«¡The Queen is dead,
Long Live the King!»
London, Sept. 8 (DP.net).– Elizabeth II, the British monarch, has completed her splendid reign. After Louis XIV, who ruled France for 72 years, her term on the throne is the second-longest in history. Following the passing of her father, King George VI, and five years after their Westminster Abbey wedding to Prince Philip, commonly known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952. Eight grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and four children were born to her and Prince Philip. She served as a monarch for 70 years.
With the assistance of her family, Queen Elizabeth served as the head of state in the United Kingdom and many other Commonwealth nations. She made historic travels to places like China, the Middle East, and the Vatican while fostering ties with longtime friends like the United States. She hosted some 120 state visits, including her renowned state banquets at Buckingham Palace.
The queen had delegated one of her most important public duties to Prince Charles in May, having him preside over the State Opening of Parliament and delivering the Queen’s Speech laying out the government’s legislative program. The event is a symbol of the monarch’s constitutional role as head of state and is accompanied by centuries of tradition designed to demonstrate the strength of Britain’s political institutions.
"I cannot lead you into battle," the Queen, summing up her role in a 1957 Christmas broadcast, once told her subjects. "I do not give you laws or administer justice, but I can do something else: I can give my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations."
- Hits: 1953