I had underestimated France’s affection for our monarch

The end that we knew must come eventually, the end we dreaded so much that we could barely think about it, was signalled by a momentously upraised forefinger, diverting our attention to an announcement on the French radio news station. The announcement was in English, live from Balmoral castle. ‘Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health.’

Previous medical bulletins in the past few weeks on the Queen’s ‘mobility issues’ had made us glance sideways at one another suspiciously. Thank goodness they had turned out to be no more or less than the truth. But two days ago, in that photograph of her standing alone in front of a blazing fire in that faultless room, she had looked negligible, just spirit, and somehow extrinsic to her background. But nobody had suggested that there was anything untoward concerning her health and her stick appeared to be an optional aid rather than a prop.