The singer Elton John has recognized that the death of Elizabeth II, at 96 years of age and after a historic reign of seven decades, has generated mixed feelings. On the one hand, the British artist has joined the pain and sorrow of his compatriots and other citizens of the Commonwealth at the loss of such a charismatic and adored monarch. However, the veteran interpreter is also comforted to know that the queen is finally resting in peace, something more than “deserved” for a woman of inexhaustible energy and sense of duty.
“I am 75 years old and the queen has been with me all my life. She makes me sad that she is no longer with me, but I am glad that she is at peace, that she is finally resting. She deserves it. She has worked very hard and I want to send all my love to her family. We are going to miss her”, he thus addressed the audience at the concert he offered last night in Toronto, before projecting various images of the queen and dedicating the song ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’ to her, a 1974 hit.
Nobody forgets that Elton John performed the legendary song ‘Candle in the Wind’ during the emotional funeral for Princess Diana, who died in 1997 after a traffic accident in the center of Paris. A year later, Elizabeth II named him a Knight of the Order of the British Empire and, since then, the artist’s respect and admiration for the figure of Elizabeth II have not stopped growing.
“Like the rest of the nation, I am deeply saddened by the news that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, has passed away. She was an inspiring presence and led the country through some of its darkest and most glorious moments with grace, dignity and genuine, comforting warmth,” Sir Elton wrote just hours before taking the stage for his Canadian recital.