Greg Jordan: Queen Elizabeth's passing is a reminder of why we should cherish those we love

Sep. 22—On Sept. 8, we kept seeing news bulletins about the health of Queen Elizabeth II. Her doctors were "concerned."

A classic British understatement, I thought to myself. Not much later, the news spread that she had passed away at the age of 96. Back when I was a kid, she was the first real royalty I had ever known.

Richard Nixon was the first president I had ever heard of. I remember my first-grade teacher handing out news bulletins and telling us about how we had a president. I didn't exactly wrap my head around the idea that day.

Queen Elizabeth, I believe, was the first time I had ever heard of a real queen. Until that moment, queens, kings, princesses and all those sort of folks were Walt Disney stuff.

I had heard of them the same way I had heard of dragons, but didn't think they really existed. Then I saw a kids' movie on television about a little girl who desperately wanted to see Queen Elizabeth's coronation and, more importantly, see Queen Elizabeth herself. She was told that she could watch it on television — many Britons bought their first television so they could watch the big event — but that wasn't good enough for this kid.

I told myself that I would have watched the big show on TV. Who the heck was this Queen Elizabeth lady, anyway?

Well, I gradually learned about the Royal Family and heard and read about their history and all that. I never really understood the Queen's job besides making public appearances, but many in her country loved her. The fact that thousands of people waited 10 or more hours just to attend her public viewing and pay their respects testifies to that fact.

And lately, I've been hearing more about her sense of humor. She actually appeared in a video having tea with Paddington Bear and in another with James Bond, played by actor Daniel Craig. She's even mentioned in the theme song of the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace." Basically, the song makes it clear that James Bond, Agent 007, works for Her Majesty the Queen.

We've all watched Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family go through good times and bad times. I mean, who didn't know about all that drama with Princess Diana? When Diana died after the crash in Paris, a family drama that normally plays out in private was broadcasted all over the world.

The queen came under a lot of criticism, but I think she tried to handle that crisis the old-fashioned way, displaying the stereotypical British "stiff upper lip."

Her parents and grandparents were from the Victorian and Edwardian Eras, times in British history when aristocrats were supposed to control their emotions to a stoic degree.

Well, the world has become a place where public displays of emotion are expected and even demanded in some cases.

Her life forms the basis of a show called "The Crown." I've seen one episode about her uncle, former King Edward VIII, who abdicated to marry an American divorcee and seemed to admire Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.

It was interesting and I won't give anything away, but let's say I've learned not to trust Hollywood when it comes to history or science. Screenwriters often pick the dramatic over the factual.

The queen's passing reminded me of all the family and friends who are now gone. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, longtime friends, dad and colleagues I had worked with for years were constants until they were gone.

I imagine that a lot of people in the United Kingdom never imagined that Queen Elizabeth II would actually die.

I think we all know that feeling when it comes to the important people in our lives.

Queen Elizabeth's passing is a reminder of why we need to cherish the people in our lives when they're still with us, as there will come the time when memories of them are all we have left.

Greg Jordan is the Daily Telegraph's senior reporter. Contact him at gjordan@bdtonline.com

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com