This is such sad and sudden news after seeing her welcoming smile when Liz Truss, the new PM, visited her just the other day. My condolences to all of the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth’s subjects, and all of us around the world who loved and respected her so much.
Personally, despite growing up in the S.F. Bay Area, she has been part of my life since I watched her coronation with awe on TV at a neighbor’s house when I was seven years old. My mother read me their governess Marion Crawford’s charming book “The Little Princesses” around that time. I reread it several times myself. Because my name is Elizabeth I chose her childhood nickname Lilibet as my screen name here on WS. As Queen Elizabeth grew older, she looked so much like my mother, who died at age 92 in 2004. Unselfish duty to others was a driving force in both their lives. Queen Elizabeth inspired me to write my first poem. I was probably about eight. I only remember parts of two verses…
The Queen is good.
The Queen is fair.
The Queen is pretty everywhere.
And when the Queen is on her own
She takes her dogs out all alone…
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I will certainly miss her radiant smile, her colorful outfits, her steady and calming presence in times of adversity, and her sense of humor that showed up once in awhile. Her “entrance” at the London Olympics was delightful. What an amazing woman! I’m grateful we had her with us for so long.