York Press column: Lessons We Can Learn from Queen Elizabeth’s Life
September 21, 2022
As the national period of mourning following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II draws to a close, we must now look to her life for lessons on service, duty and dedication to ensure the values that were the cornerstone of her incredible reign live on.
On her twenty-first birthday, Queen Elizabeth made a pledge that her life, whether it be short-lived or long, would be devoted to the service of her people. I do not think a commitment has ever been or ever will be kept so exemplary. Seventy-Five years after that public broadcast, Her Majesty put her service to our country above all else appointing her fifteenth Prime Minister, Liz Truss, only two days before her death.
Another hallmark of The Queen’s reign was her emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation guided by her deep Christian faith. She did this not just through words but by actions, using her platform to set an example for us all. This was never more apparent than in 2012 when she shook hands with Martin McGuinness as part of a visit to Northern Ireland to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Mere decades ago, such an occurrence would have never been imaginable but wherever she travelled Her Majesty always sought to reach out across divides knowing that we have more in common than divides us.
It was this ability to not cling too close to the past and knowing where to adapt that meant her constant presence in our lives remained relevant despite the world around us forever changing. Queen Elizabeth was queen regnant of thirty-two sovereign states during her lifetime and fifteen at the time of her death. She inherited an Empire and passed on a Commonwealth family of nations. While other European Heads of State clung on to their old-world view, Her Majesty encouraged the successful transition of many former colonies into self-governing nations that flourished as new allies. While as a constitutional monarch has no official role in foreign policy, it is undoubted that by setting a public tone for all the major historical events of the last seventy years she did more for our international relations than any single politician.
A key guide to understanding the lessons Queen Elizabeth can teach us is by looking at what her major passions in life were. Notably, Her Majesty supported over six-hundred charities covering a broad spectrum of specialties both at home and across the Commonwealth. In all, she held Patronages with over 70 education and training organisations, 60 sports and recreational organisations, more than 30 faith organisations and 40 arts and cultural organisations. Through these charities, she championed children, the elderly, hospitals, art and agriculture. You would be hard pressed to find someone without an affinity to at least one charity also supported by Her Majesty and it was through her dedication to serving others in this way she touched the lives of millions of her subjects each year.
While we have all sought some comfort in reflecting on Queen Elizabeth’s reign, Monday’s funeral marked the end of the second Elizabethan age. We will never know a greater public servant and, to paraphrase Her Majesty, the grief we now feel is the price we pay for loving a monarch who dedicated her life to us.
Life must undoubtedly go on and in future columns I will return to commenting on the issues impacting our city but for now I thought it important to offer one last reflection on an incredible life. It was an honour to be part of our city’s final commemorations on Sunday in York Minster and experience the shared act of mourning.
We owe a debt of gratitude for her lifetime of service, duty and dedication. Thank you Ma’am, for everything.
