Everything this week has been overshadowed by the death of Queen Elizabeth II who has been part of our lives for as long as most of us can remember. No-one, whether a supporter of the monarchy or not, could fail to be impressed by her dedication to duty - the extraordinary fact that she was greeting our new Prime Minister a mere 48 hours before her death.
It really marks a monumental turning point for this country which, as so many commentators have said, simply won’t feel the same without her. It was just a comforting constant that whatever was happening in the world she was always there.
Food and wine recommendations seem trivial by comparison and it just seems a bit inappropriate to do the normal Friday 5. So I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t.
Normal service will resume in a couple of days.
Very well put Fiona.
I agree about her dedication to duty (although I do wonder if having to ask Liz Truss to form a government might have been what did for her), and that historically this is a significant time.
But I’m afraid her presence did not comfort me in the face of the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine, or the economic catastrophe happening to the country, to name just three. That’s not a reflection on her – nobody in her position could have provided that comfort.
I didn’t know her, so I don’t feel any sadness at her passing, and frankly I don't see how any rational, emotionally sound person can genuinely mourn the death of someone who on a personal level was a total stranger.