I remember clearly the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. It was 1953, in the early days of television.

We had a small 13-inch TV, I believe made by Emerson and, of course, it was black and white. There was no color TV then. There also was no cable television, and you received the signal from an elaborate-looking antenna attached to the roof.

The TV signal came from Buffalo, and it was weak. The images on the screen would come and go. There was a lot gray static on the screen, and sometimes even the audio would fade away.

Yet, none of this stopped my mother from being glued to the screen. I don’t think that our television set was turned off for about two days, as she watched day and night, the developing story and then the actual crowning and Coronation of the new Queen. Ever since, Elizabeth has always been my Queen.

America’s fascination with the British Royalty has always amazed me. Remember, we had a Revolutionary War to separate ourselves from one of them. But, this has never seemed to diminish America’s love affair with the Royal Family.

I attribute some of this to nostalgia. When we separated from England, we got rid of the monarchy…but we still wanted some of the glory and enchantment that goes with it. Since we didn’t have a King or a Queen of our own — we sort of adopted the one from Great Britain.

I also think that some of the attachment to the House of Windsor comes from a universal need or urge to have pageantry and drama in our lives.

We become fascinated with the celebrity of royalty, and see our own aspirations and disappointments being played out on a bigger stage. They may be “royal” but they are also a “family,” and that means joys as wells as sorrows along the road of life.

When “Lady Di” was first married to Prince Charles, the whole world seemed to be glued to that story as well. The only thing I can remember in the United States that was even close, was the marriage of Jacqueline Bouvier to Jack Kennedy. After his death, his wife referred to his administration as “Camelot.” Jackie was viewed by the public in America as its Queen.

But, back to Queen Elizabeth — I was never disappointed in her and, in truth, she was always an inspiration. When, as a young girl, she went on the radio to help rally her fellow Britons during World War II — to her most recent appeal for national unity and resolve during the COVID crisis — she stood for the right things.

For her, the monarchy was more than palaces, parades and the “Changing of the Guard.” She made it a platform in trying to bring out the best in people and to advance cooperation between nations. She even visited Ireland and was positively received there for her efforts to heal old hatreds between that country and her own. She was solid and changeless, in a good way.

I am going to miss the Queen.

Rolland Kidder is a Stow resident and a former New York state Assembly member.