The Brit's passing of Queen Elizabeth has dominated the news I pay attention to for the last few days.?ÿ Although it has little to do with us over here in the colonies I was a little sad to read of her passing.?ÿ But such is life and the cycle continues.?ÿ My condolences to her family and subjects.
I watched photos of her over her lifetime.?ÿ She was only 5 years younger than my mother.?ÿ She was of a generation that 80% of us left here on Earth wouldn't understand.?ÿ I was particularly by photos of her in the countryside, riding and caring for her horses, complete with a scarf on her head and rubber mud boots on her feet.?ÿ One gentleman interviewed recalled her always walking her dogs and even picking up their dog poop herself.?ÿ Someone said those that knew her related she had always considered herself a "country girl".?ÿ This surprised me a little because she is usually portrayed with all the starchy honor and pomp they could muster on their side of the pond.
Someone that knighted Mick Jagger can't really be all "full of tradition" now can they??ÿ
I've got a desk drawer right here to my left.?ÿ I opened it up a few minutes ago to get a pencil.?ÿ I looked down in the corner of the drawer where dust and orphaned things collect.?ÿ I saw two coins and flipped them over to see what they were; a couple of old Canadian coins...with Queen Elizabeth's likeness on their faces.
The old girl really was a prominent fixture on this earth I guess, even over here in the States.?ÿ Today I should lift high a frothy pint in her honor.?ÿ Maybe a chorus or two of God Save the King is in order.?ÿ
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My wife was in PNG in 1974 when the Queen visited there.?ÿ One of her classmates just posted a picture of that day with the Queen descending the stadium stairs, with her classmates just behind the railing.?ÿ One of her classmates was sick that day and sad that she missed the event, so her mother suggested that she write the Queen a letter instead, and she received a letter back.?ÿ My wife said that before AU took over administration that the coinage used in PNG was British coin.
She also had good humor.
A news feed showed me a clip of one of her lesser relatives or high assistants relating the time when some tourist was impressed to meet him, wanting a photo op, and didn't recognize the queen herself, she not being in regal clothing. He said she went along with it and laughed heartily afterward about what the tourist would think when someone pointed her out in his photos. Good sense of humor.
She dealt with 13 US Presidents over her 70 years.
She was already Queen on the day I was born.?ÿ Who here will admit to that not being true for them?
I was just shy of 2 years old, so I don't remember the event. It does however seem like she was Queen forever though.?ÿ
She dealt with 13 US Presidents over her 70 years.
She was already Queen on the day I was born.?ÿ Who here will admit to that not being true for them?
I was born the year she was crowned, but later in the year.?ÿ My 87 year old mother in law lives with us.?ÿ She was a citizen of the UK until 1960 so the death of Queen Elizabeth has gotten her down.?ÿ We still have a "Union Jack" on the front of the car that she drove before giving up driving in 2020.
Long live King Chuck.
Andy
I know my mother's mother's mother was born to parents who both grew up in England, making me at least one-eighth English.?ÿ That's the largest definite ancestral home for me.?ÿ So, here goes....................Long live King Charles III
It was interesting watching the procession and service in Edinburgh this morning. I believe I may have a relative buried in that church or a nearby graveyard. A visit there just moved up my bucket list significantly.
A story of QEII that impressed me - at the end of WWII, on VE day in 1945, she left the palace incommunicado to join in the general celebrations in the streets of London. She was not yet queen then, just a 19 year old army ambulance driver.?ÿ
I noticed the former Prince of Wales always wears his kilts when in Scotland.?ÿ This was evident as he addressed the Scot Parliament. Out of curiosity today I googled "what tartan does King Charles III wear?".
I was truly surprised to see there are no less than two dozen tartans that are appropriate for the Monarchy to wear.?ÿ The grey one Charles III is seen wearing mostly was actually designed by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband in the 1850's.
And even more surprising there are gender-specific tartans for the royals.?ÿ Who knew?
Sadly I didn't see my family's MacTavish tartan on the list...oh well, we're used to it. 😉
I noticed the former Prince of Wales always wears his kilts when in Scotland.?ÿ This was evident as he addressed the Scot Parliament. Out of curiosity today I googled "what tartan does King Charles III wear?".
I was truly surprised to see there are no less than two dozen tartans that are appropriate for the Monarchy to wear.?ÿ The grey one Charles III is seen wearing mostly was actually designed by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband in the 1850's.
And even more surprising there are gender-specific tartans for the royals.?ÿ Who knew?
Sadly I didn't see my family's MacTavish tartan on the list...oh well, we're used to it. 😉
We visited Scotland a few years ago.?ÿ Edinburgh is one of my favorites places.?ÿ Very pedestrian friendly and lots of good dining and a "few" bars that have a sufficiency of whisky.?ÿ?ÿ
My wife picked up a shawl that was in the Princess Diana tartan.
Andy
