Queen Elizabeth II

A life lived in full, in service, in public and in private. As a country, Queen Elizabeth II has been influential in really tangible ways. As a child, born in London, it was such a regular thing to go to Buckingham Palace, play on the green spaces so close, walk down The Mall, talk to the guards…they never spoke back…but it was always fun. I remember once singing to them, the way kids do. As a woman she showed unswerving strength and consistence in a male dominated world. She always took things in her stride, remained true to her nature and, it often seemed, was an ordinary person in an extraordinary situation. Her life is something to be celebrated, respectfully morned and remembered. To live as she did, with the man she loved, in the role she was willing to embrace and reach the age of 96 with her spirit and attitude undimmed by time, I feel a great warmth for Queen Elizabeth II, the queen of my lifetime. A woman who lived a full life and witnessed a great deal. I am not sure I will carry my regard for the monarch forward to the successor, but part of her legacy is that she made the office relevant and respected by many, giving her son and grandson the best possible start in the role. My love, thoughts and thanks to a remarkably human woman, who was also a Queen. Each life is a journey, Queen Elizabeth II it seems was prepared to take that journey with a full heart, commitment and genuine devotion the our wonderful country. I can only speculate what she experienced in the elevated role her life presented, but she seemed at all times down-to-earth in a very human way, demonstrating her love of laughter often. A woman who knew the pomp and circumstance were just that, at the end of the day she was human, drawn to those moments of personal intimacy not shared as part of her public role. I think she did her job as Queen and lived her life as Lilibet, today we must say goodbye to both the Queen and the woman. On a personal level…I will miss her being here.