Traditions lover citizens of the UK are in the gloom as the longest reign in British history came to an end with the demise of Queen Elizabeth at the age of 96. Crowds gathered at Buckingham Palace in London literally shed tears as they heard of her death. After her demise, Charles, 73, the eldest son has automatically been made king of the United Kingdom and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand. 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 February 6, 1952. With her demise, a lengthy chapter in history closed. The great lady witnessed historical events as well as evolutionary changes in British culture and elsewhere in the world. From the Cold War to the 9/11 attacks, climate change to coronavirus, IT revolution to rapid transportation modes as well as space exploration are some of the historical happenings that took place during her life. During her monarchy, 15 British prime ministers were sworn in while 14 US Presidents took charge of their offices. One of the few personalities, whose biography can cover so many chapters related to her public
life, political imprints and her role as the British custodian of traditions. She was revered not only in the UK but also in other countries wherever she paid a visit at the invitation of state heads. From facing criticism for enjoying the status of Royal family head to involvement in various controversies due to certain acts of Royal family members, she fared well during all these testing times. A more recent controversy of her life was the claims from Prince Harry and his mixed-race wife Meghan of racism in the royal family.
However, all these controversies did not make the British citizens sever their link with the
Royal family. Three-quarters of the population still wants Britain to remain a monarchy – a
finding that has been described by pollsters as “probably the most stable trend ever measured”. Royalty is a significant part of British culture, and the many ceremonies surrounding royalty have been a celebrated custom for over 1,000 years. Queen Elizabeth spent all her life in the spotlight. She enjoyed popularity both for her attires and distinct personality features. She was an icon of maturity, character and determination. Ascending the throne at a very young age and continuing as the most revered Royal figure is no mean achievement. Rest in peace the last global monarch.
