On September 19 Queen Elizabeth was laid to rest. It is estimated that over 4 Billion people around the world watched her funeral. It was a great proclamation of Jesus Christ, the Bible, prayer, and her faith in God.
I suspect her funeral is the largest gathering in the history of the World to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There were prayers for the Queen, her family, country, and the world. It was the largest international prayer service in the history of the world.
We can learn a lot about branding from the queen’s life. Here are just a few of the elements I see in her brand:
Excellence
Her role as “Her Majesty the Queen” demands tradition with excellence, but her life modeled excellence at every turn. Whether you like tradition or not, you can’t deny her commitment to excellence. She was the personification of greatness and devotion who influenced so many others. The Queen was a hard worker. She was fiercely committed to her responsibilities. She was always kind, modest, humorous, and cautious to share her true feelings. Simply put, she exemplified virtue.
Faith
While she wasn’t a pastor, minister, or evangelist, she was unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She didn’t force her faith on people, but she did openly witness her faith in front of people. During her funeral, through her selection of songs, scriptures, and prayers, it was obvious she had a personal and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ. While steeped in tradition, she showed herself as a true worshiper.
Love for All
The people truly loved her because she truly loved them. Her love for God, her husband, her country and all people were evident in her life. Even controversial people were welcomed into her palace and presence. She had a strong dedication to helping people.
Queen Elizabeth Remembered
She will always be the monarch the British people could look up to in terms of calmness and dignity, and as someone who could represent unity. Her reign represents both tradition and change. Some see her as a feminist icon, while others think she was more conservative in how she ran the country. Still, she was a traditional woman who didn’t like many things about feminism. Many women looked to her life as an example. She could have given Prince Philip more opportunities to do royal matters, but she didn’t. She was the head of state at a time when women were expected to stay at home and raise their children. She was a working mom, and her kids often stayed home while she was away on business.
Accomplishments
The queen had a long list of accomplishments, perhaps as long as her reign of 70 years, the 2nd longest-reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, but here are my top favorites:
She was a reliable and steady monarch during her reign.
She also modernized the monarchy by abolishing the norm that only first-born sons are eligible to inherit the British throne.
She played a key role in international politics.
She supported hundreds of charities and organizations, including many that focus on wildlife conservation, education, and arts.
Failures
The Queen of England has made a number of mistakes throughout her reign, but she has learned from them. She learned how important it is to be there for her family. She was absent from the lives of her children, but the Queen has done her best to be present for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She finally recognized that parenting should have come before her royal responsibilities.
The Queen removed Princess Diana of her Royal Highness title after her 1996 divorce from Prince Charles. Many British residents believed the queen’s apology was too late. The queen honored Princess Diana by covering her coffin with the Royal Standard flag and bowing during her burial, even though it was too late to make amends.
Lessons from the Queen
Being a global brand that has represented Britain worldwide for 70 years, here are some lessons we can take from her.
Know what matters and make it a priority. Queen Elizabeth lived for her country. It gave her significance and, according to a study, brought her enjoyment.
Stand out from the crowd. When she entered a room, she did more than just make a statement; she was dressed in a manner that is hard not to notice, and in doing so, she commanded respect and attention.
Adapt to change. Then Prime Minister David Cameron said that “It has been said that ‘the art of progress is to preserve order amid change and change amid order’, and in this the queen is unparalleled. She has never shut the door on the future; instead, she has led the way through it.”
Train your successors. If anything were to happen to you, you’d need a successor who is familiar with the company’s goals and values as a whole. Queen Elizabeth carefully prepared her heirs via mentoring and training.
Harness the power of media. Elizabeth realized the media’s significance early on and taming it became another major subject of her reign. Her 21st birthday speech was recorded for radio and TV, a new medium. In 1953, she requested cameras inside Westminster Abbey to broadcast her coronation live.
A little sense of humor boosts your image. Who could forget the Queen Elizabeth – Daniel Craig, James Bond skit before the Olympics? She also played “We Will Rock You” on a teacup drum set before the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee performance in a video with Paddington Bear.
Embrace the digital revolution. She had a social media presence before her children or grandchildren. The internet gave her another avenue to engage with her audience and make herself relevant in their lives. She understood she needed to just be present.
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth, Britain lost not just an exceptional constitutional monarch but also one of its most valuable brand assets. The next King has big shoes to fill, but he also had a capable mentor in Queen Elizabeth.
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