Friday, 9 September 2022

A new era begins in Britain as the world mourns Queen Elizabeth II.

September 09, 2022 | VIEW IN BROWSER

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Britain mourns the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, as King Charles III gets set to address the nation today. Tributes poured in from world leaders and celebrities in honor of her 70-year reign as a national period of mourning begins.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II 1926-2022

👑 The King Charles era begins in Britain as the nation mourns Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history.

King Charles III mourned the loss of his "beloved" mother as a moment of "the greatest sadness" after Queen Elizabeth died yesterday at 96 to end a 70-year reign that spanned 13 U.S. presidents and 15 British prime ministers. The "accidental queen" who inherited the throne in the post-World War II era was widely credited with opening up the royal family to the public eye. She was just 25 when she ascended to the throne in 1952 and became a beloved figure whose Platinum Jubilee was celebrated in the U.K. this year to mark her 70 years on the throne. The queen had a 73-year marriage to husband Prince Philip, who died at 99 last year, and is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

What is Operation Unicorn? Here's what happens next in Britain following the queen's death.

A process called Operation Unicorn is underway following the queen's death Thursday at Balmoral castle in Scotland. Flags at all official buildings were lowered to half mast, and Prince Charles, 73, her oldest son, immediately became King Charles III, while his wife, Camilla, became queen consort. (Here's what that means.) Charles will address the nation in a televised speech today and meet with new British Prime Minister Liz Truss, but a coronation ceremony is not expected for a few months. The queen's body will be transferred to Edinburgh for services at St. Giles Cathedral before being moved to London five days after her death. Her funeral is expected to happen 10 days after her death, when the public will have an opportunity to pay their respects. For more details, go here.

🇬🇧 Looking back at Queen Elizabeth's life in photos.

From her days as a young princess in the 1930s to her 70-year reign on the throne that began in 1952, Queen Elizabeth has been a prominent figure across the world in everything from politics to pop culture. Known for her long romance with Prince Philip, her signature bright outfits and hats as well as her beloved corgi dogs, Elizabeth cut a distinctive figure in public life over seven decades. See her life in photos here.

ELIZABETHS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

While the United Kingdom mourns the death of Queen Elizabeth, her name will live on well beyond her 70-year reign. Generations of her family members will carry on her name, beginning with her daughter, Princess Anne, whose full name is Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. The queen's granddaughters Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice and Lady Louise Windsor also have Elizabeth as a middle name, as do four great-granddaughters. And, most famously, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, named their daughter after Elizabeth's childhood nickname. To learn more about how Elizabeth's name will live on in her family line, go here.

THE END OF AN ERA

Celebrities and world leaders mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which was announced just hours after a double rainbow could be seen arching above Buckingham Palace yesterday (above). President Joe Biden, Pope Francis and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among those who released statements of condolences, with Biden saying Elizabeth "defined an era." "She was the first British monarch to whom people all around the world could feel a personal and immediate connection," Biden said. Celebrities like Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Helen Mirren also paid tribute to the queen, with John, who was knighted by the queen in 1998, calling her "an inspiring presence."