The late Queen Elizabeth II reigned over a period of swift and great global change, and the remembrance that perhaps best encapsulates just how much the world changed during her reign is that Dr. Buzz Aldrin, the second moon who walked on the moon.
Dr. Aldrin shared a personal remembrance on his Twitter account, writing: “God bless #QueenElizabeth, a gracious leader, lady, and our host on return from the moon. On behalf of the Apollo 11 crew, Godspeed and God bless the Royal Family. Sincere condolences.”
Elizabeth II was one of the many world leaders eager to meet the men of the Apollo 11 crew following their successful landing on the moon on 20 July 1969. In October of that year, she and Prince Philip welcomed Neil Armstrong, Dr. Aldrin, and Mike Collins to Buckingham Palace.
Dr. Aldrin would later recall, in trying to respect the royal protocol, that “Mike Collins almost fell down the stairs trying not to turn his back on Queen Elizabeth II.”
Elizabeth II is one of 73 world leaders whose legacies extend to the moon. She was invited to write a message that would be etched on a disc left behind on the moon, and wrote: “On behalf of the British people, I salute the skills and courage which have brought man to the moon. May this endeavor increase the knowledge and well-being of mankind.”
The Queen of the Space Age was also remembered by the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA): “”Queen Elizabeth II’s reign spanned all of spaceflight, predating both Sputnik and Explorer 1. As we join the planet in marking her passing, we are moved by the curiosity Her Royal Highness showed our explorers over the years.”
NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston also tweeted its remembrances of Elizabeth II, writing, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s influence reached all corners of the world, and we are so fortunate that we had the privilege of hosting her visit to @NASA_Johnson. We join the planet in honoring her memory.”
The European Space Agency, meanwhile, tweeted, “ESA is saddened by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. Her Majesty witnessed the dawn of the space age, meeting astronauts from Neil Armstrong to Britain’s own Tim Peake, who gifted her with the union flag patch from his spacewalk during the Principia mission.”
