Commonwealth’s future in spotlight with Queen’s Jubilee 

QUEEN Elizabeth celebrates 70 years on the throne this week, in her Platinum Jubilee, which is shining a spotlight on the uncertain future of not just the monarchy, but also the United Kingdom and the wider Commonwealth. 

The Queen is now 96 and, sadly, her health has visibly declined in the last year since the death of her husband, Prince Philip. While she may yet beat her mother’s record of living to 101, preparations are intensifying for her eventual passing. 

In this context, this week’s Platinum Jubilee will remind audiences not just in the UK but also abroad including the Commonwealth, about the unifying role she has played in recent decades. For the Queen is widely admired, internationally, fuelled by her visits to well over 100 countries during her long reign, including Singapore.