The first time Catherine Oxenberg met Queen Elizabeth is one of her favorite memories.
The actress and daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia said, “Even though she’s a symbol of permanency, part of me can’t really put my head around the fact that she’s gone.
Oxenberg, 60, is linked to the royal family through her mother, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, and her grandmother, Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark, who was Prince Phillip’s first cousin. The Queen passed away on September 8 at the age of 96 in her Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle. The actress and author is now recalling her encounter with the monarch.
Although she represents permanency, I still have trouble accepting that she is no longer here.
She says that “I first visited Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen with my mother. I was maybe ten years old, but I don’t remember. I was quite uneasy. I also recall my mother attempting to curtsy to me, but I wasn’t very successful. And I asked my mother, “What should we discuss with her?” Since she is the Queen, I am unsure of what to discuss with her.”
“Just chat with her about horses and dogs, she said. That’s what I did when I was very little. Years later, I’m watching The Crown season one, and in this scene, the character asks the person by her side, “Why does everyone always talk to me about dogs and horses?” And I passed out from laughter because, well, that’s what my mother ordered me to do.”
At the Golden Jubilee Gala, Queen Margrethe of Denmark leads a moment of silence for Queen Elizabeth.
The actress has portrayed Princess Diana in the biographical plays The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982) and Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After, while her role as Amanda Carrington in the 1980s primetime TV soap Dynasty is most recognized (1992).
Years later, in 2018, she published a memoir on her struggle to free her daughter, India, from Nxivm called Captive: A Mother’s Crusade to Save Her Daughter From a Terrifying Cult.
How Jackie Kennedy “Was Impressed” by Queen Elizabeth After Their Private Lunch According to Oxenberg, life is always more complicated behind the scenes in a royal family.
It’s fascinating, she says. “You work for the government. You live in a fish bowl despite the fact that it appears spectacular from the outside after having sort of seen it from the inside.”
According to Oxenberg, the Queen’s 70-year reign as the longest-reigning British monarch and her life of selfless devotion set a tremendous example for future generations.
The fact that the Queen never retired is something I adore, said Oxenberg, a mother of three daughters. “She was fully immersed in her queenship, unapologetic about her authority, which I think is a fantastic model for every woman,” the author said. “She sort of epitomized that. She was entirely committed to her work.”
You couldn’t help but adore her, she says, “May we all transcend to our queenship. So that in itself, I believe is a lovely kind of paradigm.”
Personal Statement by Prince Williams Regarding the Death of His “Grannie” Queen Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, whose real name is Elizabeth Karageorgevich and who is a distant second cousin of King Charles, also recalls Queen Elizabeth.
“The Queen always projected a sense of calmness that was both calming and respectful. She managed to maintain a tiny distance from everyone and gave off a distant vibe. It was gratifying to look up to her for so many years without wanting to or needing to judge her, “she claims.
Karageorgevich continues, “It seems impossible to comprehend the departure of someone who seemed so permanent. In the chaos of contemporary society, “her existence was like a steady beacon.”