Shortly after the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II of England (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary), passed away at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle on September 8th, 2022. Elizabeth was born on the 21st of April, 1926, in Mayfair, London, to the future King George and Queen Elizabeth I. King George, Elizabeth’s father, was the second son of the king, after his brother, the former King Edward. The late Queen’s mother, Queen Elizabeth I, was the youngest daughter of a Scottish aristocrat. Unlike other royals, Elizabeth only had 1 sibling: Princess Margaret. The two were very close as children.
In her childhood, Elizabeth felt the widespread impacts of WWII. This experience caused her to think about the people who had lost their homes, people who were injured, and people who had been killed in the world.
As a child, she was 3rd in line for the throne, behind her grandfather, uncle, and father. Consequently, she was not expected to become queen. After her uncle abdicated, her father became king and Elizabeth was pronounced the future Queen of England.
Shortly before becoming queen, Elizabeth met her future husband, Prince Phillip of Denmark and Greece. They announced their engagement when she was 21 and were happily married on November 20th, 1947. The very next year, Elizabeth gave birth to her first child, Charles III, the future king of England. Their second child, Anne, was born 2 years later. Later on, she gave birth to her two younger sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
In 1952, her father, formerly King George, fell ill and died. She was on a tour in Kenya when she heard the news about her father, and came home to England as queen.
Her coronation, however, was much different than others. For the first time, it was broadcast on television, allowing all citizens to watch. This was a sudden change that lots of people didn’t accept at first; eventually, television found its way into many households soon after.
Along with her family, she took her two pet corgis with her to her final home, Balmoral Castle. Muick and Sandy now live with Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
On September 8th, the queen passed away, at 15:10 BST. Prior to her death, doctors had recommended that the queen should remain under medical supervision as her health was declining. Beside her deathbed were her 4 children (Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward), her daughters-in-law (Sophie and Camilla), and her grandsons (William and Harry).
Her funeral was held on September 19th, 2022, in Westminster Abbey. The same day, a private ceremony was held, only attended by her family members.
Though her exact last words aren’t known, her daughter, Anne, wrote to the public that “she had witnessed the last 24 hours of her Mother’s life, and that she understood her brother, Charles, new responsibilities as King.”
Written by Gloria Jin of Cabin John Middle School
Graphic courtesy of Rudy Essiomle of Thomas S. Wootton High School