Professor Philip Murphy’s new book "Monarchy and the End of Empire'' is ''by a country mile the most important and well-informed to have been written about the contemporary British monarchy…'' writes Peter Oborne in the London Daily Telegraph on 27 December 2013.
The review is published under this headline: ''Only the Queen understands the true value of the Commonwealth''.
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Professor Murphy says the record suggests that The Queen may well be better informed and be more abreast of the time than her ministers.
'' Look at her record: against Suez; in favour of Macmillan; against arms sales to South Africa; for sanctions against apartheid. A personal record of wise but deft interventions in foreign affairs.
''She is pro-British, but does not think that means being slavishly European or Atlanticist.
''She understands the relevance of ancient history to modern foreign policy.
''She knows a multitude of world leaders.
His ultimate challenge is this ''Here’s a thought: could it be that the Queen, and the Commonwealth she heads, is a far greater foreign policy asset to Britain than all recent foreign secretaries and prime ministers put together?''