The Queen is dead.
The real one, not Nicki Minaj.
Just 48 hours ago, Queen Elizabeth was photographed meeting the new prime minister, Liz Truss.
The Queen, age 96, asked the Prime Minister, her 15th(!), to form a government in her name.
Americans look to the monarch of a government that theirs fought so hard to separate from with a reverent, but suspicious eye.
We know the concept of it would never work here – we aren’t parliamentary and never will be – but the sense of duty is one that is alien, mystical to our current culture.
You have a job – one that you didn’t ask for.
If you choose to leave that job, you doom your children and grandchildren.
The only way out of that job is your eventual death.
Everyone will be watching.
Meanwhile, Americans wish our elected officials would just retire, or choose someone to take their place.
It was always a special treat to see the Special Relationship between our elected leaders and the Queen.
She met thirteen of our Presidents, and according to one, enjoyed meeting them all.
Her role existed outside of politics, but revealed a keen political mind.
That sense of duty has driven the Queen since the day she took office at age 25 upon her father’s unexpected passing.
Seven decades later, and she was able to witness the Diamond Jubilee, a celebration of all things good about her and her reign.
That reign saw many breathtaking advancements in the way we live.
A former close member of her staff mentioned how continually curious she was about two things – technology and the people around her.
It was no small feat for her, as a young woman, to take up duties during WWII as a mechanic.
In later years, she took great delight driving folks around in one of her many British-made vehicles, to the delight of some and fear of others. The latter category included the King of Saudi Arabia, terrified of a woman driving him around palace grounds in 2003.
Through it all she remained humble, choosing simple meals, TV trays, tupperware, and gin drinks over the traditional pomp and circumstance.
Yet she always maintained a place for special occasions, and in a 1992 documentary, showed just how important she took the duty of a royal dinner to entertain visiting heads of state.
Another clip during a more recent interview shows her explaining the true difficulty of wearing the crown (it’s heavy) and illustrates her approach to the role – to be the best caretaker one can be, then to pass it on to the next generation upon God’s request.
Most of her contemporaries have passed, most notably her strength and stay, The Duke of Edinburgh, last year.
To have command of so much and yet able to enact restraint is a hallmark of a successful woman.
Long did she reign.
