Britain's Queen Elizabeth II will not, after all, grace Delhi's hosting of the Commonwealth Games later this year, instead deputising her son, Prince Charles. Unlike in the other Commonwealth states, the British royal family's doings attract little attention in India, which had not been the case until Princess Diana’s death. Indeed it's not just the queen, but the country's politics too that barely piques interest in this vast country (which is curiously English in other ways), with even the recent British general election remaining off the newspaper front pages except on the day of the results.
But still, in the very limited circles of the government and the Commonwealth Games organizing committee, there'll be disappointment at the Queen’s absence. Delhi has been getting a massive, expensive and very dusty makeover for the Games, and Prince Charles will be expected to liven up things.
But there's a thought that springs to mind following the Queen’s 'demand' for a pay rise to carry out her public role, as the British media has recently expressed the issue. If she had been offered a queenly compensation to visit Delhi, would she still have refused to attend Games? It’s a thought organizing officials may like to bear in mind for the next event.