The number 1 fan of Queen Elizabeth II of England is Italian

Riccardo Petrachi, 25, originally from Lecce, in the south of the country, has lived in London for 6 years. the monarchySince the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II shocked the world on September 8, the protocol that follows such an episode within the monarchy has occupied everything. Between the long queues and the protocol trips before the big funeral next Monday, September 19, there are dozens of stories that have come out of citizens who shared their devotion and admiration for a queen who changed history, not only of her country, but of the world in terms of longevity and the style of his reign. What few imagined was that one of the queen’s greatest admirers would come to light, if not the most, and that it was not one hundred percent British. Although surely he does drink tea every afternoon, as appropriate, Riccardo Petrachi, is 25 years old and is originally from Lecce, one of the main cities in southern Italy, and has lived in London for six years. A few months after obtaining English citizenship, he laments that he will no longer be able to swear before the image of his “dear and beloved Queen Elisabeth.” “She was the grandmother of all Englishmen,” he says on the phone. Riccardo remembers the moment he learned of her death and could not hold back his tears. “This is something that you can only understand if you live or are from here. Such an old institution but one that unites all English people. It’s moving,” he says. But where does his devotion to a monarchy that is neither from his country nor with which he grew up come from? “It’s hard to explain but it was born, without a doubt, out of my love for history. Studying history, I discovered the character of Queen Elisabeth and I remember that since I was a child, everything related to the royal family caught my attention: weddings, events, appointments… ”, he explains. From that boy passionate about the crown until today, many years and a long time have passed cultivating his admiration, which makes many today say that he is one of the great fans that the Queen had. In recent days he has responded to Italian, international and British media telling of his emotional link with this historical event. His room is full of objects linked to the English crown. From pens to cushions, from coins issued on special dates to historical stamps, but, without a doubt, his greatest “treasure” are the letters that he exchanged with Queen Elisabeth on more than one occasion. “I feel privileged, I know that she read the letters that came to her every morning and she responded to the ones that had caught her attention the most,” he adds. In that correspondence she had congratulated him on her holidays or birthdays or even, on one occasion, had sent him a poem dedicated to Philip of Edinburgh, the queen’s husband. Everything that now surrounds him in his room, that amalgamation of memories, is also a tribute to a queen who is unrepeatable for him. To the queen. He admits that it was hard to wait 8 hours to be able to do it, but that a true “brotherhood” was created among the people who waited for his turn in company and that emotion dominated the atmosphere. “When you walk inside it is a moment of such solemnity that I cannot describe it in words. It was a deathly silence, an empty silence but at the same time full of peace and those 30 seconds before the coffin is the way to offer your respects to someone you admire so much. He acknowledges at the end of the interview that he likes Prince Carlo, but he has a complex task in this reign that Riccardo foresees short. However, he already looks with eyes of devotion at William who, he assures, will follow the star and style of his grandmother Elizabeth II and will play a unique reign.