The Prince is dead...Long live the Queen!

It's all over the news, social media and conversations from the BBC to local radio DJs; the extraordinary Prince is dead.

He was only 5'2", but every inch of his lithe body was filled with such an amazing musical talent that he filled a stage with his presence and energy.

It is a weird coincidence to me that Prince was taken from this world at 57 and Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 90th year of life (60 of them as Monarch) within hours of one another in the news cycle.

I started to consider the achievements of each up until now, albeit from so far outside of their respective spheres, that they might as well be shooting stars I'd try to grasp as they pass overhead!

Prince was a musical prodigy with a list of accolades to support that definition. He mastered several musical instruments and styles of music and was called an icon in the music scene. He was not only good...he was one of the best of his generation.

Naturally, he has his detractors. They clamor about his mixed-genres of musical work, but I see that as a truly unbound talent...free to flow like "Purple Rain".

Queen Elizabeth has addressed many audiences in her time as a public figure, but not for her entertainment value.

She is a dignified presence and certainly showed a calm courage to her countrymen during the horrors of WWII.

Surely, she bore the weight of public scrutiny during several of the "Royals" personal, very public, meltdowns.

In the past, the Queen has been both adored and criticized for her existence as one of the last of the royals to function as a head of state, even though she's only a titular ruler, confined to the role of icon, if you will.

So, there we have it. Both Prince and Queen Elizabeth are icons of a modern society that both loves and hates these kinds of figures.

We seem to elevate our heroes, but always within easy reach, so we can bring them down to our level of understanding.

I'll never comprehend the magic that goes into a musical prodigy like Prince, or the weight of wearing the crown of a nation. I do understand my limitations and feel very human and vulnerable at times. I wonder if an icon can feel that too.