Opinion | Queen Elizabeth’s sense of duty and work ethic struck a chord in Asia

The death of Britain’s longest-serving monarch raised questions about the monarchy’s future and complex feelings about colonialism

However, in Asia, where self-sacrifice and filial piety are highly valued, her lifelong devotion to service also touched many

Reading Time:3 minutes

People leave floral tributes to “boss lady” Queen Elizabeth outside the British consulate in Admiralty, Hong Kong, on September 19. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:15am, 23 Sep 2022

Seven popes. Fourteen US presidents. Fifteen British prime ministers. A 70-year reign. Queen Elizabeth’s death has sparked an outpouring of affection from around the world. Why would an old lady from a foreign country engender so much grief and tenderness among people far and wide, across race, age and nationality? Why have so many felt an almost inexplicably deep and personal sense of loss at her passing?

Perhaps it is because Queen Elizabeth has really been the queen, most recently portrayed in the popular Netflix series The Crown. She has been a constant in our lives for seven decades, providing stability in a world of change. She was apolitical in a divided world. Seemingly timeless, she was there from the first time a man landed on the moon to the invention of the mobile phone and internet.

Remembered for her elegance, grace and ever-present smile, the queen was held in high regard for her lifetime of service to her country and the Commonwealth realms. The only modern-day monarch to serve as long was Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who also served for 70 years, earning the devotion of many of his subjects.

Queen Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit China in 1986 and hosted President Xi Jinping at Buckingham Palace in 2015. She was Hong Kong’s head of state for 45 years.

I vaguely remember the queen’s visits to Hong Kong in 1975 and 1986, which led to a stadium being named after her, in addition to a hospital and several schools. I also recall adults referring to her as “the boss”. In the old days, her face was ubiquitous in Hong Kong life; I saw it daily on stamps, banknotes and coins.

Hong Kong has a long history with the monarchy, given that the British exercised colonial rule here for over 150 years until 1997. In our city, many streets and buildings are named after the royals, including Queen’s Road, King’s Road and the Prince of Wales Hospital.

The queen’s love of horses is marked by two annual Hong Kong Jockey Club races – the Queen Elizabeth Cup and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup. I hope these names remain in place and do not fall victim to revisionism, as they are part of Hong Kong’s history and heritage.

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