Queen Elizabeth II



''“When you think of Kings and Queens, as a child, you only thought they existed in fairy tales. But after reading about Queen Elizabeth II and her famous family, you are proved wrong. There may be other royal dynasties left around the globe, but the Windsors are the most famous of them all. However, I woke up one morning to find a teary news reporter announcing that the Queen had died…”''

-Su-Ji Hoon, Thank You, Your Majesty

Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations from 1952 until her death in 2022. Her death was the subsequent cause of World War III and the British Crisis.

Biography
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926 as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. Her father acceded to the throne in 1936 as King George VI upon the abdication of his brother, King Edward VIII, making Elizabeth the heir presumptive. She was educated privately at home and began to undertake public duties during the Second World War, serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. In November 1947, she married Philip Mountbatten, a former prince of Greece and Denmark, and their marriage lasted 73 years until Philip's death in 2021. They had four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and all four of them went on to give birth and created a large family of children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren as time progressed.

When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon, as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth had reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms has varied over time as territories have gained independence, and as some realms have become republics.

Significant events had included her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Elizabeth was the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state, the oldest living and longest-reigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state. She died in 2022 at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, at the age of 96, and was succeeded by her eldest child, Charles III. Her state funeral was the first to be held in the United Kingdom since that of Winston Churchill in 1965.

When the Cold Breeze Blows Away
In September 2022, Elizabeth was on a prolonged summer break due to mobility issues. On the 7th of September, she was under medical supervision. She sadly passed on, and her eldest son and heir, Charles immediately became the monarch of Great Britain as King Charles III, with his wife now Queen Camilla.

Elizabeth's death was announced at the very same moment across the world when a statement was released from Buckingham Palace, and the world was distraught with the loss of a constant figure. It was reported that almost everywhere where her death was announced, everyone cried as if they lost something which changed their life. Some even banged tables, and clutched their chests, all in sadness. The world had just lost someone who dedicated her life to more than 70 years of service, and was a constant figure in the ever-changing times. Ji-Hoon was with the Preschool Girls and soldiers of the British Army at the time, and they were heartbroken by the news as well.

The royal train, took her body back to London with the new King and Queen on board. The British Prime Minister, Vivienne Rook, and members of Cabinet greeted the train at Euston Station, London. Operation London Bridge was now in place.

On the first day of her Lying-In-State, thousands lined the streets as her coffin made the journey to Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. Everyone wailed and cried, and fell to the ground. Her children, grandsons and cousin walked behind her coffin.

The funeral was at Westminster Abbey on the 19th of September and attended by the Royal Family, the British Parliament, invited guests, Team Magic School Bus, and the Preschool Girls. The British Army conducted ceremonial drills throughout the day.

After the funeral, her body was taken in a hearse to her final resting place at St.George’s Chapel, in the grounds of her residence at Windsor Castle. She was buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel beside her late parents and husband.

Tributes for the late Queen poured in from everywhere.

Statement from Buckingham Palace
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral Castle.

The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral and return to London tomorrow.