Queen’s death may stitch frayed union fabric

monarchy.

Instead, the opposite happened. The more dysfunctional, feckless and unattractive some of her offspring were revealed to be – auctioning political influence; preying on pubescent girls; consorting with criminals; and on American chat shows elevating petty family squabbles to the level of scarring emotional abuse — the more clearly have shone the steadfast values and unswerving work ethic of Elizabeth Regina.

Also, unlike Prince Harry’s temperamental show pony, the fell pony has put not a fetlock wrong. Camilla has slipped uncomplainingly into the traces that will pull The Firm into a new era.

She has earned grudging admiration from even the harshest critics of “that woman”, moving with aplomb from hated Jezebel to being the respected, if not loved, Queen Consort.

This week, a BBC journalist controversially speculated that the new king was taking over at a moment when the Scottish desire for independence was unabated. Charles III’s reign could be defined, he warned, by the “eventual dissolution of the UK”.

Judging from the television footage of the vast, respectful crowds that turned out along the 240km route to Edinburgh to pay homage to the passing cortège, the opposite may be as likely. The queen’s death may well stitch up the frayed fabric of the union.

And in a Western anglophone world that feels under existential threat of climate change, new diseases, opportunistic warmongers, and desperately unimpressive leaders, the queen’s lifelong emphasis on faith, service and humility may have another unexpected effect. Traditional values, hitherto widely derided in the post-Second World War period, may reassert themselves.

Liz too would be chuffed.