The Queen's death

Today, on September 8th, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle. There really is no other way to put it, the second Elizabethan age has come to an end. She will most likely be the last Queen Monarch in my lifetime, and it's really hard to put into words just what that feels like.

I never met her, nor did most, but somehow she always felt like the worlds grandmother, and in a way she was. Queen Elizabeth's life and reign spanned through the second world war, the transition from empire to commonwealth, the start, end, and restart of the Cold War, a global pandemic, fifteen prime ministers, the invention of penicillin, the complete irradication of smallpox, the rise of the internet, and both the UK's entry into, and withdrawal from, the European Union. To say she was there for many major world events would be a vast understatement. She was a constant in our world, an anchor for scociety, a symbol of power, and a monument in the eyes of the people.

In 1947, the Queen herself, then only 27, said "my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service." This promise she made three quarters of a century ago was sadly concluded today. She never let sickness get in the way, never shied away from her duties, and never backed down. She even appointed a new prime minister as part of her duties only two days before her death.

As the crown moves on, and King Charles III takes the throne, to him we say Long live the King, and to our former Monarch who did her best to leave this world a better place,

We thank you for your lifetime of service and for your 75 year reign.

The world mourns your passing,

Rest in peace.