View from the riverbank: a passing to be mourned, a life to be celebrated

Some of our sponsors and partners, responding to our request for thoughts on the passing of The Queen, pointed out whatever people’s feeling, this moment in history is huge.

And as we look back over her time it becomes clear this moment, sad as it is, ought to be a time to celebrate the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

Given her personal tragedies, suffered in the glare of the world’s attention, the many threats to her personal safety and the importance of the role she performed, even those with no affection for her would have to acknowledge that it would take a remarkable human being to remain so widely adored.

It’s hard to think of a slip up in her 70 years, even though so much of it was highly public.

Who knows how she developed the skills but one thing is certain; her popularity has much to do with her ability to stay neutral in the face of all kinds of political pressures.

Even in the polarised world of recent times, no one really knew her views on the political landscape and yet she will have dealt with scores of world leaders.

Much as she was in the public eye, she remained an enigma. The one thing that people seemed to know about her was that she had a wicked sense of humour.

In a rare film clip where she met the former IRA chief of staff Martin McGuinness in 2012, he asked ‘how are you?’. She replied ‘well, I’m still alive’.

Who knows why she would say a thing like that in that situation but without that bit of mystery around her, her appeal would never have been so wide. How many historic figures were as adored as The Queen?

Her 2014 visit to Reading to open the new station, although brief, was a triumph as was the photoshoot (see below). Whoever thought of that colour contrast deserves a medal.

Now, we’ll at least have the Elizabeth Line as a constant reminder of someone who could rise above the goings on in the world.

It’s hard to imagine anyone who could have done a better job, let alone do it for 70 years.