A Moment in History: The Passing of Queen Elizabeth II | Addie Picker
The announcement of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing struck the globe on September 8th, 2022. Launching England into a period of unrest on Thursday, news broke of the critical condition of the 96 year old reigning monarch. With events transpiring at a rapid pace, the announcement of her death came only hours after. Despite common controversy over the royal family and the particular role that Queen Elizabeth II played in such, her death marks a significant moment in world history. Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 year reign stands as the longest in English history, and paves way for the first major shift in royal power in several decades.
The daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926. On November 20th, 1947, Queen Elizabeth II married Prince Phillip and gave birth to his children shortly after.
Proceeding the death of her father, Elizabeth II was officially crowned Queen of England on June 2nd, 1953. She then reigned for 70 years until her death on Thursday, surpassing Queen Victoria’s 63 year reign in 2015. Taking the throne shortly after the end of World War II, Queen Elizabeth oversaw England’s post-war recovery and growth into the new political and economic era of the late 20th and early 21st century. As her reign spanned such a wide timeframe, the world awaits to see how a new monarch will adjust their reign to the modern world.
Formerly known Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth and former husband of Princess Diana, took the throne immediately succeeding the death of his mother. In a statement to the press, King Charles III expressed his sorrow and remembrance for the Queen. Now at age 73, King Charles III will reign until his death, after which his successor, William, Duke of Cambridge, will take the throne.
King Charles’ coronation will take place in the near future, despite his rather controversial succession to the throne in the pop culture world. King Charles III found himself amidst a cheating scandal against Princess Diana in the late 1990s, and has remained in public condemnation ever since. In addition, the new King has been accused of his participation in various media and political scandals throughout the years.
After the death of the queen, King Charles III requested a period of 7 days dedicated to the mourning and respect of his mother. Once transported to the Palace of Westminster, the coffin of the queen will be placed and guarded in public view for 4 days, giving the public a chance to pay their respects. The funeral will then take place on Monday, September 19th at Westminster Abbey in London, a traditional site for important royal events, including the coronation and wedding of the queen herself. Queen Elizabeth will then be transported and laid to rest at Windsor Castle. All elements of events succeeding the queen's death are part of “Operation London Bridge,” a plan curated and awaited for many years by officials. The death of Queen Elizabeth will forever be remembered in the history books and will reveal how the political realm of the UK will progress in the coming years.