by Alexis Barton
On September 8, the Buckingham Palace placed a heartbreaking announcement on its gates, which read, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow”.
After being placed under medical supervision, the Queen passed away peacefully at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. Despite news being quickly updated within mere hours following her medical supervision, several members of the royal family were able to travel to be with her Majesty for a brief time before her passing. Notably, the Queen’s son Charles and his wife Camilla were present before the announcement of her passing. Charles, who has now assumed the title of King, was the Queen’s firstborn son, making him next in line for the throne after her passing.
Queen Elizabeth II was the longest-serving monarch, with just over 70 years of her service being celebrated in February 2022. She has served not only as a state figure for the United Kingdom and its Commonwealth countries, but also as a symbol of culture across the world. Plans in the case of her passing have been thoroughly planned by officials, though the element of shock is still palpable across the world.
For the time being, former Prince Charles will step into the role of King though it is speculated that he will abdicate the throne and allow his son Prince William to fulfill those duties. Recent scandals revolving around Prince Andrew’s relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the stepping down of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have questioned whether or not the royal family will remain cultural icons. With that news aside, public opinion appears to remain favorable towards the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II following the news of her passing.
