It was her commitment to her public – and her insistence on not simply being a visible figurehead but one who engaged daily with huge numbers of people – that kept her in touch with public mood, spirit and interests. She travelled to 117 countries and celebrated the joy and interest of diversity – both across the globe and in her own country. She conducted herself with grace, kindness and humour, all while herself learning lessons daily.
These are the ones we learned from her.
Image: Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence, OGL 3, via Wikimedia Commons
Have A Strong Work Ethic
Calvin Coolidge once said, ‘Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On!' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.’ The Queen embodied this attitude. When she made her promise to serve this country for her whole life, she meant it. Even plagued by the mobility problems that were rather more serious than had, at the time, been let on, she ensured that she was present at the important moments during her Platinum Jubilee. She never retired, carrying on working until two days before she died as she asked her fifteenth Prime Minister, Liz Truss, to form a government in her name. And, many would argue, it was that work ethic that kept her vital.
Never Complain, Never Explain
Famously, The Queen’s motto and guiding maxim was to ‘never complain, never explain.’ The world has shifted since the dawn of social media and, now, sharing our deepest feelings in public fora is no longer unusual as it once was. Her conduct was a reminder that emotion need not be performative to be real and, in fact, that the opposite is true: a private life shared with our closest kin is a special thing to be prized. There was never any catastrophising to see here – only calm resilience and stoicism.
Wear Bright Colours
The Queen famously wore bright colours in order to be visible in a crowd at all times (she also insisted on having the interior of her car lit up so that her public may see her). There may have been a practical reason behind her sartorial choices, but her penchant for dazzling yellow, emerald green and vivid blue reminds us just how cheered we are simply by donning all the colours of the rainbow – though perhaps not all at once.
Make Time For Hobbies
The Queen was famously devoted to her horses. Over her life, she bred racehorses, hunters, sports and riding horses, polo ponies, Highland and Fell ponies, as well as Cleveland Bays for the carriages at Buckingham Palace. One of the most cherished bits of footage amongst fans and mourners is that of Her Majesty in the Royal Box expressing unalloyed delight as her horse, Estimate, won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. It made her the first reigning monarch to ever win it in the event’s 207-year history. And most importantly, it was a passion that contributed to keeping her engaged, energised and pin-sharp to the end.
Be Devoted To Your Dogs
The Queen’s many corgis were almost as regal as she was, even getting into bed with her as she took her pot of Earl Grey tea each morning. Much-adored, she subsequently had some 30 of them, all descended from Susan, one of her earliest corgis, whom she was given on her 18th birthday. But the love affair started with Dookie in 1933 who, despite reportedly being badly behaved, was much adored. As Rebecca Seales writes for the BBC, ‘As well as being the Queen's much-loved pets, the corgis were a connection to her father, and a more carefree time. Every puppy after Susan was a way of keeping part of that with her, and a reminder that life and dynasties go on.’
Be Grateful
That the Queen should have had good manners is hardly a surprise. Yet her expression of thanks always felt genuine rather than rote – something that was apparent from the first to the last. On the day of her coronation in 1953, she said, ‘Throughout this memorable day I have been uplifted and sustained by the knowledge that your thoughts and prayers were with me.’ And at the Platinum Jubilee, an event to give thanks to her for her long and devoted service, she said, ‘I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee. While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.’ They were heartfelt sentiments which, in a life so full of pomp, ceremony and deference, kept her head modest and her feet very firmly on the ground.
Be Constant
The Queen adored her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, from the first moment she saw him to the last. At their Golden Wedding Anniversary, she said, ‘He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.’ The image of her sitting alone at his funeral in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic is an enduring one: devoted, law-abiding, stoic. We could all stand to learn a lot from her example.
By Nancy Alsop
September 2022
