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Why Queen Elizabeth II Will Never Abdicate

Last queen standing
Last queen standing
Marie-Hélène Martin

Just over a year ago, when Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands handed her eldest son Willem Alexander the reins of the country, everybody in Britain wondered whether Queen Elizabeth II would be next. Now, as Spain’s Juan Carlos, 76, steps down to "renew" the monarchy, questions are rising again about the British queen’s succession.

But most royal family observers agree that the 88-year-old monarch, who will travel to France on Friday for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, has no intention of leaving the party.

“I can’t see our Queen abdicating,” explains Stephen Bates, a British monarchy expert. “It’s not in her DNA. Britain got a taste of abdication once in 1936, when Edward VIII wanted to marry Wallis Simpson. It took them a long time to recover from that.”

Besides, the Windsors are not the Bourbons. Unlike Juan Carlos, Queen Elizabeth is still very popular.

Last one standing

During her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, in front of the two houses of Parliament, Elizabeth renewed her commitment to her work with her subjects. “The Queen sees it as her duty to go on for as long as she can. I think she would abdicate only if she was physically or mentally incapable of carrying on with her work. But if she takes after her mother, who lived until 101, she could become the first monarch to live to be a hundred,” Bates continues.

In that sense, she is following in the footsteps of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Come September 2015, she could pip her ancestor at the post, beating her 63 years and seven months on the throne.

In November 2013 already, when Prince Charles celebrated his 65th birthday — an age at which others usually retire — oracles and other specialists of European monarchies suggested that Elizabeth would never abdicate. Instead, a “job-share” solution or a soft transition seemed to be her favored choice. Lately, the Queen has offloaded part of her responsibilities on Charles, whose very personal style in diplomatic matters makes him stand out.

Safe for a spectacular turn of events, it looks like Queen Elizabeth II will be the last one standing on the chessboard of Europe’s monarchs. Once again, the British are doing things their own way.

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Geopolitics

How Iran's Supreme Leader Is Short-Circuiting Diplomacy To Forge Alliances In Arab World

Iran's Supreme leader Ali Khamenei recently sent out a special envoy to ease tensions with wealthy Arab neighbors. He's hoping to end the country's international isolation and dismal economic conditions that contributed to last year's mass protests.

Image of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei smiling, a portrait of himself behind him.

Ayatollah Khamenei on March 21st, 2023, delivering his annual speech in the Imam Reza's (pbuh) shrine, on the first day of 1402 Persian New Year.

Kayhan-London

-Analysis-

Needing to revive its diplomatic options and financial ties with the Middle East, Iran's embattled regime recently sent a senior security official and former defense minister — instead of members of the diplomatic corps — to talk business with regional powers that have been keeping Iran at arm's length.

After a surprise deal in mid-March to restore diplomatic ties with the Saudi monarchy, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, traveled to the United Arab Emirates, meeting with officials including the federation's head, Sheikh Muhammad bin Zaid Al Nahyan. His meetings are expected to ease the flow of regional money into Iran's economy, which is practically on pause after years of international sanctions. After Abu Dhabi, Shamkhani went to Baghdad.

Shamkhani was effectively acting as an envoy of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and supplanting the country's diplomatic apparatus. This wasn't the first time an Iranian foreign minister has been sidelined in crucial international affairs.

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