I am not sure that the very young and the anti-monarchists are sad, but judging by the 1000s of people that have visited her coffin in state, many of us are sad at the death of our Queen Elizabeth II. Some older people will remember a previous monarch, but those of us born in the 50s, 60s or 70s will only have lived under this Queen.

She has been with my generation throughout our whole lives – from the stamps we use to the prayers in church to the name of one of the best rock bands and all those Jubilee celebrations…. We are also old enough to remember how badly Charles treated Princess Di and therefore may have reservations about him as King?

Some say it is sad because she reminded us of our own mothers or grandmothers (even if they haven’t died yet). But it is perhaps more than that – this death triggers all our losses: past, present and future…. However it is ok to be sad and this too will pass.