‘We will meet again’: The Queen’s broadcasts after Princess Diana’s death and in the depths of Covid pandemic showed her wisdom and compassion in times of national distress, royal biographer ANGELA LEVIN writes in powerful tribute
Two of the late Queen’s broadcasts to the nation have had a lingering and powerful effect on me. One was on the eve of Princess Diana’s funeral in September 1997 and the other during the pandemic in April 2020.
A heartbroken nation were devastated by Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris and many had, in the turmoil, ferociously accused Her Majesty of being aloof and unconcerned as she had not immediately returned to London.
The truth emerged that she had chosen to stay at Balmoral, where she and Prince Philip went every summer, as it could help to keep her grandsons Princes William and Harry close and safe for the first few traumatic days.
When she returned to London, however wounded and distressed she felt, she acknowledged both the nation’s feelings and her own.
Speaking from Buckingham Palace she said with the upmost dignity: ‘We have all been trying in our different ways to cope.
‘It is not easy to express a sense of loss, since the initial shock is often succeeded by a mixture of other feelings: disbelief, incomprehension, anger — and concern for those who remain.
‘We have all felt those emotions in these last few days. So what I say to you now, as your Queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart.’
ANGELA LEVIN: When the Queen returned to London after Diana’s death in 1997, however wounded and distressed she felt, she acknowledged both the nation’s feelings and her own in a TV broadcast (left). Another major TV address (right) came when she spoke to the nation while Covid raged. About 24 million TV viewers watched her broadcast, this time from Windsor Castle
Her address had a similar grandmotherly touch when she spoke to the nation while Covid raged. About 24 million TV viewers watched her broadcast, this time from Windsor Castle.
She spoke with wisdom and compassion, hinting that in some ways the effect of the pandemic had similarities to World War II.
‘Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it,’ she said.
‘Many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones. But now, we know, deep down, that it is the right thing to do.
‘We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.’ She helped to calm the nation far more than any politician could.
While both addresses lifted my spirits I’ve often wondered how she managed to catch the mood so well when she spent so much of her life in cloistered palaces and castles. I believe much is a result of her childhood.
Her close-knit family gave her stability and happiness. She also saw clearly at the age of ten, when her uncle Edward VIII abdicated and her father unexpectedly ascended to the throne as King George VI, the difference between Edward’s irresponsibility and selfishness and her father’s loyalty and dedication — and she knew the route she herself would take. She did, however, live in a royal bubble.
From childhood onwards she was very close and hugely influenced by her mother Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth).
From childhood onwards she was very close and hugely influenced by her mother Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth). Above: Queen and Princess Elizabeth are pictured at the coronation of George VI in 1937 on the Buckingham Palace balcony. George VI was Elizabeth II’s father
Princess Elizabeth was also close to her father. Above: George VI; King of the United Kingdom, as Duke of York together with Elizabeth (the Duchess of York) and Princess Elizabeth later Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret
Princess Elizabeth’s father let her ride once she was three, a treat that led to horses becoming a lifetime’s passion. Above: The young princess riding her horse with her father
She taught her daughter to read at five, to be a devoted Christian and how to control her flashing temper. Never ‘shout or frighten’, she told her. In the last four years of Queen Elizabeth’s life such control served her well.
Princess Elizabeth was also close to her father, who let her ride once she was three, a treat that led to horses becoming a lifetime’s passion.
She equally loved dogs, especially Welsh Corgis, and sometimes had as many as 12 at a time.
Very young Elizabeth had her meals served by footmen dressed in scarlet livery. As she was educated at home with no classmates, it was hard for her to make friends, the more so as once she became heir to the throne each one had to courtsy and call her ‘ma’am.’
Despite this she saw through people from a young age but kept her feelings about them under wraps. Instead, her mother taught her social skills like how to be relaxed in adult company, often with role-playing exercises to pretend to be various important guests.
She was a naturally, obedient tidy-minded girl. At night she placed her toy ponies in a neat line outside the nursery, folded her clothes on a chair with her shoes underneath, and neatly folded surplus wrapping paper to use again all her life.
She was even delighted when she was given a dustpan and brush one Christmas.
There was, however, one major decision she made for herself when she bravely refused to obey her parents’ wishes.
She first saw Prince Philip of Greece in 1934 when she was eight when both families went to the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece.
They met again when Elizabeth was 13 and Philip was 18, when the royal family was visiting the Royal Naval College where he was training as a cadet.
There was, however, one major decision she made for herself when she bravely refused to obey her parents’ wishes. She first saw Prince Philip of Greece in 1934 when she was eight when both families went to the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece. They met again when Elizabeth was 13 and Philip was 18, when the royal family was visiting the Royal Naval College where he was training as a cadet. Above: The 1939 meeting between the pair at Dartmouth Royal Naval College
Eventually her father gave her permission, essential for a woman of her status in the 1940s and the couple married in November 1947, when her usually controlled expressions were replaced by a glowing smile. Above: The couple pose after announcing their engagement in July 1947 (left) and after their wedding (right)
The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen spend time with their children Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew in Balmoral in 1960. Their summer holidays in Scotland were always a special time for the Royal Family
The last photograph of Philip with the Queen was in November 2020, where the Duke and Queen looked at their homemade card, given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for their 73rd wedding anniversary
She fell in love, was determined to marry him and refused to take any notice of her mother’s attempts to stop her relationship with this penniless young man from a dysfunctional background.
It was courageous behaviour for a young woman at the time and revealed that deep down she trusted her own judgment and could stand her ground.
Eventually her father gave her permission, essential for a woman of her status in the 1940s and the couple married in November 1947, when her usually controlled expressions were replaced by a glowing smile.
Her mother’s displeasure didn’t last long. They spoke to each other every day until she died in 2002 aged 101. Elizabeth was heartbroken but there was also some relief.
Prince Charles and Diana’s marriage had broken down and Charles was back with the then Camilla Parker Bowles, much to the royal family’s displeasure.
The Queen Mother wanted nothing to do with her and the Queen had refused to go anywhere she was. Happily this changed after her mother’s death and the Queen finally agreed that Charles, then 56, could at last marry the woman he loved.
Having spent so much time alone as a child she had little idea about the parental love children need. Prince Philip had even less experience.
Elizabeth was 22 and still a princess when, in 1948, she had Charles. Anne came two years later, and she acceded to the throne in 1952 as a young mother of two.
She employed strict nannies while both she and Prince Philip disapproved of showing their feelings and were hands-off parents.
It couldn’t have helped that soon after her accession she and Philip left the two children for six months to go to the Caribbean (on a world tour of the Commonwealth) to celebrate the Coronation. There were no mobiles in those days and landline calls were difficult.
Princess Anne was always tough but Prince Charles, a more sensitive child, was badly affected and had an awkward relationship with his parents for many years.
By the time Andrew arrived ten years later, the Queen had flourished as a mother and learnt the royal ropes; she took eighteen months’ maternity leave.
When Prince Edward came along four years later she followed the then modern trend and persuaded her husband to be present at the birth for the first time.
During most of her reign when there was a choice between duty and motherhood, duty nearly always won. It was her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who called her ‘Granny’ or ‘Gran Gran’, that brought out her softer side.
Thanks to Prince Philip she was more flexible about leaving the Edwardian era behind and becoming more modern.
He persuaded her, against huge opposition, to have the Coronation televised; 20 million people tuned in and it was a huge success.
She subsequently televised her annual Christmas broadcast too. I’ve always been riveted by which family photographs were placed on her desk, which gave an idea of who was in and who was out within the family.
She volunteered to pay tax in 1993, in 2012 agreed that the laws of succession should be changed so that the firstborn child would be next in line to the throne regardless of its gender and learnt how to Zoom during the pandemic.
It was heart breaking for her, a devoted Christian, when in 1992 Charles and Diana, who were completely incompatible, announced their decision to separate. Prince Andrew, and his wife, Sarah Ferguson, also separated and Anne divorced her husband, Mark Phillips.
Late that year, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, destroying more than 100 rooms. The Queen referred to her sadness and called it an ‘Annus Horribilis’, Latin for ‘a horrible year.’
It was heart breaking for her, a devoted Christian, when in 1992 Charles and Diana, who were completely incompatible, announced their decision to separate. above: The pair during a service held to commemorate the 59 British soldiers killed in action during the Korean, November 3, 1992
Late in 1992, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle, destroying more than 100 rooms. The Queen referred to her sadness and called it an ‘Annus Horribilis’, Latin for ‘a horrible year’
She went all out for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018 at Windsor Castle, agreeing to many changes in protocol for his marriage to a divorced and demanding biracial American actress.
Though the Queen reportedly gave quick approval to the match and asked some of her most loyal aides to show Meghan the ropes, she put her foot down and refused Meghan’s request for a specific tiara.
The couple were furious and nursed a grievance that seem to blot out the £32m the royals spent on their wedding.
When Harry told the Queen they wanted to step back from being royal, she tried to smooth the way. The couple felt she was not acting quickly enough and in 2020, announced on their Instagram account that they leaving.
The Queen always loved Harry and wanted him to be happy so one can imagine how she felt. I admired the fact that she stuck to the decision that you can’t be a working royal and use your position for commercial gain.
She removed their HRH titles, Harry’s military appointments and public funding. Harry and Meghan’s anger and resentment led to an endless mudslide of accusations – often untrue – that made me feel extremely sorry for the Queen.
In April 2021 Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, died aged 99. The funeral took place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their then newborn son Archie to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle
The Queen went all out for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018 at Windsor Castle, agreeing to many changes in protocol for his marriage to a divorced and demanding biracial American actress
Because of coronavirus restrictions, only 30 guests were invited. The Queen, wearing a compulsory mask, sat by herself in the chapel, a symbol of her loneliness and grief. The image of her bent figure and watery eyes will always haunt me.
Although the Queen was worth around £300m, she was also thrifty — another legacy from her childhood. She had no interest in regularly upgrading her palaces and was not bothered by rather threadbare carpets.
She wanted lights turned off in unused rooms and had ordinary electric space heaters that costs about £30 at Buckingham Palace and Balmoral to keep guests warm. She didn’t throw away worn-out gloves; they were repaired instead.
She changed the heels of her shoes when they were worn-out to cut down the number of new shoes she needed. One of the indulgences she allowed herself was a Launer handbag. She had 220, each one costing more than £1,000.
The memory I will treasure most of all is that although she took her sense of duty very seriously it didn’t apply to herself.
She retained a lively sense of humour and was brilliant at mimicking others. Once, when Prince Philip returned from a long overseas tour with a beard, the Queen greeted him sporting a false one.
In April 2021 Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, died aged 99. The funeral took place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Because of coronavirus restrictions, only 30 guests were invited
The Queen, wearing a compulsory mask, sat by herself in the chapel, a symbol of her loneliness and grief. The image of her bent figure and watery eyes will always haunt me
She got involved with the James Bond spoof for the London Olympics in August 2012 when someone who impersonated her ‘leapt’ into the stadium via a parachute.
Best of all, during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the summer of 2022, she had a hilarious televised tea with Paddington Bear.
She even opened her handbag to show him that she kept a marmalade sandwich inside. It was a tongue-in-cheek answer to a regular question over several decades about what she kept in her ever-present handbag.
At the start of her Platinum Jubilee year she unexpectedly expressed her ‘sincere wish’ that Camilla would be known as Queen Consort when the Prince of Wales became king.
She got involved with the James Bond spoof for the London Olympics in August 2012 when someone who impersonated her ‘leapt’ into the stadium via a parachute
During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the summer of 2022, she had a hilarious televised tea with Paddington Bear
On the last day of the hugely successful celebrations the Queen, who was suffering mobility issues, was persuaded by Prince Charles to join the family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. She wore a bright green coat and hat as she stood close to three generations of royal heirs: Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George
I saw it as a bit of tidying-up that would finally end a controversy that had raged since Charles and Camilla’s marriage in 2005.
On the last day of the hugely successful celebrations the Queen, who was suffering mobility issues, was persuaded by Prince Charles to join the family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
She wore a bright green coat and hat as she stood close to three generations of royal heirs: Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George.
All her life her aim was that the Monarchy would continue after her and there they were altogether for all to see. What she might not have anticipated was the love and respect shown by tens of thousands of people below waving Union Jacks and cheering their beloved Queen. May she rest in peace.
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