James and Ola Jordan are mourning the loss of Queen Elizabeth II just as the rest of the world is, and had a tricky task explaining the monarch's passing to their two-year-old daughter Ella this week.
MORE: The Queen's life in pictures: Remembering the best moments from her 70-year reign
Other than watching the movie Frozen, Ella hadn't encountered the concept of death before. However she does understand the sadness of the situation and that we now have a new King, reveals her parents. In their HELLO! column below, former Strictly dancers James and Ola share their tribute to the Queen and recall the time Ola met King Charles III.
WATCH: Ella Jordan learns King Charles III is our new monarch
Ella has also started back at nursery this month and she's taking a while to settle into her longer sessions away from mum and dad. Read the Jordans' column here…
James and Ola remember the Queen
HELLO!: Where were you when you heard that the Queen had passed?
James: I was in a meeting in London when I glanced at my phone and read that the Queen wasn't well. I immediately felt like it could happen quite soon. Then Ola and I were home together having dinner when it came on the news that she'd passed away.
It's very very sad but at the same time, I think it's about celebrating what an amazing human being she was. She did get to 96 years old. If someone gave me a ticket to live to that age, I'd pay a fortune for that ticket.
Ola: And she was so switched on. As Boris Johnson said... she was so switched on at his last meeting with her.
James: She was amazing, and what a life she had. So many people unfortunately don't get to that age. For me, it's more of a celebration of her life. She sacrificed having a normal life for her country.
Ola: It's incredible that she worked up until her last days.
MORE: Child psychologist reveals how parents can explain the Queen's death to children
The late Queen Elizabeth II
James: Ola's a massive royalist.
Ola: Being from Poland, the royal family is Britain in my view, so I was always a big fan. I've always watched all the weddings and big occasions and watching Charles now, I can see how nervous he is.
James: Charles got all frustrated over a pen didn't he? That's me. I totally can relate to that.
Ola: I'd be there trying to help him like Camilla was.
James: His mum's just died, he's suddenly King and then the pen doesn't work! It makes me like him more because it shows that he's real. He's just a normal bloke who gets annoyed about the same things we do. I like it when they let their guard down and we see they're like us.
When my dad died, I couldn't even function. I know it was totally different circumstances, but no matter how or when they die, it's still your mum or dad.
MORE: Revealed: The time Queen 'danced around' with pride for granddaughter Zara Tindall
Ella's reaction to the Queen's passing
Ola: We told Ella that the Queen had died – we have the TV on all the time – so every time she looks at it on the TV I say, 'Ella, the Queen died' and she goes, 'Mum, the Queen died!'
She's only little so she doesn't quite understand, but she knows who the Queen was. She knows it's sad that the Queen has gone to heaven.
James: Because she watches Frozen and the mum and dad die, I think she understands what it means.
Ola: We haven't talked to her about death before. She's not quite there yet with her age. I tell her it's very sad and that we have a new King. We actually have a video of the Queen's speech during lockdown, when Ella was laying underneath the TV at only a few weeks old.
Ella as a baby with the Queen on TV in the background
I feel that Ella's a bit too young to go up to London to pay our respects. There will be so many people and she's so young, I think it would be unfair on her. If she was older, like age eight, we'd go and put flowers down at the palace. We'll watch the funeral on TV and Ella will probably watch a bit too.
Ola's meeting with King Charles III
HELLO!: Did you ever meet the Queen or Charles?
Ola: I've met Charles before but I never met the Queen.
James jokes: She did invite me round for tea one day but I think I was playing golf!
Ola: I met Charles and Camilla when I won Strictly with Chris Hollins and I did one of the Prince's Trust events back in 2010. They were very nice. They said they had watched Strictly and were watching us and rooting for us to win. It was lovely meeting them.
Ola with Chris Hollins on the day she met the then Prince Charles
James: So the now King of England was rooting for Ola to win Strictly!
Ola: Yes, they said they were watching and they loved our Charleston dance together. They were big fans I think. I think Camilla is a big fan of Strictly. It was so special, but I'm gutted because I can't find a photo of when I met Charles. Camilla also came to watch Strictly once and we all lined up to meet her.
Ella's rocky time at nursery
Ola: Ella's started back at nursery and she now goes three days a week – before the summer break she just went a couple of mornings a week, so it's a big jump for her. She started OK but it's not going that well now. She'd really upset about leaving us.
James: Today she was beside herself before she left, saying, 'I don't want to go, I don't want to go.'
Ola: She saw me making her packed lunch and she said, 'Mummy I don't want to go to nursery'.
James: She was trying to take me downstairs saying, 'Daddy come and play with me' and cuddling me.
Ella wants to stay at home with mum and dad
Ola: It was almost easier last week when James was at a golf event and not around. It was a routine that dad wasn't here, but because he's here today she was worse. She wants to stay home and play with daddy.
I'm also a bit annoyed because I'm the worse one to her; because I'm taking her to nursery she doesn't like me right now. When she got back from nursery yesterday, I said, 'Mummy missed you' but she said, 'I missed my daddy'. I said, 'Mummy loves you,' and she went, 'I love my daddy'.
We both picked her up yesterday and she just went straight to James. She didn't want to know me! Then when we got home she said, 'You go mummy, you go and cook dinner, I'll stay with my daddy.'
So I have to be the strong one dropping her off at nursery and telling her she's going to be fine. It's really hard.
James: I'm happy to take her to nursery, but I'm not feeling well at the moment.
Ola: Oh, he's got man flu.
James: Honestly, I woke up this morning and I was in a pool of sweat.
Ola: Even Ella went, 'Ewww mummy, I'm not cuddling daddy today!'
James: Anyway, I think Ella is feeling the jump to full days with nursery – it's a six-and-a-half-hour session and she's two and a half. I do feel for her a bit, but I know lots of children do the same because they have to.
Ola: We're missing her today at home, it's very quiet without her. James: It does make the days she's here with us more special though and we try to plan outings with her on those days.
