he announcement on 8 September 2022 of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II came as deeply sad, if not entirely unexpected, news. Born on 21 April 1926, she ascended the throne on 6 February 1952 aged just 25 years old, following the untimely death of her father, King George VI. As the longest-reigning British monarch and the world’s longest-serving head of state, her illustrious and remarkable achievements in terms of service and dedication to the nation and the Commonwealth have been widely and rightly acknowledged. But away from the pomp and circumstance of her role as monarch, Her Majesty was at heart
