After 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96. The News shocked the world on Thursday, Sept. 8 as the ever-loved Queen passed away at her home in Scotland. Only a year ago, her husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, had passed away after the couple had been together their whole lives. 

The Queen was a staple of the British community. While being their monarch, people all over the world loved the ways the Queen would be styled in monochromatic outfits and show her affection to her corgis. Those who may not know, the Queen also had a love for bees and was a beekeeper; according to some news sources, one of the palace workers had told her beloved bees of the Queen’s passing.

The Queen was only 25 years old when she took the throne. Having this new title can be a lot for a young girl to handle. In America, people have to be at least 35 before becoming President; the Queen was a decade ahead. She had no choice but to accept the role. After having her two children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, she did what her parents had done with her and her sister, Princess Margaret; she left them for six months as toddlers to go on her tour of the world. The responsibilities of the children would fall upon her husband, Prince Phillip, while she was away.

Queen Elizabeth has been through so many different eras’s in the 96 years that she was alive. She lived through both World Wars and led her country to victories. Today she was the only connection to past historical figures, and the only living connection to the Victorian Era left after her mother and father passed away. She was counseled by one of the most famous Prime Ministers in history, Winston Churchill. The Queen has even met one of the worst villains in history, Adolf Hitler.

While alive and past, some people do not agree with the decisions she made politically, but those can agree she walked the straight and narrow and never seemed to sway to one side or the other. Of her four children, three of their marriages would end in divorce. Being of Christian faith, this never pleased Elizabeth very much as it was not a good symbol to be set in the eyes of the lord.

On the day of her death, Sept. 8, her son Charles Windsor and the successor to the throne was named King Charles III, and for the first time in many people’s lives, a King was named the monarch. King Charles’ wife Camilla will be known as the Queen Consort instead of the more popular title Princess Consort; this was recommended by the Queen herself. Most know of the duo because of the love of the late Princess Diana. With the succession of a new King, questions and sadness come from not only the passing of the King’s mother but the loss of the people’s Princess Diana, who is Charles’ late wife and mother of his children.

The people of the United Kingdom are interested to see how their new monarch will do in his new position, especially when his son Prince Harry has stepped back from his role as a monarch as his family does not approve of his wife and mother of his children, ex- actress Meghan Markle. There are also rumors that more information on the death of Princess Diana could resurface as the Queen was the wall holding back this information. We all will see how this will play out in the next coming years of Charles’ reign. Charles is in his 70s and most are expecting him to have a short time on the throne due to age. His successor is his eldest son, Prince William of Wales. His wife Kate, now Princess of Wales is the first person to hold the title since the death of her late mother-in-law.

With the effects of Brexit, Britain leaving the European Union a couple of years ago could bring negative effects with a new monarch in charge. There will always be positive and negative comments toward whoever is in charge. So, we will see how Charles will reign and what change he shall bring.