A monarch who sealed her place in history with a life that lasted 96 years and a reign spanning seven decades, the longest of any British monarch.
For so many, she was a constant figure in their lives, whether they realised it or wanted to accept it - someone that is at the moment being referred to repeatedly by commentators on news bulletins as “the nation’s grandmother”.
A strange dichotomy exists, between those who mourn the loss of the nation’s figurehead, someone who symbolised a type of dignified and composed leadership, a gateway to a bygone era of Britishness that is still so venerated and adored.
