Universal Grief
And the Loss of a Monarch
In the wake of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, there is palpable universal grief at the loss of this woman whom most of us have never met but who has been in the background of our lives for longer than most of us can even remember. No matter how each of us feels about the monarchy, the Queen’s passing touches a nerve that not only reminds us of the passing of time, but also twinges our own losses over that time. The grief is real.
As the world mourns together, there is again that wondering why we are so affected by the passing of someone we have never met. The answer is simple: we are wired to grieve change, loss, and trauma… and we are wired to grieve and mourn together. This is why the tradition of funerals is so critical to the grieving process for those left behind when a loved one dies: it is a time to stop, gather, share stories and memories, remember, and feel the emotions of loss and grief ‘together’. It serves as a healthy segway into grieving the loss of someone held dear.
As our universal mourning progresses through the coming days of official tributes and ceremonies in honour of the Queen, the reality of our loss will become more real and will allow us to begin to accept the changes ahead. We will process the memories and feelings that we hold towards the Queen and her role in our world. And likely we will feel twinges of our own losses, silhouetted against the passage of time felt by the loss of the Queen in the richness of her 97th year.
The grief is real.
As funeral professionals, our hearts are with all of the family and friends of Her Majesty who will grieve this loss deeply. We also hold close our fellow funeral professional colleagues who are serving the queen and her family, as they help the family to honour her unique life and great legacy. In the difficult days ahead, we will come together with our family, friends and colleagues across the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the world to celebrate her extraordinary lifetime of service.
Thank you for your service, your Majesty. We will remember you…
God Save the Queen.
The Queen’s funeral service promises to be highly personalized to best share the story of her incredible life.
