Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96, Buckingham Palace confirmed on September 8. Prince Charles, who automatically becomes King of England, is at Balmoral Castle with his wife Camila. Mourning in the UK.
Elizabeth II died. This September 8, Buckingham Palace confirmed the death of the long-lived monarch at the age of 96.
“The queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the institution pronounced after alerting in the morning about Elizabeth II’s health problems.
Prince Charles, immediate heir to the British crown, is at Balmoral with his wife Camilla as the royal family gathers around the late queen.
One day before the information about the state of health and his subsequent death, the Privy Council recommended rest to the monarch, after the mobility problems that he had already presented and that were getting worse over time.
Last Tuesday, Isabell II received the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the new head of the British Government, Liz Truss, to confirm the transition of the Administration as ordered by protocol.
In her last public appearance, the queen made Truss’s appointment as prime minister official, the 15th in her 70-year reign. The images released showed the smiling sovereign leaning on a cane, shaking hands with the new leader.
The queen’s family mobilizes and the world reacts
As soon as doctors reported concerns about the 96-year-old monarch’s health, her closest relatives arrived at Balmoral Palace.
Queen Elizabeth’s four children, including Charles, heir to the throne Princess Anne and her youngest son Prince Edward, are at the royal residence in Scotland, local television reported.
Likewise, the Duke of Sussex, Harry, who lives with his wife Meghan in the United States after both distanced themselves from the royal family, undertook a trip to the Scottish territory. The two were this Thursday, September 8 in Germany.
Prince William, third in line to the succession, also headed to Balmoral.
The fact that the closest relatives of the queen have come to the scene indicated from early on that the situation was serious, the British press highlighted.
The recent absences of Queen Elizabeth II that warned about her state of health
Thursday’s announcement comes after months of scrutiny and questions about the sovereign’s health.
In recent months, the leader of the British monarchy has been absent on several occasions from her usual commitments, in which she was replaced by the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, 73 years old.
Here is a timeline of key events during the summer that Elizabeth II did not attend:
In May, his son Carlos delivered, in his place and for the first time, the speech from the throne in Parliament, one of his essential constitutional functions.
On July 21, the queen moved to her private home in Scotland for her traditional summer vacation.
However, the usual welcome to the monarch by a guard of honor took place in private inside the grounds, and a source quoted by the British press said that it was “a change in line with the events that take place”. are adapting for His Majesty’s comfort.”
On July 28, the Prince of Wales represented her at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, where she read a message sent by her mother.
On September 3, the sovereign was not present at the Braemar Gathering, the popular Highland Games event that brings together guests from around the world, and once again the Prince of Wales came to replace her. A decision made for the convenience of the head of state, according to official sources at the time.
But without a doubt, one of the most important political events in the nation and the one that aroused the most alarms occurred last Tuesday, September 6. For the first time in 40 years, the presentation of the new prime minister did not take place in London, at Buckingham Palace.
The then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his replacement, Liz Truss, moved to the Balmoral Palace, precisely due to medical recommendations, due to the continuous mobility problems experienced by the 96-year-old woman.
Buckingham Palace’s unusual statement on the queen’s “worrying” condition came just a day after Elizabeth II canceled a virtual meeting of her Privy Council. The doctors recommended her to rest after last Tuesday, with the official act to confirm the new leader of the Government, she held a day of events.
Elizabeth II, the monarch of monarchs with 70 years in power
An unexpected accession to the throne led Elizabeth II to be one of the most influential figures in the world. A position in which she has held for more than seven decades.
Although she was born under the British crown, Elizabeth II’s life took a significant turn on February 6, 1952, when she assumed the throne at the age of 25, after the death of her father George VI.
The late UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who served during World War II, saw her come to power. And since then, the sovereign has witnessed various events that have impacted the world: from the start of the Cold War, the race to conquer space and the fall of the Soviet Union, to more recently the Russian conflict in Ukraine.
The monarch has marked the history and course of British royalty. In her influential position, she has formalized the arrival of twelve prime ministers to the Government.
But under his leadership, the institution has also been shaken by various controversies. In recent years, the image of the monarchy has been overshadowed by accusations of sexual assault in the United States against his son Prince Andrew, who ended up paying millions of dollars for a complaint, as well as accusations of racism against the royal family, by his grandson Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, now based in California and estranged from the rest of the family.
For decades there has also been speculation about the differences that existed between the queen and the late wife of Prince Charles, Diana of Wales. This alleged chapter brought Elizabeth II the anger of the followers of the also remembered as ‘the people’s princess’.
However, the monarch has held the affection of thousands of followers who describe her as a strong woman capable of weathering different crises.
Of his personal character little has been confirmed or contrasted against the usual secrecy of the royal family. But he has transcended his sympathy for his corgi puppies and his racehorses.
Nor is it known for sure about his political positions, when for years he has insisted on showing a neutral role. However, the institutional chaos unleashed by Brexit, approved in 2016, would have shaken the usual poise of the monarch.
the british daily ‘The Sunday Times’ published in 2019 that the queen would have expressed at that time her disappointment with the political class for her “inability to govern”.
According to the report of the famous media outlet, Elizabeth II spoke those words at a private event that took place after David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister, taking into account the results of the referendum six years ago.
Despite the public prudence that has characterized the sovereign, many issues do not escape her directive, including who would succeed her on the throne when the time is necessary.
Last February, in a statement published by Buckingham Palace, the queen confirmed her wish that her son Prince Charles replace her as head of the British crown. An action that would lead his wife Camila Parker to hold the position of queen consort.
However, local polls have indicated that only 14% of Britons approve of the Duchess of Cornwall in that position and the majority favors Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton.
With Reuters, AFP and local media
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