Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. Witnessing nearly a century, the Queen became the longest-reigning female monarch in history.
Elizabeth, who came to the throne in 1952, saw 14 American presidents and 15 British prime ministers come and go. Most recently, she has formally asked the new prime minister Liz Truss form a new government.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years. Witnessing nearly a century, the Queen became the longest-reigning female monarch in history.
Her death means Charles now becomes king, and the Duchess of Cornwall the Queen Consort.
If the Queen is still reigning in May 2024 she would take the title of the longest reigning monarch of a sovereign state. Louis XIV’s reign of 72 years and 110 days was from 1643 to 1715. But he only started to rule personally in his 20s, in 1661. The Queen became monarch at the age of 25, following the death of her father in the early hours of 6 February 1952.
In September 2015, she became the longest-reigning British monarch when she surpassed the reign of her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria. She said at the time it was not a title “to which I have ever aspired”. She also became the longest reigning female monarch in world history on that day.
Her other records include being the oldest reigning queen ever and the oldest British monarch ever.
Queen Elizabeth II, saw 14 American presidents and 15 British prime ministers come and go. Most recently, she formally asked the new prime minister Liz Truss, to form a new government in a carefully choreographed ceremony dictated by centuries of tradition. It was the first time in the queen’s 70-year reign that the handover of power took place at Balmoral, rather than Buckingham Palace in London.
After Queen’s death, “She was the very spirit of Great Britain and that spirit will endure. Our country has grown and flourished under her reign. Britain is the great country it is today because of her” she said.
The most inspiring women in the world
Queen Elizabeth II might be the most powerful person in Britain, but she is also one of the most inspiring women in the world.
Despite hardly ever discussing women’s rights, she has had a big impact on empowering women everywhere throughout her reign. The late monarch was a trailblazer in women’s leadership, assuming the British throne 70 years ago at a time women were rarely seen in leadership anywhere in the world.
The Queen has been described by many as a feminist icon, including Olivia Colman, who plays the monarch in the latest season of The Crown. In November 2019, the Oscar winner told Radio Times: “[The Queen is] the ultimate feminist. She’s the breadwinner. She’s the one on our coins and banknotes.”
In June 2015, the Queen opened the 100th annual meeting of the Women’s Institute (WI) at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
In the speech, she highlighted some of the greatest achievements for women in the last 100 years.
“There has been significant economic and social change since 1915,” she said. “Women have been granted the vote, British women have climbed Everest for the first time and the country has elected its first female prime minister.”
She added: “In the modern world, the opportunities for women to give something of value to society are greater than ever, because, through their own efforts, they now play a much greater part in all areas of public life.
“In 2015 it continues to demonstrate that it can make a real difference to the lives of women of all ages and cultural backgrounds, in a spirit of friendship, cooperation and support.”