Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

At the end of May I wrote a blog about the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. My focus of that blog was on service, writing, “Whatever your thoughts on whether we should have a monarchy or not there is no doubt that 70 years of service is remarkable. I accept that the Queen has had a hugely privileged life with access to wealth beyond the wildest dreams of many of us but she has also lived her life in the public eye constantly aware of her duty. The weekend of the anniversary of her accession to the throne in February – the anniversary of her father’s death - I admit that I shed a tear as I read the account of the news of his death being broken to her. This was a young woman who was required to return to Britain with the eyes of the world upon her as she mourned the death of a beloved father.”

I went on to say how important it is to celebrate service. Acts of service for others help keep society functioning, help to stop the vulnerable slip through the cracks, help those lost and in need feel seen and valued.

In the days since the death of Queen Elizabeth the theme that has come up again and again on the television, in the news and social media posts is that of service. The Queen saw herself as the servant Queen, servant to God and her people often signing off messages with “Your servant, Elizabeth R.”

This is a woman who was naturally shy and reticent and yet touched the lives of so many through her words and actions. She served her people right up until the day she died, continuing to meet government ministers, attend Privy Council meetings and dealing with those endless red boxes of government papers. I just can’t imagine continuing to work in any capacity in my 90s, never mind to that level.

Queen Elizabeth was a truly remarkable woman.

Thank you for your service Your Majesty.

I’m going to finish this blog the same way I finished the one in May –

Next time you have the opportunity to thank someone or even better praise them for the service they’ve given, do it. It’s so easy for us to get swept along by life and miss these moments.

And please take a moment to recognise the service you provide for others whether inside the home or outside, whether paid or unpaid. It matters. You matter. Let that sink in. And whether you choose to use the bank holiday to watch the funeral or not make sure that you recognise and acknowledge what you too give to the world!