Queen Elizabeth II passes away at 96

Friday 09th September 2022 00:23 EDT
 
 

Queen Elizabeth II and UK’s longest-serving monarch, has died at her Scottish estate in Balmoral at age 96 after reigning for 70 years. Britons went into shocking sadness when Buckingham Palace announced the news of the Queen’s demise at 6:30 pm BST on 8th September 2022. The palace posted in a tweet, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” With her demise, Prince Charles, her eldest son, the Prince of Wales will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 13 Commonwealth realms.  The new King will officially be known as King Charles III.

A statement issued by the Royal Family on behalf of Charles, the new King. He wrote: "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."

 All of the Queen’s children and grandchildren travelled to Balmoral near Aberdeen on Thursday after doctors placed the Queen under medical observation and news of her health was revealed to the public at 12:30 pm BST. Her grandsons, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex reached the estate on late Thursday afternoon to be with the family. Britain was speculative under Operation London Bridge - the codename given to the protocol which must be undertaken when the long-reigning royal passes away. The Royal Family has cancelled events and are all going to Balmoral.

 The BBC website changed to black. BBC on-air presenters changed into black attire. BBC One cancelled regular programming until 6 pm. We were in Operation London Bridge, indeed.

 The unexpected news of the monarch’s ill health came only three days after she was last seen in a photograph in her drawing room in Balmoral, appointing the 15th Prime Minister of the UK, photographed with Liz Truss, UK’s third woman Prime Minister. 

 Speaking outside Downing Street, Prime Minister Liz Truss addressed the nation and said, "we are all devastated" at the news of the Queen's death, which is a "huge shock to the nation and the world".

She described the Queen as "a rock on which modern Britain was built", adding: "Britain is the great country it is today because of her." She said the Queen was a personal inspiration to her as well as many Britons. "Her devotion to duty is an example to us all."

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his message on the passing away of the longest reigning monarch: “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 the people of the UK in this sad hour. had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture.”

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said, “Keir Starmer: "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." "This is our country's saddest day. "In the hearts of every one of us there is an ache at the passing of our Queen,” former Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the death of Queen Elizabeth II said. 

Former leadership candidate and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak also posted a tweet: “Thank you. For a lifetime of service to our country, for showing us what duty means and for always putting the country and commonwealth first.  There will never be another like Queen Elizabeth II.”

The flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-mast at 6.30 pm. As the news of the Queen's death was announced, hundreds of people were gathered outside the gates. Some began crying. A single helicopter circled the sky above. The monarch is survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Indian connection

History has it that the Nizam of Hyderabad gifted the famous Cartier tiara and a diamond necklace of her choice for the Queen’s wedding in 1947. The first time Queen Elizabeth II visited India was in 1961 on Republic Day of India at the invitation of President Dr Rajendra Prasad. On this occasion, the Prince of Jaipur organised a tiger hunt for the royal guests. The Queen was accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke Of Edinburgh. 

The Queen’s second visit happened in 1983 when President Giani Zail Singh invited the royal couple and hosted them in the prestigious Rashtrapati Bhavan. This time the Queen honoured Mother Teresa for her contribution to society with an Order of Merit.

But the third visit of the Queen wasn’t the smoothest as it sparked controversy throughout the country when she was invited at the 50th Independence Day of India and not only that, she was set to give a speech at Jallianwala Bagh premise. The Queen said in her banquet address, “It is no secret that there have been some difficult episodes in our past. Jallianwala Bagh is a distressing example.” 

The Queen has also hosted guests from India a few times that include Dr Radhakrishnan in 1963, R. Venkataraman in 1990 and Pratibha Patil in 2009. 

The Queen met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2018 and gifted him a handcrafted cotton lace that Mahatma Gandhi had spun from cotton yarn. Queen Elizabeth gave him a crocheted, cotton lace sent to her as a gift on her marriage with Prince Philip in November 1947 by Mahatma Gandhi, who had personally spun its yarn. One of more than 2,500 presents received by the royal couple, the lace (approximately 12 X 24 inches) was carried from India to London by Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was then governor-general, and has “Jai Hind” woven in as its central motif. 

The Monarch and the Commonwealth

The Queen played a largely neutral role as Commonwealth Head, staying out of its major crises. However, she reportedly feared a Commonwealth split if tougher measures were not taken against apartheid-era South Africa.

The London Declaration set out no specific role for the Commonwealth’s Head. As the historian Philip Murphy has written, it has become a more substantial position “very much due to the Queen’s efforts.”

In her role, the Queen pushed to attend CHOGMs when her governments have feared them potentially too controversial. From 1971 to 2015, the Queen missed only two of these biannual meetings.

Between February 1952 to 2015, when the Queen last made an overseas visit, she also visited all but two Commonwealth countries (Cameroon and Rwanda) making near 200 trips and visits to Commonwealth and UK Overseas Territories. With many undertaken in the context of Cold War rivalry and tensions over decolonisation, these visits aimed to sustain the Commonwealth despite its racial and ideological divisions.

There are still fourteen Commonwealth realms where the Monarch retained a ceremonial role as head of state. More states may follow the example of Barbados, which became a republic in 2021.

However, despite the growing number of Commonwealth republics, the Crown’s role as Commonwealth Head seems secure for another generation. While the role of Head of the Commonwealth is not hereditary, in 2018 Charles, Prince of Wales, was appointed the Queen’s designated successor

BMA pays tribute to Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II

Responding to news that Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, has died, Professor Philip Banfield, BMA council chair, said: “The BMA offers its deepest and most sincere condolences to the Royal Family on the death of Her Majesty the Queen.

“Many will not have known life without Her Majesty as our Head of State, and during her 70-year reign, she was a dedicated public servant and much-respected figure.

“During her stewardship of her nation, there has been a substantial social and political change around the world.  Her role in this will never be forgotten.”

Speaking after the announcement, Shailesh Vara MP said: “Queen Elizabeth II dedicated her life to the service of her people and country. She was not born expecting to inherit the throne, but when duty called in 1952 she rose to the challenge. Over her seven decades as our Queen, she has provided a reassuring stability, not just to our country, but also to the Commonwealth and the wider world.

"As the longest reigning monarch in British history, and the second in world history, the Queen has led the United Kingdom through profound periods of change. At the age of twenty one, she solemnly pledged to spend her life in service to the Crown and Commonwealth, a pledge she faithfully kept.

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, who have lost a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother. I would also like to pay tribute to the achievements of an extraordinary woman who, above all else, exemplified the principles of duty and public service. We have lost our Queen, but we will continue to treasure her memory and we will forever recall the achievements, sacrifice, and love which she showed for all her peoples, her country, and everyone she met around the world.

"On a personal note, I was fortunate to meet Her Majesty on several occasions. I will treasure my last meeting with her at Windsor Castle in July of this year, when I was sworn into the Privy Council and received from her the Seals of Office for Northern Ireland.

"I wish Her Majesty’s family well, in particular the Prince of Wales, who must now assume his mother’s responsibilities, and to whom I say, God save the King.”

In a statement Rupert Matthews, Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland said, “Many have reigned before, although none for as long nor with such refinement, generosity, and stoicism as our esteemed Head of the Monarchy, the late Queen Elizabeth II.  Today is a remorseful day; one where we celebrate the life of our much-loved and respected figure, yet dwell in the solemnity of her passing. 

Thrust onto the throne and into the limelight at a young age, she conducted herself with wisdom beyond her years and continued the journey with unwavering decorum, navigating enormous social change, soaring highs and devastating lows, both personally and professionally, with intelligence and sanguinity. Her Majesty’s kindness knew no bounds, even complimenting me on my rather suspect brown suede and corduroy jacket as I stood in the crowd outside Windsor Castle for her Silver Jubilee in 1977.

From charity work, hosting and guiding Heads of State, to a wide array of other public and voluntary engagements, Her Majesty’s sense of duty and devotion to a lifetime of service are qualities to be admired and adorned upon ourselves so we can be and do better in our lives.  Quite simply, The Queen has been the strength and stay of our nation for generations, and we owe her a debt of gratitude greater than she would have ever claimed.

Thank you, Your Majesty, for leading us through the good and indifferent times, and for knowing and showing us the way to a good and honourable life.  My heartfelt thoughts and condolences go out to the family and those closest to our Queen.

It remains only for me to wish our new Monarch a happy and healthy reign over us.  God Save the King.”


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