Queen Elizabeth II

Fulbrook Parish Council wishes to express its most heartfelt condolences to the royal family on the death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

In the most literal sense, the late queen was an icon; lauded globally, one of those rare people who seemingly stood above scrutiny. She succeeded in her role as monarch (at one time being head of state to 150 million subjects from Fiji to the Falklands) through making virtues of selflessness, loyalty - to the church, to the UK and broader commonwealth - and by refusing the trappings and twittering of celebrity.

In one sense she was an abstraction, a symbol. But yet, for all (or maybe because of) her immutability, we felt we knew her in a personal way that makes no logical but profound emotional sense.

We each have stories to tell and memories to share, and most will have seen new insights into her life on our TV screens over the past few days.

I hope they made you smile, and made you remember all that she did in providing steadfastness, consistency and above all, continuity over seven decades of global transformation. The new Elizabethan age has ended, and we now look forward to celebrating King Charles III as he steps to the throne and continues to provide leadership in his own inimitable style.

The Queen is dead, long live the King

Peter Burns

Chair, Fulbrook Parish Council