The Washington Post has described the visit to New York by Elizabeth Windsor, Britain’s feudal head of state, as “subdued”. It recalled that when Ms. Windsor first visited in 1957 there was “a ticker tape parade befitting war heroes”. But when the hereditary ruler addressed the United Nations General Assembly this July “there was hardly a well-wisher to be found outside” the building.
The newspaper suggested that this reflected “a monarchy whose popular appeal has perhaps crested”. It reported that one British UN worker was puzzled by her head of state’s visit. However, she said that her “mum thought it was cool”.
Historian Stephen Schlesinger pointed out that while this was only the second visit Windsor had made to the UN she more frequently travelled to the United States for the Kentucky Derby.