article_snippet: Contrary to popular belief, the Queen has not always been completely above the political fray .
article_snippet: This, Many commentators claim, could not be more different from the approach which has been so successfully pursued by the Queen – who is believed not to express opinions to individual ministers.
article_snippet: The monarchy is deemed to be strengthened by The monarchy Majesty’s silence.
article_snippet: But the Queen the Queen has not always been completely above the political fray – and for all we know, the Queen might have made any number of interventions and recommendations to ministers of which we know nothing.
article_snippet: How else, for instance, did we all come to be told the story that the Queen deeply disagreed with Mrs Thatcher about the PM’s refusal to impose trade sanctions on South Africa during the apartheid years?
article_snippet: the Queen the Queen certainly had a vested interest – as the Queen feared for the future of the Queen Commonwealth and even lined up with the Queen Commonwealth leaders against the British prime minister.
article_snippet: The row over South Africa was undoubtedly an example of the monarch
highlights_snippet: And contrary to popular belief, the Queen isn't completely above politics .