Buckingham Palace confirmed on Thursday that Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognizable to billions of people worldwide, has passed away at the age of 96.
Charles, Prince of Wales, the oldest of her four children and the oldest heir apparent in British history at 73, succeeds her as monarch right away.
Following the palace’s Thursday announcement that doctors were “concerned” for the queen’s health and that she remain under medical monitoring, the queen passed away.
Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, all of whom are now in their sixties and seventies, came to her Scottish Highland home, Balmoral.
Charles’s sons, Prince William and his estranged brother Prince Harry, joined them.
Liz Truss was selected as the 15th prime minister of her reign two days earlier by the queen, who was photographed grinning but appearing elderly and using a walking stick.
One image from the encounter that showed a dark purple bruise on the monarch’s right hand caused concern.
Following World War II, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne at the young age of 25 in 1952, entering a political world stage dominated by leaders such as US president Dwight D. Eisenhower, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong of China.
Her 70-year rule coincided with enormous social, political, and technological change spanning two centuries.
The final ruins of Britain’s extensive empire fell. At home, Brexit rattled her kingdom’s underpinnings while her family dealt with a string of scandals.
She was the monarch and head of state of 14 former British colonies, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and she maintained her popularity throughout.
She also served as supreme ruler of the Church of England, the mother church of the global Anglican communion, and head of the 56-nation Commonwealth, which includes one-fourth of the world’s population.
However, concerns will be raised about whether the British monarchy’s heyday has come to an end, how a centuries-old institution can survive in the present, and whether Charles will demand the same respect or rule in his mother’s shadow.
Buckingham has announced not long ago that Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch, died at the age of 96 at Balmoral, after reigning for 70 years.
Her family gathered at her Scottish estate after health concerns arose earlier in the day.
Since her accession to the throne in 1952, the Queen has witnessed enormous social change.
When the palace summoned all of Elizabeth’s children to her side, it was clear that the situation was dire.
As it turns out, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in the UK for events this week. Harry went to Balmoral.
Her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms following her death.
Prince Charles is the next in line to the throne, according to the royal succession. He would be crowned King, and Camilla would be titled Queen Consort.
While Charles is widely expected to be the next monarch… There has been speculation that he may abdicate, making his eldest son, Prince William, the new King of England.
Queen Elizabeth is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren, and even more great grandchildren, not to mention many extended Royal family members from all walks of life.
She was 96 years old.
Image source: The Associated Press
This story is being updated, and more information will be available soon.
The Queen advised world leaders to rise above the politics of the moment to achieve true statesmanship at the COP26 summit.
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In a recorded video message from the Windsor castle, the Queen paid tribute to her late husband Prince Phillip and also asked the politicians in attendance to create a safer and stabler future for the planet.
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The 95 year old was suppose to be at the United Nations summit but she has to pull out after doctors told her to rest.
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“It is a source of great pride to me that the leading role my husband played in encouraging people to protect our fragile planet, lives on through the work of our eldest son Charles and his eldest son William. I could not be more proud of them, the “impact of the environment on human progress was a subject close to the heart” of the Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April aged 99 after more than 70 years married to the Queen. In the coming days, the world has the chance to join in the shared objective of creating a safer, stabler future for our people and for the planet on which we depend. None of us underestimates the challenges ahead: but history has shown that when nations come together in common cause, there is always room for hope.It is the hope of many that the legacy of this summit – written in history books yet to be printed – will describe you as the leaders who did not pass up the opportunity; and that you answered the call of those future generations. That you left this conference as a community of nations with a determination, a desire, and a plan, to address the impact of climate change; and to recognize that the time for words has now moved to the time for action. Of course, the benefits of such actions will not be there to enjoy for all of us here today: none of us will live forever. But we are doing this not for ourselves but for our children and our children’s children, and those who will follow in their footsteps.”
