By Marie-Louise Gumuchian
LONDON – Queen Elizabeth was upbeat, recalled childhood reminiscences, and shared her anguish over the battle in Ukraine, says a Scottish clergyman who dined with the monarch simply days earlier than her loss of life.
As Moderator of the Common Meeting of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields was invited final weekend to provide a sermon on the native parish church Elizabeth normally attended whereas at Balmoral Fort.
She didn't attend the service, however Greenshields dined and lunched with the monarch whereas there.
“She regarded fairly frail to start with however she’s 96 after all… however when she sat down and she or he began speaking you knew you have been within the presence of the queen,” he advised Reuters.
“She simply had a outstanding potential to place you comfy and she or he actually had performed her homework. She knew who she was speaking to… and had a phenomenally good reminiscence for anyone of her age.”
These reminiscences went again to dignitaries she had met, a horse she as soon as owned and her childhood.
“I’m a minister in Dunfermline and she or he recalled that she owned a horse that was referred to as Dunfermline a few years in the past, I believe it was almost 40 years in the past… that had gained some races for her,” Greenshields stated.
“She went again to her time when she was very younger staying in Balmoral, spoke very warmly of her time along with her father and her mom there… I bear in mind asking her what number of nations she had visited, she couldn’t recall what number of however she actually then began speaking about a variety of individuals she had met internationally.”
Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a towering presence on the world stage for 70 years, died peacefully on Thursday afternoon after her well being deteriorated.
Requested concerning the queen’s temper throughout their meals, which have been additionally attended by Princess Anne and others, Greenshields stated: “Very upbeat, very engaged with everyone, asking everyone how they have been doing… and ensuring that everyone was being taken care of and have been at their ease.”
The dialog additionally turned to the battle in Ukraine.
“She spoke about how vexed she was about what was occurring in Ukraine,” Greenshields stated. “Clearly anyone who lived by a battle in Europe and to be seeing battle in Europe once more could be one thing that will be of giant concern to her.”
Greenshields stated he was stunned to listen to concerning the queen’s loss of life.
“There was no indicator that there was something actually severely mistaken and she or he appeared, for her age, (to have) loads of power and she or he appeared very relaxed,” he stated.
“So to listen to the information… stunning I believe is a foul phrase to make use of however one thing of that ilk.”
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