Keegan and others make the point that the British empire probably died at the Somme in 1916. I’ve read other sources that indicate their intervention in Suez in 1956 might be, and there is a good argument the Falklands War might have been its last gasp. It took Rome nearly 300 years to fall after Commodus’ assassination...Perhaps there is even a case for the end coming starting with a certain failure in 1776.... Hastings’ point is equally valid- historians will be debating the point where the British empire was finished for many years yet.
When thinking about this I am reminded of an episode of Monty Python- they first flashed a screen that said “By 470 the Roman empire lay in ruins...” A few skits later another one came up. “By 1970 the British Empire lay in ruins...”
And yet, let us not forget that the British Empire, under Queen Victoria, brought Christianity, even if flawed, to many corners of the world.
And the Anglican Africans are offering a shelter to the AAmerican Episcopalians, who have been so put upon by the far left hierarchy.
This is a tapestry of which we can only see a few threads. God’s plan is unfolding, and we have been privileged to see a portion, when Pope Benedict walked into Westminster.