ELIZABETH – THE QUEEN

by Goolbai Gunasekera

I have always been devoted to the British Royal Family. This is beyond an unusual occurrence since my father is from India (a country known for its anti-British stance) and my mother from the USA ( a country not particularly interested in what Britain’s House of Windsor was up to in the 1930’s.)

Nonetheless, perhaps because of a few British friends, my mother got me interested in the young British Princesses and like many of my school contemporaries I was soon reading and exchanging books and pictures of the young preincesses, Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. After all Ceylon was still a colony and they were our Royal Family too.

It has been a life long fascination with the dazzling royals but never in my childish interests could I have imagined the farewell to a great Queen we have just witnessed in spell bound and unadulterated admiration. One of the greatest women of the century was laid to rest while much of the world were glued fascinated to their TV sets No other country in the world could have staged the glittering panoply of pomp and circumstance which dazzled us these last few days.

Never mind whether one is a royalist or not. Never mind if we are witnessing the last gasp of a dead Empire or whether we are seeing the start of a new Commonwealth of equal partners. Never mind that Britain is no longer a world power. We will never again witness a gathering such as we have just watched of Kings, Queens, Presidents, Prime Ministers, famous figures and a unitedly sorrowing people in one place as these representatives of the world converged on London to honour a uniquely loved and almost slavishly admired woman – Elizabeth 11 of Britain. Clearly this event has eclipsed all others

I never met the Queen as did many of my school friends who were presented to her at those famous garden parties. One friend, Malinee Samarakkody , was Dudley Senanayake’s niece, and as he was unmarried he took his niece with him for the Coronation. The same year, Malinee was at Ascot with the Queen in the next box. Seeing a lovely young girl in a sari the Queen smiled warmly. Malinee’s friends back home were speechlessly envious of course!

Then the Queen came to Sri Lanka and I watched from a friend’s balcony as she drove down Buller’s Road. She was the epitome of a lovely English rose. Later at Queen’s House, our Governor General, Sir Oliver gave a party for the important Ceylonese (we were not yet called Sri Lankan) and VIP’s of the country. My parents were asked (much to my mother’s pleasure and my father’s grumbles.) They spoke glowingly of her unfailing charm. Those presented to her cherished her personal words to them. And they WERE personal to each one. Queen Elizabeth always did her homework. Everyone who met her had a story to tell. Apparently even the servants wept as she said goodbye to the Queen’s House Staff.

Then let us not forget the Governor General’s party. Sir Oliver escorting the Queen passed through the almost reverent crowd assembled at Queen’s House. (Now Presidents house.) Prince Philip walked a little distance behind them along with other officials I suppose.

At that time Colombo boasted some pretty well known fashionistas and perhaps the MOST famous of them all was Yvonne Gulamhussein whose society doings kept witty writers like Tarzie Vittachi in full spate. As Prince Phillip neared Mrs. YGH she flung a scarf ( maybe a hanky) at Philip’s feet.

Stories vary as to what happened next. Some say Philip stooped, picked it up and handed it back. Others say he smiled but proceeded. Tarzie Vittachi had a field day. His account titled ‘LADY WINDEMERE’S FAN’ riveted Colombo’s readers and must have mightily pleased the lady herself who was the talk of the town. One wonders what the Queen thought of all this if she heard of it later. Her well known spirit of fun must have enjoyed the tale. My parents did not see the whole incident alas.

A few years thereafter my father-in-law was appointed our High Commissioner to Australia and ended his diplomatic career as High Commissioner to the UK. My mother-in-law had adored British Royalty all her life. As an Old Girl of Bishop’s College as well as its Head Student, she had been well trained by the loyal nuns of the school.

It was a custom at that time for the Queen to invite Commonwealth HC’s wives to tea once they settled down in London, so to Buckingham Palace she enthusiastically went, Apparently one was allotted half an hour for tea during which time the Queen would ask about family and generally converse on well briefed topics. In the course of that half hour the Queen told my mother-in-law that the Sri Lankan Embassy Residence on Addison Road had been a house in which she had played as a child. She asked if a certain tree was still there. It was!

After a memorable half hour for my mother-in-law, the Queen was reminded that her time was up. “Oh give me another ten minutes,” the Queen charmingly told her reminder. My practical father-in-law told his wife that the Queen probably made this gesture with every DPL wife, but to the end of her days she was quite sure that she had had experienced a specially intimate moment when the Queen graciously requested an extension of the allotted time. After seeing this warm hearted, graceful and exceptional woman’s life unfold before us these last few days, I am sure my mother-in-law was right.

When writing about the Queen one has to mention her family because a few of them behaved in total contrast to what she expected of them. Prince Andrew, supposedly in tow with pedophiles like Jeffry Epstein and other questionable characters must have saddened her greatly.

“Andrew is an oaf,” said one of the people being interviewed and surely Prince Harry and Megan just HAD to be regarded as the one black spot in the whole funeral. Clinging needily to each other they were regarded as being ‘Plain silly.” One has to wonder how Megan had the audacity to attend the funeral at all after that lying interview with Oprah and all the falsehoods she uttered. Why did she want to be present when she knew she would be confronted with polite hostility?

The Queen was buried on Monday night amid an outpouring of grief from her subjects and the immeasurable admiration of the world. I am aware of the many critics and criticisms now swirling around. Let us forget them for the time. For this moment let us just remain awestruck and yes….even astounded…..by the likes of a woman who will never come again……a great English Queen. I end by saying that our own President’s presence was somewhat historic since his parents had been at another Westminster Church occasion.. Certainly his elegant and highly educated wife, Maithri, would have been the equal, if not the superior, of many women there. It was nice to feel a throb of pride.