parts of indian history. she could have just said, parts of indian history. she could havejust said, "this is your 50th year of independence, and your successes my success, and your successes my success, oui’ and your successes my success, oui’ success, and your successes my success, our success, and and your successes my success, oui’ success, and we and your successes my success, our success, and we have to look forward into the future." what happened on that indian trip was a collision between the queen's was, monarch versus head of the commonwealth, a constant balancing act. on this occasion it seemed her role as british head of state prevailed and she was unable to apologise. nearly 25 years on, that decision now looks out of step. for decades, the queen was the big ahead of the commonwealth, she deployed tact and diplomacy but carefully avoided any actions that might have been regarded as political. but when her beloved commonwealth was threatened, it turned out rules could be bent.