I am a proud American, but I have always been an Anglophile. Today at 96, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral in Scotland. She was Britain’s longest reigning monarch. I think she was a complex woman, and although I didn’t always agree with the stiff upper lip of it all, I actually admired her, was a bit of a fan girl.

I do not really want to debate anyone on monarchy vs. no monarchy, look at all she accomplished in her life. Like her Great Great Grandmother, Queen Victoria, she live in a time of change. If you like history, you can appreciate this. If you are not a lover or student of history and just want to pooh pooh me, I can’t stop you.

I have friends who are Anglophiles who are not monarchists, they are anti-royalists. I spoke with one quite coincidentally today. And I liked the fact we could have a conversation about it because that is such a rarity today.

Now Charles her son is King Charles III. There has not been a Charles since Charles II who died in 1685. Charles I was beheaded in 1649.

Anyway, I am taking a few minutes here today to mark the passing of a woman who saw a lot of history. RIP Queen Elizabeth II

~ then princess elizabeth from her first radio speech at age 13 on october 13th, 1940.