Queen Elizabeth II's Legacy Endures as Her 100th Birthday Approaches
QueenElizabeth IIlivesonattheCoolBritanniagiftshopacrosstheroadfromBuckinghamPalace.
在白金漢宮對面的「酷不列顛」禮品店裡，伊莉莎白二世女王的形象彷彿永存。
Fouryearsafterthequeen’sdeath, theshopisdoingabriskbusinessinmugs, teatowelsandkeyringsbearingthelikenessofBritain’slongest-reigningmonarchasthenationmarksthecentenaryofherbirthonTuesday.
在女王去世四年後，隨著英國週二紀念女王誕辰一百週年，這家商店的馬克杯、茶巾和鑰匙扣等印有英國在位時間最長的君主肖像的商品生意興隆。
ItemsfeaturinghersonKingCharles III?
印有她兒子查理三世國王頭像的物品？
Well, notsomuch.
嗯，倒也未必。
Westillsellmorethanthekinganyday,’ saidIsmailIbrahim, thestore’smanager.
「我們每天的銷售量都比國王高，」商店經理伊斯梅爾·易卜拉欣說。
Thelatequeen’smemoryloomsoverthemonarchyaftera70-yearreignthatsawherevolvefromtheglamorousyoungsovereignwhocheeredBritainduringthegloomypost-waryearstothebelovednationalgrandmotherwhoralliedthecountryduringtheCOVID-19pandemic.
已故女王的記憶在君主制中揮之不去。她統治了70年，從戰後陰霾時期鼓舞英國的魅力四射的年輕君主，到在新冠疫情期間團結全國人民的深受愛戴的國民祖母，她的一生都在不斷演變。
WhenshediedinSeptember 2022, ElizabethwastheonlymonarchmostBritonshadeverknown.
伊莉莎白於 2022 年 9 月去世，她是大多數英國人所認識的唯一一位君主。
Evennow, mentionof'thequeen'ismorelikelytoevokethoughtsofElizabeththanofQueenCamilla, Charles’wife.
即使在今天，提到“女王”，人們更容易想到的是伊麗莎白女王，而不是查爾斯的妻子卡米拉女王。
Butthepassageoftimehasalsotarnishedthelatequeen’slegacy.
但時間的流逝也玷汙了已故女王的聲譽。
WhilesheiscelebratedasasymboloftraditionandcontinuitywhohelpeduniteBritainastheendofempire, economicstrugglesandmassmigrationchangedthenation’sperceptionofitself.
雖然她被譽為傳統和延續的象徵，幫助英國在帝國終結之際實現統一，但經濟困境和大規模移民改變了英國對自身的認知。
RevelationsabouttheformerPrinceAndrew’slinkstothesexoffenderJeffreyEpsteinhaveraisedquestionsaboutwhyshelettheproblemfesterforyears.
有關前安德魯王子與性侵犯者傑弗裡·愛潑斯坦之間關係的披露，引發了人們的質疑：為什麼她會讓這個問題持續惡化多年？
Despiteherabsence, Elizabeth IIremainsthiskeypresencewheneverwethinkaboutthemonarchy,” EdOwens, authorof'AfterElizabeth:CantheMonarchySaveItself?' toldThe .
《伊莉莎白之後：君主制能否自救？ 》一書的作者艾德歐文斯告訴《紐約時報》：“儘管伊麗莎白二世已經不在人世，但每當我們想到君主制時，她仍然是一個關鍵人物。”
She’scertainlythemostsignificantfigureinthehistoryoftheinstitutioninthelast100 yearsand, Ithink, thereforedeservesprobablytheattentionthat’sgoingtobefocusedonherinconnectionwithwhatwouldhavebeenher100thbirthday.
她無疑是該機構近 100 年歷史上最重要的人物，因此我認為，在她誕辰 100 週年之際，她理應受到人們的關注。
ThefestivitiesincludeaBuckinghamPalacereceptionwhereCharleswillcongratulatecentenarianswhosharethelatemonarch’sbirthday, andthededicationofamemorialgardenatRegent’sParkincentralLondon.
慶祝活動包括在白金漢宮舉行的招待會，查爾斯王子將在招待會上祝賀與已故君主同一天生日的百歲老人，以及在倫敦市中心攝政公園舉行的紀念花園落成典禮。
Anexhibitofthequeen’sfashionsisalreadyunderway.
女王時裝展已經開始了。
ElizabethAlexandraMaryWindsorwasn’tmeanttowearthecrown.
伊麗莎白·亞歷山德拉·瑪麗·溫莎注定與王冠無緣。
Bornon April 21, 1926, shestartedherlonglifenotinacastlebutat17 Bruton St., atownhouseinLondon’sMayfairdistrict.
她於 1926 年 4 月 21 日出生，她的一生並非始於城堡，而是始於倫敦梅菲爾區布魯頓街 17 號的一棟聯排別墅。
AstheelderdaughterofKingGeorgeV’ssecondson, Elizabethwasexpectedtolivethelifeofaminorroyal.
身為喬治五世國王次子的長女，伊莉莎白原本應該過著地位較低的王室成員的生活。
Dogsandhorses, acountryhouse, asuitablematch—acomfortablebutsomewhatanonymouslife—seemedherfuture.
狗和馬，鄉間別墅，合適的伴侶——舒適但有些默默無聞的生活——似乎是她的未來。
Butdestinyintervened.
但命運另有安排。
AdecadeafterElizabeth’sbirth, heruncleKingEdward VIIIabdicatedtomarrytheAmericandivorceeWallisSimpson.
伊莉莎白出生十年後，她的叔叔愛德華八世國王為了迎娶美國離婚女子沃利斯辛普森而退位。
Elizabeth’sfatherbecameKingGeorge VI, thrustingtheyoungprincessintothespotlightasheirtothethrone.
伊莉莎白的父親成為喬治六世國王，這位年輕的公主也因此成為王位繼承人，成為眾人矚目的焦點。
Elizabethbecamequeenthedayherfatherdiedon Feb. 6, 1952.
伊莉莎白在她父親去世的那天，也就是1952年2月6日，登基成為女王。
Just25, sheheardthenewsinKenyaandhurriedhometotakeupherduties.
她當時只有25歲，在肯亞聽到消息後，立刻趕回國履行職責。
Fordecades, shepresidedovertheannualopeningofParliamentincrownanderminerobe, hostedbanquetsforvisitingleadersatBuckinghamPalaceandmadethousandsofappearancesacrossthe U.K., oftenwearingbrightlycoloredsuitstomakesurethepeoplecouldcatchaglimpseoftheirqueen.
幾十年來，她每年都身著王冠和貂皮長袍主持議會開幕式，在白金漢宮為來訪的各國領導人舉辦宴會，並在英國各地公開露面數千次，經常穿著顏色鮮豔的套裝，以確保人們能夠一睹女王的風采。
ShealsobecameaglobalambassadorforbrandBritain, makingmorethan200overseastripsthathelpedbolstertieswithone-timecoloniesfromIndiatoTanzania, formerenemiesGermanyandJapanandlong-timefriendssuchastheUnitedStates.
她也成為英國品牌的全球大使，進行了 200 多次海外訪問，幫助加強了與從印度到坦尚尼亞等昔日殖民地、昔日敵人德國和日本以及美國等長期朋友的關係。
Lateinlife, thequeenbecameaninternetstarwhensheandJamesBondstarDanielCraigusedmoviemakingsleightofhandtoparachuteintotheopeningceremonyofthe2012LondonOlympicsandteamedupwithPaddingtonBeartocelebrateher70 yearsonthethrone.
晚年，女王與詹姆斯龐德扮演者丹尼爾克雷格利用電影製作的障眼法空降到 2012 年倫敦奧運會開幕式現場，並與帕丁頓熊一起慶祝她登基 70 週年，從而成為網絡明星。
Inaworldofrelentlesschange, shemovedwiththetimes—applaudingthenation’ssuccessesandconsolingBritonsduringdifficulttimes, whileremainingabovethefrayofpolitics, RobertHardman, authorof'Elizabeth II:Inprivate. Inpublic. TheInsideStory,' toldthe .
在瞬息萬變的世界裡，她與時俱進──為國家的成功喝采，在困難時期安慰英國民眾，同時又置身於紛爭之外。羅伯特哈德曼（《伊莉莎白二世：私下里，公開場合，內幕故事》的作者）說。
Butthoseaccomplishmentsmakeherfailuretoendthescandalsurroundinghersecondsonevenmoreglaring.
但這些成就反而讓她未能平息圍繞她次子的醜聞顯得更加刺眼。
Despiteconcernsabouthisboorishbehavior, questionablebusinessdealingsandunsavoryfriends, Andrewspent10 yearsasBritain’sspecialenvoyforinternationaltradeandremainedaprinceoftherealmuntilthedetailsofhisrelationshipwithEpsteinwererevealedlastyear.
儘管人們對安德魯王子的粗魯行為、可疑的商業交易和不光彩的朋友感到擔憂，但他還是擔任了10年的英國國際貿易特使，並一直保持著王子的身份，直到去年他與愛潑斯坦的關係細節被曝光。
Inanefforttoshieldthemonarchyfromthecontinuingfallout, Charlesfinallystrippedhisyoungerbrotherofhisprincelytitle.
為了保護王室免受持續不斷的負面影響，查爾斯最終剝奪了他弟弟的王子頭銜。
HeisnowknownsimplyasAndrewMountbatten-Windsor.
他現在只被稱為安德魯·蒙巴頓-溫莎。
Hewasproblematicandthatgavehercauseforworry,” Hardmansaid.
「他這個人很麻煩，這讓她很擔心，」哈德曼說。
ButIdothinkpeoplelethimhaveaneasyridebecausetheythoughtiftheycamedownhardonhim, theymightsomehowupsetthequeen.
但我認為人們之所以對他寬容一些，是因為他們認為如果對他嚴懲不貸，可能會惹惱女王。
Nowthat’spartlyattributabletoher, butpartlyattributabletoothers.
這部分原因要歸咎於她，部分原因要歸咎於其他人。
Besides, her'greatachievements'faroutweighedanyerrors,” Hardmansaid.
此外，哈德曼說：“她的‘偉大成就’遠遠超過了她犯下的任何錯誤。”
Elizabethtookthethroneasayoungwomanwithtwosmallchildrenatatimebeforejettravelexistedandnoonehadeventhoughtofgoingtothemoon, thenremainedaconstantpresenceinBritishpubliclifeacrossgenerations.
伊莉莎白女王登基時還很年輕，帶著兩個年幼的孩子，當時還沒有噴射機，甚至沒有人想到過登月，之後她幾代以來一直是英國公共生活中不可或缺的人物。
Shejustreignedthroughthisvastspanoftheagesandwasasauthoritativeandlovedandrespectedattheendasshewasatthebeginning,” Hardmansaid.
「她統治了漫長的歲月，從始至終都像她最初那樣權威、受人愛戴和尊敬，」哈德曼說。
Andshewasworkingtilltheveryend, 'tilherlastday.”
她一直工作到生命的最後一刻，直到她去世的那一天。
Ashistoriansdebatethequeen’slegacy, membersofthepublicaremakingtheirownjudgements.
歷史學家們還在爭論女王的遺產時，大眾也在做出自己的判斷。
TakeSylvieDeneux, andherdaughterClara, whostoppedbyCoolBritanniaduringavisittoLondonfromtheirhomeinLille, France.
以法國裡爾的西爾維·德內克斯和她的女兒克拉拉為例，她們在訪問倫敦期間順道參觀了「酷不列顛」展。
Theypraisedthelatemonarchforhereleganceanddescribedherasanicon.
他們稱讚已故君主優雅高貴，並將她描述為偶像。
ButwhenaskedaboutMountbatten-Windsor, SylvieDeneux, 49, pausedandlookedatherdaughter.
但當被問及蒙巴頓-溫莎時，49 歲的西爾維·德內克斯停頓了一下，看向了自己的女兒。
Failingtoquicklyquashthescandalwasamistake, shesaid.
她表示，未能迅速平息醜聞是個錯誤。
ButDeneuxcouldstillmustersympathyforElizabeth, becauseshemadethosedecisionsasamother, notasaqueen.
但德內克斯仍然能夠對伊莉莎白產生同情，因為她做出這些決定時是一位母親，而不是一位女王。
Canweblameher?” sheasked.
「我們能怪她嗎？」她問。
I’mnotsure.
我不知道。
Queen Elizabeth II lives on at the Cool Britannia gift shop across the road from Buckingham Palace.
Four years after the queen’s death, the shop is doing a brisk business in mugs, tea towels and key rings bearing the likeness of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch as the nation marks the centenary of her birth on Tuesday.
Items featuring her son King Charles III?
Well, not so much.
We still sell more than the king any day,’ said Ismail Ibrahim, the store’s manager.
The late queen’s memory looms over the monarchy after a 70-year reign that saw her evolve from the glamorous young sovereign who cheered Britain during the gloomy post-war years to the beloved national grandmother who rallied the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When she died in September 2022, Elizabeth was the only monarch most Britons had ever known.
Even now, mention of 'the queen' is more likely to evoke thoughts of Elizabeth than of Queen Camilla, Charles’ wife.
But the passage of time has also tarnished the late queen’s legacy.
While she is celebrated as a symbol of tradition and continuity who helped unite Britain as the end of empire, economic struggles and mass migration changed the nation’s perception of itself.
Revelations about the former Prince Andrew’s links to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have raised questions about why she let the problem fester for years.
Despite her absence, Elizabeth II remains this key presence whenever we think about the monarchy,” Ed Owens, author of 'After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?' told The .
She’s certainly the most significant figure in the history of the institution in the last 100 years and, I think, therefore deserves probably the attention that’s going to be focused on her in connection with what would have been her 100th birthday.
The festivities include a Buckingham Palace reception where Charles will congratulate centenarians who share the late monarch’s birthday, and the dedication of a memorial garden at Regent’s Park in central London.
An exhibit of the queen’s fashions is already underway.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor wasn’t meant to wear the crown.
Born on April 21, 1926, she started her long life not in a castle but at 17 Bruton St., a townhouse in London’s Mayfair district.
As the elder daughter of King George V’s second son, Elizabeth was expected to live the life of a minor royal.
Dogs and horses, a country house, a suitable match—a comfortable but somewhat anonymous life—seemed her future.
But destiny intervened.
A decade after Elizabeth’s birth, her uncle King Edward VIII abdicated to marry the American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
Elizabeth’s father became King George VI, thrusting the young princess into the spotlight as heir to the throne.
Elizabeth became queen the day her father died on Feb. 6, 1952.
Just 25, she heard the news in Kenya and hurried home to take up her duties.
For decades, she presided over the annual opening of Parliament in crown and ermine robe, hosted banquets for visiting leaders at Buckingham Palace and made thousands of appearances across the U.K., often wearing brightly colored suits to make sure the people could catch a glimpse of their queen.
She also became a global ambassador for brand Britain, making more than 200 overseas trips that helped bolster ties with one-time colonies from India to Tanzania, former enemies Germany and Japan and long-time friends such as the United States.
Late in life, the queen became an internet star when she and James Bond star Daniel Craig used moviemaking sleight of hand to parachute into the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics and teamed up with Paddington Bear to celebrate her 70 years on the throne.
In a world of relentless change, she moved with the times—applauding the nation’s successes and consoling Britons during difficult times, while remaining above the fray of politics, Robert Hardman, author of 'Elizabeth II: In private. In public. The Inside Story,' told the .
But those accomplishments make her failure to end the scandal surrounding her second son even more glaring.
Despite concerns about his boorish behavior, questionable business dealings and unsavory friends, Andrew spent 10 years as Britain’s special envoy for international trade and remained a prince of the realm until the details of his relationship with Epstein were revealed last year.
In an effort to shield the monarchy from the continuing fallout, Charles finally stripped his younger brother of his princely title.
He is now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
He was problematic and that gave her cause for worry,” Hardman said.
But I do think people let him have an easy ride because they thought if they came down hard on him, they might somehow upset the queen.
Now that’s partly attributable to her, but partly attributable to others.
Besides, her 'great achievements' far outweighed any errors,” Hardman said.
Elizabeth took the throne as a young woman with two small children at a time before jet travel existed and no one had even thought of going to the moon, then remained a constant presence in British public life across generations.
She just reigned through this vast span of the ages and was as authoritative and loved and respected at the end as she was at the beginning,” Hardman said.
And she was working till the very end, 'til her last day.”
As historians debate the queen’s legacy, members of the public are making their own judgements.
Take Sylvie Deneux, and her daughter Clara, who stopped by Cool Britannia during a visit to London from their home in Lille, France.
They praised the late monarch for her elegance and described her as an icon.
But when asked about Mountbatten-Windsor, Sylvie Deneux, 49, paused and looked at her daughter.
Failing to quickly quash the scandal was a mistake, she said.
But Deneux could still muster sympathy for Elizabeth, because she made those decisions as a mother, not as a queen.
Can we blame her?” she asked.
I’m not sure.
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