The Queen
I don’t think I have a good explanation or reason for why I adored The Queen, but in my memory, it seems I always have. Of course, there are those who would comment criticisms of the British Empire and in many ways blame the Royal Family today for the doings of an era before this current generation’s time. While in many ways I am underqualified to comment on the tax implications of the monarchy. Or even to discuss the finer points of being a citizen of a one oppressed, now partnered, “Commonwealth” country. One thing I can comment on are my observations while The Queen lay in state. People from all walks of life, of all ages, and all ethnicities came to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth. Though their clothing, gestures, and actions differed, one thing was the same, they all seemed to say, “Thank you”
Queen Elizabeth in 1952
For many Americans, there is something special about the queen. The pageantry and ceremony feel exciting, foreign, and unknown. We look to them as style icons, beacons of class, and most of all a representation of a world that once was.
My earliest memory related to The Queen and the Royal Family overall was the wedding of William and Kate. I was entranced from the start. Whether it was the excitement, the carriage, or just all the military uniforms, ooh la la. There was something exciting and even more so, uniting about the Royal Family. They gave us, as viewers, something to look towards. Something exciting to watch, and someone to cheer for. In doing so, they begin to feel like members of our own families. And, in some small way, we get the sensation of them belonging to us. Not just to Britons, but to the world over.
For me, this was no truer than with The Queen. An exceptional leader, HM The Queen was steadfast in her commitment to service, iconic with her fashion choices, and most of all, she represented a stabilizing force in the world. It seemed with her hat, handbag, a big brooch, and a corgi or two, there was nothing she could not do.
The royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
On September 8th, 2022, when I learned of her passing, I felt the end of what had been an exceptional Elizabethan Age. Spanning 70 years, there was little she had not seen as Queen. From her coronation being the reason many families in Britain purchased a television in 1952 to her exciting Olympic cameo with James Bond, Queen Elizabeth was a common thread throughout 70 incredible years of development and change in the world.
Today, September 18th, we now finish the (British) national period of mourning. Ten days of honouring The Queen, her memory, and recalling all she had done for Britain, The Commonwealth, and the World Diplomatic Community. It is for her work as a leader, a guiding light, and a force for progress, that I find her truly inspiring. For that, we will forever be in her debt.
Thank you, ma’am, for your service. Though we may never know your like again, the memory and mission of duty, progress, and understanding is a guiding light under which we can all learn and grow. Rest easy, we’ll take it from here.