The SL Team Share Their Favourite Thoughts & Memories Of HM The Queen
Georgie Coleridge Cole
Founder & Editor
“Over the last few days, I’ve realised just how dedicated HM Queen Elizabeth II was to the United Kingdom. To the extent that, as a wife and mother to two small children in the 1950s – a decade when only 1% of women in this country went to university – she, at just 25, became Queen. Hearing so many prime ministers talk about how much they valued their weekly audiences with her and the pertinent questions she asked; of how fondly they look back on their visits to Balmoral where she laid the table and Prince Philip cooked on the barbecue. To think that she read that locked red box every single night. She did all this for 70 years – she never had the freedom to retire. And yet, she never deviated off course and maintained her sense of humour until the end. It is nothing short of awe inspiring. Royalist or not, she is the ultimate role model. I feel sad she will no longer be our Queen, but at 96, I imagine she felt her time had come, she must have missed her husband terribly and probably thought it time King Charles III took over. I have no doubt she prepared him well.”
Charlotte Collins
Deputy Editor
“I often think our brand of comedy is what makes Britain so great – moments like when the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair joined Catherine Tate for an ‘Am I Bothered?’ sketch for Comic Relief is proof that even the most strait-laced of public figures share in our collective sense of humour. The Queen joining Daniel Craig in a Bond-themed clip to launch the London 2012 Olympic Games demonstrated not only that the most senior monarch could laugh along with the rest of us, but also that she could poke fun at herself and the Royal Family. How cheeky and incredibly game she was.”
Harriet Russell
Group Sub-Editor & Features Editor
“I was very moved by the surgeon David Nott’s story about his visit to Buckingham Palace shortly after his return from war-torn Syria. The Queen invited him for lunch, but he found it very difficult to speak to her or the other guests given the horror of what he’d seen. The Queen, sensing this, asked for her corgis to be brought in so she and he could feed them biscuits. They spent the remainder of the lunch petting, feeding and talking about her dogs, and Nott said he completely felt his anxiety and distress melt away. For me, it proves what a kind and compassionate soul she was. She knew exactly how to make people feel like everything was going to be okay – even in the darkest of times.”
Sapna Rao
Junior Fashion & Beauty Writer
"I didn’t grow up in the UK, but I’ve always had such a fondness for the Queen thanks to my parents and grandparents who adored her. It only goes to show how impactful she was, especially throughout the Commonwealth, and it's extraordinary that her legacy will travel down the generations. My own favourite thing about her is her love of animals. I loved seeing her face light up earlier this year at the Windsor Horse Show, and she couldn’t hide her delight after watching a cow parade, which was part of her 90th birthday celebrations. She simply mouthed, “Cows!” — it was so wholesome."
Heather Steele
Managing Lifestyle Editor
“The moments that stand out for me are the ones when the Queen showed genuine leadership. When she visited Grenfell Tower after the 2017 tragedy while others wouldn’t. When she sat alone in a mask at Prince Philip’s funeral because she was following the rules along with the public. She always understood the responsibility that comes with power. I respect that – like our new King – she gave up so many possibilities because she recognised that duty always accompanies privilege.”
Elaine Lloyd-Jones
Senior Fashion & Shopping Editor
“I remember when the Queen visited Singapore in 1989 – my parents woke me up in the middle of the night to see her wave from Britannia. And while we'll all remember her as the monarch, it’s the glimpses of the women behind the crown that I find so inspiring. It was a reminder that, despite everything, she was a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother, and we were privileged to see that from time to time. Giggling next to the Duke of Edinburgh dressed as the Grenadier Guard; starting her Platinum Jubilee celebrations with Paddington Bear; tending to her great-grandson Prince George at Princess Charlotte's christening. Despite all the pomp and ceremony associated with her reign, it’s her generosity and warmth many of us will remember.”
Rebecca Hull
Beauty Editor
“It's hard to pinpoint a single fondest memory of Her Majesty, although her Invictus Games promo skit with Prince Harry and the Obamas never fails to make me smile. What will continue to stay with me more, however, was her strength and resilience. She never allowed anyone to question her abilities, and undertook all her responsibilities with wit, charm and poise – something we can all hang onto seeing as she’s probably the last female many of us will see in this position.”
Amrit Mann
Editorial Assistant
“For me, the Queen is a style icon. Throughout her seven decades as monarch, she’s served our country and managed – at the same time – to inspire millions with her delightful, poised take on personal style. My all-time favourite look is the floral embroidered gown she wore to a royal banquet in Australia 1954. The entire outfit radiates elegance and glamour – from the white fur shawl to the grand diamond necklace and white gloves.”
Tor West
Wellness Editor
“Christmas day won’t be the same without the Queen’s speech. Every year at 3pm, our family would gather in front of the television (Quality Street in tow) to watch her deliver her annual message. A sense of comfort, hope, positivity and cheer, the Queen’s speech has been a treasured part of our family’s festive traditions for years. Her 2021 speech stands out in my mind – when the Queen spoke of the death of her beloved husband – while her 2020 message honoured health care workers and the challenges faced by Britain in the face of the pandemic. This year will be a little different – it’s the start of a new era.”
Georgina Blaskey
Home & Interiors Editor
“In the height of the first lockdown, I watched endless press conferences full of bad news after bad news, and hope was diminishing. I really missed my extended family, so when the Queen gave her national address and told us, “We will meet again”, it was as if my own late grandmother had entered the room and given me a big hug – along with a decent dose of British stoicism. Because the Queen had lived through so much, I drew huge strength and comfort from her words. I will remember her unwavering calm and the wonderful example she set to knuckle down and just get on with it – preferably with a smile on or your face (and a smart handbag on your arm).”
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