The day the Queen gave me an English lesson

Editor’s Note: Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her 90th birthday on Thursday. Veteran CNN royal-watcher Roger Clark recalls the time he met the Queen, reflects on her six decades of public service and asks what it is that makes her so popular. For full coverage of the British royal family, head to cnn.com/royals

King George VI once told his daughter she wouldn’t remember most of the people she would meet in her life. But His Majesty said those very people would always remember the day THEY met HER.

I know exactly what he meant. I doubt the Queen tells her friends about the day she met me but let’s just say I’ve mentioned the occasion once or twice!

It was a meeting I’ll never forget – I think I even have a picture on the wall at home of us chatting together at Windsor Castle. I wanted to make a good impression. I’m not normally lost for words but I did struggle a bit that day.

Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

Elizabeth was born April 21, 1926, in London. She is held here by her mother, also named Elizabeth. Her father would later become King George VI.

Princess Elizabeth poses for a photo at her London home in 1928.

Princess Elizabeth is seen with her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, during a visit to Balmoral, Scotland, in September 1933. He would go on to become King Edward VIII in 1936. But when he abdicated later that year, Elizabeth's father became King and she became heir presumptive.

From left, Princess Elizabeth, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret wave to the crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on June 22, 1939.

Elizabeth rides a horse in Windsor, England, in 1940. Her love of horses has been well documented.

A 14-year-old Elizabeth, right, sits next to her sister for a radio broadcast on October 13, 1940. On the broadcast, her first, she said that England's children were full of cheerfulness and courage.

Princess Elizabeth shakes hands with an officer of the Grenadier Guards on May 29, 1942. King George VI made Elizabeth an honorary colonel in the Royal Army regiment.

Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret wear summer dresses circa 1942. Margaret is Elizabeth's only sibling.

With the Drakensberg Mountains behind her, Princess Elizabeth sits in South Africa's Natal National Park on April 21, 1947. It was her 21st birthday.

On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth wed Prince Philip, a lieutenant in the British Navy who had been born into the royal families of Greece and Denmark. After becoming a British citizen and renouncing his Greek title, Philip became His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His wife became the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Princess Elizabeth arrives at a state banquet in London in March 1950.

Elizabeth ascended to the throne in February 1952, when her father died of lung cancer at the age of 56. Here, she walks to the altar during her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953.

Queen Elizabeth II is photographed on the balcony of Melbourne's Government House during her tour of Australia in March 1954.

From left, Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother visit Epsom Downs Racecourse in June 1958.

The Queen holds her son Prince Andrew while his sister, Princess Anne, watches during a family holiday at Scotland's Balmoral Castle in September 1960. The Queen has four children, including sons Charles and Edward.

Queen Elizabeth II is seen during the state opening of Parliament in April 1966.

Queen Elizabeth II with her oldest son, Prince Charles, in 1969. Charles is next in line for the throne.

Prince Charles adjusts his coronet during his investiture ceremony as Prince of Wales in 1969.

The Queen and Prince Philip wave from a plane ramp shortly before taking off from Tokyo in May 1975.

The Queen takes a portrait at Windsor Castle for her 50th birthday on April 21, 1976.

The Queen meets the crowds during her royal tour of New Zealand in 1977.

Elizabeth walks with some of her corgis at the Windsor Horse Trials in May 1980.

The Queen stands next to Prince Charles as he kisses his new bride, Princess Diana, on July 29, 1981.

Elizabeth takes pictures of her husband during a horse show in Windsor in May 1982.

Elizabeth drives her Land Rover during the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 1992.

While at Buckingham Palace, the Queen and Prince Philip view the floral tributes to Princess Diana after her tragic death in 1997.

The Queen addresses the nation on the night before Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.

Prince Charles looks back at his mother after wedding Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in April 2005.

The Queen arrives at St Paul's Cathedral for a Thanksgiving service in honor of her 80th birthday in 2006.

The Queen, second from right, greets a crowd from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in April 2011. Her grandson Prince William, third from left, had just married Catherine Middleton.

The Queen's signature is seen in the visitors book at Aras An Uachtarain, the Irish President's official residence in Dublin in May 2011.

Madame Tussauds London reveals a wax figure of the Queen in May 2012.

Prince Charles kisses his mother's hand on stage as singer Paul McCartney, far right, looks on at the Diamond Jubilee concert in June 2012. The Diamond Jubilee celebrations marked Elizabeth's 60th anniversary as Queen.

The Queen tours the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London in December 2012.

A boy in Belfast, Northern Ireland, takes a selfie in front of the Queen in June 2014.

The Queen enters the Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle after attending a commemorative service for the Scottish National War Memorial in July 2014.

The Queen waits to give her speech during the state opening of Parliament in May 2015.

Elizabeth listens to her great-grandson, Prince George, outside a church where George's sister, Charlotte, was being christened in July 2015. George and Charlotte are the children of Prince William, left, and Duchess Catherine.

The Queen is seated at her desk in her private audience room at Buckingham Palace in July 2015. She is seen with one of her official red boxes, which contains important papers from government ministers in the United Kingdom and from representatives across the Commonwealth and beyond. The photo was taken to mark the moment the Queen became the longest-reigning British monarch.

The Queen takes a photo with five of her great-grandchildren and her two youngest grandchildren in April 2016.

The Queen poses with four of her dogs on the private grounds of Windsor Castle in April 2016.

The Queen and Prince Philip wave to guests in London who were attending celebrations for her 90th birthday in 2016.

Elizabeth speaks to Evie Mills, 14, at a hospital in Manchester, England, in May 2017. Evie was injured in a bombing that took place as people left an Ariana Grande concert.

The Queen sits at a desk in Buckingham Palace after recording her Christmas Day broadcast in 2017.

The Queen arrives for the wedding of her grandson Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018.

The Queen laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, during a bridge-opening ceremony in Halton, England, in June 2018. It was Meghan's first royal outing without her husband, Prince Harry, by her side.

The Queen and US President Donald Trump inspect a guard of honor during Trump's visit to Windsor Castle in July 2018.

The Queen looks at her new great-grandchild, Archie, in May 2019. Archie is the first child of Prince Harry, second from left, and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. Prince Philip is on the far left. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, is next to her at right.

The Queen welcomes Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace, where she formally invited him to become prime minister in July 2019. Johnson won the UK's Conservative Party leadership contest and replaced Theresa May, who was forced into resigning after members of her Cabinet lost confidence in her inability to secure the UK's departure from the European Union.

An image of the Queen appears in London's Piccadilly Square, alongside a message of hope from her special address to the nation in April 2020.

The Queen rides a horse in Windsor, England, in May 2020. It was her first public appearance since the coronavirus lockdown began in the United Kingdom.

The Queen and Prince Philip pose for a photo in June 2020, ahead of Philip's 99th birthday.

The Queen and Prince Philip look at a homemade anniversary card that was given to them by their great-grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in November 2020.

The Queen takes her seat alone at Prince Philip's funeral in April 2021. The ceremony was limited to 30 people, in line with England's coronavirus restrictions.

The Queen opens Parliament in May 2021. It was her first major engagement since her husband's death.

The Queen receives a Duke of Edinburgh rose from Keith Weed, president of the Royal Horticultural Society, in June 2021. The newly bred rose was officially named in honor of Prince Philip.

The Queen meets with US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in the Grand Corridor of Windsor Castle in June 2021.

The Queen drives her Range Rover as she attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show in Windsor, England, in July 2021.

The Queen attends the Royal Windsor Cup polo match and a carriage-driving display by the British Driving Society in July 2021.

The Queen and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, greet guests during a Windsor Castle reception for international business and investment leaders in October 2021.

The Queen cuts a cake to celebrate the start of her Platinum Jubilee in February 2022. It has been 70 years since the Queen took the throne in 1952.

The Queen meets with Rear Admiral James Macleod, the outgoing Defence Services secretary, and Macleod's successor, Major General Eldon Millar, at Windsor Castle in February 2022. It was a few days before Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen tested positive for Covid-19.

The Queen purchases a train ticket as she attends the opening ceremony of the long-awaited Elizabeth line at the Paddington station in west London in May 2022. She had recently been suffering from mobility issues, canceling several appearances.

The Queen watches the Trooping the Colour parade in London during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. She is the first British sovereign to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee -- 70 years on the throne. "I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee," the Queen said in a released statement. "While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family."

The Queen welcomes Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, formally inviting her to be the new prime minister in September 2022. The meeting would traditionally have taken place at London's Buckingham Palace, but the monarch has significantly reduced her duties and travel in recent months because of her mobility issues.

The life of Queen Elizabeth II

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I was covering the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and we’d asked the Palace if on the opening day, she would adjust her schedule by a few minutes to help the broadcasters. The Palace agreed.

So when I met Her Majesty, I thanked her for changing her schedule. Unfortunately, I pronounced it “SKedule” not “SHedule. I’d used the American pronunciation in front of the Queen AND in her Castle. Brilliant move! She gently corrected me and then laughed.

The King was right. I still remember our meeting, which is why, even during my years living in America, I never use the American pronunciation. And if any one questions me about it, I tell them to ring Buckingham Palace for an explanation!

Stage presence

When you meet the Queen, she tries to put you at ease. But it’s still nerve wracking. After I’d shaken her hand, I thought about all those world leaders, pop stars, sports legends and others who’ve shaken THAT hand. Despite being 5’4” tall, the Queen has enormous presence when she enters the room. It’s a most unusual feeling.

My first encounter with Her Majesty came during her Silver Jubilee in 1977. She visited my hometown of Hull in the North of England. I wonder if she’d forgiven the city for rising up against one of her predecessors, King Charles I.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch, turns 90 on April 21. She is seen here with her parents, the Queen Mother and King George VI, (then the Duke and Duchess of York) on May 1, 1926, at her christening. Take a look at other images from the Queen's first year.

Family photo on the day of the christening of Princess Elizabeth on May 29, 1926. The Duke of Connaught, back row left, King George V, the Duke of York and the Earl of Strathmore. Lady Elphinstone, front row left, Queen Mary, the Duchess of York with Princess Elizabeth, the Countess of Strathmore and Princess Mary.

Princess Elizabeth in 1926.

The Duchess of York looks lovingly at her first child, Princess Elizabeth, in May 1926.

Queen Mary of Great Britain with her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth after her christening.

Princess Elizabeth at 6 months old.

Portrait of Princess Elizabeth in December 1926.

The Duke and Duchess of York with Princess Elizabeth in December 1926.

The Duchess of York poses for a portrait with Princess Elizabeth in 1926.

Queen Mary with her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth on the day of her 1st birthday, April 21, 1927.

Queen Elizabeth II: Her first year

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The protests had ignited the English Civil War that led to the King losing his head – and all future monarchs ruling not through the Divine Right, but with the blessing of their people. That first sight of the Queen was one I’ll always remember. We didn’t see her often in those days before 24 hour news.

Sure, she was on our stamps, our coins and her picture hung in the school assembly hall. But to see her in the flesh was quite something. I was with hundreds of choirboys that day singing to her. I really hope she doesn’t remember that!

Patience - more than a virtue

Over the years, I’ve seen the Queen in action on many Royal visits. God only knows how she does it. She travels all over the world, meets countless people, tries to ensure a routine day for her is a special day for those she meets.

READ: Queen’s guide to globetrotting

One event after another, listening to and giving speeches, shaking endless outstretched hands and all with a smile on her face. It must be tough because, in truth, some of the speeches can be dull and some of the events are pretty boring.

But she can’t exactly yawn when she’s bored or, indeed, tired. And if she is bored or tired, you’d never know it.

Little is known about her

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Despite being one of the most famous people in the world, very few of her subjects really know much about her.

She’s never given an interview, never written an autobiography. We know she likes horses, corgis and the outdoors. We know also that she’s a deeply religious person and has a sense of humor.

Apparently she’s an excellent mimic. But we know nothing about her politics or her views on anything remotely controversial.

Sense of duty

Some commentators have criticized her for being a bit remote as a mother. Yet when she put her grandmotherly responsibilities to Princes William and Harry first in the days after Princess Diana died, she was criticized for that too.

I remember that time very well and the angry mood of the British people – it was unprecedented. That week saw the biggest wobble of her reign. What a remarkable turnaround that just five years later, millions of people around the Commonwealth came onto the streets to celebrate her Golden Jubilee.

Britain's Prince William and his wife, Catherine, walk with their three children -- from left, George, Charlotte and Louis -- in Norfolk, England. The photo was featured on the family Christmas card in December 2022.

Prince Louis is pushed in a wheelbarrow by his mother in Windsor, England, in April 2023. The photo was released by Kensington Palace to mark Louis' fifth birthday.

William and Catherine meet a boy dressed as a royal guard while visiting Boston in December 2022. The royal couple was in Boston to attend the Earthshot Prize Awards that William founded two years prior.

William and Catherine walk with Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

William and Catherine arrive with George, Louis and Charlotte at a school in Bracknell, England, in September 2022.

Prince Louis holds his hands over his ears as jets roar over Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour parade in London in June 2022. From left are Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Charles; Queen Elizabeth II; Louis; Catherine; Charlotte; George; and William.

This photo of Prince William and his children in Jordan was released by Kensington Palace to celebrate Father's Day in June 2022.

William and Catherine play drums while visiting the Trench Town Culture Yard Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, in March 2022. They were on a royal tour of the Caribbean.

This image provided by Kensington Palace made the family's Christmas card in 2020.

William and Catherine visit an air squadron in London in April 2021. During the visit, the squadron paid tribute to William's late grandfather, Prince Philip, who served as Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Air Training Corps for 63 years.

William and Catherine attend the funeral service of Prince Philip in April 2021.

William and Catherine visit Westminster Abbey, where a Covid-19 vaccination center had been set up in London in March 2021.

William, Catherine and their children arrive for a pantomime performance at the London Palladium Theatre in December 2020. They were there to thank key workers and their families for their efforts throughout the pandemic.

William watches Catherine pour a tray of bagel dough into a container during a visit to a London bakery in September 2020.

The royal family meets with naturalist David Attenborough at Kensington Palace in September 2020. This was after a private screening of Attenborough's latest environmental documentary, "A Life On Our Planet," which focuses on the harm that has been done to the natural world in recent decades.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, follow William and Catherine after attending the annual Commonwealth Service in London in March 2020.

William and Catherine visit a settlement of the Kalash people in Chitral, Pakistan, in October 2019.

William and Catherine escort Princess Charlotte -- accompanied by her brother, Prince George -- as Charlotte arrives for her first day of school in September 2019.

The family is photographed during Trooping the Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, in June 2019.

Catherine shows William and Queen Elizabeth II around the "Back to Nature Garden" that she helped designed as they visit the Chelsea Flower Show in London in May 2019.

Prince William kisses his son Louis as they pose for a photo in Norfolk that was taken by Catherine in 2019.

From left, William, Catherine, Meghan and Harry arrive for a Christmas Day church service in 2018.

Catherine holds Prince Louis after arriving for his christening service in London in July 2018.

Catherine holds their newborn baby son Louis outside a London hospital on April 23, 2018.

Prince William holds the hands of George and Charlotte as they visit the hospital to meet their new brother.

Harry, Meghan, Catherine and William attend the Royal Foundation Forum in London in February 2018.

William and Catherine attend the BAFTA Awards in London in February 2018.

Catherine is escorted to dinner by Norwegian King Harald V during a visit to Norway in February 2018. William is escorted by Norway's Queen Sonja.

This image of William, Catherine, George and Charlotte was used for the family's 2017 Christmas card.

Paddington Bear dances with Catherine during a charity event in London in October 2017.

The royal family arrives at the airport in Berlin for a three-day visit in Germany in July 2017.

This photo of Charlotte was taken in April 2017 by her mother.

Charlotte is held by her mother as her family ends an eight-day tour of Canada in October 2016. At left is her brother George and her father.

William and Catherine released new photos of Prince George to mark his third birthday in July 2016. Here he plays with the family's pet dog, Lupo.

Members of the royal family gather on a balcony in June 2016 during celebrations marking the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Catherine is holding Charlotte.

Kensington Palace released four photos of Princess Charlotte ahead of her first birthday in May 2016.

US President Barack Obama talks with Prince William as Catherine plays with Prince George in April 2016. The President and first lady Michelle Obama were visiting Kensington Palace.

Prince George gets a boost from some foam blocks for a special family photo in April 2016. The portrait, featuring the four generations of the House of Windsor, was commissioned by the Royal Mail and would be featured on a series of stamps to commemorate the Queen's 90th birthday.

William and Catherine pose with their children during a trip to the French Alps in March 2016.

The family poses for a Christmas photo in December 2015.

Princess Charlotte plays with a stuffed dog in this photo taken by her mother in November 2015.

William and Catherine pose with their children at Charlotte's christening in July 2015.

Princess Charlotte is seen with her big brother for the first time in this photo released by Kensington Palace in June 2015.

William and Catherine present their newborn daughter as they leave a London hospital in May 2015.

The royal family celebrates Prince George's first birthday with a trip to the Natural History Museum in July 2014.

The royal family waves to a crowd before boarding a plane in Wellington, New Zealand, in April 2014. They went on a three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The royal couple attends the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Royal Society in London in September 2013.

William and Catherine start an ultra-marathon in Holyhead, Wales, in August 2013. It was Catherine's first public appearance since the birth of Prince George.

The couple are pictured with their newborn boy, Prince George, in 2013. The new parents released two family photographs taken by Michael Middleton, Catherine's father.

William, Catherine and their newborn son depart St. Mary's Hospital in London in July 2013.

In April 2013, Harry, Catherine and William visit the set used to depict Diagon Alley in the "Harry Potter" films.

William and Catherine attend a St. Patrick's Day parade as they visit Aldershot, England, in March 2013.

In September 2012, the couple drank coconut milk from a tree that Queen Elizabeth II planted decades ago in the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu.

Catherine and William celebrate during cycling events at the Olympic Games in London in August 2012.

Queen Elizabeth II, William and Catherine stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June 2012.

As part of their charity work, the couple attended a "healthy living cookery session" in London in December 2011.

The newly married royal couple watches a rodeo demonstration at a government reception in Calgary, Alberta, in July 2011.

Catherine shovels soil during a tree-planting ceremony in Ottawa in July 2011.

William and Catherine attend a Snowbirds air show during Canada Day celebrations in July 2011.

The Obamas meet with the royal couple at Buckingham Palace in May 2011.

The newlyweds walk hand in hand from Buckingham Palace the day after their wedding in April 2011.

After their wedding on April 29, 2011, the couple drove from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House in a vintage Aston Martin.

William and Catherine kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony in London.

The pair returned to their alma mater in St. Andrews, Scotland, in February 2011. They launched a fundraising campaign for a new scholarship.

The couple poses for photographers to mark their engagement in November 2010. Catherine received the engagement ring that belonged to William's late mother, Diana.

The couple cheers on the English rugby team during the Six Nations Championship match in London in February 2007.

The couple takes a photo after graduating from the University of St. Andrews in June 2005. They met at school and even shared a house with others while students.

Will and Kate's royal family

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So why is the Queen so popular?

LOSSIEMOUTH, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 20: Queen Elizabeth II is seen during a visit to RAF Lossiemouth on her 67th wedding anniversary on November 20, 2014 in Lossiemouth, Scotland. It was the Queen's first visit to the base since 2003. (Photo by Danny Lawson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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Well for a start she’s not a politician. She also stands for something and does not do knee-jerk reactions to some poll or focus group. Again, not a politician.

She’s seen as genuine, somebody who cares about her country, her Commonwealth and her people. In times of sadness and despair, people look to the Queen and her family for words of support. I remember her doing just that after the London bombings of 2005. She and her family are also there in times of joy to celebrate with us.

Remember that dramatic arrival with James Bond at the opening of the London Olympics? The Queen also provides a sense of continuity in a changing world.

Sure, there are people who would like to see an end of monarchy but they are few in number compared to those who, day in day out, welcome the Queen to their towns, cities and homes around the world. Her realms and territories extend across the globe. She’s monarch in places ranging from New Zealand in the south to Scotland in the north, taking in Australia, Canada and a host of Caribbean countries. She’s also Head of the Commonwealth – a 53-nation club whose membership numbers almost a third of the world’s population. On those occasions when millions turn up outside Buckingham Palace and sing God Save the Queen, they truly mean it.

READ: Full coverage of British royal family
“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family.” So said the then Princess Elizabeth 69 years ago as she broadcast to the British Empire on her 21st birthday.

Now, as she celebrates her 90th birthday, we look back and know her life has indeed been a long and momentous one.

Happy Birthday Ma’am.