Millions grieve for Queen Elizabeth II’s humanity, not her title

It seems to me that letter writers Usha Nellore (“British monarchy and its legacy of imperialism undeserving of tears,” Sept. 13) and Maureen Martindale (“Affection for British monarchy is misplaced,” Sept. 12) have missed the point of the outpouring of grief for Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral took place this week.

There’s no arguing as to the harm caused by Britain’s imperialism over centuries: the slavery and disruption of people’s lives, the skimming off of wealth of the colonies and the underlying belief that the enlightened British were meant to be in control. And yes, the Queen might have taken steps to free the colonial peoples from British domination more quickly.

But today’s Britons, and indeed the world, are not glorifying regal pomp and circumstance or a “fairy tale queen.”

They mourn a flesh-and-blood leader of the 20th century, not a stuffy or imperious monarch but a vibrant woman whose quiet dignity, optimism and reassuring words — even as a teen when England was under attack by Nazi Germany — won her the respect and admiration of the free world.

As queen for 70 years, she steadied her nation as the Cold War went on and as the United Kingdom provided troops and trainers for the United Nations and NATO — and as tumult within her family created terrible headlines. Through the years, the Queen made it a point to visit the many nations of the Commonwealth, meeting not only their leaders but also the citizens as vestiges of British colonialism faded away.

It has been said that Elizabeth found some good in everyone she met. Now, at

96, she rests in peace, and the UK’s citizens return the sentiment, pouring out love and admiration not for the monarchy but for this very human queen they’ve known all their lives.