Michelle Obama’s arms are once again making news, this time for a friendly half-embrace of Queen Elizabeth (and HRH reciprocated).
I was unexpectedly moved by this gesture—perhaps because I grew up with a strong sense of the Queen’s iconography. My grandmother, who was rather well known on our small island (she worked with deaf students), was presented to the Queen when Pierre Trudeau was “in the house,” and the mental image of those two political rock stars with my grandmere has stayed with me.
In 1973, to celebrate PEI’s centennial, an island-wide art contest was held, and I received one of the medals for drawing the Queen enjoying a performance of Anne of Green Gables at the Confederation Centre.
I’m a little shy to admit this (in an *all about meee* sort of way), but the Queen has always brought back fond memories of my grandmother, as well as happy days in general (I also was awarded the Queen Elizabeth medal at boarding school in grade 12). So to see her smiling and (half) embracing Michelle Obama was a small touch of home.
I was unexpectedly moved by this gesture—perhaps because I grew up with a strong sense of the Queen’s iconography. My grandmother, who was rather well known on our small island (she worked with deaf students), was presented to the Queen when Pierre Trudeau was “in the house,” and the mental image of those two political rock stars with my grandmere has stayed with me.
In 1973, to celebrate PEI’s centennial, an island-wide art contest was held, and I received one of the medals for drawing the Queen enjoying a performance of Anne of Green Gables at the Confederation Centre.
I’m a little shy to admit this (in an *all about meee* sort of way), but the Queen has always brought back fond memories of my grandmother, as well as happy days in general (I also was awarded the Queen Elizabeth medal at boarding school in grade 12). So to see her smiling and (half) embracing Michelle Obama was a small touch of home.
**Image from Blockheadstamps.com
6 comments:
Our BC version of CBC's news was tonight full of speculation that a promised upcoming royal visit might coincide with the 2010 Winter Olympics here in Vancouver -- the monarchy, especially QE, still holds a special place in the heart of many Canadians, ex-pats too, apparently!
I would LOVE to attend some events during the 2010 Winter Olympics. If you come across any information on early ticket purchases, please give me a shout!
I think you'd find many of us who reside in the Commonwealth (republican or otherwise) have fond memories of Elizabeth Regina. She may not have been the best mother but she's a solid head of state with a real concern for her subjects.
Great story.
Thanks for sharing those memories... Did you read Alan Bennett's Uncommon Reader, in which he imagines the Queen falling in love with literature?
Very cool that you won the drawing award! Anne of Green Gables was always one of my favorites growing up.
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