Queen Elizabeth II: A life of service and we will miss her

It was a dark and sombre day even before the news filtered through of “concerns” for HM The Queen’s health in an almost unprecedented announcement from Buckingham Palace.

When the BBC dropped it’s normal schedule of programmes mid-afternoon and instead went to a rolling news broadcast focussing on events at Balmoral, it seemed the day that we all knew would come had arrived.

Then at 6.30pm can the news that our Monarch had died and her unprecedented 70 year reign was over.

As the rain fell in Royal Deeside and across much of the country so did the tears at the realisation of the Queen’s passing.

In the days that have followed even those who are not supporters of the Monarchy have acknowledged her tremendous impact on this country, the Commonwealth and the world.

And a word that has been used by so many people has been “constant”: for most of us she has always been there. Definitely as a figurehead but also as someone who spoke to us and for us at times of crisis, most recently the pandemic.

Her words gave strength and comfort at a frightening and difficult time for this country, two weeks into a lockdown like we had never experienced before.

She told us: "We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

These words take on a poignancy now as we contemplate that she will be reunited with those who have gone before, particularly her adored husband, Prince Philip.

Both my own parents lived well into their late 80s, but I remember one of the most used phrase of condolence was that “they had a good innings”.

I know people were trying to say that they had lived a long and good life, which was very true but the longer that you have them, the more you always expect them to always be there.

It was much like that with Her Majesty: she was always there.

Prime ministers came and went, other world leaders changed but she was always there.

But all that ended last Thursday when her long and faithful life came to an end.

She carried out the promise made on her 21st birthday in full: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.”

And we will miss her.