How many times have I heard my daughter say, ‘I want to be a princess when I grow up'?
And my response has always been the same…’you don’t, you really don’t.’
Perhaps that’s not the response you were expecting, But, whilst my daughter was envisioning the fairy tale – the swirling gowns, the sparkling tiaras, the handsome prince - I was envisioning our Queen. Born into a life of public duty. Public service. Public scrutiny. A life not of her choosing.
Yes, we can add all the pomp and ceremony to that. The grandeur. The palaces. The luxuries. But there must have been times when the Queen would have done anything to swop all of that, to have been born anonymous. Because, unlike my daughter, the young Princess Elizabeth didn’t have the luxury of public tantrums. Of spontaneous trips. Of wild parties and regretful kisses. She couldn’t afford errors of judgement. And on the rare occasion she made one in the years to come, my goodness did she pay for it. In the press. In the public. On the world stage.
And the limitations of that life were compounded by the fact that our Queen was never born to be a Queen. It wasn’t what she’d signed up for on arrival in this world. Princess Elizabeth was born in April 1926 to the King’s brother and, together with her sister Margaret, was expected to assume a much lower ranking role within the Royal Family. The first decade of her life was spent very much outside of the public glare, sharing experiences which were not always so unlike yours and mine.
But that all changed in 1936 when her uncle abdicated from the throne, catapulting Elizabeth’s shy father George into a role he had never been schooled for – and thus transforming Elizabeth’s life beyond all recognition.
And yet, even at the tender age of 10, our future Queen was seen as unflappable. On the day her uncle abdicated, Elizabeth reportedly had been at a swimming lesson and gone home to write up her notes. When she was told her uncle had abdicated and her father would become King, Margaret had asked whether it would mean Elizabeth would become Queen. Elizabeth had answered ‘Yes!’ causing Margaret to exclaim ‘Poor you!” Elizabeth had then sat down composedly and written up her swimming notes, titling the page ‘Abdication Day’. It was indicative of how our Queen would face many a challenging moment during her long reign: ‘Keep calm and carry on.’
That was no more apparent than when her beloved father died unexpectedly in 1952. Elizabeth was just 25-years-old and suddenly forced into a role which she had not anticipated for many, many years. And despite the heart-wrenching, personal loss of her father, she was immediately thrust into a litany of public processions and speeches and ceremonies. She needed to be brave for a nation devastated by the loss of their King, and she did so, with a dignity and maturity far beyond her years.
Those were characteristics observed resolutely throughout her entire reign. Whether you’re a monarchist or not, it seems impossible not to respect a woman who dedicated her entire life to serving her people. Who lifted the nation’s hearts whenever needed. Who worked tirelessly well into her 90’s and, despite ever increasing frailty over the last few months, continued with important engagements, even receiving the new British Prime Minister just two days before her death.
My daughter won’t grow up to be a princess and for that, I am entirely grateful. But I sincerely hope that she grows up inspired by the example set by our remarkable Queen Elizabeth II. To be hard working, respectful, dedicated and humble. What a privilege to have lived through such a reign. Thank you, Your Majesty. We were very, VERY lucky to have you.
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