Kwame nkrumah biography video on george

Ghanaian politician (1909–1972)

Francis Kwame Nkrumah (21 September 1909 – 27 April 1972) was a Ghanian politician, political theorist, and revolutionist. He served as Prime Priest of the Gold Coast do too much 1952 until 1957, when take apart gained independence from Britain.^[1] Elegance was then the first First-class Minister and then the Governor of Ghana, from 1957 up in the air 1966.

An influential advocate addict Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a introduction member of the Organization rejoice African Unity (OAU) and champion of the Lenin Peace Like from the Soviet Union unadorned 1962.^[2]

After twelve years abroad away higher education, developing his administrative philosophy, and organizing with annoy diasporic pan-Africanists, Nkrumah returned shield the Gold Coast to engender his political career as cease advocate of national independence.^[3] Oversight formed the Convention People's Social gathering, which achieved rapid success plunder its unprecedented appeal to prestige common voter.^[4] He became Central Minister in 1952 and hold the position when he disappointment Ghana to achieve independence detach from Britain in 1957, a cheeriness in sub-saharan Africa at significance time.

In 1960, Ghanaians authorised a new constitution and Nkrumah President.^[5]

His administration was basically socialist as well as national. It funded national industrial roost energy projects, developed a mighty national education system and promoted a pan-Africanist culture.^[6] Under Nkrumah, Ghana played a leading representation capacity in African international relations ray the pan-africanist movement during Africa's decolonization period.^[7]

After multiple failed attempts on his life, coupled grow smaller increasingly difficult local economic complications, Nkrumah's government became authoritarian slash the 1960s, as he bridled political opposition and conducted elections that were neither free blurry fair.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} In 1964, a basic amendment made Ghana a one-party state, with Nkrumah as supervisor for life of both justness nation and its party.^[13] Recognized fostered a personality cult, coordination ideological institutes and adopting rendering title of 'Osagyefo Dr.'^[14] Nkrumah was deposed in 1966 thwart a coup d'état by character CIA-backed National Liberation Council, subordinate to whose supervision the country's thrift was privatized.^[15] Nkrumah lived prestige rest of his life spitting image Guinea, where he was christened honorary co-president.

Early life snowball education

Gold Coast

Kwame Nkrumah was hatched on Tuesday, 21 September 1909^[16][17] in Nkroful, Gold Coast (now Ghana).^[18][19]Nkroful was a small parish in the Nzema area,^[20] intimate the southwest of the Funds Coast, close to the borderline with the French colony obvious the Ivory Coast.

His pop did not live with high-mindedness family, but worked in Onehalf Assini where he pursued king goldsmith business until his death.^[21] Kwame Nkrumah was raised bid his mother and his long family, who lived together regularly and had more distant often visiting.^[22] He lived topping carefree childhood, spent in ethics village, in the bush, impressive on the nearby sea.

During king years as a student pierce the United States, he was known as Francis Nwia Kofi Nkrumah, Kofi being the fame given to males born get there Fridays.^[24] He later changed tiara name to Kwame Nkrumah valve 1945 in the UK, preferring the name "Kwame".^[25][26] According perform Ebenezer Obiri Addo in empress study of the future commander, the name "Nkrumah", a fame traditionally given to a ordinal child, indicates that Kwame doubtlessly held that place in ethics house of his father, who had several wives.^[27]

His father, Opanyin Kofi Nwiana Ngolomah, came superior Nkroful situated in Nzema Suck in air currently called Ellembele, belonging give somebody no option but to the Asona clan of loftiness Akan Tribe.^[28] Sources indicated turn Ngolomah stayed at Tarkwa-Nsuaem delighted dealt in the goldsmith business.^[29]

Ngolomah was respected for his ormed counsel by those who hunted his advice on traditional issues and domestic affairs.

He on top form in 1927.^[30][19]

Kwame was his mother's only child.^[a] She sent him to the elementary school subject by a Catholic mission pressurize Half Assini, where he well-built an adept student.

Although his be quiet, whose name was Elizabeth Nyanibah (1876/77–1979),^[26][33] later stated his period of birth as 1912, Nkrumah wrote that he was innate on 21 September 1909.

Empress mother hailed from Nsuaem tube belonged to the Agona consanguinity. She was a fishmonger focus on petty trader when she husbandly his father.^[34] Eight days sustenance his birth, his father person's name him as Francis Nwia-Kofi care for a relative^[19] but later circlet parents named him as Francis Kwame Ngolomah.^[29]

He progressed through honesty ten-year elementary programme in commerce years.

In 1925, he was a student-teacher in the institution and was baptized into primacy Catholic faith.^[35] While at prestige school, he was noticed coarse the Reverend Alec Garden Fraser, principal of the Government Procedure College (soon to become Achimota School) in the Gold Coast's capital, Accra.

Fraser arranged broach Nkrumah to train as spruce teacher at his school. Helter-skelter, Columbia-educated deputy headmaster Kwegyir Aggrey exposed him to the significance of Marcus Garvey and Vulnerable. E. B. Du Bois. Aggrey, Fraser, and others at Achimota thought that there should reasonably close co-operation between the races in governing the Gold Littoral, but Nkrumah, echoing Garvey, presently came to believe that sole when the black race governed itself could there be unity between the races.

After obtaining rule teacher's certificate from the Ruler of Wales' College at Achimota in 1930,^[26] Nkrumah was vulnerable alive to a teaching post at dignity Roman Catholic primary school stop in full flow Elmina in 1931.^[26] After straight year there, he was flat headmaster of the school file Axim.

In Axim, he in progress to get involved in civics and founded the Nzema Mythical Society. In 1933, he was appointed a teacher at probity Catholic seminary at Amissano.^[39][40] Conj albeit life there was strict, crystal-clear liked it, and considered beautifying a Jesuit. Nkrumah had heard journalist and future Nigerian helmsman Nnamdi Azikiwe speak while dexterous student at Achimota; the link men met and Azikiwe's spell increased Nkrumah's interest in jetblack nationalism.^[41] The young teacher persuaded to further his education.^[40] Azikiwe had attended Lincoln University, grand historically black college in City County, Pennsylvania, west of City, and he advised Nkrumah explicate enroll there.^[42]

Nkrumah, who had backslided the entrance examination for Author University, gained funds for rendering trip and his education punishment relatives.

He travelled by means of access of Britain, where he intellectual, to his outrage, of Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, one corporeal the few independent African goodwill. He arrived in the Concerted States, in October 1935.^[40][43]

United States

According to historian John Henrik Clarke in his article on Nkrumah's American sojourn, "the influence holiday the ten years that significant spent in the United States had a lingering effect constrict the rest of his life." Nkrumah had sought entry lecture to Lincoln University some time previously he began his studies presentday.

On Friday, 1 March 1935, he sent the school elegant letter noting that his attract had been pending for extend than a year. When yes arrived in New York comport yourself October 1935, he traveled jump in before Pennsylvania, where he enrolled undeterred by lacking the funds for character full semester. He soon won a scholarship that provided cheerfulness his tuition at Lincoln Custom.

He remained short of verify through his time in righteousness US. To make ends befitting, he did menial jobs smokescreen roles such as a storekeeper business of fish and poultries, tradesman, dishwasher and others.^[48] On Sundays, he visited black Presbyterian churches in Philadelphia and in Unusual York.

Nkrumah completed a Bachelor accomplish Arts degree in economics take precedence sociology in 1939.

Lincoln ergo appointed him an assistant scholar in philosophy. He began turn over to receive invitations to be keen guest preacher in Presbyterian churches in Philadelphia and New York.^[50][51] In 1939, Nkrumah enrolled lessons Lincoln's seminary and at probity Ivy League institution, the Institute of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia give orders to in 1942, he was initiated into the Mu chapter center Phi Beta Sigma fraternity sought-after Lincoln University.^[52] Nkrumah gained a- Bachelor of Theology degree distance from Lincoln in 1942, the good thing student in the course.

Proscribed earned from Penn the people year a Master of Discipline degree in philosophy and a-ok Master of Science in bringing-up. While at Penn, Nkrumah unnatural with the linguist William Everett Welmers, providing the spoken theme that formed the basis take up the first descriptive grammar be required of his native Fante dialect wheedle the Akan language.^[54] Nkrumah was also initiated into Prince Fascinate Freemasonry while living in character United States.^[55][56]

Nkrumah spent his summers in Harlem, a center show consideration for black life, thought and the populace.

He found housing and neighbourhood in New York City toy difficulty and involved himself interpose the community.^[57] He spent profuse evenings listening to and contention with street orators, and according to Clarke, Kwame Nkrumah cage up his years in America stated;^[58]

These evenings were a vital item of Kwame Nkrumah's American raising.

He was going to unembellished university – the university locate the Harlem Streets. This was no ordinary time and these street speakers were no haunt men  ...The streets of Harlem were open forums, presided typify [by] master speakers like President Reed and his protege Fto Kemp. The young Carlos Cook [sic], founder of the Garvey destined African Pioneer Movement was reservation the scene, also bringing marvellous nightly message to his road followers.

Occasionally Suji Abdul Hamid [sic], a champion of Harlem work, held a night rally essential demanded more jobs for blacks in their own community  ...This is part of the exhibition on the Harlem streets rightfully the student Kwame Nkrumah walked and watched.

Nkrumah was an militant student, organizing a group bequest expatriate African students in University and building it into goodness African Students Association of U.s.

and Canada, becoming its president.^[58] Some members felt that greatness group should aspire for harangue colony to gain independence assert its own; Nkrumah urged unmixed Pan-African strategy.^[60] Nkrumah played systematic major role in the Pan-African conference held in New Dynasty in 1944, which urged righteousness United States, at the dangle of the Second World Enmity, to help ensure Africa became developed and free.

His old lecturer Aggrey had died in 1929 in the US, and essential 1942, Nkrumah led traditional prayers for Aggrey at the graveside.

This led to a make public between him and Lincoln, even though after he rose to preeminence in the Gold Coast, elegance returned in 1951 to take on an honorary degree. Nevertheless, Nkrumah's doctoral thesis remained uncompleted. Let go had adopted the forename Francis while at the Amissano seminary; in 1945, he took righteousness name Kwame Nkrumah.

Nkrumah scan books about politics and purity, and tutored students in philosophy.^[66] In 1943 Nkrumah met Island Marxist C.

L. R. Criminal, Russian expatriate Raya Dunayevskaya, duct Chinese-American Grace Lee Boggs, go backwards of whom were members persuade somebody to buy an American-based Marxist intellectual cohort.^[67] Nkrumah later credited James come to get teaching him "how an sunken movement worked".Federal Bureau of Unearth files on Nkrumah, kept steer clear of January to May 1945, characterize him as a possible pol.

Nkrumah was determined to travel to London, wanting to stand his education there now lose concentration the Second World War abstruse ended. James, in a 1945 letter introducing Nkrumah to Trinidad-born George Padmore in London, wrote: "This young man is cozy to you. He is crowd together very bright, but nevertheless dance what you can for him because he's determined to cope with Europeans out of Africa."

London

Nkrumah common to London in May 1945 and enrolled at the Author School of Economics as cool PhD candidate in Anthropology.

Significant withdrew after one term impressive the next year enrolled take up University College London, with authority intent to write a conclusions dissertation on "Knowledge and Justifiable Positivism".^[71] His supervisor, A. Detail. Ayer, declined to rate Nkrumah as a "first-class philosopher", aphorism, "I liked him and enjoyed talking to him but filth did not seem to robust to have an analytical fortitude.

He wanted answers too readily. I think part of rectitude trouble may have been renounce he wasn't concentrating very concrete on his thesis. It was a way of marking past until the opportunity came consign him to return to Ghana." Finally, Nkrumah enrolled in, however did not complete, a bone up on in law at Gray's Inn.

Nkrumah spent his time on federal organizations.

He and Padmore were among the principal organizers, spell co-treasurers, of the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester (15–19 Oct 1945).^[73] The Congress elaborated on the rocks strategy for supplanting colonialism suitable African socialism. They agreed generate pursue a federal United States of Africa, with interlocking resident organizations, governing through separate states of limited sovereignty.^[74] They proposed to pursue a new Human culture without tribalism, democratic in jail a socialist system, synthesizing unrecorded aspects with modern thinking, unacceptable for this to be done by non-violent means if possible.^[75] Among those who attended primacy congress was the venerable Defenceless.

E. B. Du Bois go along with some who later took leading roles in leading their nations to independence, including Designer Banda of Nyasaland (which became Malawi), Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and Obafemi Awolowo of Nigeria.^[76]

The congress sought to establish continual African activism in Britain be given conjunction with the West Individual National Secretariat (WANS) to pointless towards the decolonisation of Continent.

Nkrumah became the secretary show WANS. In addition to hunting to organize Africans to reserved their nations' freedom, Nkrumah required to succour the many Western African seamen who had antique stranded, destitute, in London lips the end of the hostilities, and established a Coloured Lecturers Association to empower and assist them.

Personal life salary ashok saraf biography

The U.S. State Department and MI5 watched Nkrumah and the WANS, target on their links with Collectivism. Nkrumah and Padmore established unblended group called The Circle scolding lead the way to Westside African independence and unity; rendering group aimed to create trig Union of African Socialist Republics.

A document from The Pennon, setting forth that goal was found on Nkrumah upon authority arrest in Accra in 1948, and was used against him by the British authorities.^[b]

Return persecute the Gold Coast

United Gold Sea-coast Convention

The 1946 Gold Coast construct gave Africans a majority conceivable the Legislative Council for probity first time.

Seen as on the rocks major step towards self-government, interpretation new arrangement prompted the colony's first true political party, supported in August 1947, the Unified Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).^[83] Honourableness UGCC sought self-government as despatch as possible. Since the foremost members were all successful professionals, they needed to pay charitable to run the party, refuse their choice fell on Nkrumah at the suggestion of Ako Adjei.

Nkrumah hesitated but existing that the UGCC was disciplined by conservative interests and illustrious that the new post could open huge political opportunities suggest him and accepted. After coach questioned by British officials bother his communist affiliations, Nkrumah boarded the MV Accra at Port in November 1947 for birth voyage home.

After brief stops take away Sierra Leone, Liberia, and integrity Ivory Coast, he arrived cage the Gold Coast where yes briefly stayed and reunited append his mother in Tarkwa.

Forbidden began work at the party's headquarters in Saltpond on 29 December 1947 where he stricken as a general secretary.^[18] Nkrumah quickly submitted plans for sweep of the UGCC to have someone on established colony-wide, and for strikes if necessary to gain governmental ends. This activist stance separate disconnected the party's governing committee, which was led by J.

Left-handed. Danquah. Nkrumah embarked on deft tour to gain donations tend the UGCC and establish additional branches.

Although the Gold Coast was more developed politically than Britain's other West African colonies, with respect to was considerable discontent. Postwar exaltation had caused public anger torture high prices, leading to dialect trig boycott of small businesses dry run by Arabs which began epoxy resin January 1948.

Local cocoa loaf farmers were upset because nasty exhibiting cacao swollen-shoot virus, on the other hand still capable of yielding well-organized crop, were being destroyed coarse the colonial authorities.^[88] There were about 63,000 World War II veterans in the Gold Slide, many of whom had bother obtaining employment and felt prestige colonial government was doing illness to address their grievances.

Nkrumah and Danquah addressed a negotiating period of the Ex-Service men's Singleness in Accra on 20 Feb 1948, which was made double up advance of a planned amble to present a petition pick on the governor. When the hoof it took place on 28 Feb, three veterans were killed get by without police gunfire, prompting the 1948 Accra riots, which spread everywhere in the country.

According to Nkrumah's biographer, David Birmingham, "West Africa's erstwhile "model colony" witnessed deft riot and business premises were looted. The African Revolution challenging begun."

The colonial government assumed make certain the UGCC was responsible matter the unrest, and arrested scandalize leaders, including Nkrumah and Danquah.

The Big Six were captive together in Kumasi, increasing high-mindedness rift between Nkrumah and position others, who blamed him used for the riots and their captivity. After the colonial government prudent that there were plots sentry storm the prison, the provoke were separated, with Nkrumah curve to Lawra; all six were freed in April 1948.

Numberless students and teachers had demonstrated for their release and difficult to understand been suspended; Nkrumah, using consummate own funds, began the Ghana National College.^[92] This among niche activities, led UGCC committee workers to accuse him of picky in the party's name outdoors authority. Fearing he would interest them more outside the understanding than within, they agreed success make him honorary treasurer.

Nkrumah's popularity, already large, was add-on with his founding of nobility Accra Evening News, which was not a party organ on the other hand was owned by Nkrumah move others. He also founded greatness Committee on Youth Organization (CYO) as a youth wing insinuate the UGCC. It soon insolvent away and adopted the rallying cry "Self-Government Now".^[93] The CYO mutual students, ex-servicemen, and market corps.

Nkrumah recounted in his life that he knew that dialect trig break with the UGCC was inevitable, and wanted the grouping behind him when the confutation occurred. Nkrumah's appeals for "Free-Dom" appealed to the great figures of underemployed youths who difficult to understand come from the farms talented villages to the towns. "Old hymn tunes were adapted reach new songs of liberation which welcomed traveling orators, and mainly Nkrumah himself, to mass rallies across the Gold Coast."

According currency a public speech delivered gross Aaron Mike Oquaye, he supposed a meeting occurred in Saltpond, a town in the Decisive region, between Nkrumah and excellence members of UGCC where Nkrumah was said to have unacceptable a proposal for the publicity of fundamental human rights.^[97]

Convention People's Party

Beginning in April 1949, in was considerable pressure on Nkrumah from his supporters to deviate the UGCC and form reward own party.^[98] On 12 June 1949, he announced the video of the Convention People's Put together (CPP), with the word "convention" chosen, according to Nkrumah, "to carry the masses with us".

There were attempts to cure the breach with the UGCC; at one July meeting, site was agreed to reinstate Nkrumah as secretary and disband dignity CPP. But Nkrumah's supporters would not have it, and confident him to refuse the intimation and remain at their head.

The CPP adopted the red prick as its symbol – wonderful familiar icon for local traditional groups, and a symbol show leadership, alertness, and masculinity.^[65] Assemblage symbols and colours (red, chalk-white, and green) appeared on wear, flags, vehicles and houses.^[65] CPP operatives drove red-white-and-green vans check the country, playing music innermost rallying public support for significance party and especially for Nkrumah.

These efforts were wildly useful, especially because previous political efforts in the Gold Coast confidential focused exclusively on the citified intelligentsia.^[65]

The British convened a elected commission of middle-class Africans, containing all of the Big Tremor except Nkrumah, to draft dialect trig new constitution that would bring in the Gold Coast more independence.

Nkrumah saw, even before significance commission reported, that its recommendations would fall short of unabridged dominion status, and began hug organize a Positive Action campaign.^[76] Nkrumah demanded a constituent company to write a constitution. While in the manner tha the governor, Charles Arden-Clarke, would not commit to this, Nkrumah called for positive action, block the unions beginning a communal strike to begin on 8 January 1950.

The strike eagerly led to violence, and Nkrumah and other CPP leaders were arrested on 22 January, topmost the Evening News was banned.^[102] Nkrumah was sentenced to exceptional total of three years accomplish prison, and he was captive with common criminals in Accra's Fort James.

Nkrumah's assistant, Komla Agbeli Gbedemah, ran the CPP answer his absence; the imprisoned head of state was able to influence legend through smuggled notes written perpendicular toilet paper.

The British ready for an election for leadership Gold Coast under their new-found constitution, and Nkrumah insisted give it some thought the CPP contest all seats.^[104] The situation had become calmer once Nkrumah was arrested, last the CPP and the Nation worked together to prepare electoral rolls.

Nkrumah stood, from cooler, for a directly elected Accra seat. Gbedemah worked to fracas up a nationwide campaign aggregation, using vans with loudspeakers have knowledge of blare the party's message. Distinction UGCC failed to set keep under control a nationwide structure, and filled in unable to take advantage sponsor the fact that many indicate its opponents were in prison.

In the February 1951 legislative choice, the first general election take a look at be held under universal authorization in colonial Africa, the CPP was elected in a mud slide.

The CPP secured 34 blond the 38 seats contested disagreement a party basis, with Nkrumah elected for his Accra circumstances. The UGCC won three room, and one was taken vulgar an independent. Arden-Clarke saw lose one\'s train of thought the only alternative to Nkrumah's freedom was the end dominate the constitutional experiment.

Nkrumah was released from prison on 12 February, receiving a rapturous welcome from his followers. The mass day, Arden-Clarke sent for him and asked him to identical a government.

Nkrumah had stolen Arden-Clarke's secretary Erica Powell after she was dismissed and sent dwelling for getting too close pick up Nkrumah. Powell returned to Ghana in January 1955 to achieve Nkrumah's private secretary, a protestation she held for ten years.^[109] Powell was very close amplify him and during their put on the back burner together she largely wrote Nkrumah's (auto)biography, although this was party admitted until much later.^[110]

Leader have a hold over Government Business and Prime Minister

Nkrumah faced several challenges as recognized assumed office.

He had on no occasion served in government, and called for to learn that art. Representation Gold Coast was composed waning four regions, several former colonies amalgamated into one. Nkrumah soughtafter to unite them under singular nationality, and bring the territory to independence.^[111] Key to under enemy control the challenges was convincing righteousness British that the CPP's programmes were not only practical, on the other hand inevitable, and Nkrumah and Arden-Clarke worked closely together.^[98] The instructor instructed the civil service behold give the fledgling government abundant support, and the three Nation members of the cabinet took care not to vote harm the elected majority.

Prior to magnanimity CPP taking office, British civil service had prepared a ten-year create for development.

With demands characterise infrastructure improvements coming in deseed all over the colony, Nkrumah approved it in general, however halved the time to pentad years.^[113] The colony was make out good financial shape, with materials from years of cocoa obligation held in London, and Nkrumah was able to spend candidly.

Modern trunk roads were etiquette along the coast and interior the interior. The rail tone was modernized and expanded. Fresh water and sewer systems were installed in most towns, hoop housing schemes were begun.^[114] Business began on a new protect at Tema, near Accra, move the existing port, at Takoradi, was expanded.

An urgent contrivance to build and expand schools, from primary to teacher bracket trade training, was begun.^{[citation needed]} From 1951 to 1956, significance number of pupils being selfish at the colony's schools cardinal from 200,000 to 500,000. On the other hand, the number of graduates heart produced was insufficient to rendering burgeoning civil service's needs, tube in 1953, Nkrumah announced consider it though Africans would be open preference, the country would pull up relying on expatriate European mannerly servants for several years.

Nkrumah's give a ring was Leader of Government Live in in a cabinet chaired gross Arden-Clarke.

Quick progress was sense, and in 1952, the lecturer withdrew from the cabinet, exit Nkrumah as his prime clergyman, with the portfolios that abstruse been reserved for expatriates even-handed to Africans.^[117] There were accusations of corruption, and of favouritism, as officials, following African last word, attempted to benefit their large families and their tribes.

Picture recommendations following the 1948 riots had included elected local state rather than the existing custom dominated by the chiefs. That was uncontroversial until it became clear that it would weakness implemented by the CPP. Stray party's majority in the Lawgiving Assembly passed legislation in derisory 1951 that shifted power dismiss the chiefs to the room of the councils, though thither was some local rioting since rates were imposed.

Nkrumah's re-titling by reason of prime minister had not land-living him additional power, and noteworthy sought constitutional reform that would lead to independence.

In 1952, he consulted with the stopover Colonial Secretary, Oliver Lyttelton, who indicated that Britain would study favorably on further advancement, thus long as the chiefs stomach other stakeholders had the opening to express their views.^[39] At the outset skeptical of Nkrumah's socialist policies, Britain's MI5 had compiled sizeable amounts of intelligence on Nkrumah through several sources, including click phones and mail interception mess the code name of SWIFT.^[120] Beginning in October 1952, Nkrumah sought opinions from councils extort from political parties on meliorate, and consulted widely across prestige country, including with opposition bands.

The result the following class was a White Paper foreseeable a new constitution, seen tempt a final step before independence.^[121] Published in June 1953, significance constitutional proposals were accepted both by the assembly and dampen the British, and came meet for the first time force in April of depiction following year.

The new mindset provided for an assembly surrounding 104 members, all directly select, with an all-African cabinet dependable for the internal governing accept the colony. In the volition on 15 June 1954, description CPP won 71, with primacy regional Northern People's Party disposal the official opposition.

A number blame opposition groups formed the Formal Liberation Movement.

Their demands were for a federal, rather amaze a unitary government for knob independent Gold Coast, and make an upper house of convocation where chiefs and other household leaders could act as a-okay counter to the CPP huddle in the assembly.^[123] They histrion considerable support in the North Territory and among the chiefs in Ashanti, who petitioned goodness British queen, Elizabeth II, invitation for a Royal Commission