What image, what memory, what impression will they keep of Her Majesty the Queen? That’s the question Londoners were asked on the Elizabeth line, the newest of the London Underground lines, named in honor of the sovereign. From east to west, the answers are at the extremes. No, not everyone liked him…
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Southall Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Tim Patterson
Longevity. She stayed on the throne for so long. She’s the only queen I’ve ever known. I don’t know if I’ll work that long, but I hope to live that long!
Tim Patterson
Hanwell Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
santiago fernandez
You’ll laugh, but this morning I took a detour to take the Elizabeth line. It takes me 15 minutes longer than the bus, but it’s my way of paying homage to him. Because I couldn’t go to Buckingham Palace. Elizabeth embodied the nation. We were with her, she was with us. Now that she’s gone, there’s a part of us that’s gone.
santiago fernandez
West Ealing Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Bill Scatchard
His sense of duty. She has always been there. She always did the right thing. She sacrificed herself, to the detriment of her personal life. The example she gave was impressive. She literally served until the end. Two days before her death, she met the new prime minister. Impressive !
Bill Scatchard
Acton Main Line Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
John Price
I’m 6 years old. I have polio. I am at the hospital. It’s 1952. The queen has just been crowned. My mother gives me a magnificent golden coronation carriage. Not plastic like today’s toys. Made of metal. Solid. Strangely, I haven’t played with it much. At this age, we do not realize the importance of things. We had to throw it away. The mistake. It would be expensive today!
John Price
Paddington Station
PHOTO PATRICK RIVIÈRE, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Above, the Queen pictured in April 1988
For me, it’s a smile. A friendly and welcoming smile. Not the smile of someone who thinks they’re superior. A human smile, which warms. You could tell she really cared about people. Not like politicians, who only serve their interests.
Amy Coxton
Tottenham Court Road Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Samantha Esling
Dedication. She certainly had flaws, but you couldn’t see them. She showed herself the way people wanted to see her. She knew her function was greater than the rest. Today people wonder what they would like to be. She wondered what she had to be. It’s rare these days.
Samantha Esling
Liverpool Street Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Vincenzo de Fraja
A large show reality tv ! That’s what I’m thinking. His life has become a real soap, the family too. Lady Di, Harry and Meghan, Prince Andrew. The queen in the middle of it all. They live in another reality, but people watch it like it’s a reality show.
Vincenzo de Fraja
Faringdon Station
PHOTO STEVE PARSONS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Above, the queen with one of her famous dogs, on February 4
Corgis! Spontaneously, I associate it with these dogs. She had so many. A whole line. I saw a documentary about it. Exciting. She had taste, they are beautiful little dogs. A little short-legged. But cute, right?
Howie Coslic
Whitechapel Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Christine and Colin Thomas
Christina Thomas: Constancy. She has always been there. She held us together. With her, we had something, whether we liked it or not. She had no opinions. But she was there.
Colin Thomas: Stability too. An example to follow.
Christina: But you were never stable, Colin!
Colin: [Silence] Yes, you’re right…
Canary Wharf Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Frank Jones
The Queen ? Nothing against the person. But I would get rid of royalty. Having heads of state by simple heredity makes no sense. It has to be deserved. I don’t think we’ll have a republic anytime soon in the UK. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Charles causes the process to speed up…
Frank Jones
Woolwich Station
PHOTO JEAN-CHRISTOPHE LAURENCE, THE PRESS
Vera Bird
Not much sympathy for the queen. To me, she primarily represents the British colonial regime. Slavery. Racism. These are people who have taken land, who have changed laws. I don’t deny that she did a good job. But behind the beautiful image, there is this darker side that must be criticized…
Vera Bird
new and purple
PHOTO ANDREW TESTA, THE NEW YORK TIMES ARCHIVES
L’Elizabeth line provides access to the suburbs (and Heathrow Airport) in record time, with gleaming, ultra-fast trains.
Officially opened in May 2022 by the Queen herself, theElizabeth line is London’s newest underground line. Recognizable by its lilac color, it is 118 km long and runs through the city from east to west. It allows access to the suburbs (and to Heathrow airport) in record time, with gleaming and ultra-fast trains. Work, estimated at 19 billion pounds (28 billion CAN), began in 2009. According to the BBC, 10,000 workers have been employed on this long-term project, repeatedly delayed due to COVID-19, which should be fully completed in May 2023.