Queen Elizabeth II Has Now Entered The Forty-First year of her reign. This is an exceptional achievement in a historical period marked by speed and turbulence. Indeed, in the exercise she has also become the personality with the longest record of continuity of service and experience in high politics, not only in this country but in the whole world. This is an obvious advantage for the new generation of British political leaders who will seek her counsel.
* But which the British media heralded as the restoration of the divine right of the United Kingdom.
1 And indeed the Labour Party had the unfortunate idea of releasing a few days before the Edinburgh Summit a televised party political broadcast deploring the total failure of Major's presidency and the sad consequences for Britain of his blundering.
2 Seldom has the House heard a more severe personal indictment than Mr Edward Heath's criticism of Mr John Smith–himself probably innocent but forced to renege by his party.
3 The itinerary was as follows: 23 November, Brussels, 27 Rome, 28 Athens, 30 Luxembourg, 1 December Madrid, 2 December Copenhagen, 6 ‐ 7 The Hague, 7 Dublin, 11–12 Edinburgh, 16 Strasbourg ‐ all interrupted by Cabinet meetings and ‘Prime Minister's questions’ in London.