Tiaras, Crowns and Marmalade Sandwiches…

Yesterday we witnessed something quite extraordinary. We watched the news unfold as we learned of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. 

It was a monumental event. At 96yrs she had been alive for longer than probably anyone reading this, and had been the monarch of the United Kingdom for the last 70yrs. 70yrs of service. Let that sink in for a moment. 

It really doesn’t matter what your views on the royal family are. I will be the first to confess to not being a royalist - indeed, far from it. But for me the significance of Her Majesty was her unwavering sense of duty. The fact that just this week she acknowledged the new prime minister, the 15th in her time in office. Merely 48hrs before her passing. Her work ethic has been steadfast throughout her life of 96yrs. 

She had always just been there. And that is why it just feels so weird to think that now she’s not. 

For as long as I can remember she has been on the news, in her brightly coloured outfits, with matching hats, gloves and pearls too. Whilst in the media she has always been portrayed as an institution, and I guess she was. But she was also a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother. 

It was in later years that we got to see the human side of her. Whether it was her interactions with her great grandchildren, or the smile that would light up her face. But the thing is she wasn’t just the Queen, indeed her great grandchildren won’t have been aware of her significance, other than she was just their “Granny”. In a way she was everyone’s ‘Granny’. She was reassurance and consistent personified. 

That’s the human side that we should remember as much as her time as the monarch. For any of you lucky enough to know your Granny, cherish them. Sadly, mine passed long ago. 

I guess the biggest lasting memory of her in my mind, is something far detached from the normal image of the Queen. It was the video made as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations this summer. It was the ‘tea party’ she shared with Paddington Bear. The glint in her eye as she rummaged in her handbag for a marmalade sandwich to share with the nations favourite bear. In every sense, there was something magical about this. It was something so very special. It was innocent and even though she was 96yrs old, she could easily have been a girl of 6yrs old. 

Rest easy Ma’am, you’ve certainly earned it. 

Who knows, maybe there’s marmalade sandwiches in heaven…

Happy Damn Friday! x

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