The news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen at 96, surrounded by her family at Balmoral, brings to a close the longest reign in British history. A beloved head of the state, she earned the widest possible respect in the United Kingdom and throughout the world by putting duty first and by, at all times, demonstrating decency, which was at the very heart of her service. The still, calm centre of stability, she has been a constant and steadfast presence in an ever-shifting world.

Queen Elizabeth II was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor in Mayfair on 21 April 1926. Although not born to be queen, her future was sealed after her uncle, King Edward VIII abdicated, thrusting her father onto the throne and thus placing her next in line. Princess Margaret once recalled, ‘I said to her, ‘Does that mean you’re going to become Queen?’ She replied, ‘Yes, I suppose it does.’ She didn’t mention it again.’ Later, in what we would come to know as a hallmark of her selfless service, she made a promise in 1947 on her 21st birthday in Cape Town that, ‘My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.’ She was as good as her word. Following the sudden unexpected death of King George VI, she ascended the throne at the age of 25 in 1952.

Throughout her extraordinary reign, The Queen witnessed huge social and technological change, from post-war austerity to the end of the Cold War; from Britain’s entry into the EU to its exit. She oversaw the transition from empire to Commonwealth, and her reign spanned fifteen prime ministers, starting with Winston Churchill, and ending with Liz Truss, whom she appointed just two days before her death – testament once more to her tireless sense of duty. Mr Churchill had met the young Elizabeth long before she was Queen or he was PM. And yet still, she made an impression. In a letter to his wife Clementine after a visit to Balmoral in 1928, he wrote, ‘[She] is a character. She had an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.’

During the Second World War, then Princess Elizabeth demonstrated her early commitment to duty, joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She said later, ‘I began to understand the esprit de corps that flourishes in the face of adversity.’ When the country celebrated VE Day, she and Princess Margaret famously slipped into the crowds with their Guards officers, as jubilant as the rest of the throng. The act symbolised her down-to-earth nature, and that she stood amongst us in spirit, as she would ever after.

As well as a symbol of dignity, integrity and fidelity, The Queen was also a wife and mother who, in close circles, was known for her dry sense of humour, her passion for horse-racing and her talent for mimicry. While dignity was, of course, her trademark, she was also game: one need only look to her appearance with Daniel Craig as James Bond and, later, with a Ben Whishaw-voiced Paddington Bear at the Platinum Jubilee to understand both her humanity and her sense of fun.

Her Majesty The Queen has been a constant in our lives. Her Platinum Jubilee was testament to the adoration and devotion she inspired in the nation thanks to her dutiful service. She said at the time, ‘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.’

The embodiment of continuity, her death comes as a shock to the nation she served despite her longevity. Now, a people in mourning, we welcome The King and Queen Consort, who will remain at Balmoral tonight and travel to London tomorrow. His Majesty King Charles III said: ‘We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.’ Prime Minister Truss, meanwhile, called her ‘The very spirit of Britain’.

As the nation adjusts to a new world without our steadfast sovereign and the sun sets on our great Elizabethan era, we give thanks to HM Queen Elizabeth II for her extraordinary devotion to our country. May she rest in peace.

8 September 2022
By Nancy Alsop