Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at age 96. She had been holding the position of the queen and the nation’s figurehead for the past 70 years. Read on to know more about her life journey and who will take over the command now.
Early Life:
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, officially titled Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England. She took command as the queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on February 6, 1952. She is to date the longest reigning monarch in British history.
| Name: | Elizabeth Alexandra Mary |
| Alternative Titles: | Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith |
| Birth Date: | April 21, 1926 |
| Birth Place: | London, England |
| Father: | George VI |
| Mother: | Elizabeth |
| Sister: | Princess Margaret |
| Spouse: | Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
| Son: | Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Prince Andrew, duke of York |
| Daughter: | Anne, the Princess Royal |
Queen Elizabeth II: Early Life
Queen Elizabeth was the daughter of prince Albert, duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. She was the daughter of King George V’s younger son, and thus, there was very little chance for young Elizabeth to accede to the throne. It was when Edward VIII, her uncle, renounced his throne in the favor of Elizabeth’s father in 1936. That is when her father became King George VI, leading her to become the heir presumptive.
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Queen Elizabeth II: Accession To The Throne
In 1951, King George VI’s health saw a serious decline. Princess Elizabeth, being his elder daughter, represented King George VI on various state occasions including the Trooping the Colour. Unfortunately, the king passed away on February 6, 1952. This sad demise of her father led to Princess Elizabeth becoming the Queen.
The initial few months of her reign were spent in great mourning for her father, King George VI. However, the lady, after moving to Buckingham Palace from Clarence House, bravely undertook all the routine responsibilities and duties of the sovereign. She then carried out her reign's first state opening of Parliament on November 4, 1952. The Queen’s coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.
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Queen Elizabeth II, Modern Monarchy, And The Challenges
Queen Elizabeth had been a firm believer in the modern role of monarchy. Her belief is manifested in some of the gestures like televising the domestic life of the royal family in the year 1970.
However, the path of modern monarchy was not a cakewalk for the Queen. The royal family had to face a storm of troubles during the 1990s. The year 1992, is regarded as the royal family’s annus horribilis by the Queen herself. This year, Prince Andrew with his wife, Sarah, Duchess of York separated/ Prince Charles, and his wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, too did the same.
Additionally, Anne got divorced. Adding to the woes, the country faced a recession, leading to huge resentment toward the royal family’s lifestyle. In the year 1992, Queen Elizabeth agreed to pay taxes on her private income.
The divorce of Charles and Diana was also a concerning issue for the family as the event eroded all kinds of support.
Next, resentment grew darker after Diana’s death in 1997, and when Queen Elizabeth did not initially allow the flying of the national flag at half-staff over Buckingham.
The Golden Jubilee Year
The year 2002 was the Queen’s 50th year on the throne. To celebrate the “Golden Jubilee” various events were organized at the Commonwealth. This also included several days of festivities in London. However, the spark of the celebrations died with the demise of Elizabeth’s mother and sister.
The year 2011 gave yet another reason for celebration to the royal family with the wedding of the elder son of Charles and Diana, Prince William of Wales to Catherine Middleton.
The year 2012 was the “Diamond Jubilee” year for Queen Elizabeth. The year marked 60 long years of the throne for the Queen.
The ongoing year, viz, 2022, is celebrated as Queen Elizabeth's “Platinum Jubilee”, marking the Queen’s 7 decades on the throne.
Demise Of Queen Elizabeth II
The United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral, at age 96. She reigned for 7 long decades.
Queen Elizabeth’s son King Charles III expressed his remorse for the sad demise of his mother. He regarded the death of his mother as a “moment of great sadness” not only for him and his family.
Senior royals gathered at Queen’s Scottish estate soon after her health concerns grew on Thursday.
"We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world", expressed His Majesty the King.
Buckingham Palace, in a statement, stated, "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.”
The Union flag placed on the palace’s top was lowered to half-mast at 18:30 BST.
Who Will Reign The Throne Now?
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, immediately takes over the reign after the sad demise of his mother.
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