It is the end of an era. Queen Elizabeth II has passed away peacefully at her home at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, Thursday, September 8th, 2022, surrounded by her family.
On this National Grandparents Day, September 11, we pay tribute to a legendary monarch, an adored grandmother, and a great-grandmother.
What a remarkable life Queen Elizabeth II had! Just four years shy of a century old and celebrating a Platinum Jubilee as UK’s longest reigning monarch, her achievements were astounding on the world scale. A servant to all, her kindness, constancy, and diplomacy will be forever remembered.
Queen Elizabeth II lived through 15 prime ministers. Her very first prime minister, Winston Churchill, was born in the 1800’s and her last prime minister, Liz Truss, was born over 100 years later! To say that she affected every decade is an understatement. There are very few people alive who remember another monarch in England!
In addition to her constant light shining over seven decades of reign over the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II was a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother who adored her family. She was grandmother to eight children and great grandmother to twelve children. Even though she was regal, her final moments carried such tender elements like any grandmother experiencing their last hours amidst their loved ones.
Balmoral Castle, where she passed away, was a family retreat where she shared time with her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren over the years.
“The property has been a refuge for the Queen since childhood, when she took part in favorite outdoor activities like salmon fishing and stalking deer. The lifelong equestrian also famously enjoyed horseback riding on the estate, even into her later years.” – Mackenzie Schmidt
Queen Elizabeth II will automatically become an honorary member of our Grandparent Merit Badge program. I will highlight some of her visits and outings with grandchildren that would have filled the pages of our merit badge book 10 times over.
Queen Elizabeth II, thank you for your exemplary service on the world stage. We so admire your family and grandchildren, and we celebrate your life by showing how you absolutely crushed the GMB book with ease!
The Badges are found in our Original Grandparent Merit Badge book.
Grandparent Merit Badge Book worthy activities from the years of Queen Elizabeth II (QEII):
Visit an Aquarian (museum)
a. Where? Sandringham Museum
b. Date Completed: 1988
c. What did you see? QEII took Peter and Zara Phillips and Princes William and Harry to Sandringham Museum and they played on the fire engine.
Play a sport
a. Where? Polo Match
b. Date Completed: 1987
c. What did you see? QEII took Princes William and Harry to watch a polo match.
Go Fishing
a. Where? Balmoral Castle
b. Date Completed: 1953-2022
c. Describe the fish you caught: Salmon fishing on the property with grandparents Prince Phillip and QEII
Write a Letter To Each Other
a. Where: Buckingham Palace
b. Date Completed: Every Christmas
c. How long did the letter take to get there? The King’s British post is very reliable, and they would have seen to the Queen’s letter arriving in a timely fashion, most likely 1 day, unless she had a courier deliver it personally across town.
Plant a Garden
The Queen Plants a Garden in NYC in honor of the victims of September 11th. This one is one of my favorites! It encompasses everything about our blog, a dedication to Queen Elizabeth II, her life, legacy, and National Grandparents Day and September 11! The trifecta!
a. Where? NYC
b. Date Completed: July 2010
c. What did she plant? A garden to honor September 11 victims! Today, visitors stop by the garden to pay their respects to the Queen and consider what a gesture this was for her to plant such a garden.
Read more about this wonderful tribute here.
Draw a Family Tree
a. Where? England
b. Date Completed: Ongoing
c. What did you learn? Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor is part of the House of Windsor. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are integral to the family tree and heir to the throne of England. King Charles, Prince William, Prince George, successors in line.
Have a Meal Together
a. Where? Buckingham Palace
b. Date Completed: Christmas 2021
c. What did you eat? “Salad with shrimp, roasted turkey, parsnips, carrots, brussel sprouts, and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert.” - Lakritz
Go Swimming
a. Where? Buckingham Palace
b. Date completed: 2013. According to Harper’s Bazaar, “there is a large indoor pool at Buckingham Palace where all the royal children, including Prince William and Harry, have learned to swim. It’s become somewhat of a tradition and it’s where George, Charlotte and now Louis, have also first taken to water.” – Bazaar.com
Queen Elizabeth II, may she rest in peace!
#queenelizabeth #queen
Sources:
Gonzales, Erica.
Kate Middleton Regularly Uses the Pool at Buckingham Palace. Published Dec 14, 2018
Accessed 9 September 2022
Lakritz, Talia.
Here's how the royal family spends Christmas every year. Published Dec 16, 2021
Accessed 9 September 2022
Schmidt, Mackenzie.
Queen Elizabeth Died at Her Favorite Castle, Balmoral in Scotland: Inside Her Beloved Home. Published Sept 8, 2022
Accessed 9 September 2022.
Wells, Leanna.
Queen Elizabeth's NYC Garden Honors 9/11 Victims with English Tradition. Published Sept 8, 2022
NBC New York – New York News, Local News, Weather, Traffic, Entertainment, Breaking News
Accessed 9 September 2022.
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