The Queen

 My most recent piece mentioned the Queen, in the context of her appointing the 15th prime minister of a long reign. That seems now to refer to a different epoch. 

The pictures of that meeting showed the Queen looking distinctly smaller and frailer than before, with a livid black bruise at the back of one hand. Yet she was on her feet and fully lucid as she invited Liz Truss to form a government.

Two days later, without warning, the BBC interrupted their normal lunchtime coverage to commence a rolling news broadcast in which they had but two slim facts to report on: - The Queen was "under medical supervision and was comfortable", and that her family was gathering at Balmoral. No further medical reports were issued during the afternoon, and the media incessantly interviewed anyone at all who either knew the Queen, or knew something about her, or who had once been to Scotland on holiday and very nearly got to Balmoral, only the coach broke down, but if it hadn't they would definitely have seen, with their own eyes, a policeman on duty outside.

Nonetheless Mrs C and I watched because it was clear that this was not a minor illness, and at the age of 96, pretty well anything is serious. There was also a story about notes being passed to senior Ministers and Opposition members of the House of Commons in the middle of  a debate. We saw footage of aircraft arriving at Aberdeen bearing members of the royal family and there were endless shots of vehicles going in and out of the, now heavily guarded, entrance to Balmoral.

Soon after 6:30pm the media was cleared to bring us the announcement that we dreaded and the nation plunged at once into mourning. 

I am not a monarchist. Reliance on the hereditary principle has at times brought this country into a perilous state - the most recent being the near-fatal influence upon the weak Edward VIII by the Nazis. But the Queen, and her father before her, have undeniably served the best interests of the country and her passing is a source of deep sorrow. Charles, so often seeming a little gawky and out of place, has neatly slipped into his new role. His heir seems to be a thoroughly good egg. If we are to continue with the monarchy then we can do so with a fair amount of confidence.

I am pretty confident that many of the overseas "realms", such as Canada, Australia, Jamaica, Belize, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, will move towards becoming republics, free to do so in the knowledge that they are not distressing the Queen. This will not diminish Charles; it will correct a huge historical anomaly. 

The many tributes the world over have been touching and trigger unexpected emotions. I think the funeral of the Queen will be similarly cathartic. Afterwards I look forward to a "slimmed down" monarchy and, perhaps, a debate about the nature of the British state.