The short unhappy life of Elizabeth Windsor

Elizabeth Windsor died unhappy. She sacrificed an ordinary life to provide the United Kingdom with the monarch she felt it needed.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, who died aged 96, led a double life. She played the part of Queen Elizabeth II and was head of state to 150 million people. Elizabeth inspired Andy Warhol screen prints, tea towels, Beatles hits and poet laureates.

Elizabeth Windsor died today. She was born by cesarean section on April 21, 1926. Her parents were the Duchess of York and the Prince Edward. They lived in a palace with 25 bedrooms, a ballroom, library and an enormous garden. Elizabeth was brought up by servants. Margaret MacDonald brought her a cup of tea and washed her. She called her by her family nickname Lilibet. The Queen was an abstraction, like any other. It is almost impossible to find out who she really was beneath the hats and robes and jewels. There will be obituaries of the Queen today in the newspapers.