September 09, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II 1926 - 2022
Hello Everyone
How lucky we were! How lucky were we were to have such an incredible woman as our Monarch. As I write I feel overwhelmed by the so many things I could say about her and words I could find to describe her.
A few weeks ago I was invited for a very informal tea at Windsor Castle by one of the Queens Staff. He was a personal friend of a girlfriend of mine. The most charming lovely gentleman who had served the Queen for more than 4 decades and in many ways, had over the years, become close to the Queen. We talked about the beauty of Windsor Great Park and he recounted an adorable story that, for me, summed up The Queen so perfectly...
A very old beautiful tree had fallen down during the Winter and the decision was made to make the Queen a bench from the wood. She loved nature and as we know, she regularly rode through Windsor Great Park so it seemed very fitting.
The bench was presented to the Queen and she was delighted. After thanking everyone she turned away and then suddenly came back. Her face brightened, her eyes sparkled and with a big smile she exclaimed in surprise, “Oh and it’s got my name on it!”
A very simple little anecdote but it totally summed her up. Her joy at something so simple and her ever constant modesty.
Another funny story is that of her out walking in the Highlands with one of her staff and was approached by a couple of tourists. They greeted and got chatting. They asked were she lived and she said she lived in London but had a holiday home in the Highlands. They then said they heard the Queen of England had a house nearby and did she ever see her. She responded by saying no but her staff member did at which point they asked if the Queen would take a photo of them with the staff member.
They then took a photo of them all together and said their goodbyes. A few seconds later the Queen turned to her staff member smiling and with a mischievous glint in her eye and said I looked forward to them sharing their holiday snaps with their friends when they get home.
In the words of Helen Mirren “I am proud to be an Elizabethan. Today, we mourn a woman who, with or without a crown, was the epitome of nobility”.
I too am a proud Elizabethan. Today is a very very sad day but sweetened by the fact that Our Queen was an incredible Queen. An incredible woman who has served our country to an inexplicable level and her job was well and truly done.
Thank you so so very much Your Majesty.
Rae x
