Rest in Peace Queen

[Elisabetta]

So sad to see the Queen has passed away at age 96.

[Big and Bashful]

May she rest in peace,

[STEVIE]

Agreed but also remember it is the United Kingdom that she reigned over.
No time for petty politics, a Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother has been lost to a family.
Steve.

[crfriend]

Damn. She was one of the very last of the world leaders who had a shred of integrity. The world is a poorer place now.

[Uncle Al]

Damn. She was one of the very last of the world leaders who had a shred of integrity. The world is a poorer place now.

100% agreement with this statement

A VERY sad day indeed


Uncle Al

[Fred in Skirts]

To our many friends from the United Kingdom here at the café, I wish you peace and condolences at this sad time. The Queen was one of the most admired people of our times and it is a tragic loss for the whole world. We all weep together.

God Save the Queen!

[Stu]

As a Brit, thanks for all the kind replies.

Am pretty old, but Queen Elizabeth had been on the throne for five years before I was born and we have seen so much of her that it's almost as if we knew her personally. I guess we came to think she would go on forever. I have seen her in the flesh twice - one time close up. She will be a hard act to follow and will be sorely missed by our people and others around the Commonwealth.

[Sinned]

Again thanks for the replies. The end of a grand era. The only downside is that all the terrestrial channels [0] have programmes on about her and her life. There is only so much one can take of the same things being said over and over for hours and hours. They even cancelled showing the NFL game. Thank goodness for satellite and streaming.

[0] BeebBeebCeeb1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

[Ray]

A sad day. She lived a life of servitude and duty towards her beloved United Kingdom and territories beyond its borders.

[moonshadow]

May she rest in peace and in God's love for eternity.

About a year ago I purchased one of those vinyl stickers of her that you put in the back seat window of a car. That sticker has brought smiles to a lot of drive through workers over the last year.

My neighbor had a friend who parked next to my car about a month ago and remarked how the Queen's smile brightened her day.

She was clearly beloved by many here in the U.S. Being on the throne so long, she became such a stable image in our culture. The heart weeps.

[rivegauche]

Yes, important to register that there has not been a king or queen of England since 1603. As far as I can make out the only people who refer to a Queen of England are Americans. My own take on this is that the person who was Queen was very skilled at the job but having a Head of State post that is hereditary is bonkers and has no place in a modern democracy. The UK is failing in other respects on that one but it is an argument for another time. Incidentally for us Scots she was never Elizabeth II (look at the post boxes) as she is our first monarch with this name - the naming tradition remains separate despite the Union of the Crowns. James I of the UK is our James VI. Our new monarch is not a man I particularly respect, but with this hereditary thing, just imagine - but for an accident of birth we could now have King Andrew.

There is a rhyme in Scots - it has been around for a while

Charles the First, he was beheaded
Charles the Second, he succeeded
Charles the Third will nae be needed

Incidentally there never has been a King or Queen of Scotland. They are Kings or Queens of Scots. In England, sovereignty relates to the land, in Scotland to the people. There are some very long-standing 'rights' in Scotland that relate to the Scots Crown, and these do not apply in Orkney or Shetland, because they came via Norway, where the Crown had different rights, and in certain circumstances - notably land ownership - Udal Law applies. It is all VERY complicated.

[STEVIE]

Only one other comment.
There is no need to be sad.
She lived a long life and experienced much change.
96 years of age and now back with her beloved Philip.
As for Charles III?
Steve.

[crfriend]

Only one other comment.
There is no need to be sad.
She lived a long life and experienced much change.
96 years of age and now back with her beloved Philip.
As for Charles III?

Well, we shall see on that last point.

To the departed monarch, from a human perspective you are absolutely spot on with all observations. The things that woman saw in the course of her life are mind-blowing. Ninety-six years is a long time for anybody, and as you point out, she's with Philip now.

From a world-stage perspective, the view shifts a bit, but through much of that she was usually the quiet steadfast voice of compassion and reason that in more recent times has been ignored. She did much to steady the rolling of the boat over the years, and for that she deserves much credit. I do not know what the legacy her children will leave, though, and one thing that disappointed me was that she did not oppose Margaret Thatcher and the neo-cons in the 1980s. Had she done that, the world might be a vastly better place now than what history has already recorded.

So, even from the Colonies, she was much admired and respected -- even though we suppose we do not have a monarchy.

To the hereditary aspect of the monarchy, it's important to note that the UK is a Constitutional Monarchy in which the assorted roles are laid out carefully and need to be heeded. Thus, Elizabeth II was a figurehead -- but what a figurehead! London Bridge, indeed, has fallen.

We shall see where the path leads.

[Kirbstone]

Queen Elizabeth endeared herself to the people of Ireland on a great many occasions especially through her visit to Ireland in 2011. She was much loved over here.

May she rest for ever in Eternity.

Tom

[Ray]

Rivegauche,

I agree - and it’s important to underline your point that the media in the US so frequently get it wrong when referring to QE2 as queen of England. It’s understandable that so many in the US simply pick this up through no fault of their own.

The Queen died in Scotland. Part of the U.K. a place she loved. Says it all.