The Queen

[tule peak timber]

I remember seeing the Queen up close. My dad was at the royal staff college, south of London. I was in grade school at Red Fox in my tie and blazer and was really a big deal to have the Queen come to visit our little school. After I got home, I told my mother about what an honour it was to have her visit and how everyone was cheering her. My mother responded "that's nice kid, now go upstairs and pack as we are moving tomorrow morning to Florida". The beginning of the Cuban Missile Crisis. What memories and how time flies. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I always respected her from what I saw and read about her. She drove for the military during WWII and her mom released her bodyguard to go fight and she just carried a .38 in her purse for protection. I always thought she was a class act. Sorry for her loss. I am confident she is now happy being with Phillip.

   I read where she was pretty frugal and would walk around the castle turning off lights in unused areas. She was doing an interview with a reporter and the reporters cell phone rang and the reporter was horrified and embarrassed and Queen E told her "You might better answer that. It may be someone important."

[Jeff]

My only queen connection was discovering her yacht and destroyer escort on home movies I was recovering for lime island, where she and Prince Philip toured the great lakes in the late 1950s.

[Andries]

She was a fine example of a true leader in the modern world, and she definitely was the best of a twisted trust fund family.
I don't think that anyone will ever respect King Charles III as much as his mother. 
The future of the monarchy in England, and in the Commonwealth countries, probably depends on how soon William and Kate become king and queen. They are a fine couple doing a great job with their royal duties.

[barbender]

She seemed a very humble person who really took the responsibility of service to her country seriously. A fine lady.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

It can't be easy to be the queen.   She showed class, poise and grace when ever we saw her.

[YellowHammer]

She's was a class act, the world will be a worse off place without her.  I heard on the news that her morning routine was eating her cereal out of Tupperware while reading a newspaper.  

[Stephen1]

She truly was a class Act and a Great Leader, one of the best in this screwed up world. May she Rest In Peace!

[SwampDonkey]

I can remember in old footage of WWII, the following day after an aerial bombardment, she came out and walked through the rubble and spoke. She said something to the effect: As you can observe, we are just as vulnerable to bombs as anyone else. She was only a teenager then.

[Jim_Rogers]

I saw a video where they interviewed a man who was a guard or something like that. He was dressed in normal clothes. And the queen was dressed in regular clothes, and they were out walking on the estate in Scotland where she died.
The ran into two hikers from the USA. Whom were just passing through.
They stopped for a chat.
She asked them what they had been up to and where they were going.
They told her.
One of them asked if she liked that area of Scotland. And she said yes.
Now neither of these USA hikers knew she was the queen. And neither her or the man told them.
One of the asked how long had she had been visiting that area.
She replied that she had been visiting that area since she was young girl.
He said to her: "oh, then you must know the queen?"
The queen replied that the man with her sees the queen everyday.
They were so impressed that he sees the queen everyday, that they wanted to get a picture of the guy with them. So, one of them hands the queen a camera and asked if she could take a picture of them standing with this guy. She did.
Then this guy said he'd take a picture of them standing with "the queen". But still didn't tell them that she was the queen.
Shortly there after the hiker when on their way, and they were never told that they were just with the queen.
The man said he would have liked to be there in the USA when they started showing the pictures around to their families of the nice couple they met in Scotland.

Jim Rogers

[rusticretreater]

My first career was working on automobiles so I always enjoyed the film of the Queen in her Uniform, talking about working in the motor pool and changing spark plugs and points on the army vehicle.  My kind o gal.

@Jim_Rogers The man was her protection officer Richard Griffen. He quoted the Queen as saying " I would like to be a fly on the wall when their friends tell them who I am."

[SawyerTed]

Through her death and the subsequent succession and ceremonies, I've been educated regarding her (The Monarch's) role and influence.  What I thought was just ceremonial has turned out to be so much more.  Elizabeth II handled it all with grace and wisdom.  

[Walnut Beast]

Pretty interesting and makes you think of how the disconnect from traditional ways, respect and honor is now days. You don't even know who a individual is now days. 

[kantuckid]

  I always respected her from what I saw and read about her. She drove for the military during WWII and her mom released her bodyguard to go fight and she just carried a .38 in her purse for protection. I always thought she was a class act. Sorry for her loss. I am confident she is now happy being with Phillip.

  I read where she was pretty frugal and would walk around the castle turning off lights in unused areas. She was doing an interview with a reporter and the reporters cell phone rang and the reporter was horrified and embarrassed and Queen E told her "You might better answer that. It may be someone important."

For kicks, Google: "picture of Queen Elizabeth changing sparkplugs" and you'll get to see her in live action. :D She was kind of cute back then!
Seriously said, I don't much belong in this thread as I'm not much on royals. I know that in my world there have been millions (and millions) of Moms around the world who have done more for their families than was ever expected of someone born into a royal British family.
My Mom worked in US Navy laundries during WWII until I came along. I had a bunch of "Rosie the Riveters" in my working life whom I suspect had more dirt under their fingernails than any royal person.  
 However, I 100% accept that many other folks held her dearly in a leadership persona. She was a class act.  

[Texas Ranger]

I was walking down a street in Berlin when a line of cars came up behind me, It was the Queen, Prince Phillip, Willie Brandt, and Konrad Adenauer in an open air limo.  I took pictures, of course.  I later heard it was the first royal visit to Germany since the war.

[K-Guy]

She was truly a remarkable woman, as a Canadian and a soldier I had to swear allegiance to her and her heirs. I cannot say that I will obey Charles as willingly or with complete trust as I did her. Right now I would say that the future of the royal family is at risk and may not survive his reign in power.

[Resonator]

My mom likes to knit, and was asked by a friend to make a tribute to the queen. All it needs is a little Corgi dog to go with it. ;)

[OntarioAl]

Fist off I am not a Monarchist that being said she was a class act.
Her children not so much and Charles cant hold a candle to his Mothers accomplishments he brings baggage to the position.
The grand kids even less with the exception of Kate she is a class act having a positive impact on William
Cheers
Al

[sawguy21]

I am not a monarchist either but have always admired the queen. She got her hands dirty during the war when she was needed and has been a very calm figure in tumultuous times since. As far as I am concerned the jury is out on Charles. I have never had much empathy for him, he always seemed a bit of a twit until I watched The Windsor's and saw the way he had been pushed by his tyrannical father. He seems out of his element, we shall see. I thought he might step aside and allow William to become a breath of fresh air in a very stale environment.

[kantuckid]

She was truly a remarkable woman, as a Canadian and a soldier I had to swear allegiance to her and her heirs. I cannot say that I will obey Charles as willingly or with complete trust as I did her. Right now I would say that the future of the royal family is at risk and may not survive his reign in power.

I've talked with Canadian soldiers and they everyone held the Queen in a heartfelt reverence. My attitude toward a UK taxpayer keeping them up is no in ignorance of those folks feelings, just my own way of thinking. Honestly, I'd not lavish as much on our own "leaders" given the chance to have a real say. 
Ours get the "royal treatment" too in another fashion such as the private jets home for long weekends and etc, etc,etc,.... 

[doc henderson]

It seems she was born into the position, and did what she was "born" to do.  It goes back so many years, and the only way to change course is to start a new country, like we did.  We also took land and destroyed culture and communities.  I believe in our constitution and it was was well planned.  It feels like we are being taken over by our leaders doing their will.  God save the Queen.

[WDH]

Post removed due to political content.  This thread in not going to the Restricted Board.  

[Jeff]

Post removed due to political content.  This thread in not going to the Restricted Board.  

And an added warning by me has been sent. No second chances. None.

[Dan_Shade]

I think the most impressive thing about her is that she more or less kept her "squabble worthy" opinions of day to day politics to herself and did a good job of not choosing sides. 

This is a good leadership example.