DIANE KNOX: There’s a great deal of adoration and love for Queen Elizabeth in the USA

The week that the Queen was laid to rest will forever be a poignant one.

I still remember exactly where I was when Princess Diana’s funeral was televised all over the world in 1997. I was sitting with my mum, in our living room in Westhill, and had to retreat to the privacy of my bedroom to let the tears flow.

I wasn’t embarrassed to cry in front of my mum; she was in floods of tears too. However, I remember feeling like I needed a moment alone to process what was happening.

I felt similar emotion on Monday, watching the Queen’s grand state funeral on my TV in Jacksonville, Florida.

I set my alarm for 5.30am so I could wake up early and watch the proceedings. Part of me felt a little morbid doing so, to be honest. But I didn’t want to miss anything, and I felt it was important for me to tune in and pay my respects from across the pond.

It was covered from start to finish on every news channel over here, with a great mix of American and British broadcasters, recounting tales of their experiences of Her Majesty alongside running commentary of what was unfolding.

With such a huge British heritage woven throughout the United States, there’s a great deal of adoration and love for Queen Elizabeth II and it was really felt on Monday.

Some of the stories regarding the Queen were a lovely break from the sombre tone of the day. Tales of her wit, her sarcasm and her cheeky demeanor flowed throughout the broadcast, putting a smile on my face. Stories of her father, his passing and the start of her 70-year reign, as well as the rest of her family and the legacy she has left behind.

It’s such a cliché move, but I’ve started to re-watch The Crown on Netflix – and I’m sure I’m not alone. She really was thrust into the role of the head of the monarchy at such a young age, and throughout her entire life handled it with grace and compassion. There will never be another one like her.

As I’m now almost 32 weeks pregnant, it’s quite strange for me to think that my son won’t know about the Queen. I know that’s a weird thing to say, but as a constant in my life it’s just odd to think that my son will arrive under the reign of the King.

Speaking of which, our big boy may be arriving earlier than we had anticipated. At my 30-week doctor appointment, he was measuring four weeks ahead of schedule, and weighed a whopping 4.5lbs. In case you’re not familiar, they track babies in terms of percentile and Baby Balas is in the 98 percentile – meaning out of 100 babies, only two would be bigger than him. He has a very large head, and I’m definitely looking at his dad on that one!

The doctor is going to track his growth over the next few weeks, but she has told me to prepare for an early arrival. We’re having a joint baby shower/house-warming party next weekend, and after that I’m going to be putting my feet up and living the quiet life as I get ready to become a mum.

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