This is one of my favourite photographs of the Queen - taken by Patrick Lichfield - and I love the way it suggests her humility, as well as her kindness. I was incredibly fortunate to have spent time with the Queen at Balmoral and Windsor Castle, and my abiding memory will be of her affection for the people, places and animals that she held so dear. The Queen was the most famous woman in the world, and yet also intensely private. Her sense of duty was profound - she served her people with complete conviction - but she also cherished the time she spent away from public scrutiny, with her beloved horses and dogs. Their loyalty to her was unwavering, too; such gentle relationships had nothing to do with her status as monarch. With these creatures, the Queen could be the natural countrywoman that she was at heart, rather than the Sovereign of the realm. I feel overwhelmingly sad this evening - as so many of us do - yet I know that she will be at peace. Her faith was true, her constancy unshakable, and her spirit will live on, as will our admiration for Elizabeth the Great.