As the entire world mourned the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II this last two weeks, I have spent time honoring her life and reign, learning more about her personality and leadership, and watching countless hours of television coverage.
I was home on September 8, 2022 and watching the news, as I had heard the reports of her health failing. When her death was announced and the national anthem played, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing or seeing; it was so surreal.
Once reality set in, I found myself weeping.
Her Majesty, the Queen
The Queen was a beautiful lady in every respect, a wonderful wife and mother, and an exemplary queen. And though I honor her role as the Queen of England, I most admire her character, her steadfastness, and her strong faith.
The beautiful sight of a double rainbow over Buckingham Palace just before her death was announced, and the sound of the crowd outside the Palace singing “God Save the Queen” right after, brought immense joy to my heart. Her life meant so much to so many people.
Days of Remembrance
Her Majesty’s funeral was quite touching, as were the many other events and processions leading up to it, especially the Vigil held by her grandchildren.
I watched the funeral processional and funeral service on television and read the Committal program. As I read and listened, I greatly admired the thoughtful prayers, Bible verses, and songs that were selected. Everything was quite fitting for such an honorable woman of such deep conviction.
Her Life
Like many of you, I enjoy exploring the many biographies, movies, miniseries, and documentaries about the Queen, the history of the House of Windsor, and the Royal Family. I think that we honor people best when we spend time finding out more about their lives, experiences, and history.
Below are a few of my all-time favorites. There are countless others to explore.
The Queen (2006)
The Queen, starring Helen Mirren, is a 2006 British film that depicts the events following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Initially, the Queen and Royal Family regarded Diana’s death as a private affair and thus not to be treated as an official royal death, in contrast with the views of then Prime Ministry Tony Blair and Diana’s ex-husband, Prince Charles (now King Charles III), who both favored an official, public expression of grief.
The Crown (2015)
As most of you probably know, The Crown is a fascinating and resplendent Netflix television series that follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and the events that shaped the second half of the twentieth century.
IMDB Trivia: “The series is one of the most expensive television series ever made. Each episode is budgeted at £5 million and it had already been commissioned for two seasons, with the intention of four more, before the first episode had even been completed, or any episode broadcast.”
The Royal House of Windsor (2017)
Drawing on newly available evidence, The Royal House of Windsor, an epic Netflix series, explores the Windsor dynasty’s gripping family saga, providing fresh insights into how our royal family have survived four generations of crisis.
I have watched this series twice, as so much of it was absolutely fascinating to me and my family. There was so much that we did not know about the Windsor family that helped connect many dots for us.
Listed below are several lists of other documentaries, films, and television series you might be interested in watching:
- 10 Best Films And Series About Queen Elizabeth II, According To IMDb (ScreenRant.com)
- The 8 best on-screen portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II (Independent)
- ‘The Crown’ to ‘Spencer’: 11 British royal family shows and movies to watch right now (Lifestyle Asia)
Biographies on Queen Elizabeth II
There are, of course, dozens of books you can read about the Queen, her life, her family, and her reign. I love reading biographies, but I have yet to read one about Queen Elizabeth II. I’ve been perusing these lists, in order to select 1-2 biographies I’d like to read:
- 8 Best Queen Elizabeth II Biographies to Get to Know the Woman Behind the Crown (SheKnows.com)
- Five of the best books about the Queen to read now (Harper’s Bazaar)
- 20 of the Best Books About Queen Elizabeth II (Town & Country)
- The best books to read about the Queen, from The Palace Papers to The Secret Guests (iNews)
The biography I’ve had in my Amazon cart for quite some time is The Faith of Queen Elizabeth: The Poise, Grace, and Quiet Strength Behind the Crown by Dudley Delffs because I have always admired and been curious about the Queen’s personal faith.
Book Description: “Discover the inspiring spiritual legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Sharing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of this notoriously private monarch, The Faith of Queen Elizabeth features intimate stories and inspiring reflections on the personal faith behind the Crown.”
Life and Legacy
If, like me, you enjoy learning more about Britain’s current Royal family and British history as a whole, I hope that this commemoration of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s life has been meaningful. Please comment below with your favorite shows, biographies, and resources so we can all learn more about her life and legacy. Finally, please share what Queen Elizabeth’s life and reign have meant to you.
RACHEL DODGE teaches college English classes, gives talks at libraries, teas, and book clubs, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling author of The Little Women Devotional, The Anne of Green Gables Devotional and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. Her new book The Secret Garden Devotional releases October 31. You can visit Rachel online at www.RachelDodge.com.
Jane Austen's World 
Rachel, this is a lovely tribute and, like you, I shed more than a few tears. Thanks for sharing. I think she’ll be greatly missed, even by those of us who aren’t part of the UK. She was an amazing lady!
She truly was an amazing lady!
I was stunned by my own reaction to the Queen’s passing. Thank God I’m retired as I’ve been unable to concentrate for a couple of days on anything else. I felt as if I lost my own grandmother, whom I loved with all my heart. Thank you for such a thoughtful and resource-loaded post… I’m saving it for future use. Her passing has awakened my interest in all things monarchial in Brittania… The world lost one of its most precious gems and yet, the honor and devotion paid shown during her funeral… the dignity, the sincerity, the order, the process… was all something that the fractured world needed to see in these fractured times… Even in death Her Majesty gave back… Her memory will be a blessing for years and decades to come…
Well said. I felt the same way, as though I had lost someone very close to me. She was such a solid, stable part of what often feels like a shaky world, and she will be missed!
A beautiful tribute, Rachel. Thank you!
What a wonderful tribute! That was a delight to read. Thank you.
I watched the funeral and committed services also. I found them both quite beautiful and moving. I especially liked when the piper played at the end of each. The scripture readings meant so much in light of the knowledge of Queen Elizabeth ‘s faith. I have a book my mother gave me for my birthday 6 years ago. It was a tribute to her 90th birthday. It is called The Servant Queen and the King she serves by Mark Greene and Catherine Butcher. It was then I learned of her sincere faith in Jesus Christ.
I pray that her family will come to serve Him as she did.
I want to read that book!
Enjoyed this very much, thank you. Even though I’m from the U.S., not the U.K., I greatly admired Queen Elizabeth II, especially how she participated in WWII. I was born in 1953, so she has been queen most of my life. She was a rock in an unstable world. She is going to be missed!
Wonderful tribute.
She was the queen during all of my life till now. As an American, I admired her a lot.
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