Reflecting on grief: Marking a year since the death of Her Majesty the Queen

September 2023

The death of Her Majesty the Queen on 8 September last year was felt by millions of people around the world – but for those grieving their own private losses, it stirred up a lot of complicated emotions. As the world mourned, WAY members explained to the Huffington Post how the Queen's death had affected them.

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To mark the anniversary of the death of the Queen, we are sharing some advice about how to support someone who has been bereaved.

When someone is bereaved, it can often be hard to know what to say or do, which can lead them to feel even more isolated. You can't fix somebody's grief, but by just being there, it can mean the world.

“When something like this happens – and it’s such a widespread loss – you can’t help but be brought back to the reality of your situation.”

Anne-Marie 

Here are a few tips to help somebody you know who is grieving

• Ask if they would like to come for dinner

• Just be there, even if it doing nothing

• Offer concrete invitations and suggestions

• Offer practical support such as shopping, child care, doing some chores or walking the dog

• Keep checking in - even months and years later. A text or phone call can make a huge difference

• Talk about their loved ones and help celebrate the small things

It can be difficult to find the right words to say to someone who has lost a loved one. We have some suggestions here.

Please do tell them about WAY and when they are ready, we will be here to support them.

We are sorry you or a loved one needs to be here, but we all understand how difficult these times can be.

“Some people have found the chance to mourn along with the nation incredibly cathartic, while others have found the media coverage very triggering – reminding them of their own personal losses and bringing up difficult reminders of the early days of their own bereavement.”

Vicky, WAY's Communications Manager