow women to drive, for a ride in his own car at Balmoral, the royal estate in Scotland, and let him see up close that 'women can drive'.

Although the Queen has never let her gender define her, she has become a feminist icon. Yet she never saw her gender in relation to her capacity to do her job. She fulfilled "queenship" with great dedication and to the highest standards. She served to normalize the idea that a woman could be a top ruler in the world, above men.

Elizabeth II was Queen of 14 other states, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. On the evening of September 8, 2022, something unexpected happened: "London Bridge collapsed". The Queen flew into eternity from her mansion at Balmoral. An important figure in our global life, whom I had known intimately for as long as I can remember, has passed away. She was 96, but it was as if she would never die. Rest in peace, Elizabeth, rest in peace.