A loss felt around the world:
Memories of Queen Elizabeth II
The passing of Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor on September 8 was merely a blip in the wavelength of many Americans, but for others it was truly a day of sadness. She meant many things to many people, but no one can deny that as the second-most powerful world leader, she was known for, to turn a phrase, “keeping calm and carrying on.”
For many of us she was the face of England, as she served for more than seven decades. She was not only a figurehead, though, as she worked tirelessly to understand the intricacies of politics worldwide and provided England with a leader whose sound logic, exquisite attention to the details of tradition and stoicism were comforting. She was not afraid to offer a beautiful smile, nor was she frugal with her frowns if something did not set right with her.
When she was just in her early 20s, a few years prior to taking the throne, Elizabeth gave a radio presentation in which she said, “My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.” After becoming queen at such a young age, she immediately took to the position with a voracious attitude and willingness to learn, even though many thought it was not a job she really wanted … at least so early in life. Her uncle, Prince Edward, was heir apparent to the throne and did serve his country as such, but he abdicated that position, leaving it to her father, Albert, who became King George VI until he passed away in 1952. As King George’s oldest (her only other sibling was a younger sister, Margaret), it was no longer a choice for her.
The Queen said she loved “horses, dogs and people … in that order.” That brings us to her trips to Kentucky – two visits in the 1980s and one in 2007 for the Kentucky Derby. Each time she visited, she stayed at William and Sarah Farish’s Lane’s End Farm in Woodford County. The Farish family also have homes on Gasparilla Island, they own The Gasparilla Inn & Club and several other local commercial properties, and frequently contribute in many ways to maintaining the island’s historic integrity.
Farish met the Queen in the early 1970s through Prince Charles, with whom he used to play polo in England. The Queen and Farish were fast friends because of their love of horses, and of racing.
According to a piece written for the website America’s Best Racing, in 1984 the Queen attended a party at Lane’s End as a guest of the Farish’s, as well as about 120 invited guests mostly from the Kentucky horse- racing community. Mrs. Farish was quoted as saying that “It was the most wonderful week either of us had ever had … it was almost beyond words.”
In July of 2001 Farish was nominated by President George W. Bush as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He served in that position until the summer of 2004.
In May of 1991, a week after The Queen had flown home, her ship, Brittania, docked just off the Boca Grande coast and its officers spent a few hours on Useppa Island, mingling with residents and Useppa owner Garfield Beckstead (they came at the invitation of an island resident who had ties with the Royal Navy). Beckstead even made Admiral Robert Woodard of the Royal Navy an honorary member of Useppa Island, with a permanent invitation to return whenever he liked.
According to witnesses from the day Brittania came through the Gulf and docked off Gasparilla Island, there were people lined up along the beach to catch a glimpse of the impressive 412-foot vessel.
One local man, Rob Hill, recalled that day well. He and a few others went to go fishing in the area of the Pass and were told by some very official-looking gentlemen that it wasn’t going to happen.
“We were fishing off the beach, and they made us leave. I resisted leaving but was told that I would leave of my accord or in handcuffs,” he said. “It was not negotiable. They cleared out a good part of the area.”
Rob’s friend Christian Ruth used to live on Little Gasparilla, but he later moved to Cayo Costa. His mother was a distant relative of the Queen, and when she heard she was coming to America – and to this area – she extended an invitation for tea to the Queen. While the ship was anchored here, several dignitaries, representatives of the Queen, did in fact go to the house and have tea. She even received a thank you letter from the Queen afterward for her hospitality. “Mom was very excited about it,” Christian recalled.
