Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96; King Charles III accedes British throne
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving British monarch, died on Thursday (September 8) at the Balmoral Castle in Scotland after a reign of 70 years.
The 96-year-old monarch was suffering from age-related health issues and was under close medical supervision. Her family had been gathering at her Scottish estate in Aberdeenshire after concerns grew about her health earlier on Thursday.
Her death brings to an end the longest reign in the history of the United Kingdom, and one of the longest reigns by any head of state.
Her husband and King consort, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh had passed away on February 6, 2021, due to old age-related ailments, two months before his 100th birthday.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Crown prince anointed as king
Her son and crown prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was anointed as King and will be officially known as King Charles III. His wife Camila, the Duchess of Cornwall, who will be henceforth known as ‘Queen Consort’, however, wouldn’t enjoy any sovereign powers.
“The King and the Queen Consort [Charles and Camilla] will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow [Friday],” Buckingham Palace said.
With Queen Elizabeth’s death, Charles will now lead the country in mourning as the new King and Head of State for 14 Commonwealth realms. Charles and the Queen’s close family members travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
Her grandson, Prince William, who will take his father’s position as crown prince, was also there.
The Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, was already by her side at the Scottish castle and her other children, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, joined later. Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who were in London for a charity event, also rushed to Harry’s grandmother’s summer residence.
William’s wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has remained in Windsor as their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, started their first full day at a new school there earlier on Thursday.
Full state funeral likely
The 96-year-old monarch has been suffering from age-related mobility issues and had cut down her travels, including appointing new Prime Minister Liz Truss in Scotland earlier this week. No official details have been released about what will happen over the coming days, but it is anticipated that the Queen will be given a full state funeral, as is traditional to mark the death of a monarch.
It is also expected that her body will lie in state to allow the public to pay tribute. King Charles III will sign off the final plans in the coming days.
Leading the monarchy from the final years of the British Empire into the age of social media, Queen Elizabeth became one of the world’s most recognised and respected figures, the BBC commented.
Elizabeth II became Queen on the death of her father King George VI on February 6 1952. She held her coronation at Westminster Abbey the following year. Her reign of 70 years was seven years longer than that of Queen Victoria.
Britain has a new King now
The UK now has a new monarch in 73-year-old Charles, the former Prince of Wales.
The new King will officially be known as King Charles III, it has been officially confirmed.
He is the oldest and longest-serving heir-apparent in British history. He will be the oldest person to become King in British history.
“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty ‘The Queen’, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” Charles, the new King, said in a statement released by the Royal Family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother,” Charles said. “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth and by countless people around the world. 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,” he said.
Newly-appointed British Prime Minister Liz Truss said “we are all devastated” at the news of the Queens death, which is a “huge shock to the nation and the world”.
She described the Queen as “a rock on which modern Britain was built”, adding “Britain is the great country it is today because of her.”
She said the Queen was a personal inspiration to her as well as many Britons. “Her devotion to duty is an example to us all,” Truss, who had an audience with the Queen on Tuesday, said in a statement outside 10 Downing Street.
Queen Elizabeth acceded the throne in 1952 following the death of her father George VI and witnessed enormous social change.
Prime Minister Modi pays tributes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid heartfelt tributes to Queen Elizabeth II, saying she was a stalwart who provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life, Modi said, recalling his “memorable” meetings with the Queen in 2015 and 2018.
“I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings, she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her at her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture,” the prime minister said.
Early life
Born in Mayfair, London, as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary), was educated privately at home. She overtook public duties from a young age while serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War.
In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark. Their marriage lasted 73 long years, until Prince Philip’s death in April 2021. The two had four children, Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
Responsibilities from a young age
Responsibilities came young to Elizabeth. Upon her father’s death in February 1952, the then 25-year-old Elizabeth became the queen regent of seven independent Commonwealth countries, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (today known as Sri Lanka).
Elizabeth experienced history through her own eyes while reigning as the constitutional monarch through some major political changes like the troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, the United Kingdom’s accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union.
Her visits to China in 1986, Russia in 1994 and to the Republic of Ireland in 2011 are some of her most historic visits and meetings.
Personal beliefs and opinions
The Queen rarely gave interviews and hence little is known about her personal feelings and beliefs. She however, had a deep sense of religious and civic duty.
She acted as the Supreme Governor of the established Church of England. Aside from this, she worshipped with the church and also the national church of Scotland. She met with leaders of other churches and religions, including the five popes, Pius XII, John XXIII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. She also expressed support for inter-faith relations.
In her annual Christmas Message in 2020, she said: “To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”
Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of more than 600 organisations and charities.