To “royal watcher” Lorie Lindsay, there has always been a fascination with the royal family.
“Just as a little girl, I always enjoyed the monarch,” the Z99 Morning Show personality said. “I think all little girls dreams of princes, princesses, queens and kings.”
When Queen Elizabeth II visited Saskatchewan in 2005, Lindsay had a chance to meet her, and lived out a part of the fairy tale.
“She was lovely, she was very beautiful,” Lindsay said.
As the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee, 60 years on the throne, royal watchers like Lindsay are also honouring her accomplishment.
“I visited Buckingham Palace for the last Jubilee (50 years), and it’s quite interesting going through and seeing the Queen’s jewels and the place, and really recognizing this isn’t just a figure head, this is an actual person,” she said.
Throughout the Commonwealth, people took time to honour the Queen, while also celebrating their own accomplishments.
On Monday at Government House in Regina, 32 people from Saskatchewan were among 60,000 Canadians who will receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal this year, given to those who made a difference in their community. Recipients included artist Joe Fafard, former Saskatchewan Roughrider George Reed and journalist turned Senator Pamela Wallin.
The honour gave Wallin a chance to reflect on what Queen Elizabeth II has accomplished during her time on the throne, like raising a family and staying away from controversy.
“I think she stands alone on the international stage,” Wallin said. “This is a woman of style and grace and elegance. She has overseen some very difficult times.”
Lieutenant Governor Gordon Barnhart is nearing the end of his term; it’s a role he held for over five years. But the Queen’s longevity is something he is in awe of, especially as she nears her 86th birthday.
“Her accomplishments have been amazing, in terms of the amount of traveling she’s done to bring the commonwealth together, to give everyone a feeling of the importance of constitutional monarchy,” Barnhart said.
Queen Elizabeth II was coronated in 1953 following the death of her father. She is the second longest serving British monarch, but she will need to hold that title for another three years and seven months to surpass Queen Victoria’s reign. And that’s another milestone many in our province hope to celebrate.
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