The death of Queen Elizabeth and the accession of King Charles has meant that the attention of much of the world is presently riveted on Great Britain. Once again this is a reminder of how a small island off the coast of Europe, now a diminishing economy and declining political power, can captivate the imagination and fascination of the world. Is this both a paradox but also Britain’s real influence? India’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and an acclaimed author of biographies and historical fiction, Navtej Sarna, responds to this topical question.
The answer is sought in four areas: the monarchy as an institution and the personality of Queen Elizabeth in particular, the English language, the BBC and the almost unique British sense of humour.
In a 30-minute interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, Sarna talks about the qualities of the British monarchy that have made many believe it is unique, the personality of Queen Elizabeth, the fascination people have with the peccadillos, infidelities and love affairs of the Royal Family and why this family is far better known and recognised than, say, the Dutch, Scandinavian and Japanese royal families.
Sarna also discusses the power, reach and spread of the English language. How much soft power influence does this confer on Britain? Also, how much does Britain gain from the fact that William Shakespeare is undoubtedly the world’s best-known author?
The interview also looks at the power and reach of the BBC and the influence that confers on Great Britain. Paradoxically, in Britain, the BBC is often criticised and several British governments have been committed to emasculating it. Overseas, however, it has a reputation for integrity and accuracy. Indeed, in 1984, despite the fact his late mother’s government had reached out to him with the news, Rajiv Gandhi sought confirmation Indira Gandhi had died by tuning in to the BBC. This is recounted in the second volume of Pranab Mukherjee’s memoirs.
Finally, the interview discusses the incredible British sense of humour and the soft power influence that confers on Great Britain. Whether it’s Yes, Prime Minister, The Two Ronnies or Mr. Bean and, indeed, going all the way back to Laurel and Hardy, British humour has the capacity to make the whole world laugh. You can’t really say that of the French, the Germans, the Australians or even the Americans.