3 months, 10,000 miles, the King and Queen and their glamorous daughters, a battle cruiser, a train whistlestop tour. The future Queen turns 21 and makes a speech pledging her whole life to service of the people of the Empire. Why go to the trouble? Well South Africa had just, unlike others, sacrificed greatly in the War, and maybe Britain was trying to return the favor by trying to prevent a mistake they could see about to happen. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
In the late forties the Royal family must have sensed the interest in their coming of age children in the world of celebrity. So here we have Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret displayed prominently. Unusually though, was the substance behind it. King George VI wasn’t that old but sickly and so he knew Elizabeth would be facing her duty sooner rather then later. Hence the speech she gave on this tour where she promised to be with her subjects through all the changes coming. It can’t be said she did not live up to her pledge even if the trip might have worked against British intentions for this part of the Empire.
Todays stamp is issue A3, a 3 Penny stamp issued by Swaziland on February 17th, 1947. It was a three stamp issue celebrating the Royal visit. The design of the stamp was borrowed from a similar stamp from Basutoland. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents.
South Africa had contributed much of their military to fight for Britain in World War II, especially in the North African theatre. The most successful British fighter ace Sailor Milan with 72 kills was South African. So when South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts invited the Royals, they came. South Africa was grappling on how to deal with the African majority. Mr. Smuts popularity was falling as he was proposing easing off restrictions that kept blacks out of the big cities. This meant tortuous commutes to where the jobs were for blacks. It was hoped that the pomp and circumstance might rub off on Smuts, who was facing a tough election.
As far as the welcome received and getting through what must have been impossible logistics, the Royal visit went off spectacularly well. However it did not have the intended effect on the then white and mostly Boer South African voter. Smuts was seen as too tight with Britain, even to the extent of abandoning his own people. The British Royals would not have to deal with the added crime that would have been the direct result of virtue signaling they were proposing. Smuts failed in his bid to D F Milan who took a much harder line on the question of the Africans. This was not the road Britain had in mind for it’s southern African dominions, protectorates, and colonies. Eventually South Africa and Rhodesia would feel the need to leave the Commonwealth.
All that said, the permanence of 21 year old Elizabeth’s words have lasted and proved more true than anyone could have imagined. You can watch it here https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Princess+Elizabeth+1947+speech&view=detail&mid=D3118D08978E69DF648AD3118D08978E69DF648A&FORM=VIRE Sure there in no more Empire, no more Royal Navy battlecruiser, not even a Royal yacht, But Queen Elizabeth is still working for her subjects, now past 90. (Update RIP Queen Elizabeth, God Save the King).
Well my drink is empty and lets toast recently departed Queen Elizabeth to celebrate so many years of service to the Commonwealth. Come again soon when there will be another story to be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.