When Her Majesty The Queen passed away in 2022 there was a huge sense of loss in the UK. And having family overseas I felt this sense of grief was beyond borders. The whole world united in grief and watched the UK mourn the loss of their Queen through the events that unfolded during this period.

I had family call from Pakistan telling me how sad they were for us in the UK. They felt HM The Queen was the identity for the UK and had been around for all our lives and we didn’t know what to expect with her not being the Monarch any longer. Whenever I travelled to Pakistan, I felt they had an admiration for the Royal family. The late Princess Diana was a huge favourite because of her charity efforts within Pakistan for Cancer patients and the awareness she raised for several other causes.

Twenty Five years after her passing, Diana is still a huge favourite in Pakistan, I would often walk around the market stalls in the bazaar and every now and then I would see a poster of her and would say “look its Diana” and people who would recognise my British accent would come over for a quick chat and say “we love Diana and William and Harry”. And ask me general questions as to what is Buckingham Palace like, have you ever met the Royals? And they would eagerly listen to my responses. They would also mention how Buckingham Palace would be one of the first places they would visit when they travel to the UK.

Another continual favourite is William and Catherine who toured the country in 2019 to huge success. Seeing Catherine in traditional Pakistani clothing had a huge effect on the fashion industry too. The outfits sold out in minutes and girls all over the country wanted their outfits to match Catherines’. The mix of tradition and modern femininity was the perfect way to celebrate Pakistani tradition and her choice of outfits were a huge success, not only in Pakistan, but globally too. I remember seeing Kate on the cover of Hello Magazine in traditional attire and felt a sense of true happiness that things were changing from a diversity perspective too.

I remember going out for dinner to The Pearl Continental in Lahore. I was walking around admiring traditional Pakistani ornaments and found a shop full of Royal memorabilia. I was mesmerised to see how much love they have for the Royal family.

My family, especially my mother, has always admired HM The Queen. She would often say to me how much she would love to have met the Queen. I surprised her one day on a trip to London with a secret vsit to Madame Tussauds. I remember the way she looked at me at first with a glance like are you joking? But then smiling at me and laughing when she stood next to the famous wax model for a picture. I did try my best and I think it was the thought that counts.

With the upcoming Coronation, what does this new era of change mean for me and my family? We will have a King. There will be some huge changes, with some everyday things becoming the new norm. School picnics will have the theme for HM King Charles from bunting to balloons, the national anthem will change as well as the money and stamps that we use daily.

I often feel that when something familiar changes at home for us in the UK, that change can be felt across the world in entirely different cultures, who you may not consider will be impacted and may also be feeling a sense of loss. And it’s this realisation that I felt on my last visit to Pakistan and seeing the changes and behaviours through the feelings of others. We must familiarise ourselves and adapt to the new changes and hope for the best of new beginnings. What are your thoughts or feelings on the Coronation? And what are you looking forward to the most?

I would love to hear your thoughts, also look out for my next Blog edition 4.