Editorial: Passing as important as her life

The Queen Mother's final contribution to history has been as important as any in her long life. From her death 10 days ago to her funeral overnight, there has been a demonstration of public affection that has surprised those who think the monarchy has had its day.

Day after day in London, many thousands queued in the cold to file past her casket, surprising the royal household. The scheduled lying-in-state had to be extended until the eve of the funeral service yesterday and the Queen expressed the family's appreciation of a public response that had obviously surprised and moved them.

This time, too, the family has responded properly. Prince Andrew and others have gone out to talk to the people waiting in line and to acknowledge their gesture. If the British monarchy survives its travails of the past decade and finds a new lease of life, the ceremony overnight may be regarded as the beginning.

The monarchy is never more impressive than in the pageantry of occasions such as weddings and funerals. These essentially personal celebrations create more resonance with most people than do openings of Parliament and other state occasions. Whatever might be said against the hereditary principle, it seems easier to share in the personal celebrations of people who are in exalted positions by accident of birth.

The same landmarks in the life of an elected head of state, let alone his or her family, could not be celebrated in the same way. And nor should they be celebrated, say those who would reduce all public life to the level of practical government and mundane politics.

It is occasions such as this that remind us the monarch is more than a head of state, a symbol of national sovereignty and constitutional authority. A monarch personifies the life of a nation as no other figurehead can do. And the Queen Mother, who was never the monarch, has shown how important family members can be.

Her life has been well recalled over the past 10 days. Spanning a century, it was a chance to survey a great deal of history in which she figured. She was born into an age of manners, which she believed in to the end, no matter that appearances and graces became decidedly unfashionable throughout the second half of her life. And it was the Queen Mother's particular charm to combine dignity and propriety with unabashed pleasure in some of life's ordinary delights.

One obituary writer has called her "the best Queen we never had", which might be unfair to monarchs past and present. As Queen Consort, she does not appear to have exhibited the personality she became after her daughter ascended the throne. Had she been Queen in her own right it is doubtful that she could have relaxed into the role of everybody's favourite grandmother.

But that is what she was, and it is to the credit of the monarchy that it can provide a nation with valuable figures on the periphery of its central role. It is, though, an institution with much work to do if it is to survive. Up to one third of Britons are now telling pollsters they would prefer a republic.

Buckingham Palace is said to be planning initiatives that will make the monarchy more open, active and modern. The Queen might pass more of her work to Prince Charles and ancient prejudices may be discarded so he can marry the woman he loves. She took another step forward at the funeral last night. That would have lit up the Queen Mother's smile.

Feature: The Queen Mother 1900-2002

Funeral pictures