I felt her loss very deeply yesterday, as if she were a much loved relative. I think anything like this stirs up feelings from more personal moments in your life, like the death of a much loved parent.
I was in a train home from a day in London when I got the news, having been aware this might happen all day. The whole train carriage was respectful, despite the variety of ages and political perspectives, evidenced by their choice of reading material!
The Queen was always there, reassuring, in the background. She made a few errors of judgement over the years, but she came from a different age that was stoical and intensely private and dignified. She always had her centurion by her side and I think when he died last year, part of her died too.
I’m the main bread winner as well and your comments about ceding the domestic tasks ring true! I have always thought that I made the bed better than my husband but he’s definitely the better cook! We have had to work that out between us in the end...
I’m always fascinated by the amazing people you have met over the years Eleanor, and like you, I loved being an Elizabethan, but am looking forward to being a Charlian and always a Queenager!
So nice to hear men being celebrated for all their glorious ways.
My Mum and Dad celebrated 60 Diamond years and received their card from the Queen on the day she died. Having her card on the mantlepiece was lovely and sad all at the same time and we spent much of the evening with a hankie each watching the telly.
Our Queenager has gone, but I for one think our new Centurion will do us proud.
Lovely article! I’m very saddened by the Queen’s passing and the end of the Elizabethan reign. Going through mid-life events myself, I’m amazed at how the Queen managed all of the familial obligations and her duty...all in the most public way possible. She must have faced the inequalities of society, and somehow persevered. We’ll never see the line of her again. God bless the Queen.
The sadness I feel most about the death of the queen is that this era of a powerful woman, the second Elizabeth, in a time when women are still fighting for equality is over and in my lifetime there will not be another as the line of succession will give us three successive kings, their partners in the more traditional role of consort. Just the simple fact of not having a woman as head of state and sitting on the throne, seems sadly retrograde. Two Elizabeths, both in times when women were expected to undertake second place even if in reality they didn't do much for the female cause except by being at the top is something I feel is significant and now lost.
It will be one of those moments that you will always remember exactly where you were when you heard…I had just arrived at a conference where my friend was about to speak and her speech was delayed for the announcement. I felt a bit confused at first - I think a part of me subconsciously believed that the Queen was somehow immortal and would live forever! I too enjoyed being Elizabethan and agree, as I have said frequently in speeches and in writing, that there will never be true equality in the workplace until there is equality in the home. I’d debate whether it is necessary that we must choose one partner or another, or whether there can be cycles, or better partnership and business support to allow all of our most capable to take their place at wherever helm they are capable of taking…
Loved reading this and reading the comments as someone who lives across the Atlantic but grew up in Germany. I’ve always been fascinated by the Royals, especially the Queen and I was shocked and saddened as well when news of her death reached me.
Lovely piece! I have been really moved by her death. I’m 41 and I just always saw her as a universal grandmother. A strong matriarch like you say. A female knowing strength and softness. A symbol. ✨🕊🙏
I felt her loss very deeply yesterday, as if she were a much loved relative. I think anything like this stirs up feelings from more personal moments in your life, like the death of a much loved parent.
I was in a train home from a day in London when I got the news, having been aware this might happen all day. The whole train carriage was respectful, despite the variety of ages and political perspectives, evidenced by their choice of reading material!
The Queen was always there, reassuring, in the background. She made a few errors of judgement over the years, but she came from a different age that was stoical and intensely private and dignified. She always had her centurion by her side and I think when he died last year, part of her died too.
I’m the main bread winner as well and your comments about ceding the domestic tasks ring true! I have always thought that I made the bed better than my husband but he’s definitely the better cook! We have had to work that out between us in the end...
I’m always fascinated by the amazing people you have met over the years Eleanor, and like you, I loved being an Elizabethan, but am looking forward to being a Charlian and always a Queenager!
I really appreciated your newsletter this week; the female breadwinner perspective especially.
Thank you.
A lovely piece Eleanor.
So nice to hear men being celebrated for all their glorious ways.
My Mum and Dad celebrated 60 Diamond years and received their card from the Queen on the day she died. Having her card on the mantlepiece was lovely and sad all at the same time and we spent much of the evening with a hankie each watching the telly.
Our Queenager has gone, but I for one think our new Centurion will do us proud.
Lovely article! I’m very saddened by the Queen’s passing and the end of the Elizabethan reign. Going through mid-life events myself, I’m amazed at how the Queen managed all of the familial obligations and her duty...all in the most public way possible. She must have faced the inequalities of society, and somehow persevered. We’ll never see the line of her again. God bless the Queen.
The sadness I feel most about the death of the queen is that this era of a powerful woman, the second Elizabeth, in a time when women are still fighting for equality is over and in my lifetime there will not be another as the line of succession will give us three successive kings, their partners in the more traditional role of consort. Just the simple fact of not having a woman as head of state and sitting on the throne, seems sadly retrograde. Two Elizabeths, both in times when women were expected to undertake second place even if in reality they didn't do much for the female cause except by being at the top is something I feel is significant and now lost.
It will be one of those moments that you will always remember exactly where you were when you heard…I had just arrived at a conference where my friend was about to speak and her speech was delayed for the announcement. I felt a bit confused at first - I think a part of me subconsciously believed that the Queen was somehow immortal and would live forever! I too enjoyed being Elizabethan and agree, as I have said frequently in speeches and in writing, that there will never be true equality in the workplace until there is equality in the home. I’d debate whether it is necessary that we must choose one partner or another, or whether there can be cycles, or better partnership and business support to allow all of our most capable to take their place at wherever helm they are capable of taking…
Loved reading this and reading the comments as someone who lives across the Atlantic but grew up in Germany. I’ve always been fascinated by the Royals, especially the Queen and I was shocked and saddened as well when news of her death reached me.
Lovely piece! I have been really moved by her death. I’m 41 and I just always saw her as a universal grandmother. A strong matriarch like you say. A female knowing strength and softness. A symbol. ✨🕊🙏
Thank you for your delightful insights, Eleanor.