RIP HM Queen Elizabeth II (1 Viewer)

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I remember my mother-in-law (born in 1930) what a shock it was when Roosevelt died because he was the only president she had ever known. This has to be so much worse to people in the commonwealth. She was only 15 at the time, for them its anyone younger that 70
On radio today it said that approximately 86% of the UK population have not known another head of state, it is possibly higher than that. Many people are having difficulty even saying "King Charles" and dread having to change the national anthem's words, after a lifetime of "God save the Queen".
 
When I was a freshman at the College of William and Mary in the fall of 1957, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited the college. W & M was one of two colleges in the US that had been granted a royal charter (W & M in 1693 and its charter was still in effect) so it was a State visit. The Queen addressed the faculty and students from a balcony of the Wren building. (designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren). Here is a not-so-good photo that I took that day.
 

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I was only a few months old when the then Princess Elizabeth became Queen. in an era where common values, respect and ordinary decency meant a damned sight more than they seem to today.
In 70 years, I now see the third Monarch in my life so far, and have met, or seen the present one, and the dearly departed one, the latter seeming, to me, at least, rather like a distant mother, reminding me very much, both in attitude and physical appearance, of my own, late mother.
Whether one is a "Monarchist" or not, the late Queen Elizabeth II was an extremely "decent" and caring person, who, even if only as a "figure head", inspired and motivated millions of people all over the World, not least with her sense of fun and humour ( the James Bond and Paddington Bear TV things come to mind.)
As the longest reigning Monarch, at least in British history, she will be missed and, I guess, revered for many years to come.
I hope, and trust, that King Charles III will continue in the same vein.
 
I was only a few months old when the then Princess Elizabeth became Queen. in an era where common values, respect and ordinary decency meant a damned sight more than they seem to today.
In 70 years, I now see the third Monarch in my life so far, and have met, or seen the present one, and the dearly departed one, the latter seeming, to me, at least, rather like a distant mother, reminding me very much, both in attitude and physical appearance, of my own, late mother.
Whether one is a "Monarchist" or not, the late Queen Elizabeth II was an extremely "decent" and caring person, who, even if only as a "figure head", inspired and motivated millions of people all over the World, not least with her sense of fun and humour ( the James Bond and Paddington Bear TV things come to mind.)
As the longest reigning Monarch, at least in British history, she will be missed and, I guess, revered for many years to come.
I hope, and trust, that King Charles III will continue in the same vein.
Well said Terry. Being Canadian and only having very distant English and Scottish Ancestry on my mother's side I am not a Monarchist per se but she was our Queen here in Canada too and in some respects like you say a distant Mother. She often said Canada was her second home and she encouraged us all to become the best humanity can offer and I deeply respected her for that and what she accomplished. I did get a bit emotional when I heard of her passing because she has been a part of what defines us a nation and as a people. I now trust Charles will continue do likewise. God save the King.
 
Britain and NZ have just signed an FTA, why jeopardise that?
They'd not leave the CW, just become a republic, like all but fifteen of the fifty-six Commonwealth nations. Nothing is jeopardized.


Most of these countries maintained HM as head of State due to their affection and esteem for QE2. It's no insult to move on to the next stage, now that she has.
 
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That is actually normal. My grandmother Was born with Victoria on the throne and died with Elizabeth II on the throne
Victoria died quite young at 81, though it was the 1800s when advances and ideas on medicine and nutrition were not ideal. It's too bad Victoria didn't live with her sharp mind, into her mid-90s. She might have got her Grandson Wilhelm II and Grandson-in-law Nicolas II (husband of Victoria's granddaughter, Alexandra) to sit down and work out their sh#t, whilst telling the former to drop the naval aspirations and the latter his aims on India. Then everyone can have a good kick at those Republicans in France and call it a day.
 
The State funeral will be something to see. Look for sailors pulling the gun carriage rather than the horses that usually pull non-monarchs at their State funerals, such as the Queen Mother, Prince Phillip and Diana. Churchill, on the Queen's approval got the sailors.

This tradition is not that old.

Non-commissioned sailors, naval ratings, traditionally pull the gun carriage bearing a sovereign's coffin through the streets using ropes.

The custom was adopted in 1901 at Queen Victoria's funeral when the splinter bar of the gun carriage broke as her coffin, weighing nearly half a tonne, was lifted into place and one of the horses was hit by a ricocheting strap, causing it to panic and plunge forward.

The naval guard of honour stepped in and dragged the gun carriage to the castle, with the image considered so striking it has been used at every British monarch's funeral since.


 

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