By Andrew Keshner

“We know that seeing women in positions of power can change the idea of ​​what’s possible for all of us,” said Lorraine Hariton, CEO of Catalyst.

Queen Elizabeth II was a symbol of constancy for Britain during her seven-decade reign, according to tributes and condolences paid Thursday following her death at 96.

But the monarch – despite being a hereditary title rather than a title based on merit – was also a powerful role model for 20th century – and then 21st century – women who dreamed of accessing high-profile, highly visible roles of authority, some have noted.

“She was a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons,” Liz Truss, the new British prime minister, said on Thursday, speaking days after meeting Queen Elizabeth.

The Queen’s death was “a huge shock to the nation and the world”, Truss said.

Truss was the 15th Prime Minister to serve during Queen Elizabeth II’s time on the throne. Truss was the third woman in those ranks, after Theresa May, who served as prime minister from 2016 to 2019, and Margaret Thatcher, who served from 1979 to 1990.

Queen Elizabeth II “was respected and admired not only by her own people but far beyond our family of nations,” according to a statement from May.

“Queen Elizabeth II was a powerful and historic symbol of women’s leadership, not just for women and girls in her own country, but around the world,” said Lorraine Hariton, CEO of Catalyst, a global nonprofit organization. nonprofit focused on the advancement of women in the workplace. .

The world has changed since the Queen’s coronation was broadcast live in 1953, Hariton noted. “When she became Queen in the 1950s, women didn’t hold positions of power, and now the UK has seen three women become Prime Minister. We know seeing women in positions of power can change the world. idea of ​​what is possible for all of us.”

In a statement on the Queen’s death, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden said, “The seven decades of her historic reign have witnessed an era of unprecedented human progress and the onward march of human dignity”.

Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama noted that Queen Elizabeth II has appropriated “the role of Queen – with a reign defined by grace, elegance and a tireless, defiant work ethic. the chances and expectations placed on women from her”. generation.”

The gaps between wages and career opportunities for men and women may have narrowed in recent decades, but they persist – and they have even been threatened with widening due to the pandemic.

In 2020, there was a difference of more than 11% between the median wages of women and men in highly developed countries, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. That was down more than 18% two decades earlier, the research noted.

In the UK, that gender pay gap in 2021 was 14%, according to OECD data

Queen Elizabeth II and Philip were married for 73 years before her death last year aged 99.

In a twist, a real-life subplot for ‘The Crown’, the acclaimed Netflix (NFLX) series about Queen Elizabeth, actress Claire Foy, who played the Queen as a youth, was reportedly paid less than the co -male star Matt Smith, who played Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.

According to July estimates by the World Economic Forum, it will take 132 years for women around the world to achieve the same financial, political and educational opportunities as men.

Queen Elizabeth II left “a legacy of feminism” even though she wouldn’t have described it that way, historian Amanda Foreman told CBS News on Thursday. “As a woman who kept working, aged to 96, but showed she was still relevant, she was the original woman who persisted nonetheless.”

-Andrew Keshner

(END) Dow Jones Newswire

09-10-22 0509ET

Copyright (c) 2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.