Dubai: Paul Fox, UK Consul General in Dubai and Northern Emirates, said members of the diplomatic mission here will quietly observe Queen Elizabeth marking a milestone on September 9 as the longest serving monarch in British history.
“It is indeed a milestone in our history. Her Majesty The Queen has been unselfishly serving our nation with her unwavering devotion to duty for the past 64 years. Like many British people back home, in UAE and around the world, we are all great admirers of the Queen for her longevity and hard work and her dedication and patriotism,” Fox told Gulf News on Monday.
“As Her Majesty is close to becoming our longest reigning monarch this September, we extend our gratitude for Her Majesty’s service.”
Dubai’s UK Consulate is one of the biggest British consular operations in the world.
The day will signify her reign as longer than that of her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria who ruled the British Empire for 23,226 days or, by a different measure, for 63 years and 216 days.
The day is expected to be observed quietly and in mixed fashion by hundreds of thousands of expatriates from Commonwealth countries in the UAE.
There are 100,000 British expatriates and a further 30,000 Canadians living and working in the UAE.
According to the official website of the British monarchy, royal.gov.uk, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation took place on June 2, 1953 when she was 25 years old.
British expatriate Erin Loudoun lives in Dubai and said watching the Queen when she was a child was “magical and fascinating”.
“In my lifetime I have only ever known a queen, and as the next three ruling monarchs will be kings, the current affairs and events of this queen are particularly unique. Queen Elizabeth has captured the attention of the world and seen more changes in her 63 years on the throne than any other monarch. This has earned her the respect and adoration of much of the British public and the world. She continues to tackle the challenges which face the monarchy in a modern and technically advancing society — difficulties Queen Victoria [the current longest-reigning British monarch] never had to face,” Loudoun said.
“Every citizen of the UK and Commonwealth will be able to recall a visit from the queen to their hometown, watching her speak on TV, or seeing her face change and age on bank notes. No other monarch or even modern celebrity will ever be able to capture the attention and respect of the world in quite the same way, and whatever comes after September 9, I’m sure she’ll continue to advance the monarchy, leaving a respectable and stable seat for the next king.”
Holly Sands, 26, a journalist and British expatriate living in Dubai, doesn’t believe the occasion is noteworthy.
“I don’t think this is a particularly big occasion, and nor, it would seem, does Buckingham Palace. Good on them — they’re probably aware of how overly extravagant and out-of-touch a lot of the monarchy’s ceremonies are viewed to be by the public, many of whom already believe the institution to be an outdated tradition and a scandalous waste of taxpayers’ money, for not very much return in tourism,” Sands said.
“I think it is hugely important to the UK’s visitor traffic, and I also think our shambolic, untrustworthy [UK] government would quickly find 25 new ways to fritter and waste the millions we spend in keeping the royal family every year.”
Carol Ludlam, a UK expat living in Dubai, said she is aware there are mixed feelings about the Queen but said the events of the monarchy are well noted by the public.
“The Queen and the Royal Family in general generate such interest from all over the world, and attract so much press attention towards every facet of their lives, [to major soap show proportions] so that love, hate or indifferent, we all feel we know them well. However, I do feel that some of the press frequently overstep the mark,” Ludlam said.
British expatriate Jen McGee suggested it might be time for the Queen to stop and smell the flowers.
“I value her role in British patriotism but I feel it is time for her to rest and allow Charles his glory,” McGee said.
