Local journalists reflect on the honor of meeting Queen Elizabeth II and covering her visits to Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Local residents mourned with the people of England on Thursday following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Those who had the honor of covering her royal duties, both across the pond and here at home, were especially moved.
"I cannot believe that she's no longer with us but I'm greatly honored that I was allowed to cover her," said Richard Mineards, a longtime royal expert and Montecito-based journalist.
Mineards became emotional while reflecting on the 45 years he's covered the beloved queen and the royal family, including her Silver Jubilee in 1977. He was assigned to cover the event while working for the Daily Mail during his last year in Britain.
"We were allowed to speak to her but what was said wouldn't be reported. I always found her a great lady. I was greatly honored to meet her. She was funny, she was a great mimic. I just cannot get over the fact that she's dead. I know we all die but I was hoping that we'd have her for at least another five or six years, coming up to her mother's 102 nearing 103. But sadly, it was not to be."
He alluded to the possibility of a broken heart.
"I think the death of her husband, Prince Phillip in April last year to whom she'd been married 77 years, had its impact."
Mineards said England will observe ten official days of mourning. The British Royal Train will travel to Edinburgh where the monarch will lie in state in Holy House in Balmoral, then taken to St. Charles Cathedral in Edinburgh for another lying in state, so the people of Scotland can mourn her.
The Royal Train will then travel to Buckingham Palace in London. Another lying in state will take place in the Houses of Parliament.
"The royal children will stand around the coffin for an hour or so, so the public can see them," said Mineards. "Charles, Edward, Anne and Andrew."
After the official funeral at Westminster Abby, where Elizabeth and the late Prince Philip married in 1947 and she was crowned in 1952, her coffin will be taken to St. George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle and lowered into the crypt below, beside her husband, and laid to rest.
"It's a wonderful place to rest and certainly her parents, George the V and the Queen Mother, are buried there. So, I think she'll be back with her family," said Mineards.
Mineards is hopeful that the official funeral will be a time of healing between Elizabeth's two estranged grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry. He speculated what the future of the monarchy will look like now under the reign of the queen's eldest son, King Charles III.
"I think we'll have a much more trimmed down royal family. Charles had stated that he'd like to see all the spending cut back because that offends a lot of people in Britain who feel the royal family are anachronism and unnecessary. And a drain on the taxpayer's money."
He spoke favorably of England's new Queen Consort, Camilla, and praised the late queen's decision to publicly support Charles' second wife.
"I think Camilla now is a very popular figure. Whatever problem she had, she certainly redeemed herself."
Her death will be felt worldwide. Journalist and local resident, Lou Cannon, touched on the late queen's visit to our area years ago and the international impact of her loss.
"I think the queen saved the monarchy and in doing so, saved the alliance," said Cannon.
The renown journalist and biographer covered politics for the Washington Post for nearly three decades. He also had the honor of meeting Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Santa Barbara in 1983, in heavy rain.
"That was really a harrowing visit," said Cannon. "Roads washed out. They had to switch from limousines to SUV's to get her to the Reagan Ranch. She said, 'We've exported many things to the U.S. -- I didn't realize we exported our weather!"
Cannon called Queen Elizabeth an "enduring symbol."
"I think she's an important figure, not just because of her title but her greater views about the importance of the western alliance and world peace."
Mineards was born the year Queen Elizabeth II was crowned and he said that she will always hold a special place in his heart.
"She was unique. She was an extraordinary woman and she reigned for 70 years. And, we'll never have another monarch in the years to come like her."