In these days of analysis on the figure of Elizabeth II, it has been repeated a lot that she is the last queen. The prevalence of men has always marked the monarchy. The history of women, like all women, is marked by class. And reaching power is also closely related to the class to which one belongs.
Regardless of whether or not they support the monarchy, I believe that it is not debatable that the women of royal houses, throughout the centuries, proved in their own flesh the role that the institution assigned them: wives and mothers. Proving her virginity and complying with reproduction was the basics. Those that failed were separated, pointed out for not giving a male successor and others even tortured in childbirth, such as María Isabel de Braganza.
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For this reason, when one of them has ceased to be a consort, regardless of whether they had a feminist conscience, or their executive or symbolic function, they must have experienced, at least, paternalistic condescension. I suppose they have endured more than one meeting where the now called ‘mansplaining’ should be the order of the day. If they did not obey, how many other successors have been branded as crazy or have suffered abuse and infidelity that they silenced by strict protocol. Thus, so many ended up depressed or sick (remember Lady Di). And, when she has been interested, confrontations between women with power have been strengthened or their image as villains has been portrayed in the media (let’s think about what has been said about Letizia Ortiz during a good stage). After all, the story was always told by them.
this very week, Liz Truss She also became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. There was a debate about why feminism did not celebrate a minister coming to power, because she was on the right. Of course her presence is necessary and inspiring for other women, no one denies it. That’s why generational changes are important between us. When a woman loses a position of power, we all lose power. What I’m not so sure about is whether, when a woman gains power, she also thinks of all the others.