“I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong… God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.”
Princess Elizabeth spoke these words on 21 April 1947 when she was just twenty-one years old.
Three quarters of a century later after her succession to the throne at the age of twenty-five, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reigned with dignity and grace for seventy years and fifthteen Prime Ministers.
Her first Prime Minister was of course Winston Churchill, born in 1874, while her last was Liz Truss, born in 1975.
The Queen’s longevity was truly extraordinary and she was without doubt one of the most remarkable examples of sacrifice and service that we are likely to ever see in our lifetime.
She reflected a traditionally British dignified sense of duty that was a powerful unifying force for the country during good times and bad, and that we are worse off without.
Today we live in a world where public discourse is consumed by cries of rights and entitlement. Society is increasingly shaped, not by outward-looking considerations beyond ourselves, but by self-interested minority opinion amplified by media outlets in need of fireworks and obeyed by politicians in need of approval.
The Queen was a unique pillar of fundamental importance because not only did she uphold our national traditions as the monarchy does, but because she was so unwavering in her selflessness, dignity and humility. She was a profound example to us all.
If we adopted and practised Her Majesty’s values much more within our own lives, we would all be better off very quickly.
Queen Elizabeth II will remain a proud symbol of our country and a recipient of our love and affection for the rest of time.
May she rest in peace. Long live the King.