To the Centenary of Birth of Queen Elizabeth II (Great Britain). QUEEN ELIZABETH II IS THE HEAD OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS

Olga Zernetska,

Dr. habil. (Political Sciences), Professor,

The State Institution «Institute of World History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine», Kyiv, Ukraine

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17721/2524-048X.2026.35.2

 

Abstract.

The purpose of the article is to show the mastery of the functions of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by Princess Elizabeth of Wales, as well as the Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, to reveal her development of a strategy for relations with the member countries of the Commonwealth, to explore the special importance of getting to know the peoples of the Commonwealth, establishing friendly relations with them, which becomes her foundation and strategy for international diplomacy. The research methodology is based on general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis) and special historical methods (chronological, historical-biographical, historical-comparative, retrospective). Complex, structural and systemic methods are used too. A set of methods (content analysis, discourse analysis) is applied to study the media-texts that covered the Queen’s tour. The scientific novelty.  For the first time in Ukrainian historical science, a comprehensive analysis of the life of Queen Elizabeth II has been carried out not only as a monarch, but also as the Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, which initially included 8, and later – 56 states. The author analyzes her use of a strategy that later became known as the international diplomatic strategy of «soft power», which she brilliantly formulated during her six-months’ Royal Coronation Tour (1953–1954) to get to know the peoples of the Commonwealth countries and strengthen international cultural, socio-political and economic ties between them and Great Britain. Contextual analysis made it possible to introduce new, previously unpublished materials into scientific circulation and analyze the coverage of her visit by national media in each of the countries of stay (Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Gibraltar, Malta) as well as by British, American and other world newspapers, magazines, documentaries, television (in those countries where it already existed). Conclusions. Thus, the royal coronation tour laid an important foundation for the young Queen Elizabeth II to understand and successfully implement her functions and responsibilities and, using «soft power» diplomacy, helped to unite the vast majority of the colonies of еру former Britith Empire into a voluntary international organization of independent states – the Commonwealth of Nations. It is successfully developing now, in the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elizabeth II. At the same time the Commonwealth of Nations is one of her greatest achievements and symbols of her diplomatic wisdom.

Keywords: Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth of Nations (1952–2022), royal coronation tour (1953–1954), Commonwealth of Nations, international relations, soft power strategy.

 

Submitted 14.01.2026

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