Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

The AP reports that Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, the official in charge of arrangements, said the funeral and events over coming days are intended to “unite people across the globe and resonate with people of all faiths, whilst fulfilling her majesty and her family’s wishes to pay a fitting tribute to an extraordinary reign.”

Last Thursday, tens of thousands were standing in a line that snaked for more than four miles along the River Thames in London, waiting to file in silence past her coffin.

The queen’s passing makes her son, the former Prince Charles, king. He will go by the name King Charles III.

In a statement on Sept. 8, officials said the queen “died peacefully.”

King Charles III made his first national address as sovereign on Sept. 9, after meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Charles greeted crowds outside Buckingham Palace as he arrived at the palace for the first time as king. Some well-wishers sang “God save the king” as he shook hands and waved at those gathered.

In a statement, the King remembered his mother as “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,” he said. “During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held.”

Speaking at 10 Downing Street on Sept. 8, British Prime Minister Liz Truss said, “We are all devastated” and remembered Elizabeth as “the very spirit of Great Britain.”

“The death of her majesty the queen is a huge shock to the nation and to the world,” she said. “Queen Elizabeth II was the rock on which modern Britain was built. Our country has grown and flourished under her reign. Britain is the great country it is because of her.”

Members of the British royal family had gathered in Scotland on Sept. 8 after doctors shared concerns for the queen’s health. They did not elaborate on the cause for concern.

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge; and the queen’s sons, Prince Charles; Prince Andrew, the Duke of York; and Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex were at Balmoral, according to BBC News. Princess Anne was also at or headed for the estate, the news network reported. A spokesperson for Prince Harry told CNN that he was also going to Scotland.

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, remained in Windsor as her and Prince William’s children attended their first full day at a new school, BBC News reported. A spokesperson for Prince Harry told the news network that Meghan was not traveling to Balmoral with him.

This past June, the Queen celebrated 70 years on the throne this past June with her Platinum Jubilee.

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey, at the age of 25. For the first time ever, the coronation ceremony was broadcast on television, allowing people from across the globe to witness the event.

Elizabeth is the mother of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, as well as the grandmother of Princes William and Harry.

The Queen’s Early Years

She was born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary on April 21, 1926, in London, to Prince Albert, Duke of York—later known as King George VI—and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

Nicknamed Lilibet, her family divided their time between a home in London and Royal Lodge on the grounds of Windsor Great Park. According to multiple sources, including Biography.com, Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret were educated at home by tutors.

In 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, Elizabeth and her sister largely stayed out of London, having been relocated to Windsor Castle. It was there that she made the first of her famous radio broadcasts in 1940, with this particular speech reassuring the children of Britain who had been evacuated from their homes and families: “In the end, all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.”

When Elizabeth’s grandfather George V died in 1936, his eldest son—Elizabeth’s uncle—became King Edward VIII. Edward, however, was in love with an American divorcée Wallis Simpson. Having to choose between the crown and his heart, Edward ultimately chose Simpson and abdicated the crown.

The event changed the course of Elizabeth’s life, making her the heir presumptive to the British crown.

Her father was crowned King George VI in 1937, taking on the name George to emphasize continuity with his father. Her mother became Queen Elizabeth. When King George died in 1952, she became Queen Mother, and her daughter became Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth married her distant cousin Philip Mountbatten on November 20, 1947, at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Philip passed away on April 9, 2021, at age 99.

Elizabeth and Philip had their first son, Charles, in 1948, the year after their wedding. Their daughter Anne arrived in 1950. Elizabeth had two more children — sons Andrew and Edward — in 1960 and 1964, respectively.

She officially made Charles her successor in 1969 by granting him the title of Prince of Wales.

Elizabeth and Philip made their first state visit to West Germany in 1965, marking the first official visit there by a British royal since 1913.

Aberfan Mining Disaster

On October 21, 1966, students and teachers of Pantglas Junior School in Aberfan, a small village in Wales, were about to begin their lessons when disaster struck. Town & Country’s Caroline Halleman writes that a nearby “spoil tip”—or surplus of mining waste—collapsed on a school, burying everyone trapped inside, and eventually killing 116 children and 28 adults.

While the Queen was made aware of the tragedy shortly after it happened, she waited eight days to visit the Welsh community, a delay, which she was said to regret immensely.

Multiple sources have written that generally speaking, the Queen was rarely emotional in public but in Aberfan, she let her guard down, even crying a little.

The Queen returned to Aberfan four more times throughout her life.

Elizabeth’s Later Years

During a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand with Philip and Princess Anne in 1970, Elizabeth broke with royal tradition when she took a casual stroll to greet crowds of people in person, rather than wave to them from a protected distance.

In 1986, according to History.com, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit the Chinese mainland, touring the terracotta warriors in Xi’an, the Great Wall in Beijing and other sites.

In May 2011, Elizabeth and Philip visited the Republic of Ireland at the invitation of President Mary McAleese. While the Queen had frequently visited Northern Ireland over the course of her reign, History.com reports that this was her first to the Republic of Ireland—and the first by a British monarch in 100 years.

Elizabeth remained steadfast in her royal obligations as she passed her 90th birthday, making more than 400 engagements per year, while also maintaining her support of hundreds of charitable organizations and programs.

However, in late 2017 the monarchy took what was considered a major step toward transitioning to the next generation. On November 12 of that year, Charles handled the traditional Remembrance Sunday duty of placing a wreath at the Cenotaph war memorial, as the Queen watched from a nearby balcony.

For much of her life, the Queen reportedly surrounded herself with dogs. Biography.com’s editors writes that she was especially known for her love of corgis, having owned more than 30 descendants of the first corgi she received as a teenager.

Elizabeth was also a horse enthusiast who bred thoroughbreds and attended racing events for many years. Not one for the spotlight, according to multiple sources, Elizabeth was known for enjoying quiet pastimes like reading mysteries, working on crossword puzzles and reportedly even watching wrestling on television.