AS A 20-something woman from a small former mining village in Wales, I’m an unlikely candidate to love the royal family. They’re expensive, out of touch and to the average person, it doesn’t look like they do very much. I’m not blind to this. But for all of their faults, I firmly believe that our country would be far worse off without them. 

It’s easy to find criticism. Prince Andrew has brought unprecedented disgrace, and not far behind are Meghan Markle and ‘just Harry,’ jetting off to LA to live a private life, while simultaneously signing any deal offered to them for a pretty penny. But regardless of your feelings towards Randy Andy, Ginge and Whinge, our Queen, over the last 70 years has been the embodiment of grace and duty. 

Last year, we watched the Queen lose her husband of 73 years. Like many others, the pandemic saw to the fact she’d have a limited support circle and even have to sit alone at the funeral of the one she described as “her strength and stay over all these years.” 

The deterioration of her health has reminded us that the end – inevitably – is near and despite your view of the Windsors, she’s had an exceptional run. She’s been the proverbial glue holding the family together throughout decades of scandal and tumult. 

A Platinum Jubilee, marking the Queen’s historic reign of 70 years is a big deal, so you could imagine my shock when I found out that Glasgow City Council had not received one single application to host a formal celebration. Edinburgh is having 17. When I asked around why this might be, I was told that it was likely down to politics.

I get it. Supporting the Queen may be seen as a hobby solely for unionists. But regardless of your political stance, your age, or where you were born, isn’t there something to be said for a woman that has spent the last 70 years serving the country? Isn’t the fact that she stepped-up, leaving any chance of a ‘normal life,’ behind, commendable?

The woman hasn’t put a foot wrong throughout her reign, and her dedication to impartiality has meant that we have never really known her views on anything. This alone is impressive, and while it may sound easy, other members of the Firm, such as Prince Charles lecturing us about carbon footprints while sitting in his multi-million pound mansion prove that it’s harder than it looks. The Queen knows that she isn’t relatable, and to pretend would be patronising.

So what is the Queen’s crime? Simply being born into royal lineage. You can sit there and moan, branding the institution outdated or expensive – I wouldn’t disagree with this – but at the end of the day, this is a woman simply getting on with her job. My advice over the Jubilee weekend would be to celebrate it. This isn’t an issue of identity politics, this is a celebration of a wonderful woman.

Round up of Scottish jubilee parties: See today's Herald Magazine