She will be missed.

I have never been to England, but many of my family have visited.

We have extended family members who live in High Wycombe.

Chester, my dad’s uncle, met his wife Pam while serving overseas during WWII and although they did move to the states, where their three sons were born, Aunt Pam longed for her home country and the family moved back.

However, my Uncle Chester loved his home in the Delta and he and Aunt Pam and their boys would make annual visits to the states. And when they did, the Cowart-Davis clan would all meet up at my grandmother’s house in Cleveland, Miss.

I loved being around my great-aunt and uncle, listening to their stories and admiring their British accents.

I recall one story my aunt shared. During the war, she said, her mother had taken a parachute — apparently, they were easy to come by due to all the allied forces that made their way into the country by jumping out of a plane — and made herself and her sister bathing suits.

I was still a young teen when I heard Aunt Pam tell the story and as she continued to describe the bathing suits, I envisioned these wonderful white silky creations on my aunt, who is beautiful by the way, and her sister as they emerged from the ocean.

Aunt Pam said the swimwear had been lovely, but there was one flaw. When the fabric got wet, she said, you could see straight through it.

This had not boded well, she said, since they had been with their dates.

I am sure the incident was disastrous at the time, but as she ended the story all of us around the table listening laughed along with her.

While Aunt Pam’s stories of growing up in England mesmerized me, so did her elegance, just like that of Queen Elizabeth.

The Queen and my great-aunt are close in age, and I have often wondered if all British women of that generation exuded this trait.

It certainly seems in today’s culture, elegance has flown out the door. Sure, there are celebrity parties and award shows where the rich and famous don beautiful gowns. And there are local events like weddings and such that we Southerners will dude up for, but for the most part, it’s tennis shoes and t-shirts.

Maybe Queen Elizabeth had a pair of tennis shoes, but I bet she never wore a t-shirt.

With the passing of Queen Elizabeth, I’m not sure the monarchy will ever be the same.

King Charles III, in my opinion, has yet to exude the dignity and sophistication his mother did. And I’m sorry, but Camilla Parker Bowles is no Princess Diana.

Hopefully, when Prince William becomes King and Kate, Queen, the magic of the monarchy will return.

For the past couple of days, it has been interesting watching highlights of Queen Elizabeth’s life.

It’s still hard to fathom how a 25-year-old young woman had the fortitude, grace and intelligence to become an international icon that all have looked up to and admired.

Yes, Queen Elizabeth will be missed.