The Queen: We shall not see her like again
NewsLike so many of her subjects, I met Queen Elizabeth II on several occasions.
Each time, I was impressed anew by her courtesy, her kindness and her curiosity.
She always listened to what you had to say.
A great void looms.
She was not just a monarch, or a head of state. The Queen made each and every person that she met feel that she really cared.
Photo taken at a Jubilee party in 2002.
RIP, QE II, and condolences to each of her mourning subjects.
RIP is Roman Catholic , the Queen was a Protestant (Church of England). It is never used in the Anglican church.
Rest In Peace and rise in glory.
Because it was on that second trip to England that I got one of the biggest thrills of my life…I was introduced to the queen. You can’t beat that, not in Great Britain. (Count Basie)
http://azuremilesrecords.com/spiritlady.html
Not a subject nor a monarchist, but I have always greatly admired Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. She left the world a better place. RIP
Interested to hear how a complacent, clearly philistine, monarch, with a continuing commitment to offer ‘rewards’ in the name of ‘the British Empire’ (sic) has contributed so well to our wellbeing …
Read your British history! This is just insulting.
She was not a Wagner fan Maria, more a G & S.
The greatest Monarch our country has ever seen.
It was the privilege of a lifetime to sing for her as a boy and her passing upsets me deeply.
Oh God! Now we have King Charlie 3. After the examples of 1 and 2 I’m not expecting much…
It’s always a good idea to engage your brain before saying something stupid. In other words, try to always be positive and not an idiot.
What purpose does a ludicrously expensive, archaic, monarchy, evidently philistine to the nth degree, have to offer us?!
So insulting and judgemental, and not funny but cheap humour. This Charles is a great guy.
Britain will truly morn the character of the Queen once they realize Charles’ support of the WEF.
Perhaps this article could have been solely about the Queen at this time, or indeed, about her love of music. Yet another article on this website which deals either with NL’s self-promotion or else the promotion of topics (non-musical) which NL favours. This site is becoming worryingly subjective, and on many occasions, a platform of cheap gossip and tittle-tattle, not to mention inaccurate information. So much for objective, informative and factual journalism.
Well, if you don’t like this website start your own.
This comment comes from a staff member at Goldsmiths College, London, an anonymous snooper on this site.
I wonder if you have the right to post the details – in public – of someone who has commented. Appalling!
What is appalling is to describe yourself as a guest and then piss on the floor.
Are you thin skinned or what, Norman? A reader criticizes your attitude, and you say they are “pissing on the floor,” i.e. your floor. If you can’t stand criticism, you’re in the wrong business.
This is a public space, not a private one. And the comment from “Guest” is not hate speech.
Have you instead thought of learning from the criticism or responding constructively instead of lashing out?
Keeping it classy as always, eh?
Snooper??? A reader checks out a website, makes a comment… cant see how its snooping
Publically disclosing the identity of this person on the website – stooping a bit low, isnt it? Not even sure that’s allowed without their permission.
Norman, this is identity disclosure. It is illegal.
This is not the first time NL has doxxed a reader whose comments ruffled his feathers a bit too much.
This site explicitly permits and even encourages anonymous posting, so it must abide by its rules.
If it is illegal, I hope the reader sues.
So do I. This site is extremely tolerant of a wide range of opinion. We draw the line at those who abuse others from behind a shield of anonymity.
. . . and you dear Guest have no sense of decorum nor propriety.
Finally, this site is recognizing the Guest for who he is: a tetchy, malevolent snooper who always pries into the identities of other commenters and assures everyone that they are trolls the moment their views begin to contradict his.
I like personal reminisces. They add flavor to a memorial.
I keep re-reading this tribute, stopping at every adjective, and I can’t tell if it’s ironic or heartfelt.
You’ve got to be kidding. You must lead a very paranoid existence.
Do you also suffer from social-emotional agnosia?
Her voice and the way she worded things made it sound as if it came from a heavenly bliss.
From a USA reader – Many Americans loved and admired Elizabeth and mourn her loss. She left a legacy of decency and goodness and will not be soon forgotten.
Her reign lasted longer than my life and I feel like I have lost a beloved relative.
RIP
What is the purpose of Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses? I get their importance in Disney stories and history. But nowadays, is it time to retire such titles or is there something I’m not getting about their significance?
Sense of identity for the masses, symbol of stability, giving people assurance in frightingly fast changing times. A symbolic role, nevertheless meaningful and constructive, if the human serving in that role has what it takes.
The short answer is yes, you don’t get it.
I’m disappointed by some of the comments below. It’s natural when someone of such significance dies to offer any personal reminiscences. As one of the other commentators says, the Queen was there for the whole of most people’s living memory.
It would be interesting to know whether the Queen had any particular interest in music and, if so, what she liked.
It might be that she had wider tastes than you might expect. I hope it’s affectionate and not disrepectful to refer to Brian Blessed’s story about the Queen’s favourite film being Flash Gordon, and her asking him to say “Gordon’s Alive!”.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/aug/10/brian-blessed-flash-gordon-is-the-queens-favourite-film
Of course her favorite composers were Purcell, Elgar, Walton, Butterworth, and Vaughan Williams.
(hahahaha)
70 years without a scandal, not even an anecdote for the tabloids to report. That is quite something.
“God save the Queen” is sung of “The Defender of the Faith”. It is written:
JOHN 11:25-26: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
MARK 9: 24 “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
I’m a citizen, not a subject, and I don’t see how being listened to by a monarch would do anything to improve my life.
‘I don’t see how being listened to by a monarch would do anything to improve my life.’
I don’t see it either but I also don’t see why it should. Why the entitlement? Does the monarch owe you something? BTW this particular monarch was the _representative_ head of state. What you want is the _executive_ authority. The sovereign of a parliamentary monarchy has very few royal prerogatives left, most of them pro forma. You have correctly understood the situation – you are a citizen (of a democratic monarchy), and as a citizen you were called to do your bit during elections. If the current government doesn’t do anything to improve your life, vote the opposition next time. Your trouble will begin in earnest when you realize the opposition won’t do anything for you either. Still not the monarch’s fault. The days you could expect the monarch to have the power to do something for you personally are long gone. Incidentally, those days were the days people called themselves subjects, not citizens.
Meanwhile the social media chatterati are grabbing the opportunity with both hands, posting pictures of the Queen with or without dogs, horses, celebrities, and quotes. It is the first time I feel sorry for Charles. It must be awful to see your mother’s passing ‘consumed’ by every attention-seeker in the kingdom (and not only) annoyed with his own irrelevance, desperate for three seconds of online glory. Norman at least has met her, or so he says.
To make a historical comparison. Elizabeth I could speak up to 7 languages, including even some Irish phrases. Elizabeth II could only speak English and French. Elizabeth I could play the virginals and liked the music of Tallis and Byrd. Elizabeth II liked Gilbert & Sullivan and the London Palladium.
I think Charles III will hand over the reign to William V before long, he does not look very well at all.