Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday at age 96, taking her final breath at her house in Scotland. On Thursday morning, it was announced that the Queen’s doctors were “Concerned for Her Majesty’s health”, said in a statement from the palace. According to NBC News, a leading factor to her death is that she had gotten blood drawn, which could have potentially led to bruising in her hand. However, in October of 2021, she was hospitalized for unknown reasons. She also didn’t attend a climate summit and undertook minimal responsibilities because of health concerns. The tip of the iceberg was when she contracted COVID-19 in February of this year; though she only suffered minor symptoms, this was still a concern for someone of her age.

For many people around England, the Queen was the only ruler that they had known. She holds the title of the longest reigning monarch, her reign lasting for 70 years and 214 days. During her reign, the Queen performed amazing acts of kindness. Throughout her lifetime, she has donated $1.6 billion dollars to over 600 charities. Additionally, she addressed the United States congress on May 16, 1991, being the first Britsh Monarch to do so. That took place on May 16th, 1991 and uring this address, she “Praised the strong cultural and economic bond between Britain and the United States, siting the two countries continued cooperation in the Persian Gulf War. The British monarch was greeted with standing ovation in her first speech in the US Congress.” (TimesNowNews)

She also knocked down royal rules and defied the standards of the royal family. This was shown primarily with her connecting with the people of England, using technology to talk with them. She did her Christmas addresses to the nation, wishing them a happy holiday season, and created a Twitter account so she can update her people of events that are happening in England. Continuing on, she joined the military when she was 18, even though the royal family did not want her to join as she was the upcoming heir. Although she was not in a direct combat role, her dedication to fighting for her country was unmatched. She also had a love for her corgi’s. Over her lifetime, she has adopted more than 30 corgis, but stopped during the 2010’s as she didn’t want to leave any behind when she passed. Earlier this year, she did get 2 puppies right before the death of Phillip. Sadly, one died a week later, but she recieved a new one from Prince Andrew on Phillip’s 100th birthday. 

The Queen is dead, but what happens now? The funeral preparations is a multi-day operation, which uses the code name “London Bridge” and is now bringing in another operation entitled “Operation Unicorn.” Each day after her death, it is D+1, D+2, and so on until D+10, which is the day of the funeral and which will be taking place on September 19th, 2022. On September 13th, the Queen’s coffin was taken to the Edinburgh Airport and is en route to London, where she will be put into Buckingham Palace. When she arrives, Charles and Camila and other members of the royal family will visit the Queen. Finally, she will be moved to Westminster Hall in London right before the funeral of September 19th. With this death, the line of succession changes, with everyone involved moving up at step. Charles, son of Phillip and Queen Elizabeth, becomes King Charles II and his wife, Camila, becomes the Queen’s Consort, which is a title given to the King’s wife. Once Charles dies, his son William will be next in succession, and then his three kids George (9), Charlotte (7), and Louis (4) are the next in line. 

The funeral will take place on September 19th. According to Buckingham Palace, the plans for her funeral have been planned for multiple years. There will be a moment of silence for two minutes on the day of the funeral. The entire royal family will be in attendance, including names like Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Meghan Markle (Duchess of Sussex), and Prince Harry. 9/19 is also going to be a public holiday, canceling work for all of England. Viewers at home will be able to watch the funeral as it will be televised on NBC, ABC, Fox News, and CNN, and many more networks. 

World leaders from around the world are reacting to this ongoing news. President Joe Biden and Vice President Jill Biden released a statement saying, “In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her,”. “Her legacy will loom large in the pages of British history, and in the story of our world.” Former President George W. Bush said, “Laura and I were honored to have known Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a woman of great intellect, charm, and wit. Spending time at Buckingham Palace, and having tea with Her Majesty – and her Corgis – is among our fondest memories of the presidency. Queen Elizabeth ably led England through dark moments with her confidence in her people and her vision for a brighter tomorrow.”

The Queen’s legacy will live on forever. She made her mark on not just England, but for the entire world. Gone, but never forgotten.