A Fond Farewell to our Beloved Queen

This has been a poignant month, as we say goodbye to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Life without our Queen is hard to imagine. She has been part of our lives for so long, and for most of us she is the only monarch we have known. Yet her life must be celebrated, and what an extraordinary life it was.

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She was the greatest ambassador for Britain and the Commonwealth, a steadfast role model who dedicated her whole life to duty with grace and poise. Her famous, infectious smile will be remembered forever.

England said goodbye to the Queen in a manner befitting her unique reign. Thousands lined the streets to say farewell, bringing an astonishing number of floral tributes to adorn pavements, parks and the Queen's private residences.

The language of flowers speaks volumes; flowers are given for every season of life, at births as well as final partings.

The Queen loved her gardens, and fresh seasonal flowers from them adorned all her homes, wherever she was. She was known for her fondness for white flowers, and lily of the valley and sweet peas were among her favourites.

In a touching tribute, the wreath placed on her coffin for her final journey came from her son, our new King.

He chose the flowers from the gardens at Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove. The striking wreath reflected the many colours of the jewels in her crown, and each flower carried a symbolic message.

It contained myrtle, the symbol of a happy marriage, cut from a plant grown from a sprig in the Queen's wedding bouquet; rosemary, for remembrance; and English oak, a symbol of strength, in recognition of the Queen's extraordinary strength and absolute dedication to duty.

Her last Christmas broadcast, in 2021, after the death of her husband that year, stays with me. She said, “Life consists of final partings as well as first meetings”. Looking back, those words are all the more poignant, a reminder that there is a time and a season for everything: a time to be born and a time to die.

Rest in peace, Your Majesty, and thank you for everything.