UK: Queen Elizabeth II Dies Age 96

Facts

• Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, has passed away at age 96, Buckingham Palace has announced. She died peacefully on Thurs. afternoon at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, according to a statement.¹
• This comes after it was announced earlier in the day that palace doctors were 'concerned for Her Majesty's health.' All four of the monarch's children - Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - were reportedly by her side. Other members of the Royal Family, including Prince William, had also traveled to Balmoral, with Prince Harry reportedly en route.²
• Messages have flooded in from across the nation and the world, with newly appointed PM Liz Truss stating 'we are all devastated' at the news, which is a 'huge shock to the nation and the world.'³
• The monarch succeeded to the throne in 1952, following the death of her father. She steered the monarchy through challenging times, including the decline and ultimate disintegration of the British Empire, and saw in 15 PMs. She celebrated the 70th anniversary of her accession to the British throne earlier this year.⁴
• Queen Elizabeth's son, Charles, immediately became King upon the announcement of her death. He will be officially known as King Charles III, it has been confirmed. He is the oldest person to become King in British history.⁴
• The new King stated that his mother's death is a moment of 'the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.' The Royal Family will now enter a period of mourning, with official engagements cancelled and union flags flown at half mast.¹

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Guardian (a), ³Guardian (b) and ⁴Washington Post.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by New Statesman. Queen Elizabeth was undoubtedly a dutiful monarch and became a symbol of stability and constancy. But, with the inevitable end of her reign will come a crisis in the very identity and purpose of the monarchy itself. Queen Elizabeth kept the monarchy running with an exceptional blend of modernity and tradition, but the complexities and crises that have plagued the rest of the royal family will inevitably see the end of her era prompt furious debate.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Independent. Queen Elizabeth will inevitably be a hard act to follow, but everyone, especially the current heirs to the throne, know how much work there is to be done. King Charles is looking to make the monarchy more inclusive and ecumenical in style, and plans to trim the family and its pageantry down to a size more befitting Britain's modern standing on the world stage. The monarchy will adapt, as it always has, to serve the nation and identify its purposes in today's landscape.