QUEEN Elizabeth II pictured on February 20, 1975, during a visit to The Bahamas.
ElizabethQueenII1926-2022ATribuneSpecialEdition
She became less visible in her final years as age and frailty curtailed public appearances, and she used a cane after the April 2021 death of Philip, her hus band of 73 years. She was hospitalised for a night for tests later that year.
The BBC played the national anthem, “God Save the Queen”, over a portrait of her in full regalia as her death was announced, and the flag over Bucking ham Palace was lowered to half-staff as the second Elizabethan age came to a close.The impact of her loss will be huge and unpredictable, both for the nation and for the monarchy, an institution she helped stabilise and modernise across decades of enormous social change and family scandals, but whose relevance in the 21st century has often been called into question.Thechanging of the guard also comes at a fraught moment for Britain, which has a new prime minister and is grappling with an energy crisis, double-digit infla tion, the war in Ukraine and the fallout fromCharles,Brexit.who is nowhere near as pop ular as his mother, called her death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family”.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss, appointed by the queen just 48 hours earlier, pronounced the country “devas tated” and called Elizabeth “the rock on which modern Britain was built”.
Crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace in the rain and some people wept when officials carried a notice confirm ing the queen’s death to the gates of her London home.
But she remained firmly in con trol of the monarchy and at the center of national life as Britain cel ebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June. That same month, she became the
In Canada, where the British monarch is the country’s head of state, Prime Min ister Justin Trudeau saluted her “wisdom, compassion and warmth.” In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dig nity and decency in public life. Pained by herPresidentdemise.”
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II visits the set of the long running television series Coronation Street, in Manchester, England. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a rock of stability across much of a turbulent century, has died. She was 96. Buckingham Palace made the announcement in a statement yesterday.
QUEEN Elizabeth II, Britain’s long est-reigning monarch and a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and embar rassing dysfunction in her own family, died yesterday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96.
Photo: Scott Heppell/AP
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Since Feb 6, 1952, Elizabeth reigned over a Britain that rebuilt from a ruin ous war and lost its empire; joined the European Union and then left it; and made the painful transition into the 21st century. She endured through 15 prime ministers, from Winston Churchill to Truss — a fixed point and a reassuring presence even for those who ignored or loathed the monarchy.
Buckingham Palace said she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse.
A link to the almost-vanished genera tion that fought World War II, she was the only monarch most Britons have ever known.Her 73-year-old son Prince Charles automatically became king and will be known as King Charles III, his office said. Charles’ second wife, Camilla, will be known as the Queen Consort.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and
Queen Elizabeth II, UK’s monarch,longest-servingdiesat96
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Joe Biden called her a “stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States”.
the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” he added.
Queen Elizabeth II, left, sittingnext to fashion editor AnnaWintour as they view RichardQuinn’s runway show.
South African President Nelson Mandela stands withQueen Elizabeth II on his arrival at BuckinghamPalace for a state banquet in his honour.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and the late PrincePhilip, the Duke of Edinburgh wave to the crowdsafter their wedding on Nov 20 1947.Photos: AP Queen Elizabeth II is seen during the State Opening of Parliament, London, England in April 1966.
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Princess Margaret recalled asking her sister whether this meant that Elizabeth would one day be queen. “‘Yes, I suppose it does,’” Margaret quoted her as saying. “She didn’t mention it again.”
Early in her reign, Princess Margaret provoked a national controversy through her romance with a divorced man. In 1992, during what the queen called the “annus horribilis”, Princess Anne was divorced, Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated, and so did Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah. That was also the year Windsor Castle was seri ously damaged by fire.
At Westminster Abbey in 1947 she married Royal Navy officer Philip Mountbatten, a prince of Greece and Denmark whom she had first met in 1939 when she was 13 and he 18.
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The dent in her popularity was brief. She was by now a sort of national grand mother, with a stern gaze and a kind smile.
Winston Churchill’s first reaction was that the new queen was
“only a child”, but he was won over within days and became an ardent admirer.
But in 1936, when she was 10, Edward VIII abdicated to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson, and Eliza beth’s father became King George VI.
She held weekly private meetings with her prime ministers, and they generally found her well-informed, inquisitive and up to date.
The public split of Charles and Diana was followed by the shock of her death in a Paris car crash in 1997. For once, the queen appeared out of step amid unprec edented public mourning, failing to make a public show of grief that was seen by many as unfeeling. After several days, she made a televised address to the nation.
Queen Elizabeth II talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, prior to a private audience at Windsor Castle, on his first visit to the West as Russian President.
Queen Elizabeth II smiles while receiving the President of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis and his wife Paola Cassis during an audience at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England.
second-longest-reigning monarch in his tory, behind 17th century French King Louis XIV, who took the throne at age 4.
In 1947, almost five years before becoming queen, the 21-year-old Eliza beth promised the people of Britain and the Commonwealth that “my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service”.
Their first child, Prince Charles, was born on Nov 14, 1948. He was fol lowed by Princess Anne in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960, and Prince Edward in 1964. Besides those children, she is sur vived by eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Her coronation came over a year later at Westminster Abbey, a spectacle seen by millions through the new medium of television.PrimeMinister
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London on April 21, 1926, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. She was not born to be queen -- her father’s elder brother, Prince Edward, was destined for the crown, to be followed by any children he had.
Elizabeth was barely in her teens when Britain went to war with Germany in 1939. Elizabeth and Margaret lived mostly at Windsor Castle, spending many nights in an underground bomb shelter. Eager to help the war effort, the heir to the throne joined the Auxiliary Territo rial Service in 1945, learning to drive and service heavy vehicles.
On the night the war ended in Europe, May 8, 1945, she and Margaret mingled, unrecognized, with celebrating crowds in London. She later called it “one of the most memorable nights of my life”.
It was a promise she kept across more than seven decades.
In February 1952, George VI died after years of ill health at age 56. Elizabeth, visiting Kenya, was told she was now queen.
“In a way I didn’t have an apprentice ship,” Elizabeth told the BBC in 1992. “My father died much too young, and so it was all a very sudden kind of taking on, and making the best job you can.”
Her views in those meetings became a subject of speculation and fertile ground for dramatists like Peter Morgan, author of the play “The Audience” and hit TV series “The Crown”. Those semi-fictional ized accounts were the product of an era of declining deference and rising celeb rity, when the royal family’s troubles became public property.
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Charles, formerely Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, gestures to his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at the end of the Queen’s Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace, London.
She was arguably the most famous person in the world. But her inner life and opinions remained mostly an enigma. The public saw only glimpses of her personality -- her joy watch ing horse races at Royal Ascot, or her pleasure in the companionship of her beloved Welsh corgi dogs.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, kneeling, places his hands between those of Queen Elizabeth II, his wife, as he swears homage, during the Queen’s Coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, in London, June 2, 1953.
And the family troubles kept coming. Her son, Prince Andrew, was entangled in the sordid tale of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an American businessman who had been a friend. The queen’s grand son Prince Harry walked away from Britain and royal duties after marrying
“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again. We will be with our families again. We will meet again,” she said.
In 2015, she overtook her great-greatgrandmother Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years, seven months and two days to become the longest serving monarch in British history, and she kept working into her 10th decade. The loss of Philip at age 99 in 2021 was a heavy blow.
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On Sept 6, she presided at a cer emony at Balmoral Castle to accept the resignation of Boris Johnson as prime minister and appoint Truss as his successor.AsBritons endured loss, isolation and uncertainty during the coronavi rus pandemic, she made a rare video address in 2020 that urged people to stick together, summoning the spirit of World War II and echoing Vera Lynn’s wartime anthem, “We’ll Meet Again.”
American actress Meghan Markle in 2018.As the queen entered her mid-90s, she had what the palace called “mobil ity issues.” In May, she asked Charles to stand in for her at the State Opening of Parliament, one of the monarch’s key constitutional duties.
A BANNER saying God Save The Queen flies as a large crowd gathers for the Royal visit in 1966.
QUEEN Elizabeth II with Prince Philip during her 1966 visit.
KEEPING the sun off with an umbrella dur ing Queen Elizabeth’s 1966 visit.
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PLACING a wreath in 1966.
PHOTOGRAPHS from The Tribune archives. Research by Jeffarah Gibson and Moise Amisial.
QUEEN Elizabeth II inspecting officers in 1975.
THE ARRIVAL of Queen Elizabeth on a British Airways Royal flight on February 20, 1975.
QUEEN Elizabeth II during her 1966 visit.
A CURTSEY for the Queen during the 1966 visit.
CHATTING to a hospital patient in 1966.
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QUEEN Elizabeth greeting crowds during her 1975 visit.
There have already been many tributes to The Queen and her unique qualities, and so much more will be said and writ ten in the coming days and months about her passing and the wonderful legacy she leaves behind. In the immediacy of the moment, perhaps her life can be summed up by describing it as an incredibly long one of devotion to duty and service to which she had committed herself publicly on her 21st birthday. Over the years she re-emphasised this commitment to serv ing the people. This was a sense of duty inherited from her father, King George VI, who was reputed to have a strong sense of what a modern constitutional monarchy was supposed to be. She came to the throne at the age of twenty-five after his unexpected early death.
dignified, dedicated and indomitable in always putting duty first. This provided stability, unity and reassurance for Brit ain as a nation for she was a constant, unchanging presence in people’s lives that provided essential continuity. In the words of Liz Truss, she was the rock on which a modern and dynamic Britain was built and her value to the nation was incalculable. Shewas,of course, held in deep affec tion by so many, not just at home but by people in the Commonwealth – and within Realms such as The Bahamas –as well as in the wider world, not least amongst the large number of countries she visited over the course of her long reign. She touched the lives of millions and was simply loved, admired and respected -- not only for her achievements as the nation’s head of state in exercising so effectively her role in a constitutional democracy by publicly keeping out of politics, but as a person who was genu inely humble and down-to-earth which earned the trust and devotion of the Brit ish mention a couple of personal moments, my wife and I recall how kind
A wave of regret around the world
Despite accepting in recent years the inevitability of the sad fact that The Queen’s passing was gradually becoming imminent as she reached her nineties and suffered serious mobility issues, the shock of hearing that her health was suddenly deteriorating rapidly was immense. Only two days earlier there was wide media coverage of her receiving the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and asking her to form a government, and at that cer emony The Queen looked relatively well despite appearing frail.
death of Queen Elizabeth II, the much-loved longest reigning monarch in British history, has immediately set off a wave of expressions of regret, pro found sadness and deep sense of loss, not just in the United Kingdom but in the Commonwealth and around the world. She passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle in Scotland yesterday.
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Earlier in the day, news started circu lating about concerns for The Queen’s health, and many people must surely have experienced a terrible feeling of dread and foreboding that was only increased by reports that her family had been summoned to her bedside.
THE
What also caused deep concern and apprehension was that Buckingham
Palace issued a statement yesterday saying that her doctors were warning she was now under close medical supervision and was resting comfortably. This was sig nificant and made people fear the worst because official comment about the mon arch’s medical matters is rare, given that these are considered private.
Ifpeople.Imay
Queen Elizabeth II sheds a tear during the Field of Remembrance Service at Westminster Abbey, London.
Photo: Jeremy Selwyn /AP
Queen Elizabeth’s exceptionally long reign of seven decades of public service was tremendously successful and produc tive. Throughout it, sustained by her deep Christian faith, she was steadfast, decent,
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THE TRIBUNE QUEEN ELIZABETH II SPECIAL EDITION Friday, September 9, 2022 ● PAGE 9
It has been said by the BBC that the passing of The Queen and the end of our own Elizabethan era is a seismic event and profound moment in British history – a huge milestone. At an individual level it will be a massive shock for many mil lions in Britain of all ages to take in the news for they will have a sense of great personal loss. As well as being a con stant presence in their lives many felt they knew her. In addition to carrying out thousands of official engagements she was known for doing regular public walkabouts and, with her customary warm and welcoming smile, meeting and
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Princess Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret make their first radio broadcast, in London. Photos: AP
she was when receiving us in advance of being posted to The Bahamas as High Commissioner – and how pleasant and rewarding it was to meet her and the Duke of Edinburgh who visited us infor mally in London when a group for which I was responsible was organising the offi cial commemorations and celebrations for the 50th anniversaries of VE-Day and the civilian side of D-Day.
Princess Elizabeth poses for a photo in a Girl Guides uniform, in Windsor Great Park, England.
Queen Elizabeth shares a moment with her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and their children Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Clarence House.
Queen Elizabeth II, centre left, and Prince Philip, centre, are seated with their children, from left, Prince Charles (now King Charles III), Prince Edward, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne, at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of the royal couple’s silver wedding anniversary.
greeting large numbers of people. She was also, of course, famous for doing her traditional “Queen’s Speech” every Christmas in which she managed to convey the impression she was actually talking directly to people on a personal basis. It was transmitted on BBC televi sion on Christmas Day itself and became almost obligatory watching.
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According to tradition in Britain, on the death of the monarch the Crown passes immediately to a successor. In her statement outside No 10 Downing Street yesterday, the prime minister referred to King Charles III. He will be faced with an enormous challenge as he succeeds to the throne -- in place of his much-loved and treasured mother whose passing has induced such deep and widespread sad ness and who will be deeply mourned both at home and around the world.
The world mourns as Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith has died yesterday. She gracefully became the longest-reigning monarch in British history and will be succeeded by King Charles III.
She was dedicated to her duty and obligations and everyone, everywhere knew it. That commitment to executing her responsibilities, whatever personal strain it caused, was no better exemplified than when, just two days before her death and while she knew that her end was near, she received Liz Truss and appointed her as Britain’s 15th Prime Minister. Quite remarkably, she did so with a radiant smile on her face.
However, she has left us a legacy of committed service that enriched all our lives, and an example of dedication to duty that we can never forget.
She was not Queen in the far-flung countries in which millions of people now mourn her death, but every person, who shed a tear or felt a tightening in their throat, was painfully aware that a great figure has passed from our lives.
The Queen has died. We must preserve her glorious memory.
The Queen has died: Long live her legacy
THE announcement of the death of Elizabeth II, Sovereign Queen of several realms, including 7 in the Caribbean, plunged the world into deep sadness.
She lived-up to that declaration. Her devotion to the Commonwealth and its affairs, even to the point of defying the advice of British Prime Ministers in support
The Headship of the Commonwealth has no functional role, but it is very doubtful that the modern Common wealth would have survived had it not been for her personal stewardship. She was the glue that kept the group in existence, in her long reign. She made the Common wealth a personal passion and advocated for it strongly.
By SIR RONALD SANDERS
During her reign, she undertook more than 200 visits to Commonwealth countries and visited every country of the Commonwealth (with the exception of Cam eroon, which joined in 1995, Rwanda which joined in 2009, and Togo and Gabon which joined this year) as well as making many repeat visits. She brought star quality to the Commonwealth and, by her association, gave it global recognition and regard.
She has been the longest reigning monarch in Brit ain and all of her realms that stretch from the Pacific to North America and the Caribbean. She also reigned longer than any other monarch in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Elizabeth II sat on a throne – a heavy weight on her small frame, but she was a colossal human being. Britain and the Commonwealth has lost a treasure that cannot beItreplaced.isright that we should all mourn her passing, and unashamedly shed a tear, joining her family in their deep loss, for it is our collective loss too.
There will never be another like her.
But, it is not only the fact of her longevity that caused the spontaneous outpouring of sadness and regret at her death; it was more so the quality of her reign.
Every British Prime Minister, every Prime Minister of her realms valued their engagements with the Queen. She possessed a depth of wisdom, born from the breadth of her experience and knowledge.
The value, reposed in her by the leaders of her realms, was shared by Heads of State and Governments of Commonwealth countries. She became Head of the Com monwealth at the instant that she inherited the monarchy of Britain, thrust on her by her father’s death in 1952.
ViewWorld
much widespread mourning and sense of loss in the Republics of the Commonwealth as there is in Britain.
THE TRIBUNE QUEEN ELIZABETH II SPECIAL EDITION Friday, September 9, 2022 ● PAGE 11
QUEEN Elizabeth II stands on the balcony during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant at the Buckingham Palace in London, on June 5, this year, on the last of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Photo: Frank Augstein/AP
No one who encountered the Queen would not have been touched by her humanity, and the sense of per sonal concern that she showed. I recall many personal instances – her worry that I might catch my death of cold when I turned up for a wreath laying ceremony at the Cenotaph in London without an overcoat on a cold and rainy November day; her insistence, at Wind sor Castle that she show me a photograph of a beach in Antigua, the only beach on which she sun-bathed during her reign; and her warm welcome when I returned to London a second time as High Commissioner. Above all else was her interest in the country; her questions about the effects of Hurricanes and how people were coping.
of wider Commonwealth positions, is well-known and greatly respected, especially in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
It is a role she has fulfilled for 70 of the modern Com monwealth’s 73 years. She had made a commitment to the Commonwealth on her 21st birthday when she declared: “If we all go forward together with an unwa vering faith, a high courage, and a quiet heart, we shall be able to make of this ancient commonwealth, which we all love so dearly, an even grander thing - more free, more prosperous, more happy and a more powerful influence for good in the world”.
In the Commonwealth Caribbean, several countries became Republics; among them Barbados, Dominica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Others, such as Jamaica and St Vincent and the Grenadines, have indi cated that they too wish to become Republics. But, at all times, the governments and peoples of these nations expressed their continuing admiration and respect for Elizabeth II. Their wish to become Republics was no disrespect to her, or any diminution of their high regard for her worth. It was simply a practicality. There is as
RIGHT: The New Zealand flags fly at half mast atop of the Auckland Harbour Bridge as New Zealand mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth II (Michael Craig/ New Zealand Herald via AP)
LEFT: Great Britain and Italy players stand for a minute of silence for the death of Queen Elizabeth II prior to the start of the Eurobasket group C basketball match between Great Britain and Italy, in Milan, Italy. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
A PORTRAIT of the Queen Elizabeth II stands amongst a flower tribute outside Government House in of the flag of The Kingdom,Unitedas a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on her passing, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.(AP Photo/ Bruna Prado)
Australia.Sydney,(APPhoto/MarkBaker)THECHRISTtheRedeemerstatueisilluminatedinred,blueandwhite,thecolors
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POLICEMEN stand outside Buckingham Palace in London after the death of Queen Elizabeth II was an nounced. (AP Photo/ Christophe Ena)
The world reacts to the death of Queen Elizabeth II
ELIZABETH II SPECIAL EDITION Friday, September 9,
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(Christophe Gateau/dpa via AP)
IMAGES of the Union flag and Israeli flag are projected on the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
A WOMAN lights a candle in front of the British Embassy to express grief over Queen Elizabeth’s death, in Prague, Czech(RihovaRepublic.Michaela/CTK via AP)
FLOWERS were laid outside the British Embassy in Berlin following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in Berlin, Germany.
QUEEN
ELTON John paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at his final concert in Toronto, saying she inspired him and is sad she is gone. “She led the country through some of our greatest and darkest moments with grace and decency and genuine caring,” John said.
A MOURNER prays outside the British Embassy following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
(AP Photo/Robert Gillies)
A symbol of grace and stability
The news stories will walk us through the personal jour ney of a queen who married the movie star like idol of her dreams and smiled through whatever ruffles there were in theCamerasmarriage.will pan the pal aces she inhabited as Royalty and zero in on the faces of her grandsons, Harry and William, trying not to miss a single sen sational second of their pain at losing the motherly figure they adored after their own mother was taken from them too soon.
ongoing. A total of 15 prime ministers came and went. The Commonwealth came apart in governance and together in sports.
BRITAIN’S Queen Elizabeth II arrives on the third day of the Royal Ascot horse race meeting in 2018. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland. File)
Through it all Queen Eliz abeth II, with her hat and handbag over her gloved wrist, was a steady presence. She did not end any wars, nor take credit for any victories. She did not change technology, nor take any blame for human smuggling, cruelty and corrup tion around the globe. She did not contribute to nor cause the semi-recovery from the worst pandemic in a century. She just was. Steady. Graceful. Digni fied. Strong, her eyes filled withAndkindness.maybe that was all she needed to be, a mother figure for the world when we needed one.
THE AFTERMATH
There was something else about the life and death of Queen Elizabeth II that should not be overlooked and that is the absolute readiness for it.
remarried Prince Charles will do as King Charles III, politely dancing around his previous marital infidelity at such a del icateWhattime.no amount of report ing can do, though, is capture the full grace of the woman who served as queen for sev enty long years, who carried herself with such dignity that she made the world a more sane place. She brought a sense of balance to a world tipping on edge, a queen who walked gently with purpose, a smile starting on one side of her mouth, slowly creeping across her face and lighting up herSixeyes.wars came and went during her reign. World War II, the Korean Conflict, Viet nam, Middle East, troops in Afghanistan with Ukraine
It did not matter whether we were believers in monarchy forever or the staunchest of anti-monarchists.Weallfeltsomething, a tug at a place inside us that said, ‘There will never be another like Queen Elizabeth II, a woman who served her people and the people of the Com monwealth for 70 years and stood for all humankind as a symbol of grace and stability in a world of turmoil.’
Somebar.stories will focus on her sacrifices, relinquishing any kind of private life for a life under the microscope. They’ll take us on a journey of our own lives – from days long before there were portable phones let alone cell phones, days when Pan Am ruled the skies and airline travel was reserved for the elite who dressed to the hilt for the occasion, days when those rich enough to own a car were outraged when the cost of gas skyrocketed from 18 cents to
the world sat by her bedside figuratively, knowing the end was near, feeling the loss even before it happened, we all knew in our hearts that the world without Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would be a different place.
24 cents in a single year.
WHILE
While partisan politics con tinues to tear families apart and divide Americans in ways they have not experienced since the ugly days of the Civil War, the transition from the reign of Queen Elizabeth II to King Philip III was instant, flawless and as smooth and seamless as fine French nylons. It made the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. elections even more embarrassing. If you had compared the transition of the monarchy that stretched from one century to another to a
The same cameras will test Prince Harry’s wife to see if she is real or acting, then pre tend to let us draw our own conclusions about Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex.They’ll be kind to Kate, wife of Prince William, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who now become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall.AsWilliam becomes the heir apparent to the British throne, the news teams assigned to check on the well-being of the royal couple’s three chil dren will look for any photo moments of solemnness or a childlike giggle or engaging smile.They’ll see how tightly the little ones hold hands. The news is the news and you can’t do much about it. But emotion sells and he who captures it bestThey’llwins. recount every last detail that has been recounted a thousand times before about the life and death of Diana and they’ll do the obligatory discussion guess ing how well a widowed and
By the time you read this, airwaves will be filled with news of her passing, of stories during her reign, some dating back to the days of newsreels like those b&w’s that ran in movie theatres updating you on war efforts before the days walking hot dogs strode the big screen to lure you to the snack
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in a world of turmoil
A MEMBER of royal household staff carries the announcement regarding the death of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II to display on the gates of Buckingham Palace in London, Thursday. (Victoria Jones/Pool via AP)
PEOPLE gather outside Buckingham Palace following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Thursday. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
It was not just the usual attributes of a stiff upper lip, we knew it had to happen someday, after all she was 96. It was a disaster preparedness plan.By now, you have seen it unfold on TV or in social media. Operation code name London Bridge. D-day, the day of her death with D-day 1
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If the transition process all sounds very yawn-inspiring, lacking in spontaneity, maybe it is times like this when the world needs a little peace, when the bombs stop dropping in Ukraine and people put down their fists and their arms and their anger and just for a moment, breathe deeply and toast, Hail to the Queen, May She Rest in Peace.
change of balance of legisla tive and executive power from two years before, the differ ences are immeasurable.
POLICE officers stand amongst floral tributes left outside Buckingham Palace after the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Thursday. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)
The Queen’s death on Sep tember the 8th at Balmoral in the UK showed the British at their best.
In the U.S. pro-Trump riot ers who believed the election had been stolen stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, Inauguration Day, rioting, wielding weapons and clubs and tempers and curse words and everything they could find to turn back the clock. The insurrection bordering on treason showed Americans, angry at change, at their worst.
That transition orderliness, call it a disaster preparedness plan, sends an unmistakable message.TheBritish are not ready to give up the monarchy and even if its financial value is tourism revenue generated, its intrinsic value has greater meaning that rises to the fore at a time like this, the Queen, like any mother, was the glue that held the family together.
and a number following each day thereafter, the funeral on the 10th day, who will stay in what palace already decided, who will speak, the orderliness and predictability of it all.
A MONTAGE created from images of Queen Elizabeth’s 1975 visit.
PHOTOGRAPHS from The Tribune archives. Research by Jeffarah Gibson and Moise Amisial.
QUEEN Elizabeth chatting with the crowd in 1975.
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PRINCE Philip and Queen Elizabeth in 1975.
QUEEN Elizabeth pictured with Prince Philip during a 1966 visit.
NURSES look on during Queen Elizabeth’s 1966 visit.
QUEEN Elizabeth smiling in the sun during a visit on February 27, 1966.
QUEEN Elizabeth at the airport during her visit in 1985.
QUEEN Elizabeth inspecting a boat during her 1966 visit.
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In the days of preparation for our visit to Buckingham Palace and meeting Queen Elizabeth II, it was interesting to learn the truth about expectations of her guests. In many ways, there are not what many expect. We were told, for example,
The Queenand ourchangeacceptinginsociety By WallaceAlicia
‘One of the comments I hear most often about Queen Elizabeth II is that her manner was always the same. She appeared to be stable in disposition and dedicated to carrying out her duties in the prescribed manner.’
to the moment, but also to the memory. Adults were not exempt from the excite ment and competition, though it may have been a bit more subtle. One of our favorite things, as Bahamians, is bragging rights. “I did it, not you!” “I was there, not you!” “I been to see the queen, not you!”Some of my family members met Queen Elizabeth II, and some of them did so on more than one occasion. They each remember their moments for differ ent reasons. Some talk about what she wore, while others recall what they wore with more enthusiasm. Some remember what she said, or who was standing near her. That she made a strong impression is undeniable.Oneofthe comments I hear most often about Queen Elizabeth II is that her manner was always the same. She
Queen Elizabeth II was always intrigu ing. There is great curiosity about the lives of the people in the British royal family, beyond their roles and parts of the performance we can see. Living within the constraints that run the family as a business must come with challenges. There are obviously rules — some known to us and others only demonstrated — and many assumptions about what is required, what is preferred, and what simply does not matter.
IN June 2015, I was in a group of 60 young people from across the Com monwealth who travelled to London as a part of the Queen’s Young Leaders programme. We participated in a week of activities that included an evening at Buckingham Palace to receive our awards from Queen Elizabeth II. This was a highlight for most award winners who looked forward to her acknowledgement of the work being done in their home countries in a broad range of thematic areas of work includ ing human rights, social entrepreneurship, dis abilities, sports, youth, andAshealth.children, we read and heard fairytales which often included kings, queens, princes, and princesses. From a young age, we are shown the difference between them and us, and we are taught to aspire to similar wealth and power or, at the very least, proximity to it. Some go after it in politics, some go the route of building wealth, some court and marry it, some try to get there through education, and some attempt it through a series of accomplishments. The image of royalty and the perception people have of it
appeared to be stable in disposition and dedicated to carrying out her duties in the prescribed manner. She showed up when she committed to being some where, she delivered speeches in an even tone, she wore a particular kind of skirt suit with hats her age mates admired, and she, as much as possible, kept her private life private. These are things for which she has been praised. She did not seem to be interested in changing the way she did things, and she did not appear to be moved by naysayers. Perhaps that is why she did not appear to be bothered by other people’s preferences.
When Queen Elizabeth II visited The Bahamas, she had large audiences. Chil dren tended to be excited to be able to see her in real life. There was prob ably talk about it for weeks before she arrived and for weeks, months, and even years after she had left. There was cer tainly talk about who did and did not get to be there. They assigned a value
can drive them to do what they may not have attempted without the clear visual. Whatever paths we take, we are aware of the people who are already where we would like to be, and as we observe them, we admire, aspire, assess, or some combination of the three.
to get it right, but the team wanted us to have a good time too.
is certainly room for much discus sion about legacy. In that, it is useful to look at the last years of her life and what can be learned from them. How do we care for our families? How do we care for our country? How can we get rid of old rules and practices, even if we want to continue them ourselves? How do we connect with people whose power is less — or less realised — than ourThereown?are
lessons to learn, and there are certainly practices and changes that can be applied to our context. We have seen that rules and expectations can change, and we know that there is often resistance. If we want freedom, as a people, we cannot see change as a bar rier. We have to make it, embrace it, and ride its wave to a new reality.
Photo: Victoria Jones/PA via AP
PEOPLE gather outside Buckingham Palace last night following the announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
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The one thing the Queen’s Young Leaders team kept telling us was that we had to be on time. From the first day to the morning of the event, they stressed that we could not be late, and that they would, in fact, leave anyone who was not
This may seem rather simple, but there is a lot to think about here. First our perceptions of people in positions of power, no matter how much we see them from afar, can be very different from reality. The things people expected Queen Elizabeth II to have strong opin ions on and rules about were of no particular interest to her. Second, peo ple’s personal preferences need not be disempowering to others. Third, think ing, practices, and systems can change. It may have been the thing to do to wear a hat at any important event 50 years ago, and we can choose not to make that the standard today.
that it did not really matter what we wore. She did not care if we wore hats or gloves. It made no difference if women’s knees were covered. Bare arms were of no concern. Even midriffs had no effect on her. Men wearing clothing we might describe as skirts or dresses drew no reac tion. I remember being asked, again and again, if I was sure I did not need to wear gloves. This let me know that people have a different idea about what Queen Elizabeth II herself considered appropri ate, likely based on what is imposed on us right here in The Bahamas.
on the coach in time. That said, we wore what we liked, and we entered Bucking ham Palace without a problem. There were no complaints from anyone about feeling uncomfortable or slighted in any way. We are all treated as one would expect invited guests to be treated.
Queen Elizabeth II was a symbol of a particular part of our past. There
On arrival at Buckingham Palace, we went directly into training. We were given instructions for entering the room and approaching Queen Elizabeth II. We were told what we should call her the first time we spoke to her, and what we should call her if the conversation continued. We had funny reminders about pronunci ation, including rhyming words. “Ma’am like jam; not mom,” comes to mind. It was all relatively simple, and it was clear that mistakes would not get us kicked out or even reprimanded. Everyone wanted
Later in her royal visit to The Bahamas, the queen presided over a fancy reception at Government House. This was the least closely supervised of these four occa sions. There were a lot of important people there, and they all wanted to approach her majesty. All completely understandable, but it made for a bit of a madhouse. The police did their best to keep order and some sem blance of propriety, but the Queen of England is not someone who visits often.
A monarch who always chose the better path
The first occurred at one of the royal garden parties at Buckingham Palace. You may have seen most of the world’s great historical and cultural treasure sites, and travelled nearly to the ends of the earth. But entering this magnificent building, set in the middle of one of the world’s most interesting and cosmopolitan cities,
On this occasion, the queen’s son and heir Prince Charles and his then-wife Princess Diana were also present, tall and elegant in the distance. News pictures never did Diana justice: Beautiful and even dazzling at a distance of thirty yards, she drew glances from every oneThepresent.second meeting also took place at Buckingham Palace, at a distinctly more formal occasion. This was a formal reception, and the 1,500 guests were all dressed in their finest evening wear. This time, Prince Philip and the queen made only a brief appearance, greet ing a lucky few. But Charles and Diana were glammed up, and the princess’s thousand-watt smile was on full display.Thefirst Nassau meeting was on the fantail of the royal yacht HMY Britannia. Fortunate guests were ushered up a short gangway and there stood the queen and the prince plus a couple of military aides. One of these was assigned to gather in the names of the guests and repeat them to the royal couple. In this particular case, the aide muffed the name, and this caused a brief pause in the proceedings. The queen, astonishingly gra cious after what had been a tiring day of official duties, couldn’t have been more courteous about the gaffe, even making a small joke of it. Comparing notes after wards, everyone within earshot was amazed at how full of grace she was.
The Queen Mum was looked upon as a kind of stal wart but loving grandmother to her people, somewhat as president George H W Bush’s resolute and solid wife Barbara was regarded by the American public at around the same time.
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During her unprecedented 70-year reign, she served with 15 different prime ministers, ranging from Sir Winston Churchill to the just-installed Liz Truss. 13 different US presidents held office during her reign, and she knew them all except Lyndon Johnson. She played her royal hand supremely well with each of them, including the scandalised Bill Clinton and the brash Donald Trump. Many observers thought the queen may have felt most personally comfortable with RonaldDecadesReagan.ago,there was much speculation in the UK and elsewhere that Elizabeth was determined to shat ter Queen Victoria’s record of 62 years on the British throne. Pundits pushing this theory advanced their arguments using reasoning similar to that employed by sportswriters when Hank Aaron was chasing Babe Ruth’s all-time major league baseball home run record. But it never really seemed that way. Rather, the Queen seemed to be simply, singularly devoted to fulfilling her responsibilities. Such longevity talk faded into irrel evance years ago.
QUEEN Elizabeth II with, from top, US presidents Ronald Rea gan, Barack Obama, Joe Biden and John F Kennedy.
with Charlie Harper STATESIDE
Thirty years ago, London remained agog over her mother, the Queen Mother, who was rather unflatter ingly portrayed in the brilliant, unexpectedly amazing Netflix TV series called The Crown. Queen Elizabeth’s mum was viewed with a mixture of reverence and affec tion by the British, and there were numerous tabloid reports that it bothered Queen Elizabeth.
Actually, Queen Elizabeth now apparently ranks second all-time in throne tenure, after France’s Louis XIV and his 72 years as king of France from 1643-1715.
Through it all, the queen was composed, smiling and unfailingly pleasant. She did linger intermittently with some of the guests, all of whom seemed to have stars in their eyes as their brief encounter ended. She spent a bit longer with the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Haiti. He said later that he didn’t come down from the clouds until the following afternoon.
Queen Elizabeth had been “in office” for 40 years
IT’S ironic. So much of what has been written about Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II will concern numbers and statistics and rankings. But that’s not what those fortu nate enough to have met her will recall. Not at all. Still, the numbers are really impressive.
Guest – hundreds and hundreds of them at a time –are ushered into a large open area behind the imposing palace front. After what seemed a long but somehow appropriate wait, the queen appeared. Moving with practised, but natural poise, she made visitors feel a connection with her though few actually shook her hand. She was imposing but hardly tall. Visitors jostled politely to catch even a glimpse.
It is often said that there’s a lot of luck and pure ser endipity in life. This writer had the distinct privilege of meeting Queen Elizabeth on four different occasions –twice in London and twice in Nassau. There was a great deal of pure chance in these meetings, but each had its own memorable qualities.
nonetheless represents a singular thrill.
That can go in two directions. The dignitary can become weary and a bit querulous, even petulant. Or they can behave with the implicit acknowl edgement that they are in their position largely by happenstance, and treat that position, and those
when she visited The Bahamas on that occasion. She had a lifetime of experience with crowds of people whose accomplishments and social position in their societies had afforded them the opportunity to spend a bit of time in her presence.
BRITAIN’s Queen Elizabeth II sits with delegates during an official photo session aboard the Queen’s yacht ‘Britannia’, in Nassau, the Bahamas, in 1985, as leaders from 46 countries gathered for the Commonwealth Head of Government meeting.
Photo: Dave Caulkin/AP
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with whom they come into contact, with respect and friendliness.QueenElizabeth II always chose the better path. She will be sorely missed by all whose good fortune led them to meet her, and by millions more.
QUEEN Elizabeth II with, clockwise from top left, US presidents Jimmy Carter, George HW Bush, Richard Nixon, Donald Trump, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton.
Friday, September 9,
QUEEN ELIZABETH II SPECIAL EDITION
PRINCE Charles has been preparing for the crown his entire life. Now, at age 73, that moment has finally arrived.
In the same interview, however, Charles acknowledged that as king, he wouldn’t be able to speak out or interfere in politics because the role of sovereign is different from being the Prince of Wales.
His accession to the throne is likely to fuel debate about the future of Britain’s largely ceremonial monarchy, seen by some as a symbol of national unity and others as an obsolete vestige of feudal history.
He then spent seven years in uniform, training as a Royal Air Force pilot before joining the Royal Navy, where he learned to fly helicopters. He ended his military career as commander of the HMS Bron ington, a minesweeper, in 1976.
lest he be seen as unconstitutional,” said Owens, who wrote “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public,Charles,1932-53.”who will be the head of state for the UK and 14 other coun tries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, has defended his actions.
Her service was rewarded last Feb ruary, when Queen Elizabeth II said publicly that it was her “sincere wish” that Camilla should be known as “Queen Consort” after her son succeeded her, answering questions once and for all about her status in the Royal Family.
prince became the Duke of Cornwall. He became Prince of Wales at 20.
Charles studied history at Cambridge University’s Trinity College, where in 1970 he became the first British royal to earn a university degree.
“I always wonder what meddling is, I always thought it was motivating,” he said in “Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70,” a 2018 documentary. “I’ve always been intrigued if it’s meddling to worry about the inner cities, as I did 40 years ago and what was happening or not hap pening there, the conditions in which people were living. If that’s meddling, I’m very proud of it.”
That has meant a life of palaces and polo, attracting criticism that Charles was out of touch with everyday life, being lampooned for having a valet who purportedly squeezed toothpaste onto
She helped Charles smile more in public by tempering his reserve and making him appear approachable, if not happier, as he cut ribbons, visited houses of worship, unveiled plaques and waited for the crown.
In other words, will Charles be as loved by his subjects? It’s a question that has overshadowed his entire life.
His school years were unhappy, with the future king being bullied by classmates at Gordonstoun, a Scottish boarding school that prides itself on building character through vigorous outdoor activities and educated his father, Philip.
Charles, the oldest person to ever assume the British throne, became King Charles III on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. No date has been set for his coronation.
Charles has said he intends to reduce the number of working royals, cut expenses and better represent modern Britain.Buttradition matters, too, for a man whose office previously described the monarchy as “the focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance”.
He met Lady Diana Spencer in 1977 when she was 16 and he was dating her older sister. Diana apparently didn’t see him again until 1980, and rumors of their engagement swirled after she was invited to spend time with Charles and the royal family.
BRITAIN’s Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Charles in 2019, delivering the Queen’s Speech at the official State Opening of Parliament in London. Photo: Victoria Jones/AP
A shy boy with a domineering father, Charles grew into a sometimes-awkward, understated man who is nevertheless confident in his own opinions. Unlike his mother, who refused to publicly dis cuss her views, Charles has delivered speeches and written articles on issues close to his heart, such as climate change, green energy and alternative medicine.
On the eve of the state opening of Par liament this year, on May 10, the queen asked Charles to preside, delegating one of her most important constitutional duties to him - evidence that a transition wasCamillaunderway.said in a 2018 documentary that Charles was comfortable with the prospect of being king. “I think his des tiny will come,’’ she said.
After an apprenticeship that began as a child, Charles embodies the moderni zation of the British monarchy. He was the first heir not educated at home, the first to earn a university degree and the first to grow up in the ever-intensifying glare of the media as deference to royalty faded.Healso alienated many with his messy divorce from the much-loved Princess Diana, and by straining the rules that prohibit royals from intervening in public affairs, wading into debates on issues such as environmental protection and architectural preservation,
“We know the monarch and certainly the monarch’s family – they’re not meant to have political voices. They’re not meant to have political opinions. And the fact that he’s been flexing, if you like, his political muscle is something that he will have to be really careful with ...
Although Camilla played a signifi cant role in the breakup of Charles and Diana, her self-deprecating style and salt-of-the-earth sense of humor eventu ally won over many Britons.
“He now finds himself in, if you like, the autumn of his life, having to think carefully about how he projects his image as a public figure,” said historian Ed Owens. “He’s nowhere near as popular as his Charlesmother.”must figure out how to gen erate the “public support, a sense of endearment” that characterized the rela tionship Elizabeth had with the British public, Owens said.
In 2018, he was named the queen’s designated successor as head of the Com monwealth, an association of 54 nations with links to the British Empire. The process accelerated after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, on April 9, 2021.
AssociatedLONDON Press
Prince Charles Philip Arthur George was born November 14, 1948, in Bucking ham Palace. When his mother acceded to the throne in 1952, the three-year-old
They announced their engagement in February 1981. Some awkwardness in their relationship was immediately apparent when, during a televised inter view about their betrothal, a reporter asked if they were in love. “Of course,” Diana answered immediately, while Charles said, “Whatever ‘in love’ means”. Although Diana giggled at the response, she later said that Charles’ remark “threw me completely”.
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Charles’ relationship with Camilla began before he went to sea, but the romance foundered and she married a cavalry officer.
hisButbrush.it was the disintegration of his marriage to Diana that made many ques tion his fitness for the throne. Then, as he aged, his handsome young sons stole the limelight from a man who had a reputa tion for being as gray as his Saville Row suits.Ittook years for many in Britain to forgive Charles for his admitted infidelity to Diana before “the people’s princess” died in a Paris car crash in 1997. But the public mood softened after he married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005 and she became the Duchess of Cornwall.
The couple married on July 29, 1981, at St Paul’s Cathedral in a globally tel evised ceremony. Prince William, now heir to the throne, was born less than a year later, followed by his brother, Prince Harry, in 1984.
After a life of preparation, Charles takes the throne
THE QUEEN’s coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 1953.
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THEN Princess Elizabeth with her first son, Prince Charles.
HELD by a nurse, the baby Elizabeth on her christening day, behind her mother, Elizabeth, the Duchess of York.
WITH Prince Philip in a carriage during Silver Jubilee cel ebrations in 1977.
QUEEN Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, flanked by Prince Charles and Prince William.
AS a Junior Commander in the Auxiliary Territo rial Service in 1945.
• December 20, 2007: Elizabeth becomes the longest-living British mon arch, overtaking Victoria.
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• September 6, 2022: Elizabeth meets Boris Johnson and Liz Truss at her summer holiday home in Scotland to oversee the handover of power from the outgoing prime minster to his successor. The ceremonies, traditionally held at Buckingham Palace in London, were moved to Balmoral for the first time in the queen’s reign in light of her mobility problems.
THE GOLDEN Jubilee in 2022.
• December 10, 1936: Elizabeth becomes heir-apparent to the throne after her uncle King Edward VIII abdicates and her father becomes king.
• 1977: Elizabeth celebrates her Silver Jubilee, which marks 25 years on the throne.
• April 9, 2021: Prince Philip, Elizabeth’s husband of 73 years, dies at age 99.• October 20, 2021: Elizabeth spends a night in a London hospital undergo ing health tests. She cancels major engagements in subsequent months, on doctors’ orders to only undertake light duties.
• May 1965: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to West Germany, the first German visit by a British monarch in 52 years.
AFTER Princess Diana’s death in 1997.
• February 19, 1960: Elizabeth’s third child, Prince Andrew, is born.
• November 20, 1947: Elizabeth marries Prince Philip Mountbatten of Greece and Denmark at Westminster Abbey.
• 1992: Elizabeth has what she describes as an “annus horribilis,” or a “horrible year.” The year sees marriages for three of her four children end. Also that year, a fire damages Windsor Castle. Public outcry over the cost of repairs amid a recession prompts the queen to volunteer to pay income taxes.•August 31, 1997: Princess Diana dies in a car crash in Paris. Under public pressure to demonstrate her grief, Elizabeth makes an unprecedented televi sion broadcast in tribute to Diana’s memory.
• April 21, 1926: Born Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in Mayfair, London, the first child of the future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, later called the Queen Mother.
• October 13, 1940: Elizabeth makes first public speech at age 14 on the BBC Children’s Hour to reassure children who had been separated from their parents during the Blitz.
• June 11, 2016: Britain celebrates Elizabeth’s official 90th birthday with three days of national festivities.
• September 8, 2022: Elizabeth dies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96. Her eldest son becomes King Charles III.
• March 10, 1964: Elizabeth’s fourth child, Prince Edward, is born.
• February 6, 1952: Elizabeth becomes queen upon the death of her father George VI.
• November 14, 1948: Prince Charles, now Prince of Wales, heir-apparent to the throne, is born.
• June 2022: Elizabeth makes limited public appearances during a four-day holiday weekend celebrating her Platinum Jubilee.
• September 9, 2015: Elizabeth surpasses Queen Victoria and becomes the longest-serving monarch in British history.
• 2012: Elizabeth marks 60 years of her reign with a Diamond Jubilee.
KEY MILESTONES IN QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S LIFE
• March 2020: Elizabeth and Philip move from Buckingham Palace in London to Windsor Castle at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
• February 6, 2022: Elizabeth becomes first British monarch to reach a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years as sovereign.
• June 2, 1953: Crowned in a grand coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. She sets out on a tour of the Commonwealth, visiting places including Bermuda, Fiji, Tonga, Australia, and Gibraltar.
THE FIRE at Windsor Castle in 1992.
• 1945: Elizabeth is made a Subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, serving for Britain during World War II.
• August 15, 1950: Elizabeth’s second child and only daughter, Anne, the Princess Royal, is born.
• 2002: Elizabeth marks 50 years of reign with her Golden Jubilee. The year also sees the deaths of Elizabeth’s mother and her sister, Margaret.
SPEAKING in Ireland in 2011.
AT Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.
• February 6, 2017: Elizabeth becomes the first British monarch to cele brate a Sapphire Jubilee, marking 65 years on the throne.
• May 2011: Elizabeth makes a historic visit to Ireland — the first visit by a British monarch since Irish independence.