As the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II prepares for celebrations marking her Diamond Jubilee year over the extended weekend from June 2 to June 5, anti-monarchy activists have questioned the hereditary system in Britain and have called for “democratic reform”.
“Our cause is simple: it’s about democratic reform and a rejection of inherited power and privilege. The case for Britain becoming a republic is threefold: the monarchy is wrong in principle, in practice and it is wrong politically”, said Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic.
Writing for the Australian newspaper Financial Review, Professor Anne Twomey at the University of Sydney called into question the role of the British monarchy and raised concerns over the secrecy surrounding “the exercise of the Queen’s constitutional functions”.
“Documents held by the Queen’s office, known as “The Royal Household”, are deemed not to be public records. Unlike government documents, they are not open to access after 30 years and are not accessible through the National Archives or freedom of information”, said Twomey.
“They are locked away in the royal archives in Windsor Castle and in practice tend only to be released – to an official biographer – some years after the monarch’s death. This is not terribly helpful in the case of a long-lived and long-reigning monarch”, she added.
The British Queen is to celebrate her 60th year on the throne this year. However, lavish festivities like the Diamond Jubilee this year and the royal wedding last year help British people become stronger in their call for a true democracy.
ISH/JR/HE
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