MEGASTARS

The People's Queen: 
An Unforgettable Smile

By Essam Farag

It was the grandest mourning procession Britain had seen since the death of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965. More than one million young and old, tourists and native Britons, monarchists, the apolitical and curious were present to pay tribute to the Queen Mother under an unusually glorious spring sky. They lined London's streets to salute the Queen Mom's cortege on April 5, 2002. They listened to the church bell that tolled every minute for 101 minutes in memory of the Queen Mother's great age and to the pure voices of the choir sing "The Lord gave, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord." She was buried beside her husband King George VI at St. George's Chapel. She was accompanied by 1,600 military men and women from Britain and the Commonwealth, and a procession of her grandchildren, great grandchildren and other grieving relatives (14 from the Royal Family). In a break with tradition for the Royal family, her 51 year-old granddaughter Princess Anne walked behind the Queen Mom's coffin dressed in naval uniform. It was the first time a female member of the Royal Family had taken part in such a ceremony. Some of the celebrities attending the church ceremony were US First Lady Laura Bush, Sultan of Brunei, Princess Caroline of Monaco, and Michael, the would-be King of Romania. Atop the coffin, beside her diamond-encrusted crown and a wraith of white roses and freesias with a card from her daughter, the Queen, signed simply, "In loving memory - Lilibet". This remarkable woman had suffered from bouts of severe flu and underwent several operations in the mid- and late-1990s, including one to remove cataract and two for hip replacements. 

The crown that sat atop the Queen Mother's coffin is a priceless melding of precious metal and jewelry that was fashioned for her to wear at the coronation of her husband King George VI in 1937. It was brought to the UK from India in 1849 and presented to Queen Victoria under the Treaty of Lahore. It has more than 2,800 diamonds in it, including the famous 105.60-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond. The Koh-i-Noor has a long and bloodthirsty history since it was first recorded in 1304 as the property of the Sultan Allah ed Din. Reputedly it brings ill-luck to a man but good fortune to a woman. Presented to Queen Victoria by the East India Company, the stone has been worn by her and by Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary.

In the order of service for the Queen Mother's funeral, Queen Elizabeth II selected an anonymously authored poem entitled, "She Is Gone"

Queen Elizabeth II (Official portrait 1999)

You can shed tears that she is gone
        or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
        or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you cannot see her
        or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and leave yesterday
        or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she's gone
        or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
        or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

 
(L-R) Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prime Minister Tony Blair

Soon after the death of the Queen Mom on Saturday, March 30, 2002 (one day before Easter), her grandson, Prince Charles mentioned that she was "The most magical grandmother you could possibly have."

British official and foreign dignitaries rained their praise on the Queen Mother. Prime Minister Tony Blair said that she was, "a dominant, unifying figure in our country's history, never more so than in the blitz. There is nothing false or complicated about the public response to her death. It is the simplest of equations. She loved her country and her country loved her. During her long and extraordinary life, her grace, her sense of duty and her remarkable zest for life made her loved and admired by people of all ages and backgrounds, revered within our borders and beyond."

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher noted that "Her death is more than a source of grief to the Royal family. It is an irreplaceable loss to the whole nation."

*  *  *

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was born in her family's estate in Heartfordchire, 50k.m. north of London. Elizabeth was actually Scottish - the ninth child of the 14th Earl of Strathmore, a descendant of Scotland's royalty but a commoner himself. She passed her childhood in her Scottish ancestral home of Glamis Castle. She was married in 1923 and crowned Queen in 1937 when her husband became King George VI. In 1952, she became a widow after his death from lung cancer. She also witnessed the coronation of her eldest daughter Elizabeth in 1953, who will celebrate her 50th anniversary next year.

When Buckingham Palace was bombed six times during World War II, she refused with her husband, King George VI, to leave the city. After Buckingham experienced air raids, she mentioned in 1940, "I am glad we have been bombed, it makes me feel I can look the East End in the face." This made the Queen a national symbol of defiance with biographers praising her role in lifting spirits during the war. In 1938, even the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler declared, "Queen Elizabeth is the most dangerous woman in Europe." She recognized that war would prove to be a great democratic leveler. 

But perhaps the Queen's most memorable attribute is a pleasant unforgettable angel-like smile that illuminated any room she entered. Some of her biographers have declared her smile reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. She was well-known for her flamboyant white-brimmed hats and for her love for light colors, beige, blue and pink.  Her grandson Prince Charles once said, his grandmother liked nothing better than dressing up and "queening it." When a trouble-making South African once approached her in Johannesburg saying, "I don't think much of royalty. I think South Africa ought to be a Republic." She replied with her magical smile saying, "This is how we feel in Scotland too, but the English would not allow it!"

The Queen Mom was a gentle extrovert, a lively and gracious lady who was patron or president of more than 300 humanitarian organizations in Britain and the Commonwealth.

She held a special fascination with cattle and horses and in 1949 she became interested in horse racing. Soon she was known as the "fairy godmother of horse racing." As a horse owner, she had more than 400 winners, but the most indelible memory of her five decades in this sport, is a loss in 1956 when her horse Devon Loch suddenly collapsed on his belly less than 50 yards from the finish line.

The Queen Mom left behind an extraordinary collection of jewelry including a diamond necklace worn by Marie Antoinette, and a $1.5 million tiara. She also owned a large collections of art pieces including a $30 million painting by Monet and many royal palaces including the House of Windsor. In June 2002, Millions celebrated the golden jubilee (50th anniversary) of her daughter Queen Elizabeth II reign, in which the Queen Mother was remembered. 

She leaves behind a unified country and Royal family, 
and an unforgettable smile etched in every Briton's memory. 

Condolences to the Queen on the death of her mother were global, coming from head of states, prime ministers, international figures and commoners. Here are some memorable quotes: 

George W. Bush (USA)

Jacques Chirac (France)

Adrienne Clarkson (Canada)

Kofi Annan (UN)

Vladimir Putin (Russia)

"She was a pillar of strength and inspiration to many people all over the world." 
- US President George W. Bush

"The French learned to love her during the somber and trying times when our two 
countries were fighting side by side for freedom. By her courage and her simplicity, 
she shared all the joy and suffering of the British people."
- French President Jacques Chirac

"Today we mourn the passing of the Queen Mother and we celebrate her long and remarkable life. 
The century for her lifespan was shaken with radical and sometimes violent change, 
but through every upheaval, she exemplified courageous devotion to duty."
- Canadian Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson

"Throughout her long life, her courage, kindness and unfailing good spirits had won her a 
special place in the hearts of countless people, not only in Britain but throughout the world."
- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

"Her Majesty commanded the sincere love and respect of the British people and 
of millions of people across the whole world."
- Russian President Vladimir Putin

"We all admired her. She was privileged to lead a long and rich life 
and served Britain with humor and elegance to the end."
- Swedish King Carl Gustaf

"She was friendly towards people, treated them kindly and showed interest in them. 
Everyone felt that, and that is why they found a place in their hearts for her."
- German President Johannes Rau

"We all share in grief at her passing, even as we thank God for 
her life that inspired and enriched so many people."
- Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa

"We are blessed by her full life, made richer by her presence and example, 
and feel a profound sense of loss that her extraordinary spirit is gone."
- Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien

"She was in every way a great and gracious lady, held in deep affection and respect."
- Australian Prime Minister John Howard

"...It is with great sadness and profound regret that we note her passing."
- New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark

"With her today goes the passing of a century, the passing of an age."
- Cormac Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster

"She was deeply loved by people of all ages. Every generation has taken her to their hearts."
- George Carry, Archbishop of Canterbury

"She wasn't just a symbol of Britain, she was a symbol of the Commonwealth 
and a symbol to the whole world of a system of stability."
- Wilbert Dick, former Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

"She had no agenda. That's why people like her."
- John Aimers, Chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada

She is one of the most amazing Queens since Cleopatra."
- Diplomat Harold Nicolson

"She was a marvelous lady. People will remember her for her kindness and the smile on her face."
- Gulzar Sahota, retired teacher in Hertfordchire

"She has almost become a symbol of all that Britain wants to stand for
...something safe, sane, stable and everlasting as the Tower of London."
- The Sunday Mirror

"Like the sun, she bathed us in her warm glow. Now that the sun has set and the cool 
of the evening has come, some of the warmth we absorbed is flowing back towards her."
-  The Globe and Mail.

"She is one of the greatest ladies, the greatest Queen of all. She is the heart of London."
- Aza Ali, waiter, London

"She loved Canada and we loved her."
- Carol McCanse

Buckingham Palace - London

Essam Farag, BA (Dalhousie) is a graduate student and teacher's assistant of international development at the University of Guelph, Canada. Email: essamfarag@hotmail.com

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