We were saddened to hear of Queen Elizabeth’s death last week. It felt like very much the end of an era and we couldn’t help but reflect on the way she touched our lives and those of previous generations.
We’ve heard people saying things like how she’s been a constant throughout many people’s lives, how kind and compassionate she was, how much she loved her family and her commonwealth. She had the daunting task of becoming Queen at the age of 25, and maybe never expected to see so much change or to rule for such a long time.
She saw wars, deaths - including that of her beloved husband and partner - births, celebrations, the first landing on the moon, 15 prime ministers, Brexit, Covid, the huge evolution of computers and technology and so so much more; and she faced it all with a huge amount of courage, compassion, steadfastness and grace. Whether you’re a royalist or not, you can’t help but feel awed at all she achieved, saw and went through and we can all learn a huge amount from the way she lived her life.
Given that she ruled for over 70 years, it’s likely that we’ll all feel affected by her death on many different and possibly unexpected levels. As we see the story of her life in pictures and programmes - it leads us to reflect not only on all the memories of her during our lifetime but also the importance of our friends and family, and memories of our loved ones and relatives who are no longer with us - parents, grandparents, siblings, friends - whose lives she also touched during her reign.
Our kids have been asking many questions about her over the past few days, and have watched some of the clips of her life and some of her most memorable moments. The moments when her kindness and humour came to the fore - including seeing her laugh or joke at something someone had said, ‘jumping’ out of an aeroplane with James Bond at the opening ceremony of The London 2012 Olympics, or the historic moment of having tea with Paddington Bear as part of her recent Jubilee celebrations. Perhaps these are some of the ones that will stay upmost in our memories and our kids memories, and that we can pass on to future generations. They are also possibly some of the ones that set her aside and signify the huge changes she has helped create from the in-accessible monarchs of the past, to the more human and approachable figures of today.
So, it is with a mixture of deep sadness and great pride at having been part of your history, that we take this moment to say goodbye and thank you to you, Your Majesty - thank you for your Service, your strength, your courage, your humanity, your grace and your humour and thank you for being there. Our thoughts are with your family and loved ones as they mourn your loss and pull together to weather this huge period of change and adjustment for us all. We will always remember you, and your amazing legacy will continue as we welcome your son, King Charles III, to the throne.
It’s difficult to think about death and loss without being reminded of the importance and value of life, love and connection. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing or going through, take a moment to reflect on how important your family and friends are, feel your inner love and warmth spread, and make sure to give them all an extra big hug next time you see them.
With love and hugs from our family to yours.
Lucy, Anna and Sophie xox