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At the rare occasion of a monarch's diamond (60 years reign) jubilee, Andrew Marr examines the nature and practice of the British monarchy, notably during that period. George V 'nationalised' the ruling branch of the German Saxe-Coburg dynasty as the nationalistic House of Windsor, to refute German sympathy allegations in World War I. Edward VIII's abdication over the US divorcée Simpson traumatized the royalist camp. George VI designed modern constitutional monarchy, aiming for 'mystical' popularity, a model elaborated on in the present reign. Political influence consists mainly in weekly audiences for the PM and numerous visits to and from foreign statesmen. Reading piles of red boxes is the daily price, travelling within and beyond the Commonwealth as well as touring the country - a never-ending life's work for the whole royal family.
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The royal family excels is representative functions, scrupulously maintaining protocol at an official level while using small talk to help ordinary people overcome it on most of their about 2400 official functions a year. Under the Windsor dynasty, commoners even came to be invited at the royal garden parties at Buckingham palace, while ceremonies like the Order of the Garter's maintain a dignified, almost sacred air of tradition, even if that is sometimes fairly new or drastically modernized. Royal visits can play a major part in diplomacy, amicable or formal, even with hateful regimes, as well as in keeping the Commonwealth together and the Windsors on their many thrones throughout the world. Still Blair's government decommissioned the royal yacht Britannia, the monarch's preferred mode of transport.
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The height of the reign was the coronation, 16 months after the succession, followed by years of high popularity and a blindly patriotic, enthusiastic press. The relationship with the media kept intensifying, including the introduction of annual Christmas messages on BBC radio and TV. Princess of Wales Lady Di overtook center stage in her modern style. The role of the other royals, who learn on the job, varied over the years, but overall monarchy remains popular enough to survive in most realms. Crucial in international relations is the undefined position of head of the Commonwealth, not guaranteed to future sovereigns.
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