(OT) Queen Elizabeth II

[agate]

With the passing of the Queen of England after her 70-year reign, I wonder how many of us here had a chance to see her in person?

I did, once, in a very small way. She was passing in a motorcade, and I was among those allowed to be present among the crowd of onlookers.

It was in the summer of 1959, and I had a job in a dean's office right on the Chicago Midway. When the Queen was scheduled to visit, everyone was allowed to stop work long enough to watch. One of the professors brought his 5 small children into the office and they were allowed to sit in the open casement windows to get a good view.

I can only remember her waving from a car, and I think it was an open convertible, where she was sitting up high on top of one of the seats and waving. It was only a few moments of seeing the Queen but I did see her.

[funnylegs4]

That's so cool that you got to see the Queen! I live in the US but I am quite sad the Queen has passed.

[agate]

Me too, funnylegs. I liked her. But King Charles III may be nice to have around too. The Brits have their royals but all we have here is our celebrities: movie stars, sports stars, and other notables. They don't have to behave themselves. Of course some of the British royals don't behave themselves either (never have, in fact) but at least there are standards that are set for them. Our celebrities find that the more they misbehave, the more attention they get, and more attention gets them more fans....

[Virginia]

I liked the Queen very much. I never saw her in person, but I read a lot about her and can hardly remember a time that I didn't look forward to see pictures of her or seeing her on tv. I watched the first season of The Crown on Netflix and really enjoyed it.

[funnylegs4]

Me too, funnylegs. I liked her. But King Charles III may be nice to have around too. The Brits have their royals but all we have here is our celebrities: movie stars, sports stars, and other notables. They don't have to behave themselves. Of course some of the British royals don't behave themselves either (never have, in fact) but at least there are standards that are set for them. Our celebrities find that the more they misbehave, the more attention they get, and more attention gets them more fans....

Yes. The Royals have a sense of being a representative of England rather than just to be getting attention like Hollywood.

[Howie]

I am an American, and have German roots, so the passing of the Queen of England doesn't really have the significance as it may other people. But her age and the length of her rule were impressive. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!!

[agate]

I'm not keen on royals either but have to credit Queen Elizabeth II for lasting as long as she did and for setting an example for everyone during all that time.

Royals who are mostly figureheads are OK. Royals who have real power, as they do in some Middle Eastern countries (not naming any names here), worry me.

[Virginia]

Howie, in spite of your German roots Queen Elizabeth forgave them for bombing, not only London, but the very palace where she was living during the war. Fortunately, they didn't do a lot of damage to the palace.

[Virginia]

I haven't watched much of the news from Great Britain, but I am finding that I already miss the Queen. I miss her hats. No-one wears them quite the way she did. I remember the colorful suits with exactly matching hats and always the pocketbook on her arm and the gloves. Yet she could ride horses and go hunting and things you just wouldn't think of her doing. Of course there were her beloved Corgi dogs.

I am not a big fan of Camilla but I guess I will have to get use to her.

[agate]

Yes, those color-matching outfits! She was partial to pastels but occasionally turned up in a really bright color, didn't she?

I've heard that the crowns and tiaras she had to wear are actually quite heavy. She must have been uncomfortable a good bit of the time but of course she never showed it.