A Personal Message from the Curator of The Crown Courtier Upon the Death of HM Queen Elizabeth II

The the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II has not only affected Britons, but people all over the world. Her Majesty and her long reign have meant many things to many people. I live in the United States, a world power, however, not known for progress and more known for holding on to conservative traditions. Until recently, my country did not offer any women in prestigious positions for girls and women to look up to. As a young lady, I was intrigued seeing The Queen on television. As a young adult, the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton sparked my interest to learn more about The Royal Family. Over the last several years, through immersing myself into this 'royal world,' I have come to greatly admire Queen Elizabeth. To bravely take on the role of monarch at the age of 25 while she was mourning the death of her father and still a new wife and new mother. She sat at the head of the table when there were no places at heads of tables for women. The Queen was breaking glass ceilings before there was even a term for it. To be able to identify in her struggles of navigating family and duty. The Queen had no choice but to deal with difficult personal and professional situations in front of the world. She has shown that world the true definitions of dedication, grace, commitment, dependability, steadfastness, service, and poise. We saw this in her 70 years as queen and in her 73-year marriage to Prince Philip. She was dignified, consistent, and intelligent. Using her unique traits, she was able to create a place for herself among world politicians and leaders and become highly respected and revered. These are the reasons why Queen Elizabeth is one of my favorite women in history, and I had the honor and privilege of experiencing it in real time. Her Majesty was a badass. May she have been welcomed into Heaven by Jesus' loving embrace and reunited with her beloved Philip, father, mother, and sister today.