This Thursday, 8, the sad news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death moved the world. Marking the end of an era, the monarch had the longest reign in history. They have been on the throne for 70 years accompanied by divorce scandals, sexual abuse and much criticism. But one thing is certain: the crown remained with her.
Since October 2021, the queen has been in poor health and has been absent from official commitments. After all these decades leading an attitude of integrity and admired by the British population, she died at Balmoral Palace, Scotland, her official residence where she spent her summer holidays.
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” the Buckingham Palace statement read. “The king and queen consort will stay at Balmoral tonight and return to London tomorrow.” In fact, the entire Royal Family, including children and grandchildren, was summoned to the place.
At the age of 96, Queen Elizabeth II left a memorable legacy not just for the UK, but for the whole world. As a tribute, we separate 5 moments of the monarch who marked history. God Save the Queen!
The first female member of the royal family to join the military full-time
During the Second World War in 1945, the queen drove trucks and worked as a mechanic. She served in her Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service. As a result, she was the only living head of state who served in World War II.
Indeed, this made her the first British royal woman to join the military.
Queen Elizabeth II introduced new rules on women occupying the royal throne
In 2011, the queen oversaw a major change in succession laws. Now, thanks to an agreement with the leaders of the 16 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, it has been established that the sons and daughters of any future British monarch would have equal rights to the throne.
Until then, the laws of succession dictated that the heir to the throne would always be the firstborn. Under the new rules, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had had a daughter first, she would have preferred the throne over her younger siblings. On the other hand, Kate and William ended up having a baby, Prince George.
When he took the wheel and took Saudi King Abdullah for a drive
Nowadays, the misogynistic term “women behind the wheel, constant danger” is completely unacceptable. In addition to her World War II background, the Queen was an avid driver and was constantly seen driving.
In 2003, she took King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for a ride in his Land Rover when he came to visit her in Balmoral, Scotland. Thus, a story told by the British diplomat Sir Sherard Cowper-Cowles, shows how Abdullah was struck by the Queen’s attitude.
“After lunch, the queen asked her royal guest if he would like to visit the estate,” wrote Cowper-Coles. Initially, the king hesitated, but eventually agreed. “The royal Land Rovers were stopped in front of the castle. As per instructions, the Crown Prince got into the front seat of the front Land Rover and his interpreter in the back seat,” he says.
“To her surprise, the queen got into the driver’s seat, turned on the ignition and left.” In this way, the queen’s attitude was extremely significant, considering that women could not yet drive in Saudi Arabia. “Abdullah was not used to being led by a woman, much less a queen,” wrote Cowper-Coler.
He was the first monarch to open the doors of Buckingham Palace to the public.
In 1993, Queen Elizabeth II opened the doors of Buckingham Palace to the general public for the first time in the history of the British monarchy. Then the money raised from the tickets was used to rebuild parts of Windsor Castle that were damaged in a fire in 1992.
When Queen Elizabeth II received the Platinum Jubilee
In February 2022, England kicked off the Platinum Jubilee, a series of celebrations marking Queen Elizabeth II’s 70th birthday on the throne. In fact, the Queen had already received the Golden Jubilee in 2002.
Thus, on June 2 the celebration began, characterized by a military parade with 1,400 soldiers, musicians and 240 horses, a Royal Air Force viaduct and a salute with 82 guns were staged in honor of the monarch. There was also the presentation of a parade of corgis (Elizabeth’s favorite dog breed), with more than 30 dogs “marching”.
It was then that the Queen observed the glitz from the Buckingham Palace balcony. She was currently accompanied by four generations of her heirs, including her eldest son, Prince Charles; her eldest son, Prince William; and William’s eldest son, Prince George.
Source: Terra
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
