Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II, praising her ability to “keep her finger on the pulse of the people”. “He loved people. He served them, but he was never complacent about the need to always understand them,” Blair told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.
Blair was prime minister between 1997 and 2007 and was in power during a difficult time for the monarchy – the death of Princess Diana. She told Amanpour that her reticence to speak publicly after Diana’s death stemmed from her desire to protect her grandchildren. “She was a queen as well as a grandmother and had two young grandchildren, both boys, who were obviously very attached to their mother. … So it was difficult for her. But he just realized the need to reach out to the world, because there were people who misunderstood this reticence he had. It really had to do with her desire to take care of the children. But once she realized she had to speak up, she did so … in a way that brought people back to her,” she said. “So this was an example in an incredibly difficult set of circumstances where he understood what was necessary and did it. And so it was. Her first attachment more than anything else was to her duty to the people she ruled,” the former prime minister said. Blair also recalled his audience with Queen Elizabeth II and praised her ability to be a “sympathetic ear”. “She was incredibly kind and gentle, nice. You know, we would have good conversations. He was a person you could have complete confidence in and say whatever you wanted to say, ask whatever you wanted to ask,” he said. Blair also predicted that King Charles III would “follow in the Queen’s footsteps” in how he would serve as the UK’s new head of state. “I think she’ll be a lot like her,” Blair said. “He is a very, very dedicated and caring person. So, personally, I am very confident about the future,” he said. Blair also said he did not think the King’s previous causes, such as climate activism, would be an issue now that he is monarch.
“I don’t think it’s special, at least here [in the UK]politically questionable to worry about it, but I could not doubt as a monarch, as head of state now, that he will uphold the constitution in a very faithful way,” Blair said.