I woke up this morning feeling unexpectedly heavy-hearted, as if the sadness of yesterday’s news was still weighing me down. But then I remembered this beautiful portrait of the Queen by Eve Arnold, and rejoiced in how blessed we have been to have witnessed the Elizabethan reign, and reflected on my own good fortune to have visited her in some of the places that she held dear. It was abundantly clear that the Queen loved her country: the people, the landscapes, the wild sea that surrounds these islands, and the turbulent skies above us. Needless to say, the Queen never complained about the weather - of course not, because she was never a complainer. Hers was a life well lived; a long life, that encompassed the Second World War, the early death of her beloved father, the loss of her sister, her mother, her husband. Just as all of us must do, our Queen learnt that grief is the price we pay for love (such easy words to say; such a hard truth to understand). Yet her profound faith sustained her, which was reassuring - and her warm smile was always a joy to behold. Photograph of Queen Elizabeth II in 1968 by Eve Arnold @evearnoldphotographer @magnumphotos