I’m taking a break from my usual content this time because of the sad news we have had from Buckingham Palace in London about the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after 70 years on the throne. It is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that you need to pause and think about.
Although Her Majesty was 96 and we all knew the day would come when would lose her, it was still a shock when the news came. I think somehow we thought she would go on forever.
The outpouring of messages of condolence and praise for her Majesty from all over the world shows that she was the one person who truly transcended politics and other traditional divides and for most people, her departure is a great loss and will have an impact of some sort, whether that is big or small.
Personally, I am surprised by how emotional I feel about it. I have to confess, I did shed a tear when I heard the news. I think it's not only the passing of someone in the public eye who has had a huge impact on history, but also, that she has always been around. For anyone under 70, she has been there for all of our lives.
Whatever happened in the world, or in our personal lives she was there in the background. So now, it feels so strange to have lost that person who was the link with the past and the thread through all of our lives. It really does feel like the end of an era.
When you hear all the stories of people that have met her, they say she was always gracious, kind and considerate when meeting people.
But she was also a leader and, let's not forget, started in a time when women had very little place in leadership or business positions. In fact, their intellect and ability were seen as inferior to men. She was a housewife with two children and then was propelled into being head of state at the age of 25. She had what was effectively a business to run. And she never retired from that business. So there is a lot we can learn from her as a leader.
Firstly, she stuck by her commitments. When she was 21 she made a speech to the Commonwealth. She said 'I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service.' And that is exactly what she did, working and fully in control until the day before her death.
She led with kindness and respect. Those who worked with and for her have nothing but good things to say about their time with her.
She was hugely resilient during the well-known ups and downs of the royal family. She once said, “When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.”
She made her mark, her impact on the world and will leave a legacy that goes on for generations. She never gave up on her mission, her drive to do what she said she would do. Her unshakeable belief in herself and what she was doing for her family and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth, and in some ways the rest of the world.
Thank you, Ma'am, for your inspiration, your strength and your service.
You truly were the ultimate female leader.
