Death of a Queen

It’s amazing what can change in a week. Last week I was reflecting on the fact we had a new Prime Minister. We seem to have had a lot of Prime Minsters recently. Then, on Thursday afternoon, quite suddenly and mostly unexpectedly, Queen Elizabeth II, our Queen, died. In one way we all knew it was coming: she was, after all, 96 years old. But, I think, as a nation and individuals, we weren’t quite ready or expecting it to happen. But, it seems, that’s the way with death: we all know it’s coming, but it always takes us by surprise. Tributes have been pouring in about the life of the Queen. Despite the growing sense that a heredity monarchy is a little outdated, the Queen was greatly loved. The proof of that is the 3 mile queue to view her coffin as she lies in state in London, and the similar queues in Scotland when her coffin was there. And the stories of ordinary people who want to talk about how they met her, or knew her, or watched her, or followed her. Simply from the point of view of longevity, her reign was remarkable: 70 years, 7 months and 1 day! Her life was a third the length of the life of the nation of the USA and her reign a quarter on the length of the life of the USA! The first Prime Minister of her reign was Winston Churchill who was born in 1874. The 15th and last Prime Minister of her reign was Lizz Truss, who was born 101 years after Churchill in 1975. It is, simply, extraordinary. And I don’t have time in a blog like this, to talk about all the things she accomplished through her reign. Somehow, in a fast-changing world, with a changing view of monarchy and power and equality, a world in which we are re-interpreting history and challenging long held values and views of nationhood, her majesty, The Queen, managed to live with grace, compassion, kindness and a deep, deep sense of loyalty and commitment to her calling, which for her, was a God-given calling. I have been touched by outpouring of love and emotion, not only to the Queen, but to our new King, Charles III. And I don’t wish to take anything away from these things. I will be watching the funeral on Monday like you all will. What I wonder about though is how it seems we value some live above others. I know the Queen lived faithfully, loyally and with a deep sense of duty to her role as Queen and she did many remarkable things. And to celebrate her life and to mourn her in her death is absolutely appropriate. I wonder though about other lives, the lives of those who never had privilege, or opportunity, who never had the chance to make a difference, who lived in a war-torn nation and died prematurely through no fault of their own. I could go on, but you get the point: the many, many, many lives that will never be celebrated of even remembered. What about them? Queen Elizabeth II believed that she would one day hear the words: “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter the joy of the LORD.” Could it be that God will welcome others in the same way, whether their life was ever known or celebrated while they lived or when they died? I hope so. I think so. Because God is simply better than we are. And I have a sneaking suspicion that Queen Eliazbeth II would think so too.