Queen Dies Elizabeth II at 96

Late in the afternoon of September 8, 2022, news arrived that Queen Elizabeth II had died. She had ruled for 70 years—a remarkably long time.

More on the death of Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving British monarch in history, who spent 70 years on the throne, weathered crises and wars, and became a pop icon. Queen Elizabeth II died this Thursday (8), at the age of 96, at Balmoral Castle. The announcement was made through the royal family's official channels.

With Elizabeth's death, her eldest son, now King Charles, ascends the throne of the United Kingdom and 14 other countries that now have the British monarch as their head of state, including Australia and Canada. According to official rites, the successor to the throne has several options when choosing his name, but Charles ultimately followed the traditional path and retained the title of King Charles III.

In his first official statement as king, Charles III said: “The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of great sadness for me and for all the members of my family.”

The Queen's four children—Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward—traveled to Scotland when it was announced that their grandmother was under medical supervision. Her grandson, Prince William, also visited Balmoral Castle. News of her death came Thursday afternoon.

Elizabeth II became queen at the age of 25, in 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI, and was crowned the following year. The prime minister at the time was Winston Churchill. Throughout her reign, she met 15 prime ministers.

Although officially the head of state, the monarch had a more formal role. She was neutral in political matters and also witnessed historical events such as the disintegration of the British Empire, post-war social changes, the Cold War, and Brexit.

Her relationship with the British people was shaken in 1997, following the death of Diana, her son Charles's ex-wife. At that time, the Queen was heavily criticized for her reaction, which was seen as distant and cold.

With the marriages of William in 2011 and Harry in 2018, they managed to modernize the image of the royal family, but shortly after came a new "attack": The monarch's favorite son, Andrew, scandalized the United Kingdom due to his friendship with American millionaire Jeffrey Esptein, who was accused of sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2020, there was a new controversy: Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, moved to the United States (The couple separated professionally from the British crown the following year).

She became the widow of Prince Philip, who passed away in April 2021 at the age of 99. Elizabeth II is survived by eight grandchildren, including Princes William and Harry, and 12 great-grandchildren.

The Queen's Health Problems

The Queen's health has been a source of great concern since October 2021, when it was reported that she spent an entire night in the hospital undergoing medical "examinations" that were never detailed. The health was so worrying that she considerably reduced her schedule, cutting back on public appearances, and experiencing difficulty walking, even with the aid of a cane.

A very worrying and more recent event was the ceremony that appointed the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, on Tuesday (6). For the first time in history, Elizabeth II transferred the ceremony to Balmoral Palace, where she was. All prime ministers, until then, had been appointed at Buckingham Palace in London.

A photo of the meeting released by Buckingham Palace caused concern because, according to analysts, the Queen's hand appeared slightly purple.

In May, at the official opening of the UK Parliament, Elizabeth II was replaced by Charles. It was also the first time a monarch did not preside over the session.

The Queen's attendance was reduced for the Platinum Jubilee, an event celebrating 70 years of her reign. The ceremony took place in early June. In addition to reducing her schedule, she canceled her participation in the Mass during the event due to feeling unwell.

 Buckingham Palace has kept the Queen's health secret or issued discreet statements about her condition since her first health problems, but they have always referred to the problems as an illness.

What happens now?

There is a protocol that must be followed for the next 10 days. There will be three days for visiting the coffin and three days for visiting the grave.

The British government has a plan to ensure the country is properly governed after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.