Behind the royal curtain: how the British monarchy views Israel

Ynet Global ^ | 05.19.24 | Inabl Hananel

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Unofficial royal boycott, aunts who supported the Nazis, grandmother who saved Jews from them and full recognition of the Holocaust: the tumultuous relationship between the royal family and Israel…

The British royal family has always fascinated the Israeli public. The palace dramas have been a staple of news and gossip websites in Israel over the years, ever since the time of Princess Diana, whose tragic death broke hearts worldwide, including in Israel.

To this day, Israelis avidly follow the dramas and stories emerging from Buckingham Palace. But is this interest, if not affection, mutual? Spoiler: No.

During her 70-year reign, Elizabeth visited more than 120 countries worldwide—Israel was not one of them.

…The relationship between the British royalty and Israel has always been tenuous. In fact, no British monarch has ever visited Israel, despite the fact that Princess Alice of Battenberg, the mother of the late Prince Philip, husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II, is buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

no British monarch has ever visited Israel

I assume this means ruling monarch (like king or queen) because royal family members have.

[rbg81]

I think a lot of this may have to do with what happened during the final years of British colonial rule. Specifically, the bombing of the King David Hotel.

[jjotto]

It was thought that King Charles might want to visit the resting place of his grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenburg, interred in the Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives.

She lived at least part time in Buckingham Palace while Charles was growing up.

[montag813]

I think a lot of this may have to do with what happened during the final years of British colonial rule. Specifically, the bombing of the King David Hotel.

Elizabeth was Queen since 1952, long before that. And Jerusalem was home to Jesus 1700 years before George I - her ancestor - took the throne. Kind of crazy that no Windsor monarch - each of whom also had the role as Supreme Governor of the Anglican Church - has ever stepped foot in the land of their Savior.

[HockeyPop]

Queen Elizabeth visited post war Germany seven times. Draw your own conclusions.

[HockeyPop]

Royals and rulers do just that. They rule. Noncompliant stiff necked people who won’t submit or lack natural resources from who to profligate are no use to those people.

[vaskypilot]

Charles may have visited Israel as Prince of Wales. I remember Prince William visiting Princess Alice’s grave.

[vaskypilot]

I just checked. Then Prince Charles was in Israel in January 2020.

[rbg81]

Queen Elizabeth visited post war Germany seven times. Draw your own conclusions.

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True. However, that was after the Nazis were out of power. You can argue that the Haganah resistance became the basis for the Israeli government. There was also the importance of bringing Germany into NATO and making sure it didn’t regress to a point where it would start another major European war.

BTW, I am very pro Israel. However, I am just saying that I can understand why Israel makes the Brits feel butt-hurt.

[C210N]

WW1 led to WW2.

[jjotto]

Prince William visited in 2018. Prince Phillip visited in 1994 and also accepted a Yad Vashem award for Princess Alice.

[vaskypilot]

Yes. The British royal family has been to Israel, just not a reigning monarch.

[Paal Gulli]

Britain voted to abstain to on the November 1947 UN Resolution 181 (II), United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.

Despite the fact that the Balfour Declaration had a great deal to do with mucking up the Middle East, the gutless Brits weaseled out on an opportunity to un-muck it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine#Abstentions_(10_countries)