BALMORAL, Scotland, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and the nation’s figurehead for seven decades, died at her home in Scotland aged 96 on Thursday.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
Elizabeth’s eldest son Charles, 73, automatically becomes king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. His wife Camilla becomes Queen Consort.
News that the queen’s health was deteriorating emerged shortly after midday on Thursday when her doctors said she was under medical supervision, prompting her family to rush to be by her side at her Scottish home, Balmoral.
The queen had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace has called “episodic mobility problems” since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements.
Her last public engagement came only on Tuesday, when she appointed Liz Truss prime minister – her 15th premier.
At her palaces and at government buildings across London, flags were lowered to half-mast.
Queen Elizabeth II, who was also the world’s oldest and longest-serving head of state, came to the throne following the death of her father King George VI on Feb. 6, 1952, when she was just 25.
CROWNED
She was crowned in June the following year. The first televised coronation was a foretaste of a new world in which the lives of the royals were to become increasingly scrutinised by the media.
“I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust,” she said in a speech to her subjects on her coronation day.
Elizabeth became monarch at a time when Britain still retained much of its old empire. It was emerging from the ravages of World War Two, with food rationing still in force and class and privilege still dominant in society.
Winston Churchill was Britain’s prime minister at the time, Josef Stalin led the Soviet Union and the Korean War was raging.
In the decades that followed, Elizabeth witnessed massive political change and social upheaval at home and abroad. Her own family’s tribulations, most notably the divorce of Charles and his late first wife Diana, were played out in full public glare.
While remaining an enduring symbol of stability and continuity for Britons at a time of relative national economic decline, Elizabeth also tried to adapt the ancient institution of monarchy to the demands of the modern era.
“She has managed to modernise and evolve the monarchy like no other,” her grandson Prince William, who is now heir to the throne, said in a 2012 documentary.
RECORDS
Elizabeth was the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to Norman King William the Conqueror who claimed the English throne in 1066 after defeating Anglo-Saxon ruler Harold II at the Battle of Hastings.
Her long reign meant she repeatedly broke records for British rulers. When she surpassed the more than 63 years her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria spent on the throne, she said it was not a landmark to which she had ever aspired.
“Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones – my own is no exception,” she said.
Her marriage to Prince Philip lasted 73 years, until his death in April 2021, and they had four children, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.
She never gave a media interview and critics said she came across as distant and aloof.
But for the vast majority of her subjects, for whom she was the only monarch they have known, she was a figure who commanded respect and admiration. Her death marks the end of an era.
“In her public duties she was selfless and wise, with a wonderful generosity of spirit. That is how she lived – and how she led,” former Prime Minister John Major said.
“For millions of people – across the Commonwealth and the wider world – she embodied the heart and soul of our nation, and was admired and respected around the globe.”
Opinion polls have suggested that Charles does not enjoy anywhere near the same level of support and there is speculation that the loss of Elizabeth may see a rise in republican sentiment, particularly in the other realms.
“I think it will be an enormous shock to everybody, much more than they realise. I don’t know if it’s an exaggeration to think there will be some sort of almost national nervous breakdown,” royal historian Hugo Vickers said.
He said her reign was unlikely to be rivalled.
“I think to be quite honest, if we lived 1,000 years, we would never see anything quite like it again.”
At her death the queen was head of state of not only the United Kingdom but also of Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Antigua and Barbuda.
Reactions
Statement from Charles, Britain’s new king
Charles, Britain’s new king, released the following statement on Thursday after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
“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.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of 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.
“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.”
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth following her death on Thursday, praising her clarity of thinking, capacity for careful listening, inquiring mind, humour and extraorindary kindness.
“As we grive together, we know that, in losing our beloved Queen, we have lost the person whose steadfast loyalty, service and humility has helped us make sense of who we are through decades of extraordinary change in our world, nation and society,” the head of the Anglican Communion said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss
British Prime Minister Liz Truss hailed Queen Elizabeth on Thursday as the “very spirit of Great Britain” and the rock on which modern Britain was built after the monarch died peacefully at her home in Scotland.
Speaking outside her Downing Street office and residence, Truss said the queen had been “a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons”.
“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 today because of her,” she said.
KEIR STARMER, LEADER OF THE UK OPPOSITION LABOUR PARTY
“Today, we mourn the passing of a remarkable sovereign. It is a deep, private loss for the Royal Family and all our thoughts are with them at this time. The nation shares in their grief. We will always treasure Queen Elizabeth II’s life of service and devotion to our nation and the Commonwealth; our longest-serving and greatest monarch. Above the clashes of politics, she stood not for what the nation fought over, but what it agreed upon. As Britain changed rapidly around her, this dedication became the still point of our turning world. So as our great Elizabethan era comes to an end, we will honour the late Queen’s memory by keeping alive the values of public service she embodied. For seventy years, Queen Elizabeth II stood as the head of our country. But, in spirit, she stood amongst us.”
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS
HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER LINDSAY HOYLE
“For all of us, the Queen has been a constant presence in our lives – as familiar as a member of the family, yet one who has exercised a calm and steadying influence over our country. Most of us have never known a time when she was not there. Her death is not only a tragedy for the Royal family, but a terrible loss for us all.”
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR
‘We have all lost someone very precious to us and, as we mourn, we should be grateful that we were blessed with such an example of duty and leadership for so very many years.”
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER THERESA MAY
“Her Majesty witnessed tremendous change, moving adroitly with the times but always providing stability and reassurance. She was our constant throughout this great Elizabethan era,” May said in a statement posted on Twitter.
“It was the honour of my life to serve her as prime minister. … Our thoughts and prayers now are with her family. God Save The King.”
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON
“No matter how prepared one could be for this day, there are no words that can adequately express the sense of loss our nation will feel,” Cameron said in a statement posted on Twitter.
FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR
“We have lost not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation, the figure who more than any other brought our country together, kept us in touch with our better nature, personified everything which makes us proud to be British,” Blair said.
“We will mourn her. We will miss her.
GLOBAL LEADERS
Other Reactions:
U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES
“As the United Kingdom’s longest-lived and longest-reigning Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II was widely admired for her grace, dignity, and dedication around the world. She was a reassuring presence throughout decades of sweeping change, including the decolonization of Africa and Asia and the evolution of the Commonwealth.
“Queen Elizabeth II was a good friend of the United Nations, and visited our New York Headquarters twice, more than fifty years apart. She was deeply committed to many charitable and environmental causes and spoke movingly to delegates at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow.
“I would like to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II for her unwavering, lifelong dedication to serving her people. The world will long remember her devotion and leadership.”
U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND JILL BIDEN
“In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her,” they said in a statement. “Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.”
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times. She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour.”
SHEHBAZ SHARIF, PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN
“Deeply grieved at the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Pakistan joins the UK & other Commonwealth nations in mourning her death. My heartfelt condolences to the royal family, people & government of the UK.”
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU
“It was with the heaviest of hearts that we learned of the passing of Canada’s longest-reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a constant presence in our lives – and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history.”
GHANAIAN PRESIDENT NANA AKUFO-ADDO
“The Ghanaian people have very fond memories of the two visits she made to Ghana during her reign, and, on both occasions, we remember the friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties.
U.S. SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL
“For 70 long years, from the aftermath of World War II well into the 21st century, across 15 different Prime Ministers, through great triumphs and great challenges, the Queen’s steady leadership safeguarded the land she loved. Despite spending nearly three quarters of a century as one of the most famous and admired individuals on the planet, the Queen made sure her reign was never really about herself — not her fame, not her feelings, not her personal wants or needs. She guided venerable institutions through modern times using timeless virtues like duty, dignity, and sacrifice. She offered our contemporary world a living master class it needed badly.”
FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
“Michelle and I were lucky enough to come to know Her Majesty, and she meant a great deal to us,” Former U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement. “Time and again, we were struck by her warmth, the way she put people at ease, and how she brought her considerable humor and charm to moments of great pomp and circumstance.”
IRISH PRIME MINISTER MICHEAL MARTIN
“On behalf of the Government of Ireland, I would like to convey my deepest sympathy to the British people on the loss of their beloved monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.”
“Her State Visit to Ireland in 2011 marked a crucial step in the normalisation of relations with our nearest neighbour. That visit was a great success, largely because of the many gracious gestures and warm remarks made by the Queen.”
EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT CHARLES MICHEL
“Our thoughts are with the royal family and all those who mourn Queen Elizabeth II in the UK and worldwide. Once called Elizabeth the Steadfast, she never failed to show us the importance of lasting values in a modern world with her service and commitment.
EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JOSEP BORRELL
“Queen Elizabeth Il’s remarkable reign oversaw key events of the 20th & 21st century. The EU pays tribute to her unique contribution to building peace & reconciliation. While her loss will be felt around the world, our immediate thoughts are with her family & the people of the UK.”
DUTCH KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER
“We remember Queen Elizabeth II with deep respect and great affection. Steadfast and wise, she dedicated her long life to serving the British people. We feel a strong bond with the United Kingdom and its royal family, and we share their sorrow at this time.”
THE ROYAL HOUSE OF NORWAY
“The Royal Family is deeply saddened to receive the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has passed away.”
KING CARL XVI GUSTAF OF SWEDEN
“With sadness, my family and I have today received the news that my dear relative, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, has passed away.
“The Queen served Her countries and the Commonwealth with an outstanding devotion and sense of duty. She has been a constant presence, not only in British society but internationally. In addition, she has always been a good friend to my family and a link to our shared family history.”
GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER
“Queen Elizabeth II is a woman who shaped the century. She witnessed and written the contemporary history.”
GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANNALENA BAERBOCK
“She was a source of strength and confidence to her country for almost 100 years. Germany will remain eternally grateful to her for reaching out to us for reconciliation after the terror of World War II.”
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MARIO DRAGHI
“Queen Elizabeth was a major player in world history over the last seventy years. She represented the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth with balance, wisdom, respect for institutions and democracy. She has been the most beloved symbol of her country and has garnered respect, affection and warm feelings everywhere. She ensured stability in times of crisis and kept the value of tradition alive in a society in constant and profound evolution.
“Her spirit of service, her dedication to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, the profound dignity with which she has held office for such a long time have been an unceasing source of admiration for generations.”
FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.”
SPANISH PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ
“My condolences to the entire Royal Family, the government and the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.”
“A figure of global significance, witness and author of British and European history.”
CZECH PRIME MINISTER PETR FIALA
“I am deeply saddened by the death of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II. Sending heartfelt and sincere condolences to the Royal family and the British people and the people of the Commonwealth.”
POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRZEJ DUDA
“My deepest condolences to the Royal Family and all the British people on passing of Her Majesty The Queen. For decades she has been an embodiment of everything that makes Britain truly Great. She will be missed and remembered in Poland and all over the world.”
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES VICE PRESIDENT SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM
“We join the world in mourning the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, a global icon who represented the finest qualities of her nation and people. Her incredible lifetime of service and duty to the United Kingdom is unparalleled in our modern world.”
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY
“It is with deep sadness that we learned of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On behalf of the UA people, we extend sincere condolences to the @RoyalFamily, the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
CHIEF MINISTER OF GIBRALTAR FABIAN PICARDO
“The People of Gibraltar will mourn Her Majesty as a monarch who has reigned wisely and with incomparable dedication throughout the period of our post-war emergence as a part of the British family of nations.”
“The People of Gibraltar and the Government proclaim their loyalty to the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to His Majesty The King.”
HONDURAN FOREIGN MINISTER EDUARDO ENRIQUE REINA
“Our sincere condolences to the people and government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, a message of sympathy to her family.”
What changes will UK see with a new monarch?
From a new face on the country’s stamps and coins to new words for the national anthem, Britain will see changes with the death of Queen Elizabeth and the accession of her son Charles to the throne.
Here are some aspects of British daily life that will be different:
NATIONAL ANTHEM
– The words of the British national anthem, which in its present form dates back to the 18th century, will change from “God Save the Queen” to “God Save the King”.
According to the royal family’s website, the anthem came to prominence amid the patriotic fervour that followed the 1745 victory of Prince Charles Edward Stuart over King George II’s army in Scotland, and was sung in London theatres.
Usually only the first verse is sung and this will now be: “God save our gracious King! Long live our noble King! God save the King! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us, God save the King.”
COINS AND STAMPS
Newly minted and printed coins and banknotes will feature the head of the king, as the monarch’s image is shown on British currency. Old coins and banknotes will remain in circulation until they are gradually replaced over time.
However, since the monarchy was restored following the 10-year republic of Oliver Cromwell in 1660, it has become traditional for the monarch to face in the opposite direction to their predecessor.
As such, Queen Elizabeth faces right and so Charles should be pictured facing left. During Elizabeth’s long reign, five different portraits of her were used on coins.
Postage stamps will likewise be updated to feature the portrait of the new king.
ROYAL CYPHER
The Royal Cypher – the monogram used by the monarch which, currently features the queen’s “EIIR” stamp below an image of the St Edward’s Crown – will change.
The cypher is replicated across Britain and appears on everything from red mail pillar boxes to police uniforms. In accordance with tradition, both the cypher and the royal coat of arms will change with a new king.
However, cyphers on pillar boxes will only appear on new boxes and so the queen’s cypher will stay on thousands across the country, just as many remain from previous monarchs on those that were installed before her reign.
Also a quirk of British history, not all pillar boxes erected in her reign have the “EIIR” cypher, because Elizabeth II’s ancestor Elizabeth I was not queen of Scotland and the English and Scottish crowns were not united until after her death in 1603.
As a result, some Scots did not accept the late queen as being Elizabeth II. Early in her reign some boxes in Scotland were vandalised and one was even blown up, meaning most Scottish boxes have their own cypher.
LEGAL CHANGES
Senior lawyers will become King’s Counsel rather than Queen’s Counsel (QC) and other legal titles that use Queen will change to King.
Reuters
