London has just spent a week acting as host to 52 other heads of state and prime ministers, with a series of lavish occasions, ceremonies and conferences. The occasion was the summit of all the leaders of the nations of the Commonwealth of Nations, ranging from giant members like India to tiny island states like Nauru.
No expense was spared, with Queen Elizabeth opening the doors of both Buckingham Palace and her home at Windsor Castle to the attendees.
Cynics and sceptics rushed into print to ask what was the point of it all. Some claimed it was all out of date and a mere relic of the old British Empire, with no relevance to the modern world. Others asserted that it was all cooked up by the so-called Brexiteers (the strongest enthusiasts for decoupling from the European Union) as they searched around for new markets. Others again dismissed the Commonwealth organization as full of good intentions but nothing more than a pale mini-version of the United Nations.