The Queen has died

Jambo

Jambo

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Big news this morning from the Royal Family.

Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96, after serving 70 years as Monarch.

Charles will now be known as King Charles III.

What are your guys thoughts on the whole situation? It's sad to see the Queen go, she's been Queen for most (if not all) of our lifetimes.
 
Jambo said:
Big news this morning from the Royal Family.

Queen Elizabeth II has died aged 96, after serving 70 years as Monarch.

Charles will now be known as King Charles III.

What are your guys thoughts on the whole situation? It's sad to see the Queen go, she's been Queen for most (if not all) of our lifetimes.
Click to expand...
She was a rock for many also knowing the true meaning of duty and service
 
Zorro said:
She was a rock for many also knowing the true meaning of duty and service
Click to expand...

Her dedication is unparalleled and an inspiration to all who knew her. As someone born in the 90’s, it’s hard enough to comprehend a change in reigning monarch. I can only imagine how it feels for those who’ve known her even longer.

The generations born in the 2010’s and 2020’s will not experience the continuity experienced by those before them. By virtue of being 26 years old upon her ascension to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth had the opportunity of a reign neither of her immediate heirs will have by virtue of their age - 73 and 40 respectively.
 
Yeah I thought she was gonna fool everyone with just another health scare but unfortunately her time came. It's been reported somewhere that her life/reign covered 30% of America's history since 1776! That's CRAZY to think about.... just shy of a 3rd of the entire history and it was an honor to visit London over a decade ago when she was the queen! I also loved how she wasn't afraid to have fun with her job appearing in cameos (2012 Olympics/Paddington etc) and riding horses well into her old age. Charles has some HUGE shoes to fill.
 
Sarus Crane said:
Yeah I thought she was gonna fool everyone with just another health scare but unfortunately her time came. It's been reported somewhere that her life/reign covered 30% of America's history since 1776! That's CRAZY to think about.... just shy of a 3rd of the entire history and it was an honor to visit London over a decade ago when she was the queen! I also loved how she wasn't afraid to have fun with her job appearing in cameos (2012 Olympics/Paddington etc) and riding horses well into her old age. Charles has some HUGE shoes to fill.
Click to expand...

She lived quite a memorable and admirable life.

Reigning 70 years is an incredible achievement, and I doubt we'll ever see such reign again.

It's crazy to think we'll have a king; something we've never had in almost a century. Most of us Zoochatters have only ever lived with Elizabeth as Queen, so today's the start of a completely new phase for the British Monarchy.
 
Something related to my local zoo, Chester.

The Queen visited Chester in 2012 and one of the monorail trains (now decommissioned) was painted with Union Jack colours for her visit and it stayed with these colours for multiple years afterwards. It might have actually kept these colours until it was decommissioned but I may be wrong, if anyone has more information it would be appreciated.

iu

(Image taken from Wikimedia Commons)

Chester has also announced it will close on the day of the funeral.
 
Zoofan15 said:
She’s also credited with creating the “Dorgi” after one of her Corgi mated with a Dachshund owned by her sister, Princess Margaret.

I was interested to hear most of the Corgi dogs she owned descended from a Corgi named Susan she was given in 1944, with the last of that line dying in 2018.
Click to expand...

She bred them herself too, whelped them, raised the pups all on her own. She took care of a lot of the day to day needs of her dogs (though I imagine less so as her health declined). Anyone with a fraction of her wealth or importance hires people for that. She was very involved in the care of her horses, too, and loved going to horse races and such.
 
Zorro said:
Also her many horses. Anyone how can go all that time in the public spotlight without having one mark against her name truly says much about her character.
Click to expand...

The queen owned an extensive number of horses, but her favourite was a black mare named Burmese (born 1962). She was bred to be part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and by five years old, was their lead horse.

When the RCMP learned the Queen was looking for a new horse, they offered her Burmese and the Queen gratefully accepted.

Burmese is most known for her calm handling of during the 1981 Trooping of the Colour incident, when blank shots were fired at the Queen. Though the horse initially took fright, the Queen (an expert horse rider) easily brought her under control, with the horse responding to her reassurance. The mare had also received training for these events during her time with the RCMP.

Burmese died at the age of 28 in 1990 and was buried at the grounds in Windsor. The Queen commissioned a statue of Burmese which stands in the Canadian province the mare was born.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The queen owned an extensive number of horses, but her favourite was a black mare named Burmese (born 1962). She was bred to be part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and by five years old, was their lead horse.

When the RCMP learned the Queen was looking for a new horse, they offered her Burmese and the Queen gratefully accepted.

Burmese is most known for her calm handling of during the 1981 Trooping of the Colour incident, when blank shots were fired at the Queen. Though the horse initially took fright, the Queen (an expert horse rider) easily brought her under control, with the horse responding to her reassurance. The mare had also received training for these events during her time with the RCMP.

Burmese died at the age of 28 in 1990 and was buried at the grounds in Windsor. The Queen commissioned a statue of Burmese which stands in the Canadian province the mare was born.
Click to expand...

That statue is in Regina, Saksatchewan. There's a new one, done for her recent Jubilee, at Sandhurst (where all British Army officers are trained).
 
I doubt there will be another British monarch who will have such a long and respected rule. An amazing life. It’s a sad time.

Whatever people think of the monarchy (and people are perfectly entitled not to like the office) the Queen as a figure has in my view transcended that.

Phrases are often used lightly but this is really the end of an era and it is actually very odd to think of not having the Queen any more.
 
Lafone said:
I doubt there will be another British monarch who will have such a long and respected rule. An amazing life. It’s a sad time.

Whatever people think of the monarchy (and people are perfectly entitled not to like the office) the Queen as a figure has in my view transcended that.

Phrases are often used lightly but this is really the end of an era and it is actually very odd to think of not having the Queen any more.
Click to expand...
It really is odd, my mum was asking me about the king earlier and just hearing "the king" feels so weird, I think it is going to take quite a while to get used to. Will be equally strange seeing him on money and hearing the new national anthem, this is the first change in over 70 years after all.
 
Lafone said:
I doubt there will be another British monarch who will have such a long and respected rule. An amazing life. It’s a sad time.

Whatever people think of the monarchy (and people are perfectly entitled not to like the office) the Queen as a figure has in my view transcended that.

Phrases are often used lightly but this is really the end of an era and it is actually very odd to think of not having the Queen any more.
Click to expand...
Mayki said:
It really is odd, my mum was asking me about the king earlier and just hearing "the king" feels so weird, I think it is going to take quite a while to get used to. Will be equally strange seeing him on money and hearing the new national anthem, this is the first change in over 70 years after all.
Click to expand...

It’s gonna be weird hearing the English rugby team sing “God Save the King” at games etc. but it’s something we’ll all become used to over the years given the next two heirs to the throne (William and George) will also be kings.

Historically, queens were less common than kings due to male primogeniture, so it was by virtue of Queen Elizabeth’s father having only daughters that we had a queen (not to mention the unexpected abdication of her uncle). This rule was abolished of course in 2011, so should Prince George welcome a daughter as his first child, she would be the next heir presumptive.
 
Yes it’ll be odd when you think of things like currency - all the coins and bank notes will now be replaced over time and stamps of course. It’ll be the first time in most peoples lifetimes that we will see the Monarch’s head turn the other way on an issued / current coin as well as it being a new face obviously.

It’s interesting to think that the Queen only became Queen because of the abdication and then the death of her father. One of the most admirable things about her was taking all that on at 25 and then just forging on. It’s quite a role model thing really.
 
Lafone said:
It’s interesting to think that the Queen only became Queen because of the abdication and then the death of her father. One of the most admirable things about her was taking all that on at 25 and then just forging on. It’s quite a role model thing really.
Click to expand...

Taking on the role of queen at 25 years would have been a double-edged sword. Although it was a lot to take on, she’d had 15 years of preparation for the role given her uncle abdicated when she was 10 years old. It would have been an exciting opportunity to revolutionise the monarchy while she was young and had the drive and energy to embrace change.

That said, it’s apparent how dedicated the Queen was to the service of her country right to the end. The changes she saw in her lifetime - right though to the digital revolution of today were immeasurable and something she coped with admirably. Her son will have a tough act to follow!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top