Photograph: England’s Queen Elizabeth II (Photograph courtesy of Justine Sebastien.)
CAROLA LILLIE HARTLEY
Publisher and Contributing Writer
We in the United States as well as people all around the globe were saddened to hear about the death of Queen Elizabeth, II, England’s longest serving monarch. According to television news reports, the Queen passed away peacefully yesterday while at her estate in Scotland.
As with the rest of the world, people in this area of Louisiana were also sorry to hear about the Queen’s death. But to one St. Landry Parish woman the news was especially heartbreaking.
“The Queen is home with her husband. But who are we without our queen?” asked Justine Sebastien, a citizen of Great Britain who is now a resident of Opelousas.
“I feel grief, like I just lost someone very close. I said to my mother today it was almost like losing a grandparent. She was like one of my relatives. Although she was 96 years old, her death was unexpected.”
“It’s been a pretty sad day.” She explained that sadness is intensified since she is so far away from her family back in England. “We all only knew her all our lives, we knew no other leader but her.” According to Justine, even in the 90th decade of her life, people had confidence in her decisions. “Now people there just can’t realize what life will be like without her. She was so much a part of our lives.”
Justine said it’s hard to explain how she feels about the death of Queen Elizabeth. She said the only thing she can compare it to is what it must have been like to citizens of the United States when President John F. Kennedy died in 1963.
She described how she often wondered what she would do when the Queen died. “That is how important she was to me. Coming to America I realized even more how important she was, not just to me but to the world.” “In a way,” Justine said, “as unrealistic as it sounds, I never thought the Queen would die.” Elizabeth was so much a part of the identity of England, and she doesn’t think England is ready to let their Queen go.
Why did she move to America, and to Opelousas? Justine said that was due to her meeting Jonathan Sebastien of Opelousas while studying at a camp in Pennsylvania. She and Jonathan started a relationship, and she moved to America to finish nursing school. The couple married in a drive thru wedding chapel in Las Vegas in 1998 and had a formal church wedding in 1999 in Greenwich, England. After living in other areas, she moved with Jonathan and their children to Opelousas several years ago.
Today she is a permanent resident of Opelousas and will one day be a US citizen as well. For now, she is still a citizen of Great Britain, and Queen Elizabeth was her queen.
What about King Charles? Justine said she and her family haven’t really talked about that. “I remember I heard there was a time when he did not want to be King. But apparently that all changed” she said.
What about Camilla? Justine said that was a sad situation for all involved with Dianna and Camilla. But now, according to Justine, Camilla may not be loved, but she is not disliked either.
So many things will change for Justine and her family and friends in England. She explained that over all the 70 years of her reign, Queen Elizabeth personally gave the Christmas Speech every year, except for two years — once when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and once when she was pregnant with Prince Edward. “That speech, “Justine says, “was a tradition we were accustomed to hearing during that time of the year. Now, what will the Christmas season be like, we just don’t know.”
Justine says although she never met or even saw the Queen in person, she is glad she did get to visit the palace. And she was able to visit her home country this year. That was special, she said, not only because it had been four years since she’d been there, but because she was there when there was a sense of celebration. That was due to the Jubilee of the 70th anniversary of the reign of the Queen. Although Justine was there a few weeks before the actual event, she said there was such a joy in the air, and it was a fun place to be.
How fast that joy and celebration has turned to sadness yesterday as the beautiful and beloved Queen Elizabeth, II passed away leaving behind millions to mourn her passing. And one of those is our neighbor, right here in Opelousas.
Our condolences to Justine and her family and friends.
May your Queen for the Ages Rest in Peace.
