Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died. While some have groused about the long period of mourning for the Queen, I found the services quite moving and appropriate. 

She is the second-longest-serving monarch in history, for heaven’s sake. She was eclipsed only by the Sun King, King Louis XIV of France, who served for 72 years after ascending to the throne at age 6.  Elizabeth became Queen at age 25 and served for 70 years and 210 days, to be exact, something worthy of note and commemoration. And, oh my goodness, the Brits really know how to put on the pomp and circumstance, don’t they? 

I’ve no idea where they even store all the uniforms that everyone seemed to be wearing.  Can you imagine having to keep track of all those bits and bobs?  The medals, the hats with feathers, the tams, the kilts, the sailor’s caps, the livery, the special tack for all those lovely horses.  It was quite impressive and beautifully presented.  

Elizabeth has been Queen for longer than most of us have been alive. Her steady service to her country and her Commonwealth is impressive by any measure. 

Like Queen Victoria, she lived and ruled for many years and now her adult son will serve as King. At age 73, Charles III has had quite a lengthy apprenticeship. One wishes him luck, especially with those leaky fountain pens that seemed to give him such trouble last week. 

Why am I so fascinated with the British royal family? We as a species love stories, and theirs has been a very public one for so long. My parents watched her coronation on television.  I woke up early in 1981 to watch Diana and Charles get married and gave birth to my son later that same day.  We all watched that marriage fall apart and then grieved when poor Diana died.  We watched as Camilla and Charles finally made their relationship legal and then saw first Prince William marry Kate and then Prince Harry marry Meghan. 

There is always plenty of drama with this cast of characters.  It’s like the Real Housewives of the House of Windsor.  We just can’t look away. 

But the Queen was always there, calmly steering the Ship of State, a beacon of comfort in uncertain times. 

Now she has left us, after working right up till the end with a smile on her face.  Her dedication and steadfastness to her task and her no-drama approach to the work before her are a wonderful example for all. 

Let us pray that King Charles III serves his people as well as his Mama and that someone finds him a pen that doesn’t leak.