Queen Elizabeth has Died!

Richard Hollerman

We’ve all learned of the death of Queen Elizabeth (Elizabeth II), the longest-reigning monarch in the world. This famous woman reigned over Great Britain and the English-speaking world for 70 years. Born as Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, she married “Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (married in 1947 until his death in 2021).

At one time, she was head of the British Empire, but when it broke up years ago, she remained the Queen of a vast area of the world. She became (until her death) the Queen of the “United Kingdom” as well as fourteen “commonwealth” nations. Personally, we wonder about the modifier, “United,” since the nation was no longer united.

The Queen was born in London, England, On April 21, 1926, of the Duke and Duchess of York. Her father had become King in 1936 when his brother (King Edward VIII) married a divorced American named Wallis Simpson.

Then there was her grandson, Prince Harry, who married a divorced movie star or actress, Meghan Markle. There was also the sister, Princess Margaret who had her own problems and is now dead; there was also Charles’ troubled marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as Prince Andrew and his dealings with the financier Jeffrey Epstein. Finally, Diana suffered a car crash in France in 1997 which once again brought upheaval to this once-proud nation of the United Kingdom.

Generally, Elizabeth and her husband lived at Buckingham Palace in London, England. At the time of her death, she was residing in the Scottish Highlands at her estate. From what I understand, besides Buckingham (which everyone knows), this royal couple had at least two other places.

On September 8, 2022 Elizabeth died at age 96 in Scotland, at the Balmoral Castle.

Elizabeth had four children during her long life and one of them (Charles), her firstborn son, has now become King since he has ascended the throne, along with his “wife” (Camilla). She was the Duchess of Cornwall and had been married before.

Charles is now 72 years of age. His new “regnal” name is Charles III. The names of all of the four children of Elizabeth would be: King Charles III, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Anne, Princess Royal, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

Her entire life was one of service—especially to Britains. She said at her dedication to the monarchy: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/09/08/world/queen-elizabeth

This Queen was the “living link” between the Colonial period when Great Britain “ruled” the world through its many outlying nations, through the near-defeat under Hitler in the 1930s and 1940s, and the collapse of the European Union.

Even though the vast colonies across the known world ended, about 1952, at least some of these countries still owned her as their queen.

Generally, the Queen was in good health until the end, especially until the death of her husband of many years, Prince Philip, on October 2021.