Queen Elizabeth II is dead and it’s hard not to become obsessed with the coverage on TV. It reminds me of when President Kennedy was assassinated. I was almost 10 years old at the time but watched Walter Cronkite non-stop for a week while my younger siblings played outside unaffected.
I was born in 1953, the year of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. She officially became Queen after her father’s untimely death in Feb 1952 at the young age of 25. She was Queen of Great Britain my entire life. Her transition at age 96 was no surprise but it’s hard to let go of someone that has been a staid fixture for so long.
She was not only the longest-reigning monarch in British history but was also the longest reigning Queen in the history of the world. King Louis XIV reigned for 72 years but became King when he was 5 years old, so he didn’t rule on his own until he reached his majority.
We will miss Queen Elizabeth II, but I’m sure her son King Charles III will do fine even if his reign is merely transitional. At 73 years old, he is on the oldest side of the Baby Boomer generation born in 1948. That makes him the oldest monarch to ever take the throne. His first speech after becoming King at Buckingham Palace was heartfelt and comforting.
The relevance of the monarchy
Why a country in modern times would have a monarch that constituents pay taxes to maintain may not seem to make sense. But Britain has had a Royal Family for over 1,000 years. They no longer rule or claim colonies but are, instead ceremonial figureheads. Their job is to focus on charity work, diplomacy, historical preservation, unifying the country, and carrying on British tradition.
Queen Elizabeth II stayed neutral when it came to politics. King Charles III promised to follow his mother’s lead but has had decades to form his own opinions and has been outspoken on topics such as climate change, the environment, and modern architecture. He is sure to be a more modern monarch than his mother. Along with Prince William, who will essentially be his CEO, the structure of the Royal Family will be thinned out and made to be more economically effective.
What would London be without a King or Queen?
If you have ever been to London the influence of the Royals is everywhere from the Tower of London to Buckingham Palace. Their presence helps keep Britain alive historically. Without them, it would be as if something is missing.
I was lucky to take a cruise on the Cunard Queen Elizabeth from Rome to South Hampton. We were only in London for two nights at the end of our cruise, but I felt like royalty aboard the ship. We were unexpectedly upgraded to the Queen’s Grill (the most luxurious accommodations) and were able to experience it in high style.
The lives of Royal Family members can no longer be hidden anymore
We first saw the Royal Family air its dirty laundry when King Edward VIII abdicated to marry an American divorcee and again when Princess Diana married Prince Charles. The paparazzi went wild and got out of control which may have caused the death of Princess Diana.
Queen Elizabeth was forced to change her views on divorce, and other social issues that were taboo up until then. She previously had to ban her sister Princess Margaret earlier from marrying divorced Peter Townsend.
Today, with social media, the Royal Family’s dirty laundry is announced daily. I can’t look at my smartphone news app without reading dirt, mostly lies, about Prince Harry and Meghan. I am not a fan of how they have handled their exit to America but I hope they and the Royal Family will be able to sort out their differences in a positive way.
What will Helen Mirren do?
The TV series “The Crown” and other series have always been fascinating although not always historically accurate. I love watching British historical dramas because many are well-written and acted. It’s interesting to see the backstories of aristocrats and regular people and how they dealt with issues such as The Blitz, living in dire living conditions, or in splendorous luxury.
Some of my favorite series include “Peaky Blinders, “Call the Midwife,” and “Poldark” and I am always yearning for more.
God Save the King and may Queen Elizabeth II rest peacefully with the love of her life, Prince Philip.
I wish “The Crown” would come back. It has taken forever, almost two years! Thanks for this thoughtful write-up on a remarkable woman.
I’m looking forward to it coming back also, but just heard they will be stopping further production because of the Queen’s death.
Ah, history moves along apace, doesn’t it?
Yes it does.
Excellent article about Queen Elizabeth and her family! As part of the Commonwealth, most of us in Canada respected and admired Her Majesty, but not necessarily the monarchy. Mixed feelings about Charles abound, but he seems to have stepped up admirably! I too enjoyed The Crown and Peaky Blinders and other British shows.
Thanks, Debbie. I’m glad you enjoyed the post and my preferences in TV watching. I totally understand how other countries in the Commonwealth may be rethinking their allegience to the monarchy. Although the pageantry is always fun to watch and I agree, King Charles seems to be doing a fine job so far.
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