Queen Elizabeth’s uncontested reign of seventy years and two hundred and fourteen days came to an end when the ninety-six-year old monarch died on September 8th at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Her Majesty’s death was announced at 6:30 pm UK time via a Tweet from Buckingham Palace that reads, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” Her death was announced quickly after the Queen had been quarantined for her health earlier that day.
That same day, “Operation London Bridge” was initiated, which is a sequence of events to be followed after the Queen’s death. This ten-step plan commenced quickly
First, the royal household notified the public of Queen Elizabeth’s death. Prince Charles immediately succeeded the throne, officially being named King Charles III. His wife was named queen consort and the couple stayed at Balmoral overnight. Flags flew at half-mast throughout the UK from September 8 to September 19, the day of the Queen’s funeral.
Shortly after her passing, Charles issued a statement about his late mother, according to NBC News. “Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived, a promise with destiny kept, and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.”
To formally allow Charles to replace Queen Elizabeth as monarch, the King read and signed an oath to uphold the British monarchy. Senior members of Parliament took an oath of allegiance to the current monarch.
Later, a procession transported the Queen’s coffin to Westminster Hall for several days, where the public was allowed to pay their respects. Meanwhile, King Charles traveled to several parts of the UK to speak to leaders.
After all of the ceremonies and tributes for Queen Elizabeth, her official remembrance culminates in a final event - The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Choir of Westminster Abbey sang several songs in Elizabeth’s honor before the conclusion of the funeral. Later that day, the royal family attended the Committal, which is a more intimate service for the Queen.
Not only does the royal family remember Queen Elizabeth fondly, but the Queen’s rule has also impacted those across the pond. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden released a statement honoring Queen Elizabeth the day of her death, remembering her as “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States,” according to the White House website. Beyond the White House, many Americans remember the Queen fondly on social media.
Despite the outpour of support for the British monarchy as of late, not everyone shares the England’s and U.S.’s fond remembrance of the late monarch. In Glasgow, Scotland, just hours after Queen Elizabeth’s death, Dundee United soccer fans began chanting “Lizzie’s in a box” before the match began. In another viral video, Irish dancers step-danced to “Another One Bites the Dust” in front of Buckingham Palace.
Following the Queen’s passing, Twitter users in India, Africa, and other nations called for the return of artifacts stolen from them and placed in museums during British rule.
Others have demanded that their countries be repaid for the effects British imperialism had on them. In a joint statement from Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas last spring, the coalition said that they “stand united in condemning Britain’s savagery in enslaving our ancestors, the coarse indecency of colonial exploitation, the brutality of its enforcers and the enduring legacies of impoverishment and colonial-era ideologies that have damaged and continue to damage our people, our society and our economy.”
In light of her death, many shared via social media that Queen Elizabeth was not only a symbol of colonial times, but a perpetuator of colonialism as well. They argued that she actively attempted to cease independence movements and tried to keep independent colonies from leaving the commonwealth, according to The GW Hatchet.
During her reign, Queen Elizabeth refused to acknowledge a slave trade that can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth I herself. In the 1600s and 1700s, British colonies produced sugar, tobacco and cotton. In order to do so, the British bought and imported slaves from Africa and intendured servants. The monarchy also continually owned companies and plantations that used slave labor.
In 1968, the Queen’s chief financial manager informed civil servants that it was “not, in fact, the practice to appoint coloured immigrants or foreigners” to clerical roles in the royal household. More recently, a member of the queen’s staff from India was fired shortly after the Queen’s death and even sent back to India after Parliament had been “trying to get rid of him for ages,” according to The Guardian.
It seems that while a large portion of the world is mourning Queen Elizabeth and remembering her life and reign, others celebrated her passing, condemning her for her continued support and representation of colonialism. Those that benefited from her reign or were indifferent to it seem uneasy by these forms of protest. Those in other countries who have suffered in the past, recent and present rightfully express anger towards the monarchy and the late Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth II held a long and complicated reign, being loved and hated in equal measure. When she passed, her life was celebrated, ridiculed, criticized and analyzed. Tears of joy and tears of sadness have been shed.
Whether or not you personally have love for the queen, the whole world has something to say about it.