Tribute To HM Queen Elizabeth II

Local Memories of..HM Queen Elizabeth II

As the nation mourns the loss of HM Queen Elizabeth we thought we would share just some of the stories we have heard from local residents who have had the pleasure of meeting her, together with and a small look at some of the ways in which our communities have come together to pay their respects to our longest reigning monarch and to formally welcome in our new monarch, King Charles III.

Back in 2006, the Queen and Prince Phillip visited our local area after arriving by train at Arlesey, the first engagement for Her Royal Highness and the Duke of Edinburgh was a visit to Samuel Whitbread Community College at Clifton. The Queen officially opened the new building at the school while the Duke went on to visit Stotfold Watermill to see the work that had gone into rebuilding the Mill after it was so badly devastated by fire.

Many people will also recall Her Royal Highness visiting Hitchin Town Centre as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2012. The Queen was visibly moved by the throngs of people lining the streets of the town, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Royal visitor. Local children were invited to present the Queen with posies, two of these children being Lucy Mathieson from Stotfold and Kayla Ward from Arlesey (pictured below.) the Queen then went on to visit the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

We have heard some lovely antidotes from our readers on their own experiences of meeting the Queen including Nikki Lane from Stotfold who recalled “I saw her was when I was at Junior school and we went to stand down a country lane as she drove past. She waved and made us all very happy. ” Patricia Clegg told us “I was lucky enough to meet the Queen three times, most recently in 2014 when she visited Chelmsford where I was living at the time. ” “The other connection I have was that I was an officer in the Armed Forces for nearly twenty years, having joined the Royal Navy in the early 1980s. ” “When an officer completes their training and probationary period, they receive their commission. Mine is framed and hanging on the wall at home. ”

Local residents were invited to hear The Proclamation of Accession of King Charles III which was read out by Town Mayor Steve Buck in Stotfold and the Chairman of Arlesey Town Coucil, Cllr Steve Hamilton in Arlesey on Sunday 11th September.

A tribute left on one of our social media pages over the weekend we felt, seemed to sum up the thoughts and feelings of everyone as we all come to terms with the death of our Queen. Left by Esther Hyde it reads; “It feels like the heart of the country has stopped beating. Rest in Peace our beautiful Queen, enjoy the reunion with your husband Prince Phillip, whom you just couldn’t live without. ”

The wonderful flowers laid on London in tribute to the Queen. Picture taken by Jan Chellew.

The Queen opening the building at Samuel Whitbread.

RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II. 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022

Stotfold’s Lucy Mathieson hands a posy to the Queen in Htchin Town Centre